Thoughts of gratitude

good developing in Pakistan

2009-06-16T17:55:00.000-07:00

My morning newspaper recently had a front page photograph of a building in Pakistan that had been bombed by militants. The image seemed looming and final, written in stone.

This was in such contrast to other good, loving acts that I knew were going on in that region and around the world. Even the photograph showed rescue workers helping out in different ways. Some previous articles about that region had highlighted local people standing up in defense of their rights, safety, and well-being. This was evidence of good, even in the face of the violent images.

In my effort to find some inspiration, I thought about a verse from the Bible that provides instruction on how to pray about such a situation: “Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong” (Ps. 37:1, New International Version).

The psalm goes on to explain that each of us can trust in God to care for us. Fear never helps us accomplish anything. It’s not productive. Neither is responding or reacting fearfully to a troubling or dangerous situation.

The second part really got my attention – do not envy the wrongdoer. I saw in this case that could mean the destructive power depicted in the photo. Would I really envy such a power? Not outrightly. But if I were impressed or overwhelmed by it, I might. Worse yet, I might want God to use similar power to destroy the evildoers.

This thought was in stark contrast to what I’ve come to know about God’s loving protection of creation. How could I pray, affirming what I knew to be true about God’s complete goodness and love, while being shocked into a sense of helplessness?

The Bible is filled with descriptions of people who found protection and well-being, even when they were surrounded by those with destructive intent. At the Red Sea, Moses led the children of Israel to safety while they were being followed by Pharaoh’s army. Nehemiah supervised the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem under great pressure from enemies of the project. Had either man been overly impressed with the danger, he might not have been able to see God’s present help and protection as available.

In the short term, destructive tactics might seem to impede or stop the activity of good in the world. But if you look at what happens after the fact, you’ll frequently find people pulling together to restore what has been destroyed.

That’s a sign of the fact that each of us is spiritual, and expresses our Maker, who is divine Love. It is the very nature of Love to build and nurture, and those allied to good wish to do this also. Good actions have transforming power, even when there has been great trouble. This can be seen in the progress that Kenyans made in rebuilding and healing after the violence that followed their elections in 2007.

Mary Baker Eddy wrote, “All that worketh good is some manifestation of God asserting and developing good” (“Message to The Mother Church for 1900,” p. 10). This growth and progress of good, however slow it might seem, is evidence of humanity’s growing awareness of God’s complete goodness. Just as darkness is gone when light shines, the destructive intentions are dissolved when met fearlessly with love. This development is what people are striving for, and what is meaningful and lasting.

Further inspiration lies in these verses from that same psalm: “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (verses 3, 4). This can only be true when our desires move past selfish interests and allow God to “assert and develop good” freely through us.

Finger prints

2009-04-22T05:51:00.000-07:00

A popular Christian song talks about seeing the finger prints of God in our life. I had one of those experiences recently. I was invited to give a 40 minute talk on an inspirational topic of my choice. While I was preparing I prayed to make sure that I focused to resist seeing the talk as an opportunity to show off what I knew or to impress people. I wanted to share about something where I had learned more about my relationship with God and how that new awareness had brought blessings in my life. I considered a few healings of physical problems that I had experienced and then started from there.

This was the first time I had given a public speech like this so I practiced and practiced and practiced. Each time I practiced I found a slightly better way to say something or a more uplifted outlook so the talk kept improving. I felt that I was gaining a better understanding of the significance of the ideas and benefiting from the activity.

Leading up to the day of the meeting there seemed to be a number of things that might disrupt my preparation. During the week leading up to the talk I started to lose my voice and at times to come down with symptoms of a cold. In the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, the author writes “The procuring cause and foundation of all sickness is fear, ignorance, or sin.” (p411) It was helpful to consider that my own fear and anxiety could be the basis of these health problems. I reasoned that God had provided this opportunity for sharing and it was for God’s glory, not mine. Since God was not afraid, there was no room for fear and there could be no room for sickness either.

The spiritual ideas and Bible stories I was thinking over were so comforting and reassuring. I was gaining a better awareness that God was present and was providing me with all I needed, to include wellbeing.

On the morning of the speech I felt at ease. During the activities of the day I found it very uplifting to spend time appreciating all the love that went into the preparation for the meeting. There was a great deal of selfless activity supporting everything going on. It was nice to be able to consider my role as part of a larger activity.

Throughout the day I reaffirmed what I have found helpful when challenged by doubt or nerves. Later in the morning when I had free time I sat down in the hotel lobby and prayed. I flipped open the Bible, looking for guidance. In this case it was perfect for my situation.

In 10th chapter of Daniel in the Bible it describes Daniel as seeing a vision of a man. He lost all his strength and fell into a sleep. The man from the vision awoke Daniel and he stood up. The man told Daniel to not be afraid and that since Daniel had sought knowledge of God and wanted to be humble before God his words were heard. This was perfect because it reminded me of why I wanted to do this in the first place; to love and learn more about God and be of service.

Later Daniel lost his ability to speak and the man in the vision touches his lips so he can speak. He tells the man in the vision that he has no strength or breath. The man touched Daniel again and strengthened him and told him “fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong.”

This was great. It was reassuring to consider that the ability to speak came alongside the ideas to be shared. That phrase about peace and being strong was very helpful in reminding me that I did not need to rely on my own ability, but the ability given to me by God. I prayed to quiet my own concerns and just see this unfold in God’s own way.

The most helpful line of all for me was what Daniel replies after regaining strength. He says “Let my Lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.” Wow was that powerful. I could completely turn over the activity to God. Neither the strength to share nor the ideas to be shared originated with me. By quieting my own concerns I could “let my Lord speak.”

