Cuckoo bird and averting fear

It’s one of the biggest cons in the bird kingdom.

The famous cuckoo bird rarely builds its own nest. When ready to lay eggs, mother cuckoo looks for a nest with eggs similar to hers already in it. When mom and pop warbler are off looking for food, mother cuckoo slips into the unsuspecting warblers' nest, deposits her egg, and takes off never to return. Meanwhile, hard working mom and pop warbler return, and not being too good at arithmetic, don’t notice the addition to the family. The cuckoo hatches and gets fed with the other baby warblers.

But baby cuckoo is 2-3 times bigger than her nest-mates. Wanting more food and more room, she kicks the warblers out of the nest one by one, killing them off to make more space for herself. Soon, the cuckoo is the only fledgling left and mom and pop warbler are working their tail-feathers off trying to keep her hungry appetite content. Finally, cuckoo flies off and repeats the same deceitful trick on another unsuspecting warbler elsewhere.

The moral of the story is…never let a cuckoo bird lay an egg in your nest!

Fear appears in the human consciousness in much the same way a cuckoo egg appears in a warbler’s nest—out of nowhere.

Have you ever gone to bed feeling well only to wake in the morning feeling ill? If so, cuckoo bird laid an egg of fear in thought during the night, and it hatched by morning.

Have you ever been happy and without warning suddenly felt depressed? If so, cuckoo bird just hatched another egg.

I’m using cuckoo bird here as a metaphor for mortal mind—the sensuous, material and selfish mind that has nothing but ill to offer.

To prevent the “cuckoo bird” of mortal mind from depositing alien eggs, or fears, into thinking, we need to stay spiritually alert, awake, and attentive to what happens in our mental household.

“Stand porter at the door of thought,” Mary Baker Eddy wrote.

Put on the Mind of Christ the apostle Paul instructed. With spiritual alertness we can prevent false beliefs from taking root and growing to unwanted proportions.

Let's keep our thinking filled with Truth and Love, and stop the predator of fear from sneaking into our mental precincts.

Cuckoo bird be-gone!

Buffett and Gates' money

Warren Buffett is donating $30 billion to a foundation run by Bill and Melinda Gates. It’s heartening to see the world’s two richest people joining forces to remedy some major world ills.

Much of the funding will be spent on health and education programs. Bill Gates is quoted in USA Today as saying, “There’s no reason we can’t cure the world’s 20 deadliest illnesses.”

I pray that Gates and Buffett understand it takes more than money and drugs to solve world health problems.

The US already has the highest spending per capita for healthcare and much sicker citizens then countries that spend far less per person. Billions of dollars have been spent on disease research over the last century, yet people face more severe and aggressive diseases than ever. One disease is conquered, and a worse one appears in its place. The evidence is unmistakable. It takes more than dollars and chemicals to stamp out disease.

Gates and Buffett are smart business leaders. I’m sure they have a plan in mind yet to be fully revealed. But whatever it is, to bear results that endure, their efforts needs to include an element of spirituality.

A drug may produce a short term effect, but for long term renewal people need improved values, increased morality and even spirituality. People act out and experience life according to the thoughts that govern their lives. The better their thoughts, the better their experience is, including their health.

The world’s 20 deadliest diseases are not going to be cured through monetary spending alone. Health is a state of Mind, the divine Mind expressed through us. The more we learn about this Mind-health relationship, the faster we’ll conquer disease and stay healthy.

Fear not

F.E.A.R.

F.alse
E.vidence
A.ppearing
R.eal

Fear is not as scary as it appears when you know how to dismantle it and reduce it to nothing.

False Evidence Appearing Real!

False evidence is a condition, situation or circumstance that appears true, but is not.

I have a friend who listened to a party guest describe in detail the symptoms of a skin disease. The next morning she looked in the mirror and saw the disease on her face. She became very fearful.

From a physical point of view, the disease appeared real and true. She could touch it, feel it and see it.

When talking with her about it, we readily agreed that what she saw in the mirror was not a physical condition, but a mental impression from the previous night’s conversation with the party guest. To undo the impression in her thought, we needed to know the spiritual truth about her health. The spot would then disappear.

