December 22, 2012 - Sunlight of Truth

"Full Moon/Misty Night: Eureka"
photo by Chris Fischer

ACIM Workbook Lesson #356 "Sickness is but another name for sin. Healing is but another name for God. The miracle is thus a call to Him."

The first sentence in today's ACIM workbook lesson could be upsetting to someone who is not familiar with the spiritual sense of the words we use in both these teachings and Christian Science. When we hear "Sickness is but another name for sin", the immediate response could be to think this means we're sinners and, hence, are being punished for it by sickness. We are learning that sin is defined as anything which separates us from the Love which is God. If we believe in another power other than God, this is termed sin. Most of us have been taught that sickness, evil, and many other negative aspects of this existence are powers unto themselves, over which we have little to no control. The law of God, the spiritual Principle which we are learning, negates these material, mesmeric thoughts. By that negation, we come to see that our real Being is as a reflection of the one and only Cause, God. Anything else is a learned response in a material world. As we wake up to the Truth of Being, multitudes of things we thought to be our masters turn out to be nothing more than smoke and mirrors. As we lift the veil and reveal reality, the quotations we read here today begin to be more than mere words. They are principles we live.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Christian Science brings to the body the sunlight of Truth, which invigorates and purifies." 

Science & Health Page 162:4-5

December 21, 2012 - No End to Peace & Joy

"Sunny Ski Day in Utah"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #355 

"There is no end to all the peace and joy, And all the miracles that I will give, When I accept God's Word. Why not today?"

Our true selves are the creation, the image and likeness of God. Why then is there so much which seems to be unGodlike? Because God did not create matter. This human body we seem to reside in, to be inseparable from, is not our true self. When we declare our perfection as a child of God, that perfection has absolutely nothing to do with this material world we are living in. If God created everything and it is good, that cannot encompass the dual good/bad stuff we see around us. Our vision for today is to see with the eyes of our true Being. That true Being does not change. Reality does not change. What doesn't change? Our true Selves which are the image and likeness of the One; that which we all truly are. So what good does it do to realize that we're not what we see with our so-called mortal eyes? It brings us into harmony with what is True. Declaring the Truth of our Being is more than just a mental exercise. It's establishing this Truth within our thought. This establishment leads to demonstration of Truth. This demonstration of Truth brings us back to where we began, and never leads us anywhere other than to the home which is forever within -- wherever in eternity that may be.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"To divest thought of false trusts and material evidences in order that the spiritual facts of being may appear,--this is the great attainment by means of which we shall sweep away the false and give place to the true. Thus we may establish in truth the temple, or body, 'whose builder and maker is God.'" 

Science & Health Page 423:9-14

December 20, 2012 - Compassionate Thought

"Mongolian Mountaintop"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #354

"We stand together, Christ and I, in peace And certainty of purpose. And in Him Is His Creator, as He is in me."

Knowing the Truth and believing it to be True don't always occur at the same time. When we hear of some unspeakable horror, it's hard to believe that such things can happen when we've been holding our thought to all that is good and pure. Once again we have witnessed a massacre of children in our schools. It seems unthinkable, unspeakable, impossible. We find ourselves questioning God as to how this can happen. I find solace in knowing that God has nothing to do with it. God does not create material circumstance and push us out the door to face it alone. This Oneness we all share is Spirit, not form. In Spirit, we all "stand together". Looking with God's eyes shows us the Truth of our being, and that Being is the same whether it's Hitler or Mother Teresa. And so I will look with these eyes in true compassion, as I see the dear children and their families with the same eyes as I witness the perpetrator of this travesty and his loved ones: the same way we are all seen by God. When these people come to thought, I send them peace, Love, calm contented thought. We have all seen how our thoughts affect those around us. In our unity, they are beneficial to everyone. This "certainty of purpose" blesses all.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"The relations of God and man, divine Principle and idea, are indestructible in Science; and Science knows no lapse from nor return to harmony, but holds the divine order or spiritual law, in which God and all that He creates are perfect and eternal, to have remained unchanged in its eternal history."

Science & Health Page 470:32-5 

December 19, 2012 - Express Joy, from the Heart

"Basin Spring and Hotel in
Eureka Springs, AR"
photo by Richard Quick

A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson #353

"My eyes, my tongue, my hands, my feet today

Have but one purpose; to be given Christ

To use to bless the world with miracles."