Leading up to the speech I kept these ideas close and felt at ease. It was such a perfect story for what I needed. I am assured there was no coincidence involved.

Summary of a talk given

2009-04-12T17:51:00.001-07:00

“On the Job Training” – a summary of a talk given at the Carolina Haven Annual Meeting, held on March 28th, 2009 in Asheville NC. Carolina Haven is a foundation that supports Christian Science Nursing services in North and South Carolina. http://carolinahavenfoundationinc.web.officelive.com/default.aspx
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Challenges, whether physical, financial, or in relationships may not always seem like opportunities to learn more about God’s glory. A few years ago someone called me requesting Christian Science prayer based treatment for a physical problem and at the same time requested practical nursing care to support the healing. This need for practical nursing care was something I had not put a whole lot of thought into and it caught me a bit off guard. It was clear this was an opportunity for spiritual growth on my part.

This opportunity is not a new one. In a letter dated January 15, 1907, Mary Baker Eddy wrote “Our cause demands a wider circle of means for the ends of philanthropy and charity, and better qualifications for practical purposes. This latter lack in the students of Christian Science is a great hindrance to our cause and it must be met and mastered. The students need to be qualified so that under the fire of mortal mind they can stand, and ‘having done all, to stand’ (St. Paul).” (Christian Science Sentinel of October 7, 1916) This ability to “stand” in the midst of a storm of mortal mind can be a practical expression of God’s love to the one in need, and even more so as a reassurance of God’s presence.

A good resource for learning more about practical nursing care is in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mrs. Eddy. She lists qualities a nurse should express “The nurse should be cheerful, orderly, punctual, patient, full of faith, — receptive to Truth and Love”. (p395.) This quality of thought that a nurse brings to practical care needs is beneficial in any situation where someone seems impressed by what mortal mind is presenting.

Let’s take a look at each quality. The 1828 Webster’s Dictionary has cheerful as meaning “animated”. On page 26 of Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy tells us “This Christ, or divinity of the man Jesus, was his divine nature, the godliness which animated him.” So being Christ-minded is foundational to expressing joy.

Orderly conveys expressing good organization skills. In thinking about the true source of order as coming from divine Principle, it is necessary to be centered on that Principle, because being God-centered is a firm foundation for order. Punctual suggests being on schedule; but more importantly is to be on God’s schedule, and focused on the eternal now, not the past or future.

Patience is much more than waiting: it is being expectant or persevering for a promised end. The term full of faith is used in the book of Acts when it describes the disciple Stephen, who when on the receiving end of a great deal of evil intent was able to express love to those around him. Mrs. Eddy describes the term faith in Science and Health as a “…state of human thought, in which spiritual evidence, contradicting the testimony of material sense, begins to appear…” (p297.)

All of these nursing qualities combined seem to fit the description of being “receptive to Truth and Love.” This receptivity, or nurse-like thought, can facilitate health, growth, safety, and more. The following examples help illustrate how holding to this thought can benefit anyone and bring healing.

In the story of Job from the Old Testament, Job is suffering mentally and physically. Job’s friend Elihu introduces the nurse-like thought to him in a number of ways. Cheerful/Christ-minded: Elihu points out that mortal reasoning will not help him understand God better. Full of faith: Elihu explains to Job that God has been speaking to him but he’s not listening. Elihu is patient/expectant of healing, when he tells Job that God can restore his flesh and then he will see God’s face with joy. Elihu is orderly/God-centered as he clarifies for Job that God is not wicked. This nurse-like thought helps to break the mesmerism, and Job’s thought about God shifts from frustration to wonderment. As Job prays, he finds healing for himself and others, and all is restored to him.

While I was serving with the Peace Corps in Africa, I had an opportunity to experience this nurse-like receptivity or level of thought A friend from the small fishing village where I lived told me that his foot was swollen and if this condition did not improve quickly he would have to travel three hours up a mountain road to a clinic to seek medical treatment. Immediately I kept my thought orderly/God-centered around the idea that nothing that God made was out of proportion. I focused on all of this man’s good qualities and activities, while seeing past the material picture with cheerful/Christ-minded thought. I was even patient/expectant of healing in knowing he did not need to rely on medical care to find a solution. The punctual part needed a bit of work. At the time, I only shared a few reassuring thoughts. Later I mentally kicked myself for not saying more to comfort him. I was focusing on the past instead of the present. During the night I prayed about this and decided to offer him more help in the morning. When the time came, I went to his house, but my friend was not at home. While waiting for him to return, I was once again ruminating about what I was going to tell him. However, he saved me the trouble. When he returned from the lake, he said to me, “You must have been praying.” I asked for clarification and he said that his foot was fine. So the healing was punctual -- in God’s time.

The last example is that of Jesus when he raises Lazarus from the grave. Right from the start Jesus is orderly/God-centered by pointing out that the sickness is not unto death but is for God’s glory. Jesus is punctual as he is guided by God’s guidance, not by the news that his friend is ill. Jesus is patient with those around him, expecting their expanded awareness of God from their witnessing the coming demonstration. He is cheerful or Christ-minded as he sees past the limited comprehension of those around him and encourages them when they doubt. In the end they are witnesses to God’s glory. The nurse-like thought helped facilitate growth, a greater awareness of God’s presence, and healing. (John 11:1-41)

Instead of seeing this situation with Lazarus as a problem, Jesus rightly identifies it as an opportunity for more of God’s glory to be revealed to those around him. He was very much aware of God’s laws, and was in harmony with them. This ties in well with what Mary Baker Eddy described as a largely encompassing view of our purpose, in the following quote “…we are here to be trained into harmony with the laws of God,…” (page 80 of Pulpit and Press). These laws of God exist and are applicable in all areas of our experience. God is supreme and as we better understand this we can better demonstrate our God given dominion in every situation. The more we know about God’s laws, and can apply them, the more helpful we will be to those in need in any situation, whether it is a request for metaphysical treatment and/or a request for practical nursing care. Best of all is the progress made in seeing God and his creation in a more spiritual light.

