Things Are Not Always As They Appear

Many times, things appear to be what they are not. Take this photograph, for instance. It looks as though this young man is doing something dangerous; jumping over a great abyss and courting disaster. He is not. This was taken in Mongolia when my son, Aaron, was there on a college trip. They spent 6 weeks in that country, with two weeks spent in the city and four in the wilds of what we think of as outer Mongolia. What an experience for them! Three teachers and 18 students were involved in this adventure. Aaron shaved his head because they knew they would have a period of time when showering was not possible, and miles of hiking and climbing up hills would be happening. They learned to help each other. They saw the Mongolian people invite them into their huts and offer food when it appeared they had very little. They faced their fears and nurtured their compassionate natures. We can't all go on a trip such as this one, but we can reap the benefits by realizing what is really happening and what is simply an illusion being perpetuated by people wanting to mislead us. We can demonstrate compassion and love everyone, even while recognizing they may not seem deserving of it. There is nothing to forgive if there is no blame in the first place. Today I'm going to look closely at situations, desiring truth above all else, while seeing Love instead of fear. Namaste...

"The earth's diurnal rotation is invisible to the physical eye, and the sun seems to move from east to west, instead of the earth from west to east. Until rebuked by clearer views of the everlasting facts, this false testimony of the eye deluded the judgment and induced false conclusions." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 121:17

 

Living Expressions of Love

 

I'm thinking of people I know who are living expressions of Love. There is the local woman who makes others happy by dressing up as a beautiful clown for various events and, on the side, cares for the elderly.  Many have joined with our humane society to help dogs and cats regain health and find homes. A big cat rescue routinely brings in lions and tigers and bears in need of salvation. Organizations, such as our small independent school, provide children an education in an open atmosphere, allowing them to develop in a joyous way that may not have been possible otherwise. Eureka Methodists have been joined by people in surrounding counties, and many non-church-goers, to feed those in need during this tough time. I'm sure you can name a multitude of people who are examples of Love's reflection. Let's spend today noticing examples of compassionate caring in others -- and in ourselves, too!

“Love giveth to the least spiritual idea might, immortality, and goodness, which shine through all as the blossom shines through the bud. All the varied expressions of God reflect health, holiness, immortality-- infinite Life, Truth, and Love." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 518:18-22

Fooled By Believing or Not Believing?

 

The quote currently at the bottom of my emails caught my attention when I opened this window: "There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn't true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true." Soren Kierkegaard  -- Social media, to me, is a way to keep up with loved ones far away, people close by, events around town, and wonderful musical events, such as The Big Barn Dance in Taos, New Mexico. Of course, it is also the avenue for conspiracy theories and purveyors of horrid happenings. There is a story going around about animal mutilations in our neighborhood, which is, of course, horrifying whether it is happening or not. It has caused me to examine why people say these things, and I truly believe most folks think they are helping others by warning them about trouble. Which is the same thing as folks warning us that Tom Hanks is a pedophile and that Hillary Clinton runs prostitutes out of a pizza joint. Here is why the Kierkegaard quote jumped out at me: Am I being fooled by believing or not believing?? It's always seemed to me that truth just feels true. But with so much misinformation going around in everyone's heads, I think it's easier to be pulled into swirling chaotic thought than ever before. It's kind of like an approaching storm with its electric, exciting expectancy: will it be beautiful and cleansing or are we going to Oz? And, is that necessarily a bad thing? Hum...

"Science only can explain the incredible good and evil elements now coming to the surface. Mortals must find refuge in Truth in order to escape the error of these latter days. Nothing is more antagonistic to Christian Science than a blind belief without understanding, for such a belief hides Truth and builds on error." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 83:6

Confederate Flags in Cemeteries?

 

These days there are many points of controversy in our society -- heck, even in our living rooms! One of the biggies in the United States is the flying of confederate flags. Local wonderful man, Doug Stowe, wrote these words as part of a daily post to his Wisdom of the Hands blog. I can't say it any better than he has, so I am quoting him here.

"I was interviewed yesterday by our local paper because of a letter I had written about Confederate flags decorating the graves of former Confederate soldiers buried in our local cemetery. I noted that many of the young men who fought in the Civil War on the Confederate side were conscripts, forced to fight for a cause in which they did not believe, the preservation of slavery and white supremacy. The vote to secede from the Union was narrow and did not take into consideration the slaves who were not allowed to vote.

Now, a group of folks is allowed to come each year to 'honor' the Confederate dead by placing flags on their graves. But how many of those who were conscripted to fight in the 'lost cause of the Confederacy' would feel honored, or if they were alive in modern times feel either embarrassed or ashamed? And how many of their descendants would prefer they be honored for their participation in the 'lost cause' rather than for the many other accomplishments of their own lives? Does their conscription to serve a lost cause have to be continued even to this day?"

Thank you, Doug, for this perspective..

You can find more words from Doug at his blog: WisdomOfHands.Blogspot.com

 "Right is radical." Mary Baker Eddy

Reclaiming the Wise Woman

 My friend, Jana Lynn, posted something to Facebook today about reclaiming the wise woman. I love it so much I'm sharing it with you. Happy Sunday!

Crone, hag, and witch once were positive words for old women. Crone comes from crown, indicating wisdom emanating from the head; hag comes from hagio meaning holy; and witch comes from wit meaning wise. Crones, hags, and witches frequently were leaders, midwives and healers in their communities. The meanings of these three words, however, were distorted and eventually reversed during the 300 years of the Inquisition when the male-dominated church wanted to eliminate women holding positions of power. Women identified as witches, who were often older women, i.e. crones and hags, were tortured and burned, and the words witch, crone, and hag took on the negative connotations that continue in our language. The Crone Movement, however, is re-claiming the positive meanings of these words.

Just Mercy

One of the great things about being a long-time member of a book club is knowing that when one of its members recommends a book, you more than likely want to read it. One of our founding Novel Women suggested “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson. It’s a personal, critical look at capital punishment. I’m listening to it and was only midway through the first chapter when I heard the news that Ruth Bader Ginsberg was gone. A woman who fought for right her entire life, interpreting law with a pure eye, socializing with the most conservative of the Republicans — although she, herself, was liberally progressive and worked toward that goal all the way to the end. She was justly merciful and mercifully just. She has inspired me to go forward and fight injustice as she did, in a respectful and honest way, not pulling punches, but also not stooping to low blows in making her points. Thank you, RBG! And thank you Lisa, for suggesting the book which seems so fitting for these times.

“Let unselfishness, goodness, mercy, justice, health, holiness, love — the kingdom of heaven — reign within us, and sin, disease, and death will diminish until they finally disappear.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 248:29

True Colors

 

words from jim young

Did you know that the same color may appear to look different when placed on various background colors? I 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 Truth, which shines forth when seeing from a spiritual perspective, allows for improved interactions with others. This is true because our human experience is the visible expression of our thinking. To see the world 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