Month: September 2020

Thank you, Pam, for all the incredible posts on the pblam. They get me thinking and grateful.

As part of that gratitude, I’ve begun to write down each day where I have seen God, from the most basic demonstrations to the more inspired ones.

Although the practice of keeping track is fairly new, I have been truly humbled by the good I have seen. Instead of focusing on the one not so good thing that occurs, the many good things that God is providing constantly are becoming more clear daily.

Long ago in our church, there was a man who would challenge all the Wednesday church goers to find at least one thing they were grateful for during the week. He said there had to be something to be grateful for, and we should take notice of it. His message hasn’t been forgotten. God is so good, so constant, so effortless in provision for all of us.

Maybe you would join me in sharing some God moments?

Mine have been as simple as finding the exact parking place at the right time to more profound as when my beautiful dog, Molly, was healed of a longstanding issue during Association this year and crawled onto Pam’s lap as she was talking.

Each day more and more evidences of God’s presence reveal themselves as I consistently listen, study, and look to Love for every need.

Loving you all !!!

Cindy

I choose the road beyond the one I see

I choose the road where Love divine is loving me.

As I write this, I remember a talk in which a man said, “Life is determined by your choices.

“Picture yourself standing at a crossroad, one road goes a bit to the left, the other goes a bit to the right.  Walk down each road mentally as far as you can. Then come back. There you stand. There are your choices. Two roads. Which will you choose?

“And  as you pause to consoder which of the two choices you will choose, there comes a new thought. Is there another choice, beyond all the limitations of what you think you should think, or what you think of what others think you should think.”

Wait!  Two roads only? My only choices?

Ah, Look! There is a road beyond.

There is the road in which I see

that  perfect Love embracing me,

There is the road beyond all limits and fears

always that road where we can see

Everyone loved as Love loves me.

“ in the thoughts of the healer, or his demonstration is protracted, dangerous, and impossible in Science. ….. In the Science of Mind-healing, it is imperative to be honest.” (