HEALING - Light reaches the valley

2009-04-09T16:38:00.000-07:00

A fellow Peace Corps volunteer and I both had wildlife clubs at our respective community high schools where we taught in northern Malawi. We had taken our wildlife clubs to a national park in northern Malawi. We took two Malawian teachers, 35 village high school students, and 10 other Peace Corps volunteers. It was quite a journey to get to the park; about eight hours with all of us piled into the back of a truck. Once we got into the park we saw zebra, antelope, bush pigs, and many more animals. The students saw horses for the first time, and as a special surprise they got to ride them.

A few days into the trip I made a decision that I felt was in the best interest of the students and the school. This seemed to cause a few of my fellow volunteers on the trip to be upset. Later I found those individuals complaining about my decision, and I reacted poorly towards them. I regained my composure and explained why the decision was made and that seemed to settle things down.

The next morning myself and four fellow volunteers were to depart on a three day hike through some beautiful, but isolated countryside. When I awoke I was having trouble retaining food. That morning I had studied my Christian Science Weekly Bible Lesson. It included ideas about making sure that our hopes and affections are spiritually based. I felt that that the hike was a good activity.

I had experienced healings in the past by relying on God’s love to meet all my needs and felt this difficulty could be overcome by prayer as taught in Christian Science. With this in mind, I decided to join the others and go on the hike.

During the day I was praying to know that nothing unlike God could disrupt the harmonious activity of God’s child. God is all powerful and all present and it seemed right that everything about my daily activities should be in accord with God’s goodness. It became evident that I was harboring some resentment about the incident from the night before. I was also disappointed with myself for over reacting. It became clear that the good thought pattern would bring me closer to God while the other was subtly questioning God’s control over His creation.

I ate almost nothing that day. Also, the other hikers were alarmed when I did not eat any dinner in the evening. The night was not very restful as I had to leave the tent a few times. In the early morning the difficulty was still prevalent and I started to become a bit concerned as it would be two days hike to get to the closest phone to call a Christian Science practitioner for prayerful help.

The sun was not yet visible behind the rolling hills. In the dim morning light I took my Bible Lesson to a nearby hillside and sat down on a log overlooking the campsite and the valley it was in. This quote from Mary Baker Eddy proved to be very helpful “Rise in the conscious strength of the Spirit of Truth to overthrow the plea of mortal mind, alias matter, arrayed against the supremacy of Spirit.” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures p390:32) On one hand I was praying to better understand my unbroken harmonious connection with God; on the other hand I was accepting a less than perfect view of myself and others through the resentment and self judgment. These claims of fear, resentment, and illness all were making a plea that God was not in control and that other people or hygienic conditions were. The simple idea of God’s supremacy was a complete answer to these pleas. There is just no room for anything unlike God.

As the sun rose above the hill, it flooded the valley with light. The valley’s beauty, which had seemed hidden by the darkness, was once again revealed. In much the same way, as my thought rose “ in the conscious strength of the Spirit of Truth” the shadows of fear, false judgment, and illness melted away.

I returned to camp, ate a full breakfast, and within the hour there was no indication anything had been wrong. Even better, I could again feel unadulterated love towards my fellow volunteers and myself. The light of Truth dispels the illusion of illness, fear, and condemnation, leaving only undisturbed thought.

Greenhouse Gases- Friend or Foe?

2008-05-19T08:51:00.000-07:00

Thirty people are riding in a truck down a dusty road in Central Africa when the fanbelt breaks. The truck is overheating and can’t run without the belt. There is no phone, and the nearest auto part store is 30 miles back down the dusty road. It seems that there is a big problem. What did they do in the situation? Sulk? Did they yell and scream? Did they find someone to blame? Nope, they cut up the seat belt and used it as a replacement for the fan belt so they could limp into the next major town. That is what I call resourcefulness and appreciation of what is on hand. This solution to the problem came when they identified the seat belt by its qualities.

This situation a friend of mine experienced in Africa demonstrated that many of the problems we face can be solved by thinking about them with a fresh outlook. Each person associates this inspiration from different sources. I believe that the divine Intelligence of the universe –God- is constantly offering fresh outlooks; we just need to listen and be receptive.

This fresh outlook from God is important when approaching a particular problem that seems to loom large over the news today, climate change and the predicted effects that it will have on the earth in the future. There seems to be a problem that there are too many by-products from past energy creation that are considered harmful or poisonous. Furthermore there appears to be a limited supply of energy that can be used without creating more byproduct. This perceived limited supply does not seem to represent a cycle that is balanced; instead it suggests that it is one that is very finite. This perception is heavily grounded on the basis of a purely physical inspection and does not take into account inspiration and divine guidance. However, if we approach the situation from a perspective of the unlimited nature of divine Intelligence, we discover that the blessings are infinite and there is no limit on the inspiration we have from God.

It is very possible that when we open our thoughts to a spiritual view of the issues, solutions which we did not think existed will become foreseeable. With the infinite nature of God and his blessings, there must be a solution available that not only makes the allegedly harmful byproducts harmless but also useful. In this way we will be able to enjoy the truly sustainable nature of God’s gifts.

