Here at our cabin, I have an office next to the workroom downstairs. In the workroom there is a space heater with a fan we leave on while the cabin is vacant in order to keep the plumbing and water heater from freezing in the winter cold. It’s set to run when the temperature hits 40 degrees.
Last Tuesday, I was working in my office and I heard the heater turn on.
I thought, “That is odd. The heater is set to run at 40 degrees, and it’s over 65 in that room. Why is the heater running?”
I went to the room to inspect the heater and found absolutely nothing wrong with it. It turned off when I picked it up and every part appeared in working order.
As I puzzled over the oddity, I glanced across the room and saw a pond of water at the base of the water heater. What a mess! I dropped all concerns about the space heater and raced to deal with a mini-water disaster about to form. To make a longer story short, the leakage is contained, we have a plumber on the way, all is under control, and we still have hot water. I'm grateful for that!
Later, at dinner, though, I was rethinking the series of events that afternoon, and commented to the family how odd it was for the space heater to turn on at such a high temperature.
Then the pieces fell together.
I decided that the noise of the heater was God’s way of getting my attention. Without it, I would have remained oblivious to the Lake Erie about to appear in our basement and spread into adjoining carpeted rooms.
Sometimes it surprises me how God works, but I’m grateful every time I see divine wisdom in action.
God has a way of getting our attention, if necessary. Of course, we have to be listening! That’s our job… And I was listening at the time, actively engaged in prayer for patients near and far. I think I'll keep working at it...for it helps not only them, but me too!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
The after effects of Christmas
On the radio, I was listening to lamenting and bemoaning over the “after effects” of Christmas by talk show hosts and call-ins complaining about gaining too much weight over the holidays and accruing heavy debt from gift purchases.
After a bit, I halted the aggressive negativity trying to captivate my attention with a mental outburst of, “Eating too much food and acquiring debt has nothing to do with participating in the true meaning of Christmas! Christmas is about celebrating the Advent of Christ. It’s about experiencing more of the power and presence of God everyday in practical meaningful ways. It’s a spiritual event, designed to leave us in a better place spiritually and humanly for having participated!”
Christmas is a totally positive experience when seen in its proper light. Yes, if one views Christmas as a time to overindulge sensually through food, purchases and inactivity, the final result may not be good at all, and rightfully so, for there is nothing becoming and beneficial about gluttony and trusting deeply in material sense to bring happiness. But none of that is Christmas.
Christmas is not a sensual indulgence. It’s a divine experience! It’s about growing spiritually, becoming a better person, learning to love others better, dissolving conflict in family relations, finding better health, curing disease and dropping old sins.
Christmas is about recognizing Christ in one’s self and in one’s neighbor.
I could not think of any negative after-effects from celebrating the real meaning of this holiday. Christmas is all positive! As far as I could see... No ill comes from bearing witness to the activity of Christ in one's mental neighborhood, and living true to the love of Christ in one's thoughts and deeds.
Everything about Christmas is good!
So, I ask you, "What progressive developments occurred in your life this Christmas from having participated in the true spirit of the Day?..."
After a bit, I halted the aggressive negativity trying to captivate my attention with a mental outburst of, “Eating too much food and acquiring debt has nothing to do with participating in the true meaning of Christmas! Christmas is about celebrating the Advent of Christ. It’s about experiencing more of the power and presence of God everyday in practical meaningful ways. It’s a spiritual event, designed to leave us in a better place spiritually and humanly for having participated!”
Christmas is a totally positive experience when seen in its proper light. Yes, if one views Christmas as a time to overindulge sensually through food, purchases and inactivity, the final result may not be good at all, and rightfully so, for there is nothing becoming and beneficial about gluttony and trusting deeply in material sense to bring happiness. But none of that is Christmas.
Christmas is not a sensual indulgence. It’s a divine experience! It’s about growing spiritually, becoming a better person, learning to love others better, dissolving conflict in family relations, finding better health, curing disease and dropping old sins.
Christmas is about recognizing Christ in one’s self and in one’s neighbor.
I could not think of any negative after-effects from celebrating the real meaning of this holiday. Christmas is all positive! As far as I could see... No ill comes from bearing witness to the activity of Christ in one's mental neighborhood, and living true to the love of Christ in one's thoughts and deeds.
Everything about Christmas is good!
So, I ask you, "What progressive developments occurred in your life this Christmas from having participated in the true spirit of the Day?..."
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
The real meaning of Christmas
As I was shoveling 4’ of snow off the back deck of our cabin last evening, I had a lot of time to think. Demands on my practice led me to wrestle more with the real meaning of Christmas.
As I mentioned in a blog posting a few days ago, many people call into my practice this time of year upset and depressed over the holiday season. They do not feel the spirit of Christmas. They feel lonely, forgotten, isolated perhaps, or, on the other side of the same coin, stressed out by getting caught up into buying things, managing debt, overeating, dealing with relatives, or trying to do too much in too little time.
As a long list of objections people have with Christmas rolled through my mind, an inner voice protested, “This ought not to be! Christmas is not about accelerating socializing, partying, eating, spending, buying, coping and pleasing personal sense. Christmas is all about the coming of Christ and the fulfillment of Christ’s promise, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’” (Luke 2:14)
Aw, yes, I especially liked the promise of peace.
Christmas is all about peace! A bright light turned on in my thought. Not a superficial, turn down the material noise and dwell in artificial material calm, type of peace. But a deep-rooted profound anchored fixedness within that comes from knowing one is a precious loved spiritual child of God.
I often watch people seek Christmas in the things they do, the places they vacation or the families they visit. But it seems to me that Christmas is not found in geography, society, or consumerism. It’s found in a mental atmosphere of prayerfulness and spiritual mindedness. And this environment of peace is equally accessible by one and all whether they sit at a dinner table for one or find themselves in a room of bustling human activity.
Isn't Christmas about the peace of God taking over human consciousness, purging it of strain and stress, despair and depression, and overflowing it with gratitude, heavenly joy and love unbounded? I pondered.
Christ has come. Christ is here. Christ is leading humanity to a higher hope than any idealized temporal human scenario could ever deliver. Christ leads us right to heaven where joys are eternal, companionship with God’s family members complete, and love unfailing.
Heaven is home, and Christ takes us there.
On the eve of Christmas Day 2008, I wish you the very best Christ has to offer, and pray the peace of Christ so permeate your every thought and action, that after the day comes and goes, you march on feeling closer to God than ever before.
Merry Christmas! And peace, good will to you all.
Oh, and yes, I did finish shoveling the deck. It was a very productive time with God, indeed.
As I mentioned in a blog posting a few days ago, many people call into my practice this time of year upset and depressed over the holiday season. They do not feel the spirit of Christmas. They feel lonely, forgotten, isolated perhaps, or, on the other side of the same coin, stressed out by getting caught up into buying things, managing debt, overeating, dealing with relatives, or trying to do too much in too little time.
As a long list of objections people have with Christmas rolled through my mind, an inner voice protested, “This ought not to be! Christmas is not about accelerating socializing, partying, eating, spending, buying, coping and pleasing personal sense. Christmas is all about the coming of Christ and the fulfillment of Christ’s promise, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’” (Luke 2:14)
Aw, yes, I especially liked the promise of peace.
Christmas is all about peace! A bright light turned on in my thought. Not a superficial, turn down the material noise and dwell in artificial material calm, type of peace. But a deep-rooted profound anchored fixedness within that comes from knowing one is a precious loved spiritual child of God.
I often watch people seek Christmas in the things they do, the places they vacation or the families they visit. But it seems to me that Christmas is not found in geography, society, or consumerism. It’s found in a mental atmosphere of prayerfulness and spiritual mindedness. And this environment of peace is equally accessible by one and all whether they sit at a dinner table for one or find themselves in a room of bustling human activity.
Isn't Christmas about the peace of God taking over human consciousness, purging it of strain and stress, despair and depression, and overflowing it with gratitude, heavenly joy and love unbounded? I pondered.
Christ has come. Christ is here. Christ is leading humanity to a higher hope than any idealized temporal human scenario could ever deliver. Christ leads us right to heaven where joys are eternal, companionship with God’s family members complete, and love unfailing.
Heaven is home, and Christ takes us there.
On the eve of Christmas Day 2008, I wish you the very best Christ has to offer, and pray the peace of Christ so permeate your every thought and action, that after the day comes and goes, you march on feeling closer to God than ever before.
Merry Christmas! And peace, good will to you all.
Oh, and yes, I did finish shoveling the deck. It was a very productive time with God, indeed.
Much love...
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Are you looking at the cheese or the holes?
I had to laugh when I read the following quote from the “Thoughts on the business of life,” page at the end of a recent Forbes magazine. The page included several quotes poking fun at absurdities, silliness and nonsensical ways of humanity.
Bertolt Brecht is quoted as saying,
“What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?”
I thought about the relationship between Spirit and matter, and I asked, “What happens to matter when spirit is gone?” Matter is like the holes in Swiss cheese, and Spirit is like the substance.
Isn’t this so true?
I mean really, if there was no Spirit, what would there be? With no Spirit, there is no thought, no consciousness, no love, no joy, no feeling…no anything. There is nothing without Spirit. And that’s what matter essentially is, nothing. Spirit is everything.
