October 21,2011

ACIM Lesson #294
“My body is a wholly neutral thing.”[Marsha's thoughts]

"Changing the Net"

I'm glad we're getting past the thought that something must be "wrong" with the body in order for it to be cast off. I've had two friends who died in their 50s with no physical cause. One of these people was traveling, stopped at a hotel, laid down on the bed and was gone. As this was an unattended death, all the legal protocol were followed and it was determined that there was no physical reason at all for her passing. I think this is great! The new realms of thought we're accessing allow many old beliefs to be abandoned -- finally! How many material laws have imprisoned us with unlocked doors? This body as a wholly neutral thing is an empty vessel waiting to be filled up with thought. Let's make sure that it’s thought independent of erroneous learning and dogma. Everything is important; nothing is important -- neutrality.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“The elements and functions of the physical body and of the physical world will change as mortal mind changes its beliefs. What is now considered the best condition for organic and functional health in the human body may no longer be found indispensable to health. Moral conditions will be found always harmonious and health-giving. Neither organic inaction nor overaction is beyond God's control; and man will be found normal and natural to changed mortal thought, and therefore more harmonious in his manifestations than he was in the prior states which human belief created and sanctioned.”
Science & Health Page 124:32-10



October 20, 2011

ACIM Lesson #293
"All fear is past and only love is here."

[Marsha's thoughts]

Last evening, I had planned on going to our Course in Miracles meeting, but something kept holding me at my gallery until well past the starting time. Although I didn't know what, I dutifully followed this prompting. Although numerous people were in and a few sales were made, nothing seemed "worthy" of keeping me from someplace I wanted to be! So around 7:15 I started to close up and was turning off the lights when a woman came in the door, in tears, asking if I'd found her wallet. She had been in earlier in the day, but had no idea where she may have left all her credit cards and money. She said her husband was very angry with her because they'd had their "identity stolen" a few years ago. We retraced her steps while in the gallery and found her wallet in a print rack. While she was very grateful to have found her things, she was still very fearful because of her husband's reactions concerning things from the past. After she left, I realized what I'd kept repeating to her: You're good. You're good. I'm not sure why I was saying this, but hopefully she knows! This incident has shown me how living in the past is the only place fear exists, and that living in the now allows loving reality to shine forth as our only reality.



Mary Baker Eddy quote:
"The Apostle John says: "There is no fear in Love, but perfect Love casteth out fear. . . . He that feareth is not made perfect in Love." Here is a definite and inspired proclamation of Christian Science."
Science & Health Page 410:17-21

October 19, 2011

ACIM Lesson #292
“A happy outcome to all things is sure.”

Lyla Allison in
May Festival of the Arts Parade

[Marsha's thoughts]

Putting God first is living a life of constant prayer. This prayer brings us into harmony with divine Mind, and from this we witness happy outcomes. Twelve years ago I took my young boys on a 3,000-mile road trip. We made no reservations and had no plans other than to attend women's World Cup soccer games and look for miniature golf courses. In preparation for this trip, I spent a lot of time studying the science of Mind and working to bring myself into alignment with these metaphysical principles. Through this process, we witnessed many happy outcomes, but the most dramatic was on the first day of our trip. I had worn glasses to see far away for more than 30 years and suddenly found I could see without them. I enjoyed this freedom until a few years ago when renewing my drivers' license and found that they were needed again. It is said by many that these things are to be expected as we grow older. In steadfastly refusing to accept this prognosis, yesterday I renewed my license with no restrictions as to sight. Instances such as this affirm my conviction to live single-mindedly, with only God as my goal, expecting only happy outcomes.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“The scientific unity which exists between God and man must be wrought out in life-practice,

and God's will must be universally done.”

Science & Health Page 203:3-5

October 18, 2011

ACIM Lesson #291
“This is a day of stillness and of peace



                                                         

"Lake Wedington"
photo by Marsha Havens

[Marsha's thoughts]             

This still and peaceful day is a perfect backdrop for the thoughts we are holding today. It's a beautiful, gray day in the Ozarks and the peace is easily felt in the misty splendor of the fall stillness. I am grateful for these words in A Course in Miracles. I am grateful for the words of Mary Baker Eddy and her determination to practice absolutely the Science of The Christ. These words point toward the Truth of our Being, and assure us that it is there for us all the time. These writings show us how to move away from the learned behaviors of a lifetime. I am grateful that they help us to see these Truths and by their living pass them on to others, especially our children and those who have not been indoctrinated in material belief as heavily as we have. The stillness and peace of wildlife help to show me the way of this Truth. I will watch for signs everywhere today --

and be grateful for them.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Certain moods of mind find an indefinable pleasure in stillness, soft, silent as the storm's sudden hush; for nature's stillness is voiced with a hum of harmony, the gentle murmur of early morn, the evening's closing vespers,

and lyre of bird and brooklet."