For inspiration I like to turn to the Bible. In the first chapter of Genesis, we are told that God completed his “very good” work and on the 7^th day rested. His/Her heaven and earth was finished and was not a “starter kit” that could be ruined, it was a harmonious, perfect creation. In the same chapter we find that God gave man dominion over all the earth, not a limited power for certain individuals with money or natural resources but a practical law, that when applied properly brings health and wholeness into any situation.

If we start with the idea that all of God’s creation is good and already finished then nothing exists that can be harmful or even useless. Mary Baker Eddy expressed this view in part of her definition of earth, “A sphere; a type of eternity and immortality, which are likewise without beginning or end.” (p585) This limitless basis described in her definition can be used to help expand thinking past the potentially harmful nature of something into a more freeing view of its usefulness.

The current popular method of thinking, based on a love of a finite earth or fear for future lack will not move towards the glory of seeing God’s creation as He/She saw it on day seven of creation. It is always helpful to be able to see examples of God’s restoring law in action so that we can turn from fear towards solutions that bless all. In the following examples I find that a troubling situation is replaced by harmony and harm is replaced by health when glimpsing more of God’s creation.

One weekend, while serving in Peace Corps in Africa, I went on a long hike into the hills. As I progressed further and further away from my village, there were fewer water sources. I was prepared for this and had brought some tablets to purify water. The only water source I could find was near a small shack way up in the hills. There were goats walking in and around it so it was not the cleanest but it seemed my only option. Once I filled up my container, I found that the water treatment tablets were useless because the bottle’s cap had broken previously, exposing the tablets to air and ruining them. A day after the hike I was having difficulty retaining food, it seemed the impurity of the water was causing me physical difficulty. In two days, I was scheduled to go to a regional capitol for a conference where I would help teach students about gender equality. At this point I had a choice to make, whether to accept the idea that I was ill from drinking harmful water and possibly miss the activity or to prayerfully turn to God to find inspiration. I chose the second and prayed to realize that nothing God made could be harmful or poisonous, therefore I could claim my wholeness and well being. Not only was I quickly healed, but I regained my appetite and strength. I made it to the conference without problem and the inspiration I gained from this situation proved quite helpful. To me this healing proved that the presence of this divine inspiration, or Christ, can help demonstrate our God-given dominion in the face of challenges.

In the book of Second Kings in the Bible, it is told that the Prophet Elisha arrived in Gilgal which was experiencing a famine. He sent his servant to gather herbs and fruits for a soup for “the sons of the prophets” that gathered. When they tried the soup they tasted bitterness and this led them to believe that there was “death in the pot.” At this point it would have been easy to believe that even a simple mistake such as gathering the wrong plant could cause others to suffer. This seems very much the mentality of today’s thought about the environment. It seems in the years past, people, knowingly or unknowingly, have damaged the once perfect planet by poor handling of resources. Even worse is the guilt they might feel if they buy into the idea that one country’s careless actions have doomed another poorer country.

The prophet did not take this line of thinking. Instead he turned to God for inspiration, and he was led to cast meal or flour into the pot. And he then told his servant to pour out the soup for them to eat as there was no harm in the pot. The Matthew Poole Bible Commentary points out that meal could not have taken away the “hurtful” quality of the soup in such a short time but instead it was God’s blessing. I take it to mean that inspiration was cast into the pot, displacing the fear of a mistake. I am sure that they were all happy that no one was harmed by the alleged poison, and even more so that they were able to eat in the time of famine. I believe that the biggest blessing was that they got to see God’s law in action. This story demonstrates that the appreciation of the limitless harmless nature of God’s creation overturns the limited view.

I recently read about a group of people that were working to better appreciate our present resources. The group at University of California, San Diego demonstrated the ability to exploit sunlight to transform a greenhouse gas into a useful product (Science Daily, April 18,2007). The process is not optimized but points towards a solution. In some ways it is helpful to remember that no matter how big the problem, God is bigger. In the Christian Science Hymnal, hymn number 40 has a verse that is very comforting in expectantly looking forward. “Earth has no sorrow that Love cannot cure.” This clearly expresses that divine Love’s nature is to care, tend, and improve all things.

Through my prayers I feel I have benefited from a sense of balance between knowing God’s dominion and the current focus on conservation. A story from the 6^th Chapter of John in the Bible helped keep this in perspective. When Jesus fed the multitude with loaves and fishes that seemed to miraculously appear, afterwards he told his disciples to gather up what is left so none is lost. Obviously after multiplying fishes and loaves by magnitudes he must not have been worried about limitations of food, but more so it seems he appreciated the spiritual quality of that food which is unlimited in God’s creation. Jesus demonstrated that every morsel represents something greater than just a piece of food. That true gratitude would not only include abundance of supply but a deep appreciation of what is on hand. A quote from the chapter on marriage in Science and Health demonstrates this further “Said the peasant bride to her lover: ‘Two eat no more together than they eat separately.’ This is a hint that a wife ought not to court vulgar extravagance or stupid ease, because another supplies her wants.” (P58) I interpret this as guidance that even as we recognize that God can easily supply all our needs it is critical to be appreciative of everything down to a seed of grain.

One practical step I am now taking is reusing “disposable” plastic bags. I started with identifying the spiritual qualities of a plastic bag such as order, cleanliness, and simplicity. I realized that by reusing the bag, I could focus more on the infinite nature of those qualities and appreciate the utility of the bag on a spiritual level. I did not need to be guided by a sense of guilt or fear but a great appreciation, which made the process easier and to use a popular term, more sustainable. In conserving water, I work to recognize its activity as an expression of God’s qualities. Conserving electricity is less about fear of lack and more about appreciation of the intelligence of using less to meet my human needs.