At this time of the year, we are often reminded that not everyone includes themselves in this thing we call Christmas. In order to be politically correct, we go through all sorts of angst while expressing the Joy of the season to others. Today's lesson states that Christ is but my Self. Not just my Self, but everybody's! The man we know as Jesus was here to show us the Truth of our Being. There were no limitations placed on this message’s target. Everyone, everywhere were and are the recipients of his revelation that we are all the Sons of God. In seeing, speaking, and moving with the realization that God is our Life, this lesson is demonstrated in everything we do. And so today I will speak from my heart when the occasion arises to express the joy of the season to others. What I say will be heartfelt, with no regard to what should or shouldn't be said. And I will see everyone as the Christ that they are, regardless of how it may seem to my limited human concepts. My prayer will be to realize my true conception is spiritual, and to act and speak accordingly as led by Spirit. Merry Christmas and Namaste'!!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"The illumination of Mary's spiritual sense put to silence material law and its order of generation, and brought forth her child by the revelation of Truth, demonstrating God as the Father of men. The Holy Ghost, or divine Spirit, overshadowed the pure sense of the Virgin-mother with the full recognition that being is Spirit. The Christ dwelt forever an idea in the bosom of God, the divine Principle of the man Jesus, and woman perceived this spiritual idea, though at first faintly developed."

Science & Health Page 29:20-29

December 18, 2012 - Judgment or Love?

A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson #352

"Judgment and love are opposites. From one

Come all the sorrows of the world. But from

The other comes the peace of God Himself."

Did you know that colors appear differently when placed on different background colors? I recently read an article about this which explained that the way we perceive a color is based on our education about color perception and how we've been conditioned to see color. Who knew?? As I struggled to grasp this fact, I realized it's the same with our perceptions of what reality is. Spiritual perception allows us to see beyond the seeming reality of our material senses. Interactions with others may be full of judgments and suppositions when we look at the situation with by-rote, learned behavior and the immediacy of emotions. But the Truth which comes from seeing from a different standpoint, from a spiritual perspective, allows an improved interaction with others. This is true because our human experience is the visible expression of our thinking. To see the world and others through the eyes of Love frees us to love as God Loves: purely, without a skewed view of the color and fabric of everything we see. Now I know what the expression "showing your true colors" means!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Thought will finally be understood and seen in all form, substance, and color, but without material accompaniments."

Science & Health Page 310: 6:8

December 17, 2012 - What Do I Choose To See?

ACIM Workbook Lesson #351

"My sinless brother is my guide to peace.

My sinful brother is my guide to pain.

And which I choose to see I will behold."

One of our local artists tells me that she went to Crystal Bridges, the fabulous museum here in Northwest Arkansas. When I asked her how she liked it, she told me many wonderful things about it, but then said that she had gotten depressed at one point. This feeling had come about when she saw another local artist who was also there. This other artist said to her that she felt hopeless because she realized that no matter how good she was, she would never be as good as the people they were seeing on the walls there! And these words from the other artist had thrown her into a funk, putting quite a damper on her enjoyment of the day. Yikes!! I'm not going into the erroneous thought I see coming from that statement. But let's look at how this relates to today's lesson. If I see the statement-maker as sinless, whatever she says is also harmless. Her words cannot bring me pain or suffering of any sort. She is the pure Idea of God. Her words can only be translated into my depression if that's what I perceive. When I see her as she really Is, there is no need for pain, depression, or blame. She can't ruin my day. Only my thoughts toward her can do that for me. As this story was related to me, these are the things I thought toward the teller. These thoughts replaced all the incredulous ones which first came to me. I chose peace, even though my first reaction was to jump on my soapbox and tell her why she was wrong!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Final deliverance from error, whereby we rejoice in immortality, boundless freedom, and sinless sense, is not reached through paths of flowers nor by pinning one's faith without works to another's vicarious effort. Whosoever believeth that wrath is righteous or that divinity is appeased by human suffering, does not understand God."

Science & Health Page 22:23-28

December 16, 2012 - Silence is Golden

"Lake Leatherwood"
photo by Gerry Toler

ACIM Workbook Lesson #350

"Miracles mirror God's eternal Love. To offer them is to remember Him, And through His memory to save the world."

Once, while on a long car trip with five children, I told one of the young people, "Everything that goes through your mind doesn't need to come out of your mouth." I remember this well, because I took the advice to heart and often would remind myself to examine the need to speak. As the years have passed, it seems I have forgotten this integral touchstone. A few days ago, a reminder presented itself in a way I couldn't ignore. While pontificating about something I'm sure I felt was important, in mid-sentence I lost my voice. The enforced silence which has ensued allows reflection on many things.  Am I being overly critical in looking at the actions of others? Am I making assumptions that I know why someone said or did things? In silence and humility, I seek purity.  It's easy to fall into self-righteous indignation and holier-than-thou thought. What I am finding is that I've slipped into ways of thinking which are not in concordance with the teachings I  follow. In this realization, the goal will be to check the thought, hence negating the necessity of wondering if it should come out of my mouth! But knowing the need for silence, I will seek out moments, hours, perhaps days of this precious commodity which is always present, within.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"The miracle of grace is no miracle to Love. Jesus demonstrated the inability of corporeality, as well as the infinite ability of Spirit, thus helping erring human sense to flee from its own convictions and seek safety in divine Science."

Science & Health Page 494:15-19