In praying together, we affirmed God governed her health and well being, not other people’s fears. That she could not pick up any unGodlike condition, for she was God’s unchangeable perfect image. That disease is not mentally transferred from one person to another. That God made her healthy and kept her healthy. That she had nothing to fear.

As we talked, her fear evaporated. She called back the next day and reported the blemish gone.

I seen other examples also that fear is no more real than the false evidence that creates the fear in the first place.

The antidote for fear is Truth. The more we understand Truth—that God is omnipresent Love and all-powerful Mind—the less gullible we are to believing in a lie. Fear then has no basis to take root in thought.

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God.”

Worship Truth, not error, and you’ll have a whole lot less fear to battle and a whole lot more peace to rejoice in.

Fear not! God has your health under control.

Gritty rats and immune systems

Two studies claim rats and mice living in sewers and filthy environments are healthier and have stronger immune systems than their cousins who live in squeaky clean labs.

Researchers see a lesson for humans. People can overdo concerns about hygiene. Humans living in a protected environment scoured of dirt, germs and other undesirables, seem to be more prone to allergies, asthma and similar health problems. Observers trace better health of the filthy rodents back to a stronger immune system developed from exposure to more of the elements, believing the same rule may apply to people.

Does this mean we should all get more exposed to filth and dirt to stay healthy? Perhaps. But there’s another influence at work researchers haven’t yet noticed: the fear factor.

From a metaphysical point of view, the reason people and/or rodents wouldn’t develop strong immune systems in antiseptic environments is not because they aren’t exposed to germs, but because they are afraid of germs. The antiseptic environment is generally a fear-laden place, and fear is weakness. A body governed by fear is a weak body, whether one is exposed to germs or not. The antidote is to understand what constitutes true immunity.

Immunity is spiritual mindedness. It’s a consciousness of Truth and Love that does not fear. It comes from God, and is available to each of us.

As we identify ourselves spiritually and know God is in control of our life, shaping and forming our health and well being, we demonstrate protection from harm in the material environment. Germs that appear to affect the fear-governed body do not impact the body governed by fearlessness.

So, fear not! Germs or no germs, it really doesn’t matter to how healthy you remain. It’s spiritual truth that preserves and builds strength.

The Fisherman and the Industrialist

A rich industrialist was horrified to find a fisherman lying comfortably beside his boat soaking in the warm afternoon sun. “Why aren’t you out fishing?” asked the industrialist.

“I’ve caught enough fish for the day,” said the fisherman.

”Why don’t you catch some more?” questioned the rich man.

”What would I do with them?” asked the fisherman.

”You could earn more money,” said the intruder. “Then you could buy a new motor for your boat and go into deeper waters to catch more fish. Then you could buy nylon nets and catch more fish and make more money. Then you could buy another boat and make more money, and then get a fleet of boats to make even more money. Then you would be a rich man like me!”

“What would I do then?” The fisherman asked.

”Then you could really enjoy life!” The industrialist answered.

”What do you think I’m doing right now?” replied the contented worker.

Ka-ching!

Have you ever been tempted to believe you need more than you already have?

A consumer oriented society preaches the pursuit of happiness through consumption. Yet, experience teaches us that money does not buy genuine joy. True contentment is a feeling found within, not a discardable item bought at a store.

We can learn from the lesson of the fisherman. Be happy with what we have, and bask in the eternal presence of God’s omnipresent goodness.

We have all we need to fully enjoy life here and now.

Self-justification

Self-justification is one of those qualities we often ignore and overlook because we hear it done so frequently. But honestly, it’s not a good quality. It’s a shortcoming of the trumped up human ego that seeks to hide its errors behind a façade of “I’m innocent!” when a guilty plea is more appropriate.

What a happier place this world would be if we all immediately admitted our errors and worked to rectify them.

Here's a test to take if wondering whether one has an issue with self-justification.

What do you say when a policeman pulls you over for speeding and asks you why you were stopped?

Do you immediately admit your error? Do you tell him you weren’t paying attention, were in a hurry and shouldn’t have been, or whatever the reason was you were speeding, and that you’ll work hard to not speed again? Or do you make excuses for going too fast and try to make yourself look innocent?

I learned long ago that it’s a lot easier to instantly admit one’s errors then try to cover them up and pretend like nothing is wrong. “There is nothing hidden that shall not be revealed,” Jesus promised. We fool only ourselves when trying to hide mistakes.