I found it helpful to remember that these demonstrations of healing, whether in my experience or in the Bible, are not just about making a temporary fix for hunger/thirst or a temporary reprieve from material problems. Instead they are an opportunity to better understand the limitless nature of God’s creation.

This mentality of appreciation recently paid dividends, in a way that I could not have planned. I was out riding my bike and passed through a parking lot where I saw a sofa with a ripped cushion by a dumpster. I went and got my truck and took it back to my apartment. I realized at the time that I did not need the sofa and did not have a place to put it, but I took it home anyway. After having the sofa sit on my porch for a few days, I got my answer as to how the sofa – previously discarded – could be utilized the best. An apartment building in the city had caught on fire and almost 200 families were affected. I was able to donate the sofa to the organization helping the displaced families and it was warmly accepted. The sofa became valuable by looking past a ripped cushion into the usefulness it still expressed.

In each of these experiences the limited or harmful view of something was overturned and more of God’s creation was seen, as it was created, intact. As we begin to appreciate the lasting qualities of what is present in our experience, we can also appreciate, that while temporarily unseen, a solution exists for the situation facing this planet, and it is just a matter of listening for the inspiration that will guide us in practical healing ways. It might even lead us in the opposite direction of what we thought, like using the greenhouse gases to our advantage. As our understanding of our true dominion expands, we can overcome the fear of dire predictions and we can work to realize a true balanced cycle in which all are blessed.

Freedom from beliefs of contagion

2007-12-20T13:44:00.000-08:00

One Saturday night I was studying the Bible selections which I would read in the Christian Science Church service the next morning. As First Reader, I and the Second Reader, would conduct the primary part of the service. While preparing for this activity, symptoms of a cold came over me very abruptly. At first I wondered about what could be the cause of this illness from a physical standpoint, but then I realized I did not want to find a material cause for a problem that I knew could be healed with spiritual prayer. I had experienced healing of different challenges by better understanding my oneness with God as taught in Christian Science, and knew this situation was no different.

The most pressing concern about these symptoms was the challenge they would impose upon me during the service the next day. I just prayed quietly for a while about how this activity of joining with others at the Sunday worship is God’s will and could not be interrupted by claims of illness.

I recognized these symptoms were based on a suggestion that there is something outside of me which can infect my well being and cause hardship. I challenged this claim with the idea that all God made is good and God made all (refer to Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy p 311: 4-6.) With that in mind, I knew I must be intact in God’s goodness and nothing can infect me, because there can be nothing harmful to me. A quote from the fourteenth chapter of the book of Romans confirms this “All things indeed are pure.” This verse is in reference to the idea that all things done in good conscience are pure, and it is only our thought which seems to make them less than pure.

As I continued to study the unfolding concepts of the Bible lesson, and confirm that it was right for me to be uninhibited by these symptoms, I noticed that all signs of a cold were completely gone before I went to bed. The service the next day went wonderfully and I feel I was blessed by being there.

This proved to be a helpful lesson for me in learning to trust God’s care. Also, I feel I gained a better understanding of the following statement about divine Science “ Science not only reveals the origin of all disease as mental, but it also declares that all disease is cured by divine Mind” (S&H p169.)

Guidance and Provision

2007-11-27T17:16:00.000-08:00

I received a bill from an online directory service where I advertise as a part time Christian Science Practitioner. This is someone who offers to provide prayerful assistance for others with physical, emotional, financial, or relationship difficulty.

I had not received much interest from this advertisement and was wondering whether it was the best way to use my financial resources to offer help to others. In praying about this situation, I was thinking about the idea that all true guidance comes from God. This spiritual mentality helps protect my thought from fear and a sense of limitation. There is no way that God’s goodness and love can be less than all good and I needed to pray to realize that fact. I knew that offering help to others was a good thing and I should continue to pursue it. By listening to God’s guidance I would find the right steps. A verse from the Bible “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him” (1 John 4:16) illustrated that trust instead of fear would allow me to be guided in the most harmonious way. I put the decision off for about a week.

The second billing notice came and I decided to be more receptive for an idea that would indicate the proper steps for me to follow. Later that morning I unexpectedly received payment from someone I had helped weeks before find a prayer based solution to a difficulty. It was the exact amount I needed to pay my bill. Also, the same day, I got a call from someone needing prayerful help who had found my ad from the online directory service. These gentle reminders of God’s care were just what I needed. I renewed my advertisement without hesitation. This experience reassured me that I could rely on God’s guidance and provision.

Divine Love reveals the Truth- April 2007

2007-09-15T06:34:00.000-07:00

“Promise is most given when least is said” is a quote from George Chapman’s poem Hero and Leander. I take from this to mean that human promises are only as good as the actions of the person offering them. This would imply that there is no greater governing force or sense of guidance than one’s own conscience.

The Bible describes a correcting and guiding God in the 23^rd chapter of Psalms, one that comforts us with His rod and staff. A supreme Being governing each of His/Her children is such a joyous concept.

Recently, a friend of mine had done something to break a promise made to me. At first it was not revealed outright, but became apparent through indirect apologies and discussions.

I spent most of one day trying not to speculate about what was the “wrong doing” that was the reason for these vague apologies. I felt it right for the truth to be revealed and any wrongs to be corrected. At the same time it was a bit of a struggle to keep from feeling as though I’d be hurt as an outcome.

A helpful thought was “....if there is any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these” (Philippians 4:8). I prayed to know that this individual expressed the desire to be honest as evidenced by the promise.

This was helpful to recognize that my friend had been honest in the past and that this was proof of the inherent true nature as God’s child. No illusion of dishonesty could change that identity. In this way each of us has no choice but to express honesty and integrity.

