Fear or Love

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

I love to watch the television show, Master Chef. In it, home cooks are called upon to compete in cooking a variety of dishes. They may be asked to cook something as basic as perfect sunny-side-up eggs, or maybe they are given a box of exotic food and must come up with a palatable dish using ingredients they may never have worked with before. There’s also a show called Master Chef Junior, where children aged 8 to 13 compete in the same format. These fearless children are amazing! Recently they were given a box with "bad" foods in it. There was liver, kidneys, snails, brussel sprouts, blue cheese, and a few other smelly things. As they were making interesting creations from the ingredients, one 9-year-old was asked if she was afraid of the ingredients and cooking them. No, she most definitely was not. When asked if she was afraid of anything, she answered yes, that she was afraid of clowns! What a perfect illustration of trusting yourself and, alternatively, the fear of illusion! Love and fear are opposites. Which do you choose?

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Spiritual living and blessedness are the only evidences, by which we can recognize true existence and feel the unspeakable peace which comes from an all-absorbing spiritual love.”

Science & Health Page 264:24-27

A Happy Outcome

ACIM Workbook Lesson #292

“A happy outcome to all things is sure.”

In 1999, I took my young boys on a 3,000-mile road trip. We made no reservations at hotels and had no definite 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 bringing thought into alignment with the metaphysical Principle. On this trip, we witnessed many happy outcomes, but the most dramatic was on the first day. I had worn glasses to see at a distance for more than 30 years and suddenly found I could see without them. I enjoyed this freedom until a number of years later. When renewing my driver's license, I found that glasses were needed again. Although I complied with the law and obtained glasses, I steadfastly refused to accept this prognosis as reality. The next time I applied for renewal, there were no restrictions as to sight. Instances such as this affirm my conviction to live single-mindedly, with God as my only goal, expecting happy outcomes.

Mary Baker Eddy quote: “We cannot spend our days here in ignorance of the Science of Life, and expect to find beyond the grave a reward for this ignorance.” Science & Health Page 409:28-31

Still and Peace-filled Days

photo credit: Arthur Bruno

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

It's a beautiful day in the Ozarks. Peace is easily felt in the splendor of a fall day. I am grateful for the words in A Course in Miracles. I am grateful for the writings of Mary Baker Eddy and her determination to demonstrate the Science of The Christ. The words contained in these lessons point toward the Truth of our Being. We are assured Truth is eternally discoverable by anyone willing to see. We are shown how to move away from the learned behaviors of a lifetime. By living in Light, we share with all -- especially children, who have not been indoctrinated into material beliefs as thoroughly as we have. The stillness and peace of nature aids in leading me to the door of Truth, and I am grateful.

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

Well Days

PC: Aaron Springston

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

When my boys were little, I heard Wayne Dyer tell us something which I 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 in the past I'd often get a cold when I needed a break from the routine --  and had come to look forward to these days of respite. 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 and we'd take "well days". Today has been such a day for me. I chose to simply Be on this beautiful fall day. It's easy to feel “my present happiness” while sitting in the sun watching squirrels gathering nuts. 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

The Power of Now

ACIM Workbook Lesson #289

“The past is over. It can touch me not.”

I've always been fascinated by high school class reunions. The reasons people enjoy them are as varied as the people, but it seems many are wondering who is the most successful, or who has been married the longest, or if anyone still looks pretty. It's a perfect opportunity to think of today's topic, "The past is over. It can touch me not." In my observations of these get-togethers, we tend to revert into whatever we were umpteen years ago. The mean girls are still that way, the flirty girls are still flipping their skirts, and the cool kids are still hiding their feelings. While I've always enjoyed these get-togethers, I tend to either wander away with an old friend to talk in a corner or, perhaps, drink a bit too much and ask the cowboys to dance. I love this line from today's ACIM workbook lesson: "Unless the past is over in my mind, the world must escape my sight." I want to live in the present, in a world full of divine Love and Truth. Reliving illusions can be fun, much like watching a movie. But I'd rather wake up in a new world everyday, excited about the adventures it holds!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Contentment with the past and the cold conventionality of materialism are crumbling away.” Science & Health Page vii:15-17

The Brotherhood of Man

Bangkok - PC: Aaron Springston

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

There are many situations which bring on what I think of as knee-jerk reactions. I'm sure you have a few of them, too! If someone is rude or mean, we may feel superior in our kindness. When politicians or others in the public eye display ignorance (lack of knowledge), we can easily have a sense of self-righteous judgment. I am often reminded that we are all One, and no one is more special, or learned, or enlightened than another. For instance, I'm a food snob. There are numerous things I don't eat and it's always interesting to watch how I try to impose my beliefs on others. It is yet another example of feeling superior because of a opinion. Eckhart Tolle often puts things in perspective for me, and he has done so once again when he was asked if we should be vegetarian. He said it was purely a personal preference, and if we have strong opinions about this we should remind ourselves that the Dalai Lama eats meat and Hitler didn't! Namastè to each and every One!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"One infinite God, good, unifies men and constitutes the brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfills 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

The Great Miracle

photo credit: Gerry Toler

ACIM Workbook Lesson #287 “You are my goal, my Father. Only You.”

In the early 1900s, people flocked to Eureka Springs for the healing waters. Thousands of people in need found their way here, as they still do today. People are drawn to our town, often without knowing why. I love watching the transformation as people's thought changes from focusing on the problem to relaxing into Truth. In varying degrees, we are all realizing that true healing comes when we release our beliefs in things and open ourselves to feeling the presence of Love. When this is our only desire, when there is no other need or want, new perceptions become visible and viable. Often it takes extreme conditions to cause us to seek the understanding of our unity with God. But isn't it sweet when we skip that step and fall straight into the Love!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“The great miracle, to human sense, is divine Love, and the grand necessity of existence is to gain the true idea of what constitutes the kingdom of heaven in man.” 

Science & Health Page 560:11-15