Some would argue that matter carries spirit and is necessary for Spirit to be expressed. But this is backward reasoning. If matter was primary, than matter would be something without Spirit. But it is not. Matter is mindless dirt. Spirit gives life, not empty atoms. Jesus proved this on the cross. His physical body died, but his Spirit, or God, lived on, sustaining him in Mind. Jesus lifted the body out of the tomb in three days proving Spirit superior, and not dependent upon matter for existence.
In the material sense of things, it appears that Spirit is dependent upon physicality for expression and identity, but this is only a limited concept of spiritual reality. As human thought is spiritualized, the objects and things of matter become less and less to the human sense, and the ideas of God become more and more. Heaven is a complete realization of spiritual reality in which all things are seen as purely spiritual, and there is no sense of matter anymore.
Spirit is substance. Matter is not.
Spirit is “the cheese.” Matter is “the holes.”
Are you looking at the cheese or the holes?
Bertolt Brecht is quoted as saying,
“What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?”
I thought about the relationship between Spirit and matter, and I asked, “What happens to matter when spirit is gone?” Matter is like the holes in Swiss cheese, and Spirit is like the substance.
Isn’t this so true?
I mean really, if there was no Spirit, what would there be? With no Spirit, there is no thought, no consciousness, no love, no joy, no feeling…no anything. There is nothing without Spirit. And that’s what matter essentially is, nothing. Spirit is everything.
Some would argue that matter carries spirit and is necessary for Spirit to be expressed. But this is backward reasoning. If matter was primary, than matter would be something without Spirit. But it is not. Matter is mindless dirt. Spirit gives life, not empty atoms. Jesus proved this on the cross. His physical body died, but his Spirit, or God, lived on, sustaining him in Mind. Jesus lifted the body out of the tomb in three days proving Spirit superior, and not dependent upon matter for existence.
In the material sense of things, it appears that Spirit is dependent upon physicality for expression and identity, but this is only a limited concept of spiritual reality. As human thought is spiritualized, the objects and things of matter become less and less to the human sense, and the ideas of God become more and more. Heaven is a complete realization of spiritual reality in which all things are seen as purely spiritual, and there is no sense of matter anymore.
Spirit is substance. Matter is not.
Spirit is “the cheese.” Matter is “the holes.”
Are you looking at the cheese or the holes?
Monday, December 22, 2008
Listening for God's direction
When making a critical decision, how do you know if you’re listening to God or to blind human will?
This can feel like a tough call to make at times. Last Thursday was one such occasion here on the family front.
Jenna was scheduled to travel to Seattle for a major four day swim meet with her team. Two carloads of swimmers were scheduled to depart that day, each vehicle driven by a coach with 6-8 swimmers in each.
In our part of the country right now, some major freezing stormy weather has descended from the North Bering Sea putting the Seattle area into a traffic-stopping mess, and roads between our home and the population center into icy formidable conditions. In normal weather, it takes 4 hours for us to drive west to the coast, and traverse a high mountain pass in between.
Jenna had worked hard for months to prepare for this meet, had reached exceptional times to qualify, and had been very much looking forward to the event. When the day of departure arrived, the “little voice within” was telling mom and I that we should keep her home. But to tell Jenna the bad news was heartbreaking to consider.
The head swim coach was determined to go storm or no storm at 9 a.m., and the other coach would follow after school with a second carload of girls. Jenna was in the second group, which meant she’d be on the highway in the dark for several hours. Chains were required for 40 miles of the trip, even on 4 wheel drive vehicles.
Mom and I prayed together weighing all the options and considering both sides of the situation, and still the little voice within said, “Keep her home.”
It was a tough prayer because one side argued, “The roads are obviously bad. Stay home.” But the other side argued, “You can make this demonstration. Pray for her safety. Know all will be well. They’ll travel slowly, but they’ll also make it safely.”
See what I mean?
We weren't sure whether we were caving to fear or listening to wisdom.
To stay home seemed like admitting defeat, to a degree, possibly conceding to a mortal mind effort to stop Jenna from participating in a marvelous swim opportunity.
But the voice of wisdom cried, “Don’t tempt the Lord! The roads are dangerous and its not wisdom to push activity beyond the range of what you’re not confident in demonstrating with absolute certainty.”
In making a decision about my daughter’s safety, I did not believe there was room for even a slight chance. I would send her to the coast, only if I was absolutely sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that all would be well. And I did not have that absolute certainty.
Then mom had a great idea. She said, “Let’s talk to Jenna about it.” So we went into her room and told her the thoughts and concerns we were wrestling with. We told her honestly that we weren’t sure what the best decision was. We asked for her opinion.
She agreed that wisdom said she ought to stay home. We talked about not missing out on opportunities when making the apparently right decision at the moment. And to our delight, she agreed to stay home and let it all go. She was quite free about calling the coach and telling her to leave without her.
As scheduled, both carloads departed on time that day and headed for Seattle with all but 2 of the swimmers—our daughter and one other whose parents had come to the same conclusion as we did.
The weather got worse that day as the hours advanced. It took drivers 8 hours to make a 4 hour trip. They did make it safely, as we expected! And this is an interesting part of this decision. We told Jenna that if we let her go, we figured she would arrive safely. It would take a long time, but she would arrive without harm. And if she stayed home and the rest went, they would all arrive safely too, swim, and get back home safely. But it just felt like it was wise to stay home. This was as far as we could mentally see at the moment.
Jenna made other plans that evening with friends, and when she got home, we quizzed her about the carloads of swimmers and how long it took to get to Seattle. Teenagers these days are constantly in touch with each other through texting. Now that’s a whole other blog…
She casually replied, “Oh yeah, they all arrived safely, but the meet got canceled.”
Suddenly, I knew we had listened clearly. It was obvious at this point, the roads in Seattle were so terrible, that even local residents couldn’t get to the meet. The authorities hadn’t figured that out until late in the evening. But the voice of wisdom had it figured out much earlier in the day.
I was humbled for it had been a very tough call between acting wisely and not caving to fear.
How to tell the difference? One word comes to mind—peace.
When trying to decide what to do, I searched for peace within about my decision. If I felt any turbulence, angst, or tension, I knew I hadn’t listened clearly to God yet. Every time I thought about sending Jenna over, I felt a degree of tension within.
When I sided with keeping her home, I knew she would miss a key event, but I also knew there were no lost opportunities, and Jenna came to that conclusion too. We all felt the greatest peace together about staying home. We did not collectively feel peace about her going.
The Bible tells us, "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left."
God is always telling us what to do. The challenge is to be in such a calm and receptive state of mind that we clearly hear the divine direction. To hear clearly, we must silence impatience, anger, and even fear for these are attitudes of stubborn mortal mind that blind reason to the way of wisdom.
It was tough to hold Jenna home when 95% of the team went without her. But the inner voice said, “Don’t send her.” And a great peace took over when we agreed to listen. In the end, we were glad we listened. And the rest of the team made it home safely, as expected! But a bit road weary for the adventure.
This can feel like a tough call to make at times. Last Thursday was one such occasion here on the family front.
Jenna was scheduled to travel to Seattle for a major four day swim meet with her team. Two carloads of swimmers were scheduled to depart that day, each vehicle driven by a coach with 6-8 swimmers in each.
In our part of the country right now, some major freezing stormy weather has descended from the North Bering Sea putting the Seattle area into a traffic-stopping mess, and roads between our home and the population center into icy formidable conditions. In normal weather, it takes 4 hours for us to drive west to the coast, and traverse a high mountain pass in between.
Jenna had worked hard for months to prepare for this meet, had reached exceptional times to qualify, and had been very much looking forward to the event. When the day of departure arrived, the “little voice within” was telling mom and I that we should keep her home. But to tell Jenna the bad news was heartbreaking to consider.
The head swim coach was determined to go storm or no storm at 9 a.m., and the other coach would follow after school with a second carload of girls. Jenna was in the second group, which meant she’d be on the highway in the dark for several hours. Chains were required for 40 miles of the trip, even on 4 wheel drive vehicles.
Mom and I prayed together weighing all the options and considering both sides of the situation, and still the little voice within said, “Keep her home.”
It was a tough prayer because one side argued, “The roads are obviously bad. Stay home.” But the other side argued, “You can make this demonstration. Pray for her safety. Know all will be well. They’ll travel slowly, but they’ll also make it safely.”
See what I mean?
We weren't sure whether we were caving to fear or listening to wisdom.
To stay home seemed like admitting defeat, to a degree, possibly conceding to a mortal mind effort to stop Jenna from participating in a marvelous swim opportunity.
But the voice of wisdom cried, “Don’t tempt the Lord! The roads are dangerous and its not wisdom to push activity beyond the range of what you’re not confident in demonstrating with absolute certainty.”
In making a decision about my daughter’s safety, I did not believe there was room for even a slight chance. I would send her to the coast, only if I was absolutely sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that all would be well. And I did not have that absolute certainty.
Then mom had a great idea. She said, “Let’s talk to Jenna about it.” So we went into her room and told her the thoughts and concerns we were wrestling with. We told her honestly that we weren’t sure what the best decision was. We asked for her opinion.
