All Mankind in One Affection

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #297 “Forgiveness is the only gift I give.”

"Everything I give, I give myself." "Forgiveness is the only gift I give." I have a dear friend who glows with inner beauty and Love. She recently told me that she has realized she has no guilt. All the things she had blamed herself for are gone. Most of us feel bad about something we've said or done in the past. I know I do. By following my friend’s beautiful example, I hope to feel this grace which is God, and through this feeling I can watch all blame and pain disappear,  being replaced with the peace and joy which is my heritage.

 Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“True prayer is not asking God for love; it is learning to love, and to include all mankind in one affection.”

No and Yes, p. 39:17-18

Echoing Strains of Truth and Love

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #296 “The Holy Spirit speaks through me today.”

There are many ego-busters in this Course, any one of which may ruffle our feathers! I like to think I’m quietly listening for Spirit to speak through me today and everyday, but I’m sure that’s not always true. Often I have an uneasy feeling somewhere around the solar plexus, or maybe there’s an odd, tired feeling in my spine, both of which I’ve learned to recognize as symptoms of an errant ego making itself known. Sometimes I might be self-righteous in response to a situation, or perhaps I feel defensive when I’m not absolutely sure about my position. When these things happen, I can choose to back up, perhaps apologize to someone, and start over with a fresh perspective, because my words and actions were coming from my mind rather than the one Mind. And so, dear Reader, please feel free to tell me if you think I’m wrong, or point out a situation in which I may have been insensitive. I promise not to take it personally! 

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Eloquence re-echoes the strains of Truth and Love. It is due to inspiration rather than to erudition."

Science & Health Page 88:26-27

Let Us Not Fear New Sight

photo credit: Dale Johnson

ACiM Workbook Lesson #295 “The Holy Spirit looks through me today.”

“The Holy Spirit looks through me today.” I interpret that as allowing ourselves to drop the cloak of belief through which we perceive everything, opening ourselves to seeing with the eyes of God. I am reminded of the book and film, “The Martian.” Imagine being stranded on Mars and finding ways to survive for more than 500 days. Seems impossible? To limiting human thought it probably would be, but to a quiet mind seeing never-before-thought-of ideas about how to do things — well, nothing is impossible in that sight! The main character reminded me that we never know what’s going to happen in our lives, but what we do in response to events is the life-changer. We aren’t trying to stop dreadful things, but we’re working toward changing our perception of and knee-jerk reactions to events. And it’s a brand new world!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“But eyes accustomed to darkness are pained by the light. When outgrowing the old, you should not fear to put on the new.” Science & Health Page 452:8-11

Neutral Things

ACIM Workbook Lesson #294 “My body is a wholly neutral thing.”

A Course in Miracles tells us that the body is a communication device; that it is a tool to be used and then laid aside when its use is over. In this world, we have mistaken the body for our true identity. If we no longer see our body as either good or bad, but rather as a totally neutral thing, it can be realized as what it is in truth: an extension of Love. A dear man reminded me today of something a mutual friend said about Love: there is no unconditional love, only Love. If there are conditions, it’s not really Love! Today I shall think of my body in this way, too, without conditions and limitation, but only as the Idea it is!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Identity is the reflection of Spirit, the reflection in multifarious forms of the living Principle, Love.” Science & Health Page 477:20-22

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