Do something about the problem

Obstacles? Deal with Them Now
By Brian Cavanaugh

An old farmer had plowed around a large rock in one of his fields for years. He had broken several plowshares and a cultivator on it and had grown rather morbid about the rock.

After breaking another plowshare one day, and remembering all the trouble the rock had caused him through the years, he finally decided to do something about it.

When he put the crowbar under the rock, he was surprised to discover that it was only about six inches thick and that he could break it up easily with a sledgehammer. As he was carting the pieces away he had to smile, remembering all the trouble that the rock had caused him over the years and how easy it would have been to get rid of it long ago.

Are there rocks in your life you’ve been plowing around, complaining and bemoaning each time you go by? Maybe it’s time to stop and do something about them. With the help of divine Love, there’s a solution that can crack that problem in pieces and make it removable from your field of labor.

Do You Quack or Soar?

The following story is widely circulated on the web, and it's a good one to be reminded of in these times of high unemployment and people striving to hold on to their job.

It emphasizes the merits of offering top-notch service and the rewards that come for giving above and beyond.

Here's a link:

Ducks quack, eagles soar

Are you soaring or quacking today?

Do you quack or soar?

The following story is widely circulated on the web, and it's a good one to be reminded of in these times of high unemployment and people striving to hold on to their job.

It emphasizes the merits of offering top-notch service and the rewards that come for giving above and beyond.

Here's a link:

Ducks quack, eagles soar

Are you soaring or quacking today?

The ugliness of complaint

I was browsing in a Bible bookstore today looking for a translation of the Bible. It was a pleasant atmosphere to be in. The single employee in the store was very gracious, helpful and in good spirits. I was in a very good mood too, enjoying a few moments of free time. A recording of a man reading from the Bible played over the audio system. It was a peaceful place to be.

In walks a woman who is looking for a particular book that she cannot find. The store does not have it in stock, but can order it. Well, that wasn’t good enough. She didn’t understand why it wasn’t on the shelf right then so she could look at it. And out came complaint after complaint. Her disgruntled voice filled the shopping area, and I had to start loving this woman to stop myself from thinking negative thoughts about her!

I was not too successful at first because I was impressed by the unfairness of her critical comments.

I wondered if she really could consider herself a Christian…oops…not a nice thought! I’m sure she did. So, I prayed that the condemnation would quickly stop and she could find something good to be grateful for.

The criticism did not cease. It grew worse. Soon she was criticizing the whole store and stating how disappointed she was in finding gifts for sale in a Bible store…and so on... The barrage didn’t stop until she left the premises.

I did not let my thinking fall to a low level. I quickly started loving her as a child of God, and knew she had the capacity to see the good, and I mentally followed her out the door with a blessing.

After she left, though, I couldn’t help but notice how ugly complaints can be. The store had been a very nice amiable atmosphere of thought before this woman entered. In she came with her complaining attitude, and the store rapidly went from being a very pleasant atmosphere to making you want to run for the door.

In Christian Science, one learns not to “run for the door,” but to love more and take the higher road of demonstrating dominion over dark bleak attitudes. And by relying upon the power of divine Love to back up one’s positive position, it’s possible to send the complaining attitude running for the door, instead of the good thought feeling like it has to leave. I suppose that is what happened to a degree. The woman left and all returned to harmony.

But I’m going to practice complaining less from now on! I don’t know how much I do, but I probably have room for improvement. From watching this woman, I see clearly that it’s not a pretty picture to be seen as a complainer! It’s a lot more favorable to be one voicing gratitude and goodwill.

People asking for help

There are many people struggling with issues that need resolution in their life. You may hear about some of these difficulties when friends, neighbors or strangers, for instance, complain about a health problem, vent anger, express irritation, or fear for their future.

In fact, I hear from many of these individuals every day...and happily so, because when they call for help and tell me their pain, I know that what they’re really asking for is

To be reminded that they are a perfect and loved child of God.

No time for complaint

The economic hardships many people face today are a call on all of us to be grateful more than ever for every good thing we can find in our life.

As a practitioner, I pray for supply with people who can’t afford food for the day to businessmen running multi-million dollar businesses. And one of the basic spiritual principles we almost always come back to, is to look for the good that is obvious and be grateful for it. It has been proven time and time again that the blessings you recognize opens thought to see more supply right next to it.

When I hear people in the neighborhood, on the news, or at random complain about not having enough, I ponder, “I don't think this is a time to complain." And I remember the people who have far less to keep a sense of perspective on it all.