She agreed that wisdom said she ought to stay home. We talked about not missing out on opportunities when making the apparently right decision at the moment. And to our delight, she agreed to stay home and let it all go. She was quite free about calling the coach and telling her to leave without her.
As scheduled, both carloads departed on time that day and headed for Seattle with all but 2 of the swimmers—our daughter and one other whose parents had come to the same conclusion as we did.
The weather got worse that day as the hours advanced. It took drivers 8 hours to make a 4 hour trip. They did make it safely, as we expected! And this is an interesting part of this decision. We told Jenna that if we let her go, we figured she would arrive safely. It would take a long time, but she would arrive without harm. And if she stayed home and the rest went, they would all arrive safely too, swim, and get back home safely. But it just felt like it was wise to stay home. This was as far as we could mentally see at the moment.
Jenna made other plans that evening with friends, and when she got home, we quizzed her about the carloads of swimmers and how long it took to get to Seattle. Teenagers these days are constantly in touch with each other through texting. Now that’s a whole other blog…
She casually replied, “Oh yeah, they all arrived safely, but the meet got canceled.”
Suddenly, I knew we had listened clearly. It was obvious at this point, the roads in Seattle were so terrible, that even local residents couldn’t get to the meet. The authorities hadn’t figured that out until late in the evening. But the voice of wisdom had it figured out much earlier in the day.
I was humbled for it had been a very tough call between acting wisely and not caving to fear.
How to tell the difference? One word comes to mind—peace.
When trying to decide what to do, I searched for peace within about my decision. If I felt any turbulence, angst, or tension, I knew I hadn’t listened clearly to God yet. Every time I thought about sending Jenna over, I felt a degree of tension within.
When I sided with keeping her home, I knew she would miss a key event, but I also knew there were no lost opportunities, and Jenna came to that conclusion too. We all felt the greatest peace together about staying home. We did not collectively feel peace about her going.
The Bible tells us, "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left."
God is always telling us what to do. The challenge is to be in such a calm and receptive state of mind that we clearly hear the divine direction. To hear clearly, we must silence impatience, anger, and even fear for these are attitudes of stubborn mortal mind that blind reason to the way of wisdom.
It was tough to hold Jenna home when 95% of the team went without her. But the inner voice said, “Don’t send her.” And a great peace took over when we agreed to listen. In the end, we were glad we listened. And the rest of the team made it home safely, as expected! But a bit road weary for the adventure.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
A Christmas story
Sent in by a reader...
Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving.
It was Christmas Eve 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to buy me the rifle that I'd wanted for Christmas.
We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible. After supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible.
I was still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn't in much of a mood to read Scriptures. But Pa didn't get the Bible, instead he bundled up again and went outside. I couldn't figure it out because we had already done all the chores. I didn't worry about it long though, I was too busy wallowing in self-pity.
Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in his beard. "Come on, Matt," he said. "Bundle up good, it's cold out tonight." I was really upset then. Not only wasn't I getting the rifle for Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason that I could see. We'd already done all the chores, and I couldn't think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like this. But I knew Pa was not very patient at one dragging one's feet when he'd told them to do something, so I got up and put my boots back on and got my cap, coat, and mittens. Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house. Something was up, but I didn't know what.
Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were goingto do wasn't going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell. We never hitched up this sled unless we were going to haul a big load. Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up beside him. The cold was already biting at me. I wasn't happy. When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of the woodshed. He got off and I followed. "I think we'll put on the high sideboards," he said. "Here, help me." The high sideboards! It had been a bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high side boards on.
After we had exchanged the sideboards, Pa went into the woodshed and cameout with an armload of wood - the wood I'd spent all summer hauling down from the mountain, and then all fall sawing into blocks and splitting. What was he doing? Finally I said something. "Pa," I asked, "what are you doing?" You been by the Widow Jensen's lately?" he asked. The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a year or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight. Sure,I'd been by, but so what?
Yeah," I said, "Why?"
"I rode by just today," Pa said. "Little Jakey was out digging around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips. They're out of wood, Matt." That was all he said and then he turned and went back into the woodshed for another armload of wood. I followed him. We loaded the sled so high that I began to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it. Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading, then we went to the smoke house and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and told me to put them in the sledand wait. When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in his left hand.
"What's in the little sack?" I asked. Shoes, they're out of shoes. Little Jakey just had gunny sacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the woodpile this morning. I got the children a little candy too. It just wouldn't be Christmas without a little candy."
We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen's pretty much in silence. I tried to think through what Pa was doing. We didn't have much by worldly standards. Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though most of what was left now was still in the form of logs that I would have to saw into blocks and split before we could use it. We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that, but I knew we didn't have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and candy? Really, why was he doing any of this? Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us; it shouldn't have been our concern.
We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as quietly as possible, then we took the meat and flour and shoes to the door. We knocked. The door opened a crack and a timid voice said, "Who is it?" "Lucas Miles, Ma'am, and my son, Matt, could we come in for a bit?"
Widow Jensen opened the door and let us in. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were sitting in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any heat at all. Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the lamp.
"We brought you a few things, Ma'am," Pa said and set down the sack of flour. I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack that had the shoes in it. She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out one pair at a time. There was a pair for her and one for each of the children--sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would last. I watched her carefully. She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled her eyes and started running down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something, but it wouldn't come out.
"We brought a load of wood too, Ma'am," Pa said. He turned to me and said, "Matt, go bring in enough to last awhile. Let's get that fire up to size and heat this place up." I wasn't the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood. I had a big lump in my throat and as much as I hate to admit it, there were tears in my eyes too. In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled around the fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks with so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn't speak. My heart swelled within me and a joy that I'd never known before filled my soul. I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much difference. I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people.
I soon had the fire blazing and everyone's spirits soared. The kids started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn't crossed her face for a long time. She finally turned to us. "God bless you," she said. "I know the Lord has sent you. The children and I have been praying that he would send one of his angels to spare us."
In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled up in my eyes again. I'd never thought of Pa in those exact terms before, but after Widow Jensen mentioned it I could see that it was probably true. I was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many others. The list seemed endless as I thought on it.
Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed when they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get. Then I guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord that the Lord would make sure he got the right sizes.
Tears were running down Widow Jensen's face again when we stood up to leave. Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug. They clung to him and didn't want us to go. I could see that they missed their Pa, and I was glad that I still had mine.
At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, "The Mrs. wanted me to invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow. The turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if he has to eat turkey for too many meals. We'll be by to get you about eleven. It'll be nice to have some little ones around again. Matt, here, hasn't been little for quite a spell." I was the youngest. My two brothers and two sisters had all married and had moved away.
Widow Jensen nodded and said, "Thank you, Brother Miles. I don't have to say, May the Lord bless you, I know for certain that He will."
Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I didn't even notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said, "Matt, I want you to know something. Your ma and me have been tucking a little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for you, but we didn't have quite enough. Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by to make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that, but on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunny sacksand I knew what I had to do. Son, I spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those children. I hope you understand."
I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it. Now the rifle seemed very low on my list of priorities. Pa had given me a lot more. He had given me the look on Widow Jensen's face and the radiant smiles of her three children. For the rest of my life, Whenever I saw any of the Jensen's, or split a block of wood, I remembered, and remembering brought back that same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me much more than a rifle that night, he had given me the best Christmas of my life.
Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving.
It was Christmas Eve 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to buy me the rifle that I'd wanted for Christmas.
We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible. After supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible.
I was still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn't in much of a mood to read Scriptures. But Pa didn't get the Bible, instead he bundled up again and went outside. I couldn't figure it out because we had already done all the chores. I didn't worry about it long though, I was too busy wallowing in self-pity.
Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in his beard. "Come on, Matt," he said. "Bundle up good, it's cold out tonight." I was really upset then. Not only wasn't I getting the rifle for Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason that I could see. We'd already done all the chores, and I couldn't think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like this. But I knew Pa was not very patient at one dragging one's feet when he'd told them to do something, so I got up and put my boots back on and got my cap, coat, and mittens. Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house. Something was up, but I didn't know what.
Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were goingto do wasn't going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell. We never hitched up this sled unless we were going to haul a big load. Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up beside him. The cold was already biting at me. I wasn't happy. When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of the woodshed. He got off and I followed. "I think we'll put on the high sideboards," he said. "Here, help me." The high sideboards! It had been a bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high side boards on.
After we had exchanged the sideboards, Pa went into the woodshed and cameout with an armload of wood - the wood I'd spent all summer hauling down from the mountain, and then all fall sawing into blocks and splitting. What was he doing? Finally I said something. "Pa," I asked, "what are you doing?" You been by the Widow Jensen's lately?" he asked. The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a year or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight. Sure,I'd been by, but so what?
Yeah," I said, "Why?"
"I rode by just today," Pa said. "Little Jakey was out digging around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips. They're out of wood, Matt." That was all he said and then he turned and went back into the woodshed for another armload of wood. I followed him. We loaded the sled so high that I began to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it. Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading, then we went to the smoke house and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and told me to put them in the sledand wait. When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in his left hand.
"What's in the little sack?" I asked. Shoes, they're out of shoes. Little Jakey just had gunny sacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the woodpile this morning. I got the children a little candy too. It just wouldn't be Christmas without a little candy."