Self-justification blinds perspective to needed reform.

Rectification and not self-justification serves everyone better in the long run. It may hurt at first to admit a fault, but it’s a lot better to get it out in the open and fix it then to continue repeating it with future penalties that could be far worse then presently facing.

God is a forgiving God and loves us no matter what we do. But self-justification is a sin that would stand in between us and our feeling the love of God.

Drop the self-justification and admit the truth! It’s a much happier and healthier path to tread.

Does it matter what you eat?

Have you ever wondered what Jesus Christ meant when he told his followers to take no thought for what they ate or drank? Was he saying we could eat whatever we wanted, however much we wanted and whenever we wanted without any bad effects?

Temptation to over-indulge abound in our daily schedule from the calorie laden made-to-order coffee in the morning with a couple of donuts to put it down, a Biggie fries for lunch accompanied with a giant soda pop, chocolate for a snack, and ice cream after dinner. It’s not uncommon to see people living on such diets.
Should any of it matter if we are to take no thought for what we eat?

I suppose if we truly were not taking thought, it wouldn’t make a difference. But if the truth be known, people eat out of whack diets because they are taking thought—the wrong kind of thought.

A man trying to lose pounds asked me why he couldn’t eat several donuts every morning if he wasn’t supposed to take thought for what he ate. I asked him “Why would you ever eat so many donuts every morning? Why not skip them and eat something else?” He replied, “Because I really like donuts!”

My point was quickly realized. He loved those glazed confections. He was taking immense thought for what he ate, even though his attraction had become unconscious because of his long-running habit. Those donuts were like a god to him. He loved sugar! And that is taking thought! And is exactly what Jesus was counseling against.

When Jesus told us to take no thought, he didn’t mean eat and drink absent-mindedly and without moderation or temperance. He was instructing his followers to avoid making a god out of food.

There is one God, the divine Spirit, and to truly love Spirit, we can’t be in love with sugar, greasy foods, soda pop or even lettuce.

When we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll know what we’re truly worshipping. Is our thought focused on God or food?

I find it helpful to keep attention centered on understanding God better and truly valuing spiritual mindedness above gastronomical indulgence when making food choices.

I don’t follow any diet plan according to accredited dieticians, because that would be taking excess thought too. But I test my choices by asking, “Can I not eat this and still be happy?” Or “Can I eat vegetables and fruit and be just as happy as eating a dessert?”

Ideally, we eat what is put before us. But we must be sure it’s not gluttony and dishonesty that is piling our plate high with food we don’t need.

Medicalizing human behavior

Claude Lewis got it right in a column he wrote for the Philadelphia Inquirer. He began, “It may be hard to recall, but once there was a time when people took responsibility for their behavior, without recourse to the psychiatric and psychological communities.” He continued, “Today, all sorts of bad behavior is being reclassified—as one disease or another. The latest is something doctors are referring to as ‘intermittent explosive disorder’ (IED).”

Road rage! Medical researchers are trying to pin the blame on genetic disorders rather than holding perpetrators responsible for their thoughts and actions. It’s a disturbing trend.

We are thinking beings. We can decide to love one another. If a driver pulls out and cuts us short on the highway, we don’t have to get mad at them. We can forgive and proceed.

Pharmaceutical companies looking for another market to sell their drugs to would argue otherwise. They want us to believe that we don’t have control over the emotions, that we are mindless reactors to external material stimuli, and that we need a drug to control our actions.

The reasoning is wrong and misleading.

We are more than inert chemicals, senseless electrical impulses and mechanical movement. We are spiritual beings who reflect an intelligent and wise divine Mind.

Great spiritual thinkers and prophets gave us inspired directives to follow like “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” because they knew we could obey these commands and make a better world.

Each of us needs to take responsibility for our thoughts and actions. Obedience to moral and spiritual code above indulgence of selfish want is a good place to start. Errant human behavior should not be medicalized, but spiritualized.

The closer we grow to God and the more faithful we live to divine Love, the better our behavior will be and the less road rage we’ll feel, if that is ever a temptation.

Disease-mongering

Have you noticed how pharmaceutical companies market disease to prompt people to buy their medicines?

