September 1, 2014 - Heavenly Rest

photo by Richard Quick

ACIM Workbook Lesson #244

“I am in danger nowhere in the world."

Generally when I read the topic for today's lesson, I think of my world-traveling son, Aaron, who supplies many of the photographs I use in these writings. But today when I read last year's entry with the accompanying Mary Baker Eddy poem, which is set to music and is one of my favorites, I was reminded of something which happened on the last day of August in 1998. On that day, I purchased the Honda Odyssey which I still drive and we were on our way home when we saw a car which had run off the road. We stopped to help and it turned out there were two women and three children in the vehicle. One of the children was bleeding from a wound in her side and they were all crying hysterically. I got a blanket out of my car and wrapped the injured child in it, pulling her to my lap. As we sat on the ground, I started singing this peaceful song to her. Soon everyone quieted down and the authorities arrived. We quickly were on our way home, feeling we had christened our car with peace!

Mary Baker Eddy poem:

Mother's Evening Prayer

O gentle presence, peace and joy and power;

         O Life divine, that owns each waiting hour,

Thou Love that guards the nestling's faltering flight!

         Keep Thou my child on upward wing tonight.

Love is our refuge; only with mine eye

         Can I behold the snare, the pit, the fall:

His habitation high is here, and nigh,

         His arm encircles me, and mine, and all.

O make me glad for every scalding tear,

         For hope deferred, ingratitude, disdain!

Wait, and love more for every hate, and fear

         No ill, — since God is good, and loss is gain.

Beneath the shadow of His mighty wing;

         In that sweet secret of the narrow way,

Seeking and finding, with the angels sing:

         "Lo, I am with you alway," — watch and pray.

No snare, no fowler, pestilence or pain;

         No night drops down upon the troubled breast,

When heaven's aftersmile earth's tear-drops gain,

         And mother finds her home and heav'nly rest.

(Poems by Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 4, 5)

August 31, 2014 - Celebrate!

[Two days ago, I skipped this lesson, so it is out of order.]

ACIM Workbook Lesson #241

“This holy instant is salvation come."

Let's celebrate today by remembering seers whose words have awakened the knowledge of salvation within us. These are people whose words are so familiar they have become a natural part of our conversations and thoughts. I want to commemorate today the wisdom passed to us by John Lennon, Emerson, Shakespeare, Rumi, and others. Today I remember those whose words have encouraged me to live Truth, by helping me to know I'm not the only one who feels this way. And while visiting these words I love, I will know that salvation is not only something to be desired, but that it is here, now, for the remembering.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“When sufficiently advanced in Science to be in harmony with the truth of being, men become seers and prophets involuntarily, controlled not by demons, spirits, or demigods, but by the one Spirit. It is the prerogative of the ever-present, divine Mind, and of thought which is in rapport with this Mind, to know the past, the present, and the future.

Acquaintance with the Science of being enables us to commune more largely with the divine Mind, to foresee and foretell events which concern the universal welfare, to be divinely inspired,--yea, to reach the range of fetter-less Mind.”

Science & Health Page 84:7-18

August 30, 2014 - Quiet Beginnings

ACIM Workbook Lesson #242

“This day is God's. It is my gift to Him."

Starting my day with consecrated, spiritual thought allows intuition to be heard. I think of this as the beginning of "giving this day to God". Without that back-and-forth volley which is so easy to fall into when weighing the possibilities of my actions, I have silent communion with divine Mind. Quietness in the morning is the most important time for me. I'm not sure how people manage who must begin to speak to others when they first wake up. I feel the need for this centering before facing the cacophony of daily life. I have no ritual to these moments of quietude; no set prayers or by-rote actions, but simply a clearing of thought and acceptance of what comes. The practice of turning every thought away from worrying and wondering "what-if" is sufficient to supply me with everything I need to walk this path. And it's exciting to see what will unfold!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“Emerge gently from matter into Spirit. Think not to thwart the spiritual ultimate of all things, but come naturally into Spirit through better health and morals and as the result of spiritual growth.”