We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen's pretty much in silence. I tried to think through what Pa was doing. We didn't have much by worldly standards. Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though most of what was left now was still in the form of logs that I would have to saw into blocks and split before we could use it. We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that, but I knew we didn't have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and candy? Really, why was he doing any of this? Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us; it shouldn't have been our concern.
We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as quietly as possible, then we took the meat and flour and shoes to the door. We knocked. The door opened a crack and a timid voice said, "Who is it?" "Lucas Miles, Ma'am, and my son, Matt, could we come in for a bit?"
Widow Jensen opened the door and let us in. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were sitting in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any heat at all. Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the lamp.
"We brought you a few things, Ma'am," Pa said and set down the sack of flour. I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack that had the shoes in it. She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out one pair at a time. There was a pair for her and one for each of the children--sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would last. I watched her carefully. She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled her eyes and started running down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something, but it wouldn't come out.
"We brought a load of wood too, Ma'am," Pa said. He turned to me and said, "Matt, go bring in enough to last awhile. Let's get that fire up to size and heat this place up." I wasn't the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood. I had a big lump in my throat and as much as I hate to admit it, there were tears in my eyes too. In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled around the fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks with so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn't speak. My heart swelled within me and a joy that I'd never known before filled my soul. I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much difference. I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people.
I soon had the fire blazing and everyone's spirits soared. The kids started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn't crossed her face for a long time. She finally turned to us. "God bless you," she said. "I know the Lord has sent you. The children and I have been praying that he would send one of his angels to spare us."
In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled up in my eyes again. I'd never thought of Pa in those exact terms before, but after Widow Jensen mentioned it I could see that it was probably true. I was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many others. The list seemed endless as I thought on it.
Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed when they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get. Then I guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord that the Lord would make sure he got the right sizes.
Tears were running down Widow Jensen's face again when we stood up to leave. Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug. They clung to him and didn't want us to go. I could see that they missed their Pa, and I was glad that I still had mine.
At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, "The Mrs. wanted me to invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow. The turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if he has to eat turkey for too many meals. We'll be by to get you about eleven. It'll be nice to have some little ones around again. Matt, here, hasn't been little for quite a spell." I was the youngest. My two brothers and two sisters had all married and had moved away.
Widow Jensen nodded and said, "Thank you, Brother Miles. I don't have to say, May the Lord bless you, I know for certain that He will."
Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I didn't even notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said, "Matt, I want you to know something. Your ma and me have been tucking a little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for you, but we didn't have quite enough. Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by to make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that, but on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunny sacksand I knew what I had to do. Son, I spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those children. I hope you understand."
I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it. Now the rifle seemed very low on my list of priorities. Pa had given me a lot more. He had given me the look on Widow Jensen's face and the radiant smiles of her three children. For the rest of my life, Whenever I saw any of the Jensen's, or split a block of wood, I remembered, and remembering brought back that same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me much more than a rifle that night, he had given me the best Christmas of my life.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
The infinite individuality of God
Of the hundreds of readers who regularly browse this blog, many of you send me pictures, links, articles, videos, and what-not that perk my attention and get my metaphysical gears going faster and faster. Today was one of those days!
I was so excited when I clicked on the link below because the mural you’re about to see is a valuable teaching tool for explaining how God’s infinite individuality is expressed in an infinite number of ways.
One huge point of difference between Christian Science and Eastern philosophies, along with New Age thinking, is the position on individuality.
My understanding of New Age thought, Buddhism, and similar ways of thinking, is that individuality is absorbed into Universal Consciousness. And there are many different names used for Universal Consciousness, such as Presence, Being, Infinite, etc. According to these teachings, there is one individuality, Consciousness, and we ARE that Consciousness. We do not have an individuality of our own, unless you’re thinking in terms of Consciousness being that individuality.
Christian Science teaches there is one Mind also, one consciousness, God. But it also explains that God is expressed in an infinite number of ways. Each of us, as an offspring of the Divine, reflect the infinitude of God but are not absorbed into it.
Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer of Christian Science wrote:
“Man is not absorbed in Deity, and man cannot lose his individuality, for he reflects eternal Life; nor is he an isolated, solitary idea, for he represents infinite Mind, the sum of all substance.”
In Christian Science, one actually gains in individuality as spiritual understanding grows. Identity is not lost in a vast ether of Consciousness, but is appreciated, understood and reflected in greater detail, beauty and form. You can see this in people who are growing spiritually. They gain in poise, intellect, authority, calm, control, and health. Their uniqueness comes out in more vivid detail, and their individual contribution to the universal scheme of things becomes increasingly apparent. Individuality is not lost, but gained, in divine Science.
Read the below, then go to the mural and click on the individual tiles. It’s fascinating.
If the whole mural was a metaphor for God, each tile is a metaphor for God's children as individuals. Each tile is unique and special, yet an essential part of a greater whole.
One mural…one God.
Countless tiles…countless expressions of individuality within the one mural.
LOOK CLOSELY BY CLICKING ON ANY PART OF THE MURAL. It is called the Cochrane Mural..
For those not living in the west, Cochrane is NW of Calgary and east of Banff, in the foothills of the Rockies. This mural was unveiled last week at the Cochrane Ranch House. Each tile is 1 foot square and has its own individual picture. Each tile is by a different artist. All of them placed together form this huge mural.
You can click on each of the tiles to see them in detail.
The Cochrane Mural
I was so excited when I clicked on the link below because the mural you’re about to see is a valuable teaching tool for explaining how God’s infinite individuality is expressed in an infinite number of ways.
One huge point of difference between Christian Science and Eastern philosophies, along with New Age thinking, is the position on individuality.
My understanding of New Age thought, Buddhism, and similar ways of thinking, is that individuality is absorbed into Universal Consciousness. And there are many different names used for Universal Consciousness, such as Presence, Being, Infinite, etc. According to these teachings, there is one individuality, Consciousness, and we ARE that Consciousness. We do not have an individuality of our own, unless you’re thinking in terms of Consciousness being that individuality.
Christian Science teaches there is one Mind also, one consciousness, God. But it also explains that God is expressed in an infinite number of ways. Each of us, as an offspring of the Divine, reflect the infinitude of God but are not absorbed into it.
Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer of Christian Science wrote:
“Man is not absorbed in Deity, and man cannot lose his individuality, for he reflects eternal Life; nor is he an isolated, solitary idea, for he represents infinite Mind, the sum of all substance.”
In Christian Science, one actually gains in individuality as spiritual understanding grows. Identity is not lost in a vast ether of Consciousness, but is appreciated, understood and reflected in greater detail, beauty and form. You can see this in people who are growing spiritually. They gain in poise, intellect, authority, calm, control, and health. Their uniqueness comes out in more vivid detail, and their individual contribution to the universal scheme of things becomes increasingly apparent. Individuality is not lost, but gained, in divine Science.
Read the below, then go to the mural and click on the individual tiles. It’s fascinating.
If the whole mural was a metaphor for God, each tile is a metaphor for God's children as individuals. Each tile is unique and special, yet an essential part of a greater whole.
One mural…one God.
Countless tiles…countless expressions of individuality within the one mural.
LOOK CLOSELY BY CLICKING ON ANY PART OF THE MURAL. It is called the Cochrane Mural..
For those not living in the west, Cochrane is NW of Calgary and east of Banff, in the foothills of the Rockies. This mural was unveiled last week at the Cochrane Ranch House. Each tile is 1 foot square and has its own individual picture. Each tile is by a different artist. All of them placed together form this huge mural.
You can click on each of the tiles to see them in detail.
The Cochrane Mural
Thursday, December 18, 2008
The spirit of Christmas
What comes to mind when you think of Christmas? Decorated trees, shopping, colorful lights, expense, cookies, debt, fatigue, joy, football games on TV, Christ’s saving power?
After a flurry of phone calls from people feeling sad and lonely about the Christmas season, I got to thinking about what states of mind would cause one to feel depressed when there is such great reason to celebrate. And I decided it came down to how one thought of Christmas in the first place.
Over the centuries, a lot of mortal traditions and practices have been added onto Christmas. Today, in my culture anyway, Christmas is often associated with shopping, buying and giving presents, parties, get-togethers with family, meals, desserts, colorful decorations, and yes, a few church services celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Eve. The spiritual significance of the day often gets lost in the preponderance of commercialism and society surrounding the event, though.
I reasoned, that if one's concept of Christmas becomes diluted and besieged by the social and commercial aspects commonly associated with the day, it’s easy to see how one might get depressed and demoralized about Christmas.
For example, if one associates Christmas with family get-togethers, and that one has no family, they might feel left out or excluded from something good. Or, if one associates Christmas with receiving presents from others, and doesn’t get any presents, they might feel forgotten and left out. And the list goes on…
Anytime one feels lack, loss or deprivation, it’s typically a sign that hope is being placed in something material that doesn’t work out.
So, what's the remedy?
It’s to move hope and expectancy from the material to the spiritual.
Christmas is about the coming of Christ. It's true significance has nothing to do with parties and meals and cookies and drink. It’s a spiritual event that occurs within, in a very private place between us and God.
