Having laid down the sword and laid hold of my plow, I labor to please my God.
His creatures, His soils, the Earth... and this temple He to me gave...
Embracing my Earth and its living companions with kindness and love,
I now receive peace, healing, nurturing, and life... no longer the grave...

"Cease your evil against My creation and all My creatures!" I heard from above!
"Protect and give peace!" became my covenant as in near death. my own life almost did end...
So, preserved today, now wiser in His wisdom, more loving in His love,
I follow His soft counsel... mySaviour (of humanity and all life), my Lord, my Brother. and now dearest Friend...

Each moment now brings new wonder, each day's new joy is made sure.
my hands now washed clean, my heart now mends pure.
as the gentle and soft and eternal kind ease.
of my Lord's tender ways, brings sweet savored peace...

Now invited I sit, with my Lord, my heavenly friends and all Earth's family.
joined in our love, at His table spread full and kindly.
where Heaven's bounty, in beauty, is carefully laid,
where none are hurt, and none made afraid!..

Yet the sweetest peace of all, and joy to me, my Lord does give!
as in my soul, His love assures, None, that is, Nothing need die, that I might live!

Thomas Lynn Rodgers,

Excerpt from prose written 20 Oct 1992, shared with family, spiritual, sensitive and closest of friends, as part of recording personal understandings experienced in brush with death June 30 1991. Then modified Nov 1999 for broader public sharing, then Dec 2001 for web publication.