Made a Difference to That One!

The devastating fires in Australia have caused my thoughts to go to Steve Irwin. For those of you who are unfamiliar with him, he was known as the Crocodile Hunter and had a show by that name on Animal Planet. Steve was a major environmentalist and worked to save animals and make the world a better place for all to live. He was killed in 2006 by a stingray, but his family has continued his mission with the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital and other organizations. They are working hard to save as many animals during these fires as possible. Bindi, Steve's daughter, states that their hospital has treated 90,000 animals to date and they are working night and day to save animals during this terrifying time. This is but a drop in the bucket for the almost half of a billion -- yes, billion -- animals which have perished. But I'm reminded of the story of a little boy on the beach throwing starfish back into the ocean, when hundreds are stranded on the sand. A man asks him if he really thinks he can make a difference, as there are so many in need. The little boy picks up a starfish and tosses it into the ocean, happily shouting: Made a difference to that one! And that is, after all, what we must do: make a difference where we can. Love out loud, my Friends!

"Question. -- What is Life?

Answer. -- Life is divine Principle, Mind, Soul, Spirit. Life is without beginning and without end. Eternity, not time, expresses the thought of Life, and time is no part of eternity. One ceases in proportion as the other is recognized. Time is finite; eternity is forever infinite. Life is neither in nor of matter. What is termed matter is unknown to Spirit, which includes in itself all substance and is Life eternal. Matter is a human concept. Life is divine Mind. Life is not limited. Death and finiteness are unknown to Life. If Life ever had a beginning, it would also have an ending." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 468:25

Child of Love and Truth

photo credit: Aaron Springston

If you tell someone they are made from divine Truth and Love, you may get a number of reactions, few of which would be in agreement with your statement. It doesn't bother me to think I am made from Love, or Truth, because I've always thought of these two words as synonymous with Deity. Now imagine someone you don't like or respect; perhaps he/she even seems repugnant to you. While it can be easy to see those we love as lovable, it's not easy to imagine someone who seems mean and cruel as being made by Love and Truth. So here is a point which must be addressed over and over, we needn't like what someone does to love their true incarnation as a child of Love, Spirit. I'm working on my thoughts about this tonight by researching writings about it. I leave you with some of these. Things are shifting quickly now. Don't be surprised if your thoughts are erratic. Be prepared to bring them back to Truth! 

"I have stated that the basic concepts referred to in this course are not matters of degree. Certain fundamental concepts cannot be understood in terms of opposites. It is impossible to conceive of light and darkness or everything and nothing as joint possibilities. They are all true or all false. It is essential that you realize your thinking will be erratic until a firm commitment to one or the other is made. A firm commitment to darkness or nothingness, however, is impossible. No one has ever lived who has not experienced some light and some thing. No one, therefore, is able to deny truth totally, even if he thinks he can." A Course in Miracles T-3.II.1.

"Today we go beyond the grievances, to look upon the miracle instead. We will reverse the way you see by not allowing sight to stop before it sees. We will not wait before the shield of hate, but lay it down and gently lift our eyes in silence to behold the Son of God." A Course in Miracles  W-pI.78.2.

"Question. -- What is the scientific statement of being? 

Answer. -- There is no life, truth, intelligence, nor substance in matter. All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for God is All-in-all. Spirit is immortal Truth; matter is mortal error. Spirit is the real and eternal; matter is the unreal and temporal. Spirit is God, and man is His image and likeness. Therefore man is not material; he is spiritual." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 468:8

Trying to be Good

You may recall I’ve mentioned the writing of Robert Klose. He’s a novelist and, also, a feature writer for the Christian Science Monitor. He recently had an essay in that magazine where he told of his house being robbed by a neighborhood teenaged boy. He asked the authorities if he could offer the thief an alternative to court-ordered punishment. He asked the boy to pay back the money and meet with him one day a week for an hour. During that hour, they would work on his homework first, and the other 30 minutes would be spent talking about anything the young man wanted. It was a good experience for them both but, even though the boy learned many valuable things from these encounters, he has occasionally lapsed into illegal behavior and spent time in jail. But when he’s back in the neighborhood, he is respectful and visits his mentor. Last time they met, Mr. Klose thanked the young man for thinking enough of his neighborhood to let it continue in peace. The kid said, “I’m trying to be good.” “Aren’t we all”, said Klose. Yes, aren’t we all trying to be good? Happy New Year!! Be a mentor!

"The incarnation of Truth, that amplification of wonder and glory which angels could only whisper and which God illustrated by light and harmony, is consonant with ever-present Love. So-called mystery and miracle, which subserve the end of natural good, are explained by that Love for whose rest the weary ones sigh when needing something more native to their immortal cravings than the history of perpetual evil." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 501:8

The Best of Times

photo credit: Heather Peters

It’s always an exciting time, this year’s end; this new beginning full of hope. Even though I know every moment is a chance to choose again, it seems so different on New Year’s Eve and Day. The possibilities are infinite, as are we. I wish you all the Love in the universe, and the peace to see it, today and always.

“We will not end this year without the gift our Father promised to His holy Son. We are forgiven now. And we are saved from all the wrath we thought belonged to God, and found it was a dream. We are restored to sanity, in which we understand that anger is insane, attack is mad, and vengeance merely foolish fantasy. We have been saved from wrath because we learned we were mistaken. Nothing more than that. And is a father angry at his son because he failed to understand the truth?