The birth of Jesus was fulfillment of the prophesied Messiah—the Word made flesh—the healing power of God apparent in a form that humanity could understand at the time. Today, Christ is at work in the form of divine Science leavening human consciousness around the planet with healing spiritual truth.
Christmas day serves to remind us of Christ’s on-going activity, saving mankind from sin, disease and death beliefs.
So how do we participate in the fullness of Christmas? Through quiet prayer, most likely, turning to God and striving to understand Christ better and the benefits received from Christ loving and caring for us.
When catching the true spirit of Christmas, it’s impossible to be lonely for Christ fills the void with spiritual understanding and love that meets the deepest human needs.
Getting together with family or friends is certainly a fine activity. Nothing wrong with that! But if one is not part of an active social circle, that doesn’t mean they can’t have just as joyous a Christmas day as anyone else. Christ is what makes the day special, and Christ speaks and companions each of us no matter where we are or what kind of circumstances we face.
True Christmas is not a social activity, but a spiritual event everyone has been invited to. Accept the invitation and enjoy the company!
Lots of love...
After a flurry of phone calls from people feeling sad and lonely about the Christmas season, I got to thinking about what states of mind would cause one to feel depressed when there is such great reason to celebrate. And I decided it came down to how one thought of Christmas in the first place.
Over the centuries, a lot of mortal traditions and practices have been added onto Christmas. Today, in my culture anyway, Christmas is often associated with shopping, buying and giving presents, parties, get-togethers with family, meals, desserts, colorful decorations, and yes, a few church services celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Eve. The spiritual significance of the day often gets lost in the preponderance of commercialism and society surrounding the event, though.
I reasoned, that if one's concept of Christmas becomes diluted and besieged by the social and commercial aspects commonly associated with the day, it’s easy to see how one might get depressed and demoralized about Christmas.
For example, if one associates Christmas with family get-togethers, and that one has no family, they might feel left out or excluded from something good. Or, if one associates Christmas with receiving presents from others, and doesn’t get any presents, they might feel forgotten and left out. And the list goes on…
Anytime one feels lack, loss or deprivation, it’s typically a sign that hope is being placed in something material that doesn’t work out.
So, what's the remedy?
It’s to move hope and expectancy from the material to the spiritual.
Christmas is about the coming of Christ. It's true significance has nothing to do with parties and meals and cookies and drink. It’s a spiritual event that occurs within, in a very private place between us and God.
The birth of Jesus was fulfillment of the prophesied Messiah—the Word made flesh—the healing power of God apparent in a form that humanity could understand at the time. Today, Christ is at work in the form of divine Science leavening human consciousness around the planet with healing spiritual truth.
Christmas day serves to remind us of Christ’s on-going activity, saving mankind from sin, disease and death beliefs.
So how do we participate in the fullness of Christmas? Through quiet prayer, most likely, turning to God and striving to understand Christ better and the benefits received from Christ loving and caring for us.
When catching the true spirit of Christmas, it’s impossible to be lonely for Christ fills the void with spiritual understanding and love that meets the deepest human needs.
Getting together with family or friends is certainly a fine activity. Nothing wrong with that! But if one is not part of an active social circle, that doesn’t mean they can’t have just as joyous a Christmas day as anyone else. Christ is what makes the day special, and Christ speaks and companions each of us no matter where we are or what kind of circumstances we face.
True Christmas is not a social activity, but a spiritual event everyone has been invited to. Accept the invitation and enjoy the company!
Lots of love...
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Critical moments
Have you ever been distracted for an instant, and then made a big mess of things?
It was the funniest thing. I was making whipping cream for pumpkin pie while everyone sat at the table after dinner waiting. We had recently bought one of those handheld whirly-gizmos that whip small quantities, and I decided this was the perfect time to try it out.
So, I poured a cup of whipping cream into the plastic quart container that came with the contraption, and started whipping away. The liquid swirled around wildly, and I made all kinds of noise, which was fun, but after a while the cream started to thicken and the quart container began to turn. I grabbed onto it with my left hand to keep it from rocketing off the counter into outer space.
When the cream got really thick, someone struck up a conversation with me from the table and I temporarily lost track of what I was doing. My left hand loosened its grip, and wham-o the container whirled around at warp speed spewing white stuff all over the kitchen! At first, this was not funny. But the mess was so huge, what can you do but laugh! The family was beside themselves in hilarity. And our daughter had to take a picture.
It was their idea to blog this moment of embarrassment, not mine. But after thinking on the episode, there was an important spiritual lesson to remember.
Don’t lose focus at critical moments!
There are critical moments in tennis, like serving, returning the serve, and hitting the ball accurately. When you’re standing on the court waiting, moments aren’t so crucial. But certain moments in play are extremely critical to the outcome of the game.
When driving a car, some moments are more critical than others. What you’re thinking while idling at a stop sign is probably not as critical as what you’re paying attention to when driving through a busy intersection.
What about prayer and healing? Are some moments more critical than others? Every moment of prayer is equally valuable in moving us toward our final demonstration, but some moments can feel tougher to get through than others.
More than once, I’ve felt on the verge of accomplishing a significant goal, and the tempter starts to work overtime to get me to stop or give up. Those are the moments you don’t want to lose your grip! If you let go, everything whirls out of control and you feel helpless.
Like the time I told my dad I didn’t want to farm anymore because it wasn’t the life for me. He got so upset that I lost my grip. I caved to his pressure to stay. I recanted everything I said, and told him that I would stay with the family farming business and that he didn’t need to worry about me. I would be okay.
I lied about the “I would be okay,” part. My life felt whirling out of control. It was not okay. It took me two more years to get my grip back and tell him with finality that I had to move on.
The second time, I did not lose my grip! And he accepted my verdict.
There are crucial moments when we need to pay special attention to the activity before us in order to succeed. Prayer is not an exception. When the “cream gets thick,” it is not time to let go! If you do, you might have a mess to clean up. Grip harder at the crucial moments and hold on tight until the whipping is done. It's a lot easier that way!
It was the funniest thing. I was making whipping cream for pumpkin pie while everyone sat at the table after dinner waiting. We had recently bought one of those handheld whirly-gizmos that whip small quantities, and I decided this was the perfect time to try it out.
So, I poured a cup of whipping cream into the plastic quart container that came with the contraption, and started whipping away. The liquid swirled around wildly, and I made all kinds of noise, which was fun, but after a while the cream started to thicken and the quart container began to turn. I grabbed onto it with my left hand to keep it from rocketing off the counter into outer space.
When the cream got really thick, someone struck up a conversation with me from the table and I temporarily lost track of what I was doing. My left hand loosened its grip, and wham-o the container whirled around at warp speed spewing white stuff all over the kitchen! At first, this was not funny. But the mess was so huge, what can you do but laugh! The family was beside themselves in hilarity. And our daughter had to take a picture.
It was their idea to blog this moment of embarrassment, not mine. But after thinking on the episode, there was an important spiritual lesson to remember.
Don’t lose focus at critical moments!
There are critical moments in tennis, like serving, returning the serve, and hitting the ball accurately. When you’re standing on the court waiting, moments aren’t so crucial. But certain moments in play are extremely critical to the outcome of the game.
When driving a car, some moments are more critical than others. What you’re thinking while idling at a stop sign is probably not as critical as what you’re paying attention to when driving through a busy intersection.
What about prayer and healing? Are some moments more critical than others? Every moment of prayer is equally valuable in moving us toward our final demonstration, but some moments can feel tougher to get through than others.
More than once, I’ve felt on the verge of accomplishing a significant goal, and the tempter starts to work overtime to get me to stop or give up. Those are the moments you don’t want to lose your grip! If you let go, everything whirls out of control and you feel helpless.
Like the time I told my dad I didn’t want to farm anymore because it wasn’t the life for me. He got so upset that I lost my grip. I caved to his pressure to stay. I recanted everything I said, and told him that I would stay with the family farming business and that he didn’t need to worry about me. I would be okay.
I lied about the “I would be okay,” part. My life felt whirling out of control. It was not okay. It took me two more years to get my grip back and tell him with finality that I had to move on.
The second time, I did not lose my grip! And he accepted my verdict.
There are crucial moments when we need to pay special attention to the activity before us in order to succeed. Prayer is not an exception. When the “cream gets thick,” it is not time to let go! If you do, you might have a mess to clean up. Grip harder at the crucial moments and hold on tight until the whipping is done. It's a lot easier that way!
Monday, December 15, 2008
The degrees of divine Mind
It’s cold in my part of the country right now. Nine degrees at the moment! It’s a lot colder in other parts of the country, I understand. One woman emailed a minute ago and said it was 16 below where she lives. Brrrrrr….Last night, we had a neighbor teen visit with my son for a bit. He rode to our house and back in a light jacket on his four-wheeler. And he played outside with his dog before wheeling off. The cold didn’t bother him a bit.
Weather is all relative, I commented.
My wife told the family how Indians who lived in the cold in a book she had read, slept at night with very little covers, and very few clothes, and didn’t mind the winter lows. They were accustomed to the frigid temperatures, and didn’t pay much attention. When Anglo-Saxons traveled with them in the pioneering days, they put layers of blankets on at night to keep from shivering. The Indians thought, “How odd. Why all the coverings?” They didn’t need the blankets. They hadn’t been physically softened by educated beliefs the Anglos had developed over the centuries.