I decided to send an email asking for an explanation of the apologies. As I wrote it, I found it challenging to keep it in a non-accusatory tone. So, I kept it simple.

The response from my friend was a denial of any apology. I decided not to send a reply at that time, but instead walked to a nearby grocery store. On the way there and on the way back, I tried to recognize the presence of divine Love in this situation.

I started with the idea that as a child of God I could not be harmed by the actions of another, because all good comes from God directly to me, not through others. So this claim of dishonesty could not take anything away from me. This helped a bit, but did not address my sense of unease with the actions of my friend.

The spiritual breakthrough came when I was walking back home. As I crossed in front of a church, I began to think of the magnitude of what Love really offers. I felt that it had to provide more than just a way to fix personal problems. I realized that I needed to raise my concept of divine Love beyond just how it would impact my situation. I needed to see a divine Love that is the very harmony that underlies all existence.

I felt a sense of warmth that comes to me when there seems to be a dawning of a higher understanding of God’s true nature. I just felt comforted in knowing that dishonesty is not allowed by divine Love. Love would not allow anyone to do anything contrary to the divine nature of Creation. Love would govern this situation.

I had been home only a few minutes when I got a phone call from my friend, who described what had happened and apologized for the dishonesty. Later in the conversation I asked when the idea came to tell me the truth, and the reply was “about 10 minutes ago”. This was about the same time as the thought of a greater sense of Love’s guidance was dawning for me.

It was nice that the dishonesty was uncovered and that harmony was restored. Much greater though, was a glimpse into the glorious truths that Mrs. Eddy shares with us in her quote “Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need” (S&H 494). This experience, though not nearly as challenging as many situations around the world, gives me confidence to see that there is more to a promise than just a material mind expressing a willful desire. It is a connection to a higher sense of justice available to all.

HEALING- No break with God's Love

2007-02-06T07:54:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, I was working for the Peace Corps in a small village in Eastern Africa, along the lakeshore of Malawi. I lived a simple life with no cellphone, Internet, electricity, or piped water. Although being in a remote location made contact with family and friends in the United States difficult, my new neighbors in Malawi helped me feel at home. They always expressed great kindness and compassion toward me, inviting me to share meals and visit them frequently.

One day, inspired to show hospitality to a friend, I scheduled dinner with him at my house. That afternoon, I was working outside with basic carpentry hand tools, trying to make a simple piece of furniture. As I was cutting a board of beautiful hardwood, it slipped off the workbench and landed on the soft top part of my foot. I was wearing flip-flops at the time, which offered little protection from the impact of the board. I remember hearing a cracking sound in my foot and feeling that something had shifted. My foot became painful to move or put weight on. I immediately turned my thought away from pain and acceptance of this injury, to the renewing power of God’s love.

Although as a child I’d attended Christian Science Sunday School, I’d just recently become reacquainted with Christian Science before leaving the United States for Malawi. I’d been to visit a Christian Scientist who lived a few hours away from my home, and he lent me a book called A Century of Christian Science Healing (The Christian Science Publishing Society, 1966). The examples of healing in the book gave me a renewed confidence in Christian Science healing. And I had been inspired by this passage in Science and Health: “The confidence inspired by Science lies in the fact that Truth is real and error is unreal” (p. 368).

And so, when the board fell on my foot, I knew that this was an opportunity to completely rely on God for help with a calm and childlike trust. I turned wholeheartedly to Him to comfort me and still my thoughts.

I continued building the piece of furniture I was working on, while being mentally still and knowing that there could be no accident that could separate me from God’s protection and care. Because I felt confident in my spiritual heritage as God’s reflection, I felt no need to look at my foot to examine its condition. I did not move from that spot, but just kept affirming what was spiritually true, all along rejecting the suggestion that there was a power outside God that could damage or harm me. I didn’t want to leave that workbench until I felt complete confidence in the truth of these spiritual ideas.

I realized that my desire to prepare a nice meal for a friend had come out of hospitality, and that nothing could interfere with this quality of love, which came straight from God. In Science and Health, Mary Baker Eddy said, “Right motives give pinions to thought, and strength and freedom to speech and action” (p. 454). I continued to joyfully accept that God could only have good in store for me, and that this accident was not part of His plan.

Within about half an hour or so, I was able to stand up and walk away comfortably to begin preparations for dinner. Although there was still some bruising on the top of my foot from the impact of the board, I wasn’t limited in my mobility in any way, and I felt that everything in my foot was in place.

My friend and I ended up having dinner outside, enjoying the bright stars and eating my favorite meal of eggs, rice, and beans. During the evening, we shared some great spiritual discussion, which was such a blessing to me.

In just a few days, all bruising on my foot had disappeared, and there was no evidence of anything being broken or dislodged.

I am grateful for the practical and demonstrable nature of Christian Science, which is applicable anywhere in the world, and at any time.

PROTECTION- Journey towards Spiritual Growth- from December 2005

2006-11-27T18:27:00.000-08:00

Travel in eastern and northern Africa can be a wonderful experience. There is so much natural beauty and many diverse cultures that embrace a slow, easy way of life. At the same time it can be a bit of a challenge to one’s sense of peace, safety, and harmony. Some methods of travel seem downright dangerous, and certain locations are seemingly plagued with unrest and poverty.

Before starting a journey that would take me through Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Egypt, I spent some time considering the spiritual purpose of such a trip and how I could use this opportunity to better understand my relationship with God. Though opposed by the appearance of lack, hardship, and conflict, a true sense of peace and harmony exists, but it takes considerable thought to remove false evidence and replace it with spiritual truth.

