Christian Science Edifice painting by Julie Kahn Valentine |
ACIM Workbook Lesson #338
"I am affected only by my thoughts."
When our nearly 100-year-old Christian Science church was on the Christmas Tour of Homes, I had the opportunity to talk to lots of people who wanted to know more about our way of thought. A man came in who told me he knew lots of Baptist jokes, because that's what he was, but he only knew one Christian Scientist joke, and asked if I wanted to hear it. Of course I did! A little girl comes home from school and tells her mother that her teacher, Mrs. Smith, is sick. The girl's mom says, No, dear, she only thinks she's sick. A few days later the girl comes home and tells her mother that Mrs. Smith is still sick. The mother once again explains that Mrs. Smith only thinks she's sick. A few days later the little girl comes home and tells her mom that Mrs. Smith thinks she's dead. While I chuckled with him over this joke, I also told him the reason it was funny was because it was true! And then we really laughed!
Mary Baker Eddy quote:
"The artist is not in his painting. The picture is the artist's thought objectified. The human belief fancies that it delineates thought on matter, but what is matter? Did it exist prior to thought? Matter is made up of supposititious mortal mind-force; but all might is divine Mind. Thought will finally be understood and seen in all form, substance, and color, but without material accompaniments. The potter is not in the clay; else the clay would have power over the potter. God is His own infinite Mind, and expresses all."
Science & Health Page 310:1-10