So, when I look out the window and see snow swirling around, temperatures in the single digits, and clouds in the sky, I try to keep my perspective. It’s not the temperature in mortal mind that determines how healthy and happy my day is, but the temperature in divine Mind. And the degrees in divine Mind, are rated spiritually.
Mary Baker Eddy wrote, “According to divine Science, man is in a degree as perfect as the Mind that forms him.”
When our expectations of health and harmony are rated by the degrees of divine Science, and not by the degrees of physics, we protect ourselves from disease beliefs that tend to come along with adverse weather conditions.
In divine Science, there is no adverse weather, only the omnipresence of Love. Degrees are not rated in terms of high or low, hot or cold, but according to knowledge, insight and wisdom. The degrees of divine Mind are the ideas of God constantly unfolding for our attention and engagement.
It’s a lot easier for me to feel secure and calm when my thought is focused on the degrees of divine Mind, then on the physics of mortal mind.
Enjoy entertaining the ideas of God today! They will warm your heart, comfort your mind and preserve your health.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Avoiding bailout fallout
News of the auto package failing in the Senate last night undoubtedly has thousands of families dependent on the auto industry for employment wondering about their future.
It’s a tough situation for laborers, policymakers and industry leaders to navigate. No one wants to lose their job. Everyone who wants to work deserves an opportunity to put their talents to use and earn a reliable income.
Economic times are demanding more out of corporate leaders to run businesses that are lean, efficient, profitable and progressive. In the stream-lining process, thousands of employees are being laid-off to lighten operations.
“What about the future of these released employees?” I ask. “How will they be cared for?”
It helps to have a spiritual perspective in times like this. For the worker who put their trust, heart and soul into working for a credible corporation, and suddenly loses their job through no fault of their own, times can seem very unfair. It might be tempting to pin blame on executives and leaders at the top for poor management, or even blame oneself for not reading the handwriting on the wall. But blame never helps or heals. It fosters resentment and ill-will which only depress outlook.
The more productive route to walk is to keep one’s thinking so clear of negative reaction and emotion that a clear path to a better job is seen.
God is our employer. We work for God, the Master planner of the universe that has a niche prepared for each of us. It's a demonstrable truth that the one Mind coordinates the activities of our economic life and keeps us profitably employed.
Recently, a friend was laid-off from a major industry in this country, just like hundred of thousands of others are being laid-off. At first, the family was overrun with fear about their financial future. But with a quick reminder that God was his employer and God kept His workers fully employed, he let his fear go, and two days later, through what seemed to be a miraculous turn of events, an even better job was offered to him.
Limited human sense interprets the divine direction according to its understanding of the moment.
In one era, the interpretation may come in the form of “I’m supposed to make brakes.” But if the need for brakes disappears, it doesn’t mean God’s need of that person’s skills dries up. It means it’s time to go higher and listen for fresh direction and new inspiration.
A new human niche for expressing talent and skill is going to open up. And we need to keep in mind that the talent and skill we’re endowed with isn’t so much about “making brakes,” in this case, as it is being creative, adaptable, flexible, wise, amenable and thoughtful.
God is not concerned with whether we make brakes, attach power lines, or enter data. God’s focus is in spiritual qualities expressed. We can express God’s qualities of wisdom and creativity in any number of various human niches.
Over time, and as economic demands change, we’re all going to be asked to change and adapt in different ways according to the needs of the day. This is not new.
To advance the fastest, its best to keep one’s thought filled with love, joy and gratitude. These graces of divine Love keep our view open to where the divine finger is pointing, and lead us to greener pastures.
It’s a tough situation for laborers, policymakers and industry leaders to navigate. No one wants to lose their job. Everyone who wants to work deserves an opportunity to put their talents to use and earn a reliable income.
Economic times are demanding more out of corporate leaders to run businesses that are lean, efficient, profitable and progressive. In the stream-lining process, thousands of employees are being laid-off to lighten operations.
“What about the future of these released employees?” I ask. “How will they be cared for?”
It helps to have a spiritual perspective in times like this. For the worker who put their trust, heart and soul into working for a credible corporation, and suddenly loses their job through no fault of their own, times can seem very unfair. It might be tempting to pin blame on executives and leaders at the top for poor management, or even blame oneself for not reading the handwriting on the wall. But blame never helps or heals. It fosters resentment and ill-will which only depress outlook.
The more productive route to walk is to keep one’s thinking so clear of negative reaction and emotion that a clear path to a better job is seen.
God is our employer. We work for God, the Master planner of the universe that has a niche prepared for each of us. It's a demonstrable truth that the one Mind coordinates the activities of our economic life and keeps us profitably employed.
Recently, a friend was laid-off from a major industry in this country, just like hundred of thousands of others are being laid-off. At first, the family was overrun with fear about their financial future. But with a quick reminder that God was his employer and God kept His workers fully employed, he let his fear go, and two days later, through what seemed to be a miraculous turn of events, an even better job was offered to him.
Limited human sense interprets the divine direction according to its understanding of the moment.
In one era, the interpretation may come in the form of “I’m supposed to make brakes.” But if the need for brakes disappears, it doesn’t mean God’s need of that person’s skills dries up. It means it’s time to go higher and listen for fresh direction and new inspiration.
A new human niche for expressing talent and skill is going to open up. And we need to keep in mind that the talent and skill we’re endowed with isn’t so much about “making brakes,” in this case, as it is being creative, adaptable, flexible, wise, amenable and thoughtful.
God is not concerned with whether we make brakes, attach power lines, or enter data. God’s focus is in spiritual qualities expressed. We can express God’s qualities of wisdom and creativity in any number of various human niches.
Over time, and as economic demands change, we’re all going to be asked to change and adapt in different ways according to the needs of the day. This is not new.
To advance the fastest, its best to keep one’s thought filled with love, joy and gratitude. These graces of divine Love keep our view open to where the divine finger is pointing, and lead us to greener pastures.
With God's help, we can avoid fallout from the bailouts.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
What's in your In Box?
A worker complained of too much to do and not enough time to do it in. Her In Box was overflowing, she fretted. And it was growing, not shrinking!
Have you ever felt that way? Overwhelmed by too much to do?
In a moment of inspiration, I typed back, “God is the In Box and you are the Out Box. Your In Box is overflowing all right, but not with too much to do. It’s overflowing with opportunities to express the wisdom and intelligence of divine Mind that enable you to perform your tasks efficiently and timely.”
Back in the early 1990s, I worked at the world headquarters of my church for one year. The position I was asked to fill replaced around 10-15 workers who had been laid off. The In Box on the desk I was assigned was heaping high in letters, memos and notes that needed thoughtful replies, responses and projects completed. It’s was week’s worth of work piled up, and I, one person, was supposed to get it all caught up, quickly. My little human mind could not get its arms around how this was going to happen with even more work coming in. So, I didn’t try to figure it out humanly.
I prayed, and thought, “God does the work. I reflect what God is doing. God can do this, so I will manifest the work getting done.” I didn’t create a work schedule to follow. I just jumped in and whittled the pile down one letter at a time listening for divine direction each word of the way.
God was my In Box. God was my influx of inspiration needed to do the responding. I was the Out Box. I was God’s outflow of wisdom, ingenuity, creativity, and love that got the work done.
It took a while to get to the bottom of that pile, but I got caught up and easily stayed ahead of the pace from then on.
God is your In Box too, and it’s filled with the wisdom, joy and love you need to do your work well.
With this attitude, one can look forward to seeing what is in their In Box each day!
Have you ever felt that way? Overwhelmed by too much to do?
In a moment of inspiration, I typed back, “God is the In Box and you are the Out Box. Your In Box is overflowing all right, but not with too much to do. It’s overflowing with opportunities to express the wisdom and intelligence of divine Mind that enable you to perform your tasks efficiently and timely.”
Back in the early 1990s, I worked at the world headquarters of my church for one year. The position I was asked to fill replaced around 10-15 workers who had been laid off. The In Box on the desk I was assigned was heaping high in letters, memos and notes that needed thoughtful replies, responses and projects completed. It’s was week’s worth of work piled up, and I, one person, was supposed to get it all caught up, quickly. My little human mind could not get its arms around how this was going to happen with even more work coming in. So, I didn’t try to figure it out humanly.
I prayed, and thought, “God does the work. I reflect what God is doing. God can do this, so I will manifest the work getting done.” I didn’t create a work schedule to follow. I just jumped in and whittled the pile down one letter at a time listening for divine direction each word of the way.
God was my In Box. God was my influx of inspiration needed to do the responding. I was the Out Box. I was God’s outflow of wisdom, ingenuity, creativity, and love that got the work done.
It took a while to get to the bottom of that pile, but I got caught up and easily stayed ahead of the pace from then on.
God is your In Box too, and it’s filled with the wisdom, joy and love you need to do your work well.
With this attitude, one can look forward to seeing what is in their In Box each day!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
When people do mean things
How do you respond to other people who do things that are purposely mean?