Actors and actresses in ads sneeze, cough, writhe in supposed pain, and put on a show of utter misery to catch viewer’s attention. Then a drug is promoted that is claimed to reverse the symptoms of suffering.

The Washington Post recently reported on television ads that graphically depict restless legs syndrome. The article tells of concerns by experts who believe viewers will start believing they have a disease they don’t have if they experience some of the symptoms they see in the ads. And there may be nothing wrong with them at all.

The article states, “The debate has focused attention on what some have dubbed ‘disease-mongering’—taking something that is within normal bounds and labeling it a disease needing pharmaceutical treatment.”

“We’re increasingly turning normal people into patients,” said Lisa M. Schwartz of Dartmouth Medical School. “The ordinary experiences of life become a diagnosis, which makes healthy people feel like they’re sick,” Schwartz added.

It’s time to rise in spiritual rebellion to the marketing tactics of Madison Avenue!

If we wish to stay healthy, we mustn’t be sponges soaking in every bit of information we see on television or reported in the press.

When we see advertisements for disease, we can block the pained pictures out of view and thought. We don’t have to carry mental impressions of suffering around in our mental household.

Images of love, truth, and life are better suited to maintaining a happy healthy existence.

True love. What is it?

How do you know if someone truly loves you? It’s hard to tell sometimes, but if you know what to look for, the decision is much easier.

True love is not fleeting. It’s permanent. It’s not dependent upon sexual favors. It’s not dependent upon how much money is involved. It’s not dependent on fame, status or privilege.

True love is spiritual. It lasts forever. It is reliable, dependable, committed and ever faithful.

True love is not human. It’s divine. It comes from a higher place than a person. It’s not a feeling we create. It’s a divine presence we feel.

True love does not rise and fall like the stock market, or come and go like circling birds wondering where to land next. True love is consistent, constant, centered, and stable.

True love is not emotional, vapory, temperamental or difficult. True love is divine Love, the power and presence of God that is ever-present, predictably good, upbeat and positive.

True love does not sour when adversity looms. Love does not flee when times get tough. Love is not afraid of sickness, is not afraid to help others in need, and does not shirk from responsibility when duty calls. Love is the ever-present helper, the cheerful assistant and the needed support. Love is moral. Love looks for the good and finds it.

True love is not something you can buy, find in the classifieds, or have fall out of the sky. True love comes from God, and is expressed as God’s qualities manifest through us.

So, if you’re wondering whether you’ve found true love or not, ask yourself, “Is this person expressing God’s qualities? Is he or she expressing unselfishness, faithfulness, commitment, honesty, integrity, genuine care and concern, thoughtfulness and devotion? Do I feel these qualities when I am around this person? Or is their love dependent upon something physical that comes and goes with time?”

Don’t be overly tough, for we all have shortcomings to overcome! But when it comes to a long term commitment like marriage, you want to be sure you’ve got the real thing before you sign the papers. True love is not hard to tell when you look for the spiritual evidence.

What qualities of true love would you add to the above list, or qualities to avoid?

Please share in the comment section below.

Where's your church?

Where do you find church?

One thinker told me recently that he discovered church in the towering trees, in the shimmering lakes, in the happy songs of birds and in the squishy turf he felt under his shoes as he strolled through the forest near his home. The marvels of creation around him required acknowledgement of a power greater than himself, he said, and the quiet and calm of the wilderness gave him mental space to feel close to God.

Some people argue that church is a building or a place with a physical address. Others might argue it’s a state of mind that exists independent of any geographical location. I like to think of church as feeling close to God regardless of where a GPS locator may pinpoint your location.

Church is not in a place or in an edifice anymore then freedom is in the Statue of Liberty standing in New York Harbor. The statue symbolizes an artist’s conception of liberty, but the figure does not embody liberty.

I’ve been in many church buildings that had no feeling of church inside. And I’ve been in gatherings of people outside of worship halls that felt very holy, proving to me that church is not a physical place we go, but closeness to God we feel.

Worshippers often need the discipline of organized church services to maintain an on-going spiritual perspective and remain part of a spiritual family that supports their ideals. When organized religion is spiritualizing the public’s thought and bringing them closer to God it is fulfilling a good purpose and is worthy of support.

I’m curious. Where do you find church? And what form does it take in your life?

Please share your ideas in the comment section below.