“We come in honesty to God and say we did not understand, and ask Him to help us to learn His lessons, through the Voice of His Own Teacher. Would He hurt His Son? Or would He rush to answer him, and say, ‘This is My Son, and all I have is his’? Be certain He will answer thus, for these are His Own words to you. And more than that can no one ever have, for in these words is all there is, and all that there will be throughout all time and in eternity.” A Course in Miracles W.fl.in.5-6

Set Your Table With a Spotless Cloth

Art of Denise Ryan

Flat Earthers, Hoarders, Agoraphobics -- I've been thinking about people who exhibit what could be called aberrant behavior. I have friends who are afraid to lose their past because they wouldn't know who they are; then there are those afraid of the future, hence they're afraid of everything. I think about personas I've tried on -- a survivalist in the early 80's, my mother said the only thing that "saved me from being a hippie" was that I liked to be clean (little did she know it has nothing to do with outer accoutrements!), for a summer I even wanted to be a go-go dancer -- ha! There are many identities we can cling to, and it's certainly difficult to keep from mentioning one or more when asked "who are you?", don't you think? In the new year, my word for the decade is "truth". I've said it doesn't matter to me what horrible things happen as the result of truth telling; I simply want everything to be out in the open. While pondering that, I realize that the proclivities we identify with are part of what we have decided upon as our personal truth. As part of my new more-open thought, I resolve to not fault anyone for thinking in ways I find to be odd or disconcerting. We all have different expressions of the divinity we are, and it is not my place to pass judgment. Although I'm not sure what's up with people who think the earth is flat! Happy New Year's Eve to everyone. Here's to Life!

"Love, too, would set a feast before you, on a table covered with a spotless cloth, set in a quiet garden where no sound but singing and a softly joyous whispering is ever heard. This is a feast that honors your holy relationship, and at which everyone is welcomed as an honored guest. And in a holy instant grace is said by everyone together, as they join in gentleness before the table of communion. And I will join you there, as long ago I promised and promise still. For in your new relationship am I made welcome. And where I am made welcome, there I am." T-19.IV.A.16. A Course in Miracles 

Hardwired for Goodness

Family Fun 

I read a review of the book, “Blueprint, the Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society”, written by Nicholas Christkis, a professor at Yale. His basic premise is that love, friendship, cooperation, and teaching have been hardwired into human beings, but we tend to deploy these qualities selectively, only toward those who are like ourselves. He says America is an unprecedented social experiment, testing whether we humans can share these behaviors more broadly. This statement of his feels especially true: “The less segregated we are — not just racially, but by ideology, religion, income, and education — the stronger the democracy.” His conclusions I’m sure are many, but one discussed in this review is that we need to overcome the urge to tribalism, if we are to have a diverse democracy. He believes that political tides can push against our innate desire for love, friendship, and cooperation, “but only for a while.” I am thrilled to read of this and other messages of hope! 

"It should be thoroughly understood that all men have one Mind, one God and Father, one Life, Truth, and Love. Mankind will become perfect in proportion as this fact becomes apparent, war will cease and the true brotherhood of man wlll be established." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 467:9

Coexist

When I began to play organ for the Methodists and keyboards for the Catholics a few years back, I had never been exposed to mainline religion. Growing up as a Christian Scientist was more like being a lifelong Course in Miracles student than a Disciple of Christ devotee. We look at God and things like forgiveness, and salvation, and even sacrifice in a totally different way than your typical Christian. So when I first began attending these services, I was a bit taken aback at some of the ways they talked about Jesus, and even how they changed the Lord’s prayer from the St. James Bible version. But I clung to the things we had in common: the desire for peace and love to be expressed in all things we do. At this time of the year, the Methodists are re-dedicating themselves to their faith, and the Catholics are at the height of their rituals. Three years ago, I might have rolled my eyes about either of these services, but now I smile and am glad they are working toward loving everyone, not just people of their own tribe. May we all be so expansive!

"​Of old, the Jews put to death the Galilean Prophet,​ ​the best Christian on earth, for the truth he spoke and​ ​demonstrated, while today, Jew and Christian can unite​ ​in doctrine and denomination on the very basis of Jesus’​ ​words and works. The Jew believes that the Messiah Christ has not yet come; the Christian believes that​ ​Christ is God. Here Christian Science intervenes, explains these doctrinal points, cancels the disagreement,​ ​and settles the question. Christ, as the true spiritual idea,​ ​is the ideal of God now and forever, here and everywhere.​ ​The Jew who believes in the First Commandment is a​ ​monotheist; he has one omnipresent God. Thus the Jew​ ​unites with the Christian’s doctrine that God is come an​d ​is present now and forever. The Christian who believes​ ​in the First Commandment is a monotheist. Thus he​ ​virtually unites with the Jew’s belief in one God, and​ ​recognizes that Jesus Christ is not God, as Jesus himself​ ​declared, but is the Son of God. This declaration of​ ​Jesus, understood, conflicts not at all with another of his​ ​sayings: ​'​I and my Father are one,​'​ — that is, one in​ ​quality, not in quantity. As a drop of water is one with​ ​the ocean, a ray of light one with the sun, even so God​ ​and man, Father and son, are one in being. The Scripture reads: ​'​For in Him we live, and move, and have​ ​our being.​'​”​ Mary Baker Eddy Science & Health Page 360:27​