That can be a tough question to answer sometimes…
This weekend, our daughter, Jenna, had a major swim meet in Wenatchee, which is about a 2 hour drive from where we live. The whole family decided to go and support her. Saturday afternoon Jenna was finished early, so we skipped up to Leavenworth, about 20 miles away, to spend the rest of the day and taking in the lighting ceremony at 5 p.m.
If you’re not aware, the little town of Leavenworth is a spectacular commercial and tourism success story. Decades ago, threatened with extinction when the major employer of the town shut down, the area leaders settled on a Bavarian theme and worked hard to turn the village into a tourist destination. It’s a fun place to visit now, with dozens of shops, restaurants, hotels, cafes, and more that can easily fill up a day or more of strolling, looking and eating.
The day we went, everyone else in the State of Washington decided to go too! The mob was unbelievable. Parking was impossible. We ended up parking out in the residential area and walking in, which was fine. The weather was beautiful.
Here’s a picture of the crowd we found. If you’ve ever been there, at least 100 people were standing in line waiting to get into the hat shop.
The atmosphere was loaded with fun. Music was playing, children laughing, singers singing, and bands playing, as thousands patiently waited for the lighting ceremony to begin.
By the size of the crowd and enthusiasm all around, you would have thought President-elect Obama was about to show. But I think people were simply looking for something to do other than sit at home in front of the TV.
The lighting happened quickly, and soon the crowds dispersed.
As we walked back to our car, we looked down the street and said, “Man somebody parked really close to our rear bumper.” As we got closer, there was no question. Someone did not like us. They parked their car within a half-inch of our rear bumper making it impossible to back up and exit our parking spot which was parallel to the curb. A big pickup truck was parked in front of us. And it appeared malicious because this car had several feet behind him that he could have occupied with a driveway entrance beyond that. And there were plenty of open parking spaces all around everywhere.
There was 2-3 feet in front of us, so we were able to exit with a little maneuvering, but I was not able to instantly let go of the apparent evil intent of this driver.
I could have been wrong, of course. The nudge up to our bumper could have been innocent, but honestly, he had to work really hard to get that close to our car without touching! And there was no reason to do so. A car could not have parked behind him.
After wrestling for several minutes on how to think about it, I decided that I didn’t have to judge this man one way or the other. God always provides us a way out!
I was bothered at first because if this driver had gotten his way, we would have been locked into position with no way out.
But the fact was that we weren’t locked in. There was a way out. So, I had nothing to complain about.
And this was my answer.
It didn’t matter what ill-will this driver may have had toward us, whether we took his favorite parking spot, or he didn’t like us parking in front of his home, or whatever, any malicious intent was not going to succeed. Divine Love was going to provide a way out for us no matter what and that was a truth I could always trust. I didn't have to harbor resentment. It was unnecessary because we could never be hurt.
The lesson I picked up was, I didn’t have to worry about what other people may or may not do. God is way ahead of them, and if there is malicious intent, if I keep my thinking right with God, I’ll know what to do when the occasion arises. And there will always be a way out.
Like Jesus walking through the mob that wanted to kill him. Jesus kept his thought right with God, and God provided a way out. Jesus walked through the crowd unharmed, and out and away without them even realizing it.
So, what to do when someone acts intentionally mean and you feel stuck? I decided to not get wrapped up into anger myself. Thinking evilly in kind is not a progressive path to walk down. The need is to stay in a consciousness of Love. Know that the intent of the evil-doer is destined to fail and fall, and look for the path out, for there is one.
We had a very happy drive home.
That can be a tough question to answer sometimes…
This weekend, our daughter, Jenna, had a major swim meet in Wenatchee, which is about a 2 hour drive from where we live. The whole family decided to go and support her. Saturday afternoon Jenna was finished early, so we skipped up to Leavenworth, about 20 miles away, to spend the rest of the day and taking in the lighting ceremony at 5 p.m.
If you’re not aware, the little town of Leavenworth is a spectacular commercial and tourism success story. Decades ago, threatened with extinction when the major employer of the town shut down, the area leaders settled on a Bavarian theme and worked hard to turn the village into a tourist destination. It’s a fun place to visit now, with dozens of shops, restaurants, hotels, cafes, and more that can easily fill up a day or more of strolling, looking and eating.
The day we went, everyone else in the State of Washington decided to go too! The mob was unbelievable. Parking was impossible. We ended up parking out in the residential area and walking in, which was fine. The weather was beautiful.
Here’s a picture of the crowd we found. If you’ve ever been there, at least 100 people were standing in line waiting to get into the hat shop.
The atmosphere was loaded with fun. Music was playing, children laughing, singers singing, and bands playing, as thousands patiently waited for the lighting ceremony to begin.By the size of the crowd and enthusiasm all around, you would have thought President-elect Obama was about to show. But I think people were simply looking for something to do other than sit at home in front of the TV.
The lighting happened quickly, and soon the crowds dispersed.
As we walked back to our car, we looked down the street and said, “Man somebody parked really close to our rear bumper.” As we got closer, there was no question. Someone did not like us. They parked their car within a half-inch of our rear bumper making it impossible to back up and exit our parking spot which was parallel to the curb. A big pickup truck was parked in front of us. And it appeared malicious because this car had several feet behind him that he could have occupied with a driveway entrance beyond that. And there were plenty of open parking spaces all around everywhere.
There was 2-3 feet in front of us, so we were able to exit with a little maneuvering, but I was not able to instantly let go of the apparent evil intent of this driver.
I could have been wrong, of course. The nudge up to our bumper could have been innocent, but honestly, he had to work really hard to get that close to our car without touching! And there was no reason to do so. A car could not have parked behind him.
After wrestling for several minutes on how to think about it, I decided that I didn’t have to judge this man one way or the other. God always provides us a way out!
I was bothered at first because if this driver had gotten his way, we would have been locked into position with no way out.
But the fact was that we weren’t locked in. There was a way out. So, I had nothing to complain about.
And this was my answer.
It didn’t matter what ill-will this driver may have had toward us, whether we took his favorite parking spot, or he didn’t like us parking in front of his home, or whatever, any malicious intent was not going to succeed. Divine Love was going to provide a way out for us no matter what and that was a truth I could always trust. I didn't have to harbor resentment. It was unnecessary because we could never be hurt.
The lesson I picked up was, I didn’t have to worry about what other people may or may not do. God is way ahead of them, and if there is malicious intent, if I keep my thinking right with God, I’ll know what to do when the occasion arises. And there will always be a way out.
Like Jesus walking through the mob that wanted to kill him. Jesus kept his thought right with God, and God provided a way out. Jesus walked through the crowd unharmed, and out and away without them even realizing it.
So, what to do when someone acts intentionally mean and you feel stuck? I decided to not get wrapped up into anger myself. Thinking evilly in kind is not a progressive path to walk down. The need is to stay in a consciousness of Love. Know that the intent of the evil-doer is destined to fail and fall, and look for the path out, for there is one.
We had a very happy drive home.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Happiness with fewer things
Great article in The Christian Science Monitor, Wednesday, December 3, titled “Want less, spend less—wealth is relative to desire.”
In these times of tight budgets and shrinking income for many, people struggle to maintain their consumption status quo, and it just doesn’t work.
Author Diane Cameron, sorts out many of the issues and explains that “Wealth is relative to desire. Everytime we yearn for something we can’t afford, we become poor—regardless of our resources. It’s when we are satisfied with what we have, that we become rich.”
She continues, “What we need is less desire, not more money.”
It’s a quick read and full of insight.
In these times of tight budgets and shrinking income for many, people struggle to maintain their consumption status quo, and it just doesn’t work.
Author Diane Cameron, sorts out many of the issues and explains that “Wealth is relative to desire. Everytime we yearn for something we can’t afford, we become poor—regardless of our resources. It’s when we are satisfied with what we have, that we become rich.”
She continues, “What we need is less desire, not more money.”
It’s a quick read and full of insight.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Christ in you
Before leaving earth, Jesus told his disciples,
In the above quote, Jesus is talking about his material disappearance and spiritual appearance to the human consciousness as Christ, untied to material form. And he said, “On that day...”, or when we understand the power in his life to be Christ, pure divine Mind, we “…will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”
Think about the implications of this promise…
When Jesus restored legs to the lame, eyes to the blind, and ears to the deaf, it was not any human power that cured the ill. It was Christ at work through Jesus.
In the above promise, Jesus is telling his followers that the same Christ at work in him is at work in us too. We need only to realize it.
The same voice and curative power that commanded, “Rise, and walk,” and then restored crippled legs to soundness is in us.
Do you hear the voice? Are you aware of its presence within you? It’s there, and through it you can be healed and heal the sick around you.
The power of Christ is God. Christ is in you, and you are in Christ.
What are you waiting for? You’ve got it all...
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. John 14:18-20 NIV
In the above quote, Jesus is talking about his material disappearance and spiritual appearance to the human consciousness as Christ, untied to material form. And he said, “On that day...”, or when we understand the power in his life to be Christ, pure divine Mind, we “…will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”
Think about the implications of this promise…
When Jesus restored legs to the lame, eyes to the blind, and ears to the deaf, it was not any human power that cured the ill. It was Christ at work through Jesus.