Science & Health Page 485:13-16

August 29, 2014 - No Assumptions

photo by Richard Quick

ACIM Workbook Lesson #243

“Today I will judge nothing that occurs."

This topic comes at a perfect time for me. I just read a Facebook private message sent  by an old man-friend and I'm extremely tempted to judge what he has said. While I moved past what we had 30 years ago, he continues to bring up things in detail that I would rather not contemplate. I tell myself that I have better things to think about. This implies that he does not. That is a judgment. Every thought I have had about this communication feels unnecessary. As I sit and contemplate his words and my reactions, I realize that it simply is what it is. There is no reason for me to think about it as good or bad; it just is. Once again, I turn to the ancient Toltec wisdom as interpreted by Don Miguel Ruiz in "The Four Agreements": I will not make assumptions, and I will not take anything personally. I'm so grateful to be learning to rely on divine Mind and release the circular thoughts of mortal mind!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“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 will be established.”

Science and Health Page 467:9-13

August 28, 2014 - Fear or Excitement?

ACIM Workbook Lesson #240

“Fear is not justified in any form."

Our lives tend to fall into familiar patterns as we move through our days. We may find ourselves going to the same places, saying the same things, thinking the same thoughts -- and all of  these habits become comfortable. Even if we're experiencing disharmony, we often fear change. We may say, "Something told me I should do so-and-so". We often hear this calling, this inner voice leading us toward a different path than we're on, but we feel it takes courage to walk a road less or never traveled, and so we settle. To settle for anything which brings us less than joyful existence is to dishonor ourselves, which is to dishonor God. The next time I think I'm feeling this thing we call fear, I'll choose to interpret the emotion as excitement about what will come next!

Mary Baker Eddy quotes:

“Walking in the light, we are accustomed to the light and require it; we cannot see in darkness. But eyes accustomed to darkness are pained by the light. When outgrowing the old, you should not fear to put on the new. Your advancing course may provoke envy, but it will also attract respect.”

Science & Health Page 452:7-12

August 27, 2014 - Am I Worthy?

ACIM Workbook Lesson #239

“The glory of my Father is my own"

Often we believe that we are not worthy to accept our divine nature as the image and likeness of God. This false humility is only mortal mind, or ego, trying to keep us from shining. I'm-not-worthy feelings from my past tend to recur in thought, provoked by the most tenuous connection. A teacher's scorn, a friend's put-down, my own disappointment in myself -- these things seem to linger, arguing that I couldn't possibly be good enough to accept myself as a joint heir with Jesus.  But with every affirmation of Truth, with every revelation of divine Mind, I reaffirm  that I Am That I Am, and come a step closer to understanding.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“The Divine Being must be reflected by man,--else man is not the image and likeness of the patient, tender, and true, the One 'altogether lovely;' but to understand God is the work of eternity, and demands absolute consecration of thought, energy, and desire.”

Science & Health Page 3:12-15

August 26, 2014 - Life

created by Sandy Wythawai Starbird

ACIM Workbook Lesson #238

“On my decision all salvation rests."

It seems we have too many decisions in daily life. Even the tea section in the grocery store has so many choices it can be daunting! And so when we are told that "On my decision all salvation rests", it's tempting to say "No thanks!" But this salvation spoken of here is received by one decision: to wake up and accept our own divinity. There are no considerations to mull over in this decision, there are no choices which are better than others, nor is there any reason for fear of failure. All duality, all choice, vanishes when we realize there is only one thing to desire: to know that God is Life: not my life, or your life, but Life! From this understanding, everything is manifested in our experience, all from the freedom of knowing that the Love which is God is the only Principle of our existence.

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“By interpreting God as a corporeal Savior but not as the saving Principle, or divine Love, we shall continue to seek salvation through pardon and not through reform…" Science & Health Page 285:23-26