The Bible offered some guidance towards a higher spiritual perspective when it tells that Jesus said “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life” John 5:24. This everlasting life that Jesus promised seemed less of a promise of life sustained infinitely in a thirty something year old body and more towards a higher state of existence that is not reliant on material things, but rather on the divine nature of God’s perfect child.

I felt that my growth in this understanding of the higher reality would help free me from the fear or pity that I felt when traveling. At times I would bow my head and repeat over and over “God is in control, God is in control” and shut out conditions that reported otherwise. There was nothing that could happen that could separate me from God for an instant. This is explained on page 91 of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, “Let us rid ourselves of the belief that man is separated from God, and obey only the divine Principle, Life and Love. Here is the great point of departure for all true spiritual growth.” God’s protection for me never changed, though my recognition of the true basis of this protection had room to grow. What a great departure for spiritual growth.

Here are a few examples where I felt guided and protected:

In eastern Tanzania a passenger bus that I was on swerved to miss an oncoming truck, and barely missed going over an unprotected 300 foot drop at the side of the road.
After leaving Arusha, Tanzania I found out that there were riots following the election results’ announcement two days after I left.
While traveling on a passenger ferry on Lake Victoria the captain mentioned that it was good that I had not taken the bus route along the border as it was occasionally hijacked
When traveling on a passenger bus from Tanzania to Uganda the bus was forced to veer completely off the road to miss an oncoming truck that was passing another oncoming truck. The bus that I was on slowed a bit, regained the road, and kept on.
A day after I left the capital of Uganda there was political unrest
After being told that all bus tickets were sold out to Nairobi, Kenya. I was blessed with a last minute ticket allowing me to spend Christmas with a fellow Christian Scientist and her family

One of the greatest blessings came when I traveled to Egypt. The US Embassy there suggested that travelers stay away from the Sinai Peninsula, due to previous terrorist attacks. This is where Mt. Sinai is located, and is where Moses saw the burning bush and received the Ten Commandments. I considered my purpose for wanting to visit the Mt Sinai area and also from where my sense of protection had come. Over time it became clear that God had kept me safe and guided me. I could rely on this protection anywhere, anytime. Traveling to see this beautiful area rich with biblical history seemed like a great opportunity.

I traveled to Dahab, which is located along the eastern side of the Sinai Peninsula. One night, three men walking the opposite direction passed me on the boardwalk along the Red Sea. One of the men turned to me and said “tomorrow it will all be over.” At first I felt I misunderstood or that it was a mistake but over time I felt that I needed to handle this threat of violence by turning to God.

I returned to my hotel room and sat silently, listening for guidance. It became clear that God was indeed in control and that nothing could change that. The best thing I could do was confirm that God created his children perfect, thus incapable of being harmed or harming another. I just needed to remain free of fear that man could be separated from eternal life.

The following day I awoke and continued praying to love all of the people in Dahab, as God loves them. The mountains outside of my hotel room door were bathed in sunlight and I felt bathed in God’s love. After a peaceful morning I ended up going to Mt. Sinai to see the Burning Bush and climb Mt. Sinai to watch the sunset. The rest of my trip was uneventful regarding the interchange the men.

Not long after my visit, I heard that a passenger ferry on the Red Sea, and later the town of Dahab was attacked. While I prayed for comfort for those involved, I focused most of my thought on the confidence that I had gained in my relationship with God through so many demonstrations of true safety. Divine Love did not create anyone anywhere with the intention of allowing them to be harmed. The true nature of eternal life means that it a perfect reflection of God existing without start or end.

I am grateful for the teachings of Mrs. Eddy as explained in her writings. I am grateful for a better understanding of the true reality about which Jesus spoke. I am also grateful for the idea that I need to travel with a little more prayer and a little less junk.

HEALING- Ear for Truth

2006-09-26T20:41:00.000-07:00

When I served as a volunteer in the Peace Corps, I lived in the northern part of Malawi, Africa. My view of Lake Malawi and the Tanzanian mountains on the other side of the lake was stunning. I was living in a village that was beautiful but quite isolated from the modern world. The village people were friendly and lived at a comfortable pace. However, I was about 45 minutes from the nearest working telephone, and at times I felt isolated. This isolation would sometimes lead to fear when I faced a difficulty or health problem. Early in my experience, I suffered from a severe illness, and due to fear I took the medication that Peace Corps required as treatment. This physical struggle left me with a lack of spiritual enthusiasm followed by a sense of discouragement.

When I joined the Peace Corps, I was filled with a sense of joy and a desire to serve others. I had witnessed so many wonderful examples of selfless service by other people that I wanted to try and do similar things. During my time in Malawi, I began feeling frustrated with the challenges that I was facing regarding development activities with the community. As my enthusiasm waned, I found I was using human reasoning to justify the downward slide of emotions. It seemed easy to get caught up in the idea of holding others responsible for challenges that I was facing. As I started working on development projects I found that there were many delays due to differences in work ethic and culture.

This was difficult as I was in another country away from everything that was familiar, and at times it felt pointless to be there. I was getting tricked into believing that speed bumps along the path were road blocks. I found discouragement instead of finding a spiritual solution in a higher sense of creativity and government.

As the situation worsened, I started struggling with what seemed like an infected ear. The symptoms made it difficult to complete my daily tasks. One night I awoke in the early hours of the morning with a great deal of pressure in the ear and it seemed as if the ear would burst. At first the helpless feeling took over, but the comfort that I had found in previous healings lead me back to the all-powerful divine Love.