I think of the simple life Jesus lived. He owned the garment he wore, and that was about it. Yet, he never complained about not having enough. Why? Because he knew he was rich, wealthy and totally cared for. He never saw himself as lacking. He was spiritually minded.

If Jesus was ever tempted to compare his economic situation to another’s I’m convinced that he saw himself possessing much more wealth than anyone he saw because he knew real supply was love, gratitude, joy and faith in God, which he had in great amounts. Money and possessions were as dead weight to him. And so Jesus led a perpetually grateful life. He frequently thanked God for blessings before they appeared humanly, like the time he lifted the scant loaves and fishes up to heaven before feeding the hungry thousands. Jesus never lacked.

So, anytime we are tempted to complain that we don’t have enough, that we need something more, or covet a neighbor’s paycheck, it’s a call to be more grateful for the blessings we have, for they are great! They come from God and are freely given. They are the riches of life, truth and love.

Protection from complaint

Have you ever gotten probervially "sick and tired," of listening to another frequently complain?

Sometimes, it seems like we can't do anything about the other person's negative attitude, but we can always defend our mental home from the negativity and keep the bitterness out. God has endowed us with the capacity to think spiritually and love all the more. It is foolish to suffer for another's errors. God is Mind, and God is Love. We can claim a Mind of Love as our own, and stay inspired.

We should waste no time regurgitating the grievance or allowing resentment toward it to grow in our mental garden. Keep the ugly weeds out!

When another complains, don't let their complaining become your complaint!

What label are you wearing?

A woman walked by the front of my office yesterday wearing a t-shirt that read, “Just plain grumpy.” I took the message to mean she was generally a very grumpy person, and people had better keep their distance lest they get a dose of her unpleasantness.

I was partially amazed that she wanted to broadcast such a negative attitude about herself to the whole world.

“Here comes Miss Grumpy. You’d better watch out!” she seemed to be saying.

Then I chuckled because I realized labels can be worn in many different ways. Some prefer to print a statement on their clothes, but others wear messages on their face, in the way they sit, how they treat others, and in the words they choose to speak.

Labels are indicators of thinking going on behind the scenes, and those activities behind the scenes do not require a t-shirt logo to be seen. They surface whether we try or not. The human body is the human thought in action governing that body.

So, what labels was I wearing? I asked.

Was I projecting a picture of pleasantness, joy, cheer, gratitude, and love?

Was I feeling these qualities within so they would appear without?

Was there any grumpiness or complaint that needed to be eliminated from thought so it didn’t appear in my word or action toward others?

There is always congruency in our lives. What we project is congruent with what we believe to be true in the moment we’re in.

Even in the times when we don’t agree with what we project, there is congruency. The outer projects the inner. If things are not right outwardly, that’s a sign that the inner needs to be corrected with spiritual truth. As the inner is reformed, the outer improves.

And the spiritual truth includes the fact that each of us has a wonderful individuality made in the likeness of Love where there is only room for joy, cheer, gratitude, compassion, love, thoughtfulness and care. These qualities, lived and expressed, label us a child of God, and that’s a “t-shirt” message any of us should be happy to put on.

What label are you wearing today?

Complaint or praise?

A young man decided to become a monk in a religious order that allowed monks to speak only two words every two years.

After his first two years of training, the young monk was invited by
his superior to make his two-word presentation. “Food terrible,” he said.

Two years later, at the invitation of his superior, he said, “bed lumpy.” And then two years later he went to his superior’s office and issued his
final two words, “I quit.”

The superior looked at the young monk and said, “you know, this doesn’t surprise me one bit. All you have done since you arrived is complain, complain, complain.”

Each of us may benefit from asking ourselves, “What would I say to the world if I had only two words to express my feelings? Would I utter a complaint or praise?” Our answer likely tells much about what dominates our thought during a given day.

Life is good. Do we see life that way?

People generally want to help and do the right thing. Do we see our neighbor that way?

God loves us and takes care of us in ways we often don’t realize or notice. Are we appreciative?

Tomorrow is always a new day. Are we expectant of progress?

God is a good God, and we are the beneficiaries of that goodness. Are we ready and receptive to the blessings coming our way?

The more we focus on the good, behold the good in others, and expect good, the less room there is for complaint in our thought. When we open our mouth, words of praise, joy and blessing come out, because that’s what we’re thinking about and grateful for.

And complaint…well,...what’s that? :)

“God loves a cheerful giver.” II Corinthians