Christian Science versus Pantheism Page 3:8-13

October 17, 2011

ACIM Lesson #290
“My present happiness is all I see.”

"Gathering of the Girls"
photo by Jerry Dupy

[Marsha's thoughts]

When my boys were little, I heard Wayne Dyer tell us something which we still practice to this day. He told the story of getting up in the morning, feeling wonderful, and saying, It's such a beautiful day, I think I'll call in sick! This made me smile at the time because I'd often get a cold when I needed a break from the routine, and had come to look forward to these events. Although his illustration talked of a person pretending to be sick, I find that this pretense often manifests itself in our existence. And so I started to advise my children to let me know when they needed some time for themselves, which we did with full disclosure to the school. Today has been such a day for me. After a minor obligation this morning, I chose to simply Be on this beautiful 75-degree fall day. It's easy to feel “my present happiness” while sitting in the sun watching squirrels gathering nuts. And tomorrow I will choose to feel this happiness shining through

whatever the day may bring.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Earth has little light or joy for mortals before Life is spiritually learned. Every agony of mortal error helps error to destroy error, and so aids the apprehension of immortal Truth. This is the new birth going on hourly, by which men may entertain angels, the true ideas of God,

the spiritual sense of being.”

Science & Health Page 548:9-16

October 16, 2011

ACIM Lesson #289
“The past is over. It can touch me not.”

                                                        [Marsha's thoughts]

Friends

This is one of the reasons I love the business of selling art. Every day I meet lots of new people. Although knowing nothing about them when they walk in the door, when they leave we’ve made a mini-friendship based on what we have learned about each other in a few minutes. It’s pure and clean and nothing matters but the moment we’re together in this small area, with a divine atmosphere of Love emanating from the art of more than a hundred people. Wow! What could be better?! And through these daily meetings I’m seeing this now-ness being demonstrated time and again. It enables me to forget my past when I constantly live in the present. And when others try to take me to the past (whether it’s theirs or mine), I am learning ways of bypassing these trips. With this exercise happening so frequently, it seems I won’t allow myself to wander through memory land any more than I’ll let others bring it into our existence while in the realm of Eureka Thyme. I love the serene otherworld we create within these walls. It’s helping me see the now in every moment, and the nothingness of moments gone by.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:
“As the crude footprints of the past disappear from the dissolving paths of the present, we shall better understand the Science which governs these changes, and shall plant our feet on firmer ground. Every sensuous pleasure or pain is self-destroyed through suffering. There should be painless progress, attended by life and peace instead of discord and death.”
Science & Health Page 224: 4-10

October 15, 2011

ACIM Lesson #288
“Let me forget my brother's past today.”

"Apartheid 2"
Stoneware sculpture
by Ken Starbird

[Marsha's thoughts]
It's interesting that this lesson topic has come up, because today I've been in an email discussion in which my last note stated that I tend to not remember much of anything! And now here I am being told to forget my brother's past. I think I can do that!! While pondering these points, I'm listening to a person singing on the balcony of a nearby hotel/restaurant. The performer seems to me to be very unmelodious, and as if to rub it in, he's singing some of my favorite songs. I'm really trying not to blame him for this! And so I'm seeing him as innovative in the changes he's making to well-loved Beatles songs. I'm not attacking him, even though he's so loud I've had to turn off my jazzy piano music 'cause the decibels can't compete! Now this exercise is getting easier. He's playing something I've never heard of, and it doesn't sound so bad! And so I'm forgetting that I don't like him, and I'm not going to jump up on my high-horse with a holier-than-thou attitude (which crossed my mind to the point of envisioning what I would say to the manager of the hotel!), and I'm remembering that we are the same because our source is the same, and I'm not blaming him because he doesn't sing the way I'd like for him to. I'm now singing along with the Eagles song he's currently butchering and it's become a lovely, comedic parenthesis in eternity. I am not blaming myself for these thoughts any more than I'm blaming him for his actions. It is what it is. Whew ~~~~
Mary Baker Eddy quote:
"One infinite God, good, unifies men and constitutes the brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfils the Scripture, "Love thy neighbor as thyself;" annihilates pagan and Christian idolatry,--whatever is wrong in social, civil, criminal, political, and religious codes; equalizes the sexes; annuls the curse on man, and leaves nothing that can sin, suffer, be punished or destroyed."
Science & Health Page 340:23:30