In the above promise, Jesus is telling his followers that the same Christ at work in him is at work in us too. We need only to realize it.
The same voice and curative power that commanded, “Rise, and walk,” and then restored crippled legs to soundness is in us.
Do you hear the voice? Are you aware of its presence within you? It’s there, and through it you can be healed and heal the sick around you.
The power of Christ is God. Christ is in you, and you are in Christ.
What are you waiting for? You’ve got it all...
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Podcast on the economy
I was recently interviewed by time4thinkers.com on my spiritual perspective of the economy.
“We live in a divine economy!” I told them.
A young man making his way in the music industry and a bank examiner working at the Federal Reserve were also interviewed.
To listen, click here for episode 4 on their site, “Keeping afloat in a sinking economy."
“We live in a divine economy!” I told them.
A young man making his way in the music industry and a bank examiner working at the Federal Reserve were also interviewed.
To listen, click here for episode 4 on their site, “Keeping afloat in a sinking economy."
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Benefits of Christian Science healthcare
After a doubles tennis match I played last night, one of the players talked about a recent ordeal he and his wife had in dealing with their son’s fever. The baby’s temperature was running very high, and they gave him medicine to control the fever. The medicine didn’t work and the baby continued to suffer for another day or two. They asked their doctor what else to do and received a recommendation. The new medicine made things worse. And so the story went on… After a few days, the fever finally went away.
This is not the first time I’ve heard stories of parents struggling with medical prescriptions and what to do for their child. I do not judge their actions, for they do the best they know. But my heart does yearn for them to see the benefits of scientific prayer and accept the possibility of spiritual healing.
So many people, the majority I suppose, have been so strongly educated into believing healthcare solutions are medical solutions, that healing through prayer doesn’t even cross their mental radar screen.
Some will point to failure of prayer to bring relief in some cases, and use those examples as evidence against relying upon God for healing. But the evidence is strongly to the contrary. Prayer works. Prayer heals. Scientific prayer, as taught in Christian Science, relieves fevers, colds, ills, pains and troubles effectively, and without any of the frequently dark side effects that accompany the use of drugs.
I have seen this success in my own life. Raised in a Christian Science household, I went through childhood without taking drugs for childhood illnesses. Sicknesses were generally healed quickly through spiritual means and without prolonged suffering.
This quality of turning to God in anytime of need has stayed with me through the decades. My wife and I have taught it to our children, and they have been raised drug-free from day one. I consider this one of the most special gifts we can give to our loved ones. They know first hand the healing power of God and how to rely upon it. This will stay with them forever.
Christian Science works. It heals. It is the most powerful form of relief on earth today. Yes, it sometimes takes heavy doses of humility to hear the angel thought that brings healing. Not all problems seem as easy to heal as others. But this is nothing unusual. There are varying degrees of difficulty to all of life’s tasks and opportunities. Ask any doctor…
With the huge outcry of protest over the present sad state of our healthcare system in the US, it certainly is not too early for people to consider the positive aspects of healing through scientific prayer. Christian Science has something very special to offer parents, adults, and children everywhere. Spiritual healing is the cleanest, safest, and most sanitary form of healing there is. There are no negative side effects to its application, and the positive benefit is that the beneficiary is not only healed physically, they are also improved morally, emotionally and spiritually. Spiritual healing works from the inside out, bringing moral and spiritual regeneration along with physical restoration.
For some people, scientific prayer might seem like “hard work.” But it’s not. It’s natural and normal to turn to one’s Father-Mother for help and find the assistance needed. Many do it with their human parents all of the time. Why not try it with our divine Parent!
God’s love is the most powerful medicine there is. It heals.
This is not the first time I’ve heard stories of parents struggling with medical prescriptions and what to do for their child. I do not judge their actions, for they do the best they know. But my heart does yearn for them to see the benefits of scientific prayer and accept the possibility of spiritual healing.
So many people, the majority I suppose, have been so strongly educated into believing healthcare solutions are medical solutions, that healing through prayer doesn’t even cross their mental radar screen.
Some will point to failure of prayer to bring relief in some cases, and use those examples as evidence against relying upon God for healing. But the evidence is strongly to the contrary. Prayer works. Prayer heals. Scientific prayer, as taught in Christian Science, relieves fevers, colds, ills, pains and troubles effectively, and without any of the frequently dark side effects that accompany the use of drugs.
I have seen this success in my own life. Raised in a Christian Science household, I went through childhood without taking drugs for childhood illnesses. Sicknesses were generally healed quickly through spiritual means and without prolonged suffering.
This quality of turning to God in anytime of need has stayed with me through the decades. My wife and I have taught it to our children, and they have been raised drug-free from day one. I consider this one of the most special gifts we can give to our loved ones. They know first hand the healing power of God and how to rely upon it. This will stay with them forever.
Christian Science works. It heals. It is the most powerful form of relief on earth today. Yes, it sometimes takes heavy doses of humility to hear the angel thought that brings healing. Not all problems seem as easy to heal as others. But this is nothing unusual. There are varying degrees of difficulty to all of life’s tasks and opportunities. Ask any doctor…
With the huge outcry of protest over the present sad state of our healthcare system in the US, it certainly is not too early for people to consider the positive aspects of healing through scientific prayer. Christian Science has something very special to offer parents, adults, and children everywhere. Spiritual healing is the cleanest, safest, and most sanitary form of healing there is. There are no negative side effects to its application, and the positive benefit is that the beneficiary is not only healed physically, they are also improved morally, emotionally and spiritually. Spiritual healing works from the inside out, bringing moral and spiritual regeneration along with physical restoration.
For some people, scientific prayer might seem like “hard work.” But it’s not. It’s natural and normal to turn to one’s Father-Mother for help and find the assistance needed. Many do it with their human parents all of the time. Why not try it with our divine Parent!
God’s love is the most powerful medicine there is. It heals.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Staying up in a down economy
“The economy is in recession,” economists have officially decided. This is no news to the citizen on the street looking for work and struggling to make payments. Numbers cranked out of Washington D.C. are experienced by everyday people long before the statistics hit the headlines.
With the on-going gusher of bad economic news spewing over the airwaves, it’s more important than ever to not let one’s individual economic perspective sink to the same low level.
Common consensus does not have to become individual experience. A person can stand out from the crowd and demonstrate economic success regardless of what the majority opinion believes.
Individual success that defies general expectations happens frequently in all walks of life.
Have you ever been in a group of blah-thinking people when someone with a positive upbeat attitude enters the room and the whole space cheers up? That individual defied common consensus and demonstrated over it.
Have you ever noticed how some people stay consistently healthy while others struggle with illness over and over again? That robust individual is mentally staying above common notions that illness is necessary.
There are many examples around you of individuals defying common expectations. And economic success is no different.
We live in a divine economy where Mind rules supreme and is the provider of all opportunity. Success is not a function of the unemployment rate, the debt default rate or what other people are experiencing economically. Success is not at the mercy of material factors. Success is spiritual. Success is reflecting the incredible worth and value God has endowed each of us capable of expressing.
“Come out from among them and be separate,” Paul counseled. This is relevant instruction for the wise to heed today.
The downer attitude prevailing today about the economy is not warranted. It’s a limited view of spiritual possibility.
Individuals who refuse to get sucked into the depressive mesmerism and stay above it will succeed and prosper. They will “come out from among them.” They will come out from among those who see everything negatively and see possibilities for advancement and growth. They will find opportunities to keep profitably employed and demonstrate worth and value. God will bless their positive outlook.
With the help of God, we can stay up in what mortal mind calls a down economy and defy popular belief at this moment.
You can be one of those successful individuals!
With the on-going gusher of bad economic news spewing over the airwaves, it’s more important than ever to not let one’s individual economic perspective sink to the same low level.
Common consensus does not have to become individual experience. A person can stand out from the crowd and demonstrate economic success regardless of what the majority opinion believes.
Individual success that defies general expectations happens frequently in all walks of life.
Have you ever been in a group of blah-thinking people when someone with a positive upbeat attitude enters the room and the whole space cheers up? That individual defied common consensus and demonstrated over it.
Have you ever noticed how some people stay consistently healthy while others struggle with illness over and over again? That robust individual is mentally staying above common notions that illness is necessary.
There are many examples around you of individuals defying common expectations. And economic success is no different.
We live in a divine economy where Mind rules supreme and is the provider of all opportunity. Success is not a function of the unemployment rate, the debt default rate or what other people are experiencing economically. Success is not at the mercy of material factors. Success is spiritual. Success is reflecting the incredible worth and value God has endowed each of us capable of expressing.
“Come out from among them and be separate,” Paul counseled. This is relevant instruction for the wise to heed today.
The downer attitude prevailing today about the economy is not warranted. It’s a limited view of spiritual possibility.
Individuals who refuse to get sucked into the depressive mesmerism and stay above it will succeed and prosper. They will “come out from among them.” They will come out from among those who see everything negatively and see possibilities for advancement and growth. They will find opportunities to keep profitably employed and demonstrate worth and value. God will bless their positive outlook.
With the help of God, we can stay up in what mortal mind calls a down economy and defy popular belief at this moment.
You can be one of those successful individuals!