I read a few articles from an issue of the Christian Science Sentinel. The first article was about looking past a false material façade and seeing the spiritual beauty. The second article was about recognizing the spiritual qualities of beauty expressed by a person. These articles helped me to look past the false material outlook and look for the perfect creation as God made it. This higher concept of beauty helped to relieve the pressure that I had been putting on myself to find inspiration in these material surroundings and activities. The truth was that I had never been isolated or separated from God and his ever unfolding beauty.

A great sense of calm replaced the discomfort and I went to sleep easily. In the morning the symptoms were greatly improved and I felt refreshed spiritually. I decided to travel into the nearest city to contact a Christian Science practitioner about getting prayerful support towards a complete healing. When I arrived in the city, I tried sending an email, but prior to sending it the internet connection was broken. While I was waiting to resend the message, I sat in a restaurant and I could feel the pressure in the ear diminish.

When I was able to get in touch with the Christian Science practitioner, she shared the idea that I had a clear unblocked connection to God, Spirit. And through this connection, Spirit was giving me the understanding I needed to overcome the false belief.

As I walked around the city, I was overwhelmed with a sense of spiritual beauty, and in a small way God’s presence. Instead of seeing a rundown building, I saw beautiful plants growing on a balcony. It was if I were walking through a new city with a sense of peace, free from harassment or isolation. I spent the rest of the day looking for abundance instead of lack, and feeling bathed in divine compassion.

In a few days the harmony in my life was restored and the problem with the ear was healed. Everything seemed renewed to its higher sense of wholeness. Through the unchanging guidance of Christian Science and the wonderful support of the Christian Science practitioner, I found a renewed sense of compassion and the spiritual presence of God in my activities.

“Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live” (Isa 55:3). God provides all peace and harmony, and to receive this blessing, I needed to listen. I am very grateful for this powerful method of restoring wholeness, for God’s absolute presence and power, and the wonderful kindness that others around me have displayed.

HEALING- God’s Love protects from mugging and restores health

2006-08-16T06:24:00.000-07:00

December 2003

Simple greetings in Malawi can take anywhere from a few minutes to what seems like days. “How did you wake?” “I woke well, how about you.” “I woke well thanks, and how is your house?” This particular custom of taking the time to embrace others is a fresh outlook from my previous rushed schedule. Getting used to this and many other new customs was difficult.

When we arrived in Malawi at the beginning of our two years service in the Peace Corps, our group of volunteers, stayed together for training purposes. This gave us a system of support with others who understood the challenges of adjusting to a different culture and place. A few weeks prior to the Christmas holidays, we moved to our separate villages after the training was completed.

It was a wonderful experience because we met new people and saw new things. However, at the same time it could be quite difficult and lonely while making the change to the new culture and lifestyle.

My adjustment progressed slowly and about as well as others predicted. It was tough at times, and occasionally I turned to food as a comfort. Four days before Christmas I bought fresh cow’s milk from a villager. I planned to have it with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as a special treat. In all the anticipation of the feast, I inadvertently drank the fresh cow’s milk (gasp!) without boiling it. Material medical advice would say that is a no-no.

After that I struggled with poor health, as I was not eating or sleeping much the days prior to Christmas. I could not even enjoy the Christmas Eve Buffet at the lakeside backpacker resort where I met my training group. No goat or beef to soothe my hunger. Even desserts left me without joy.

Christmas morning I got up early and went for a walk. Instead of focusing on just healing myself of the physical discomfort, the question of “what is man” came to my thought. It seemed as if there might be some connection between the difficulty that I was experiencing from a health standpoint and the challenges that arose from my difficulties adjusting to a new culture. I was not focusing completely on the idea of the perfect man that God created. Instead, I was accepting a less than ideal concept of some of the local or native people. Instead of allowing God’s law of adjustment to restore abundance I was placing blame for the poverty on the people’s work ethic and culture.

In Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures the author, Mary Baker Eddy, tells us that “The admission to one’s self that man is God’s own likeness sets man free to master the infinite idea.” At the time it was really important for me to realize that regardless of how I viewed the actions of others, all people were the children of God. Their behavior, whether lazy or irresponsible, could not deny them the provisions that God has allotted each of us. God made us perfect and pure.

I spent some time sitting on a deserted beach reading from the weekly Christian Science Bible lesson. I began to feel refreshed as if some of the limitations I placed on others were diminishing in my view. Slowly over time, I felt a higher sense of wellness.

As I walked back towards the lodge on a desolate dirt path, I had a chance to witness the true protection of divine Love acting in my human experience. At Christmas time in Malawi the occurrence of muggings increases as some people feel the pressure to celebrate with things that money buys. If a person does not have money, he/she may rob someone to get it.

On my way to the lodge, a man came out from behind some bushes. He had an angry look on his face and was keeping one hand behind his back. I do not remember registering fear in response, just a continuing love. I greeted him in the tribal language of the region and slowly his anger slipped away, replaced by a smile. My recently held thought of God’s perfect man allowed me to reach out to him instead of accepting fear or a false view. We had a short but pleasant chat, even though he still continued to hold his hand behind his back.

When the conversation ended with the traditional “stay well”, he brought his hand around and it was holding a machete. He mumbled something about Christmas and off he went back through the bushes.

As that very moment the real sense of Christmas was displayed. For me, it was to forget my self pity and to express love to another without judging him. It was a re-birth of the love that Jesus so perfectly demonstrated. For the man, his gift seemed to be that he found a sense of peace instead of feeling the need to rob another to get what he wanted. It was as if kindness and humanity were worth more than buying a goat for Christmas, at least in this situation. For both of us, it was a birth of new outlook.

In a few days I recovered from the “upset” mental picture and was eating again. The healing was complete. I was able to enjoy a wonderful hike up some very rigorous trails to Livingstonia plateau overlooking Lake Malawi with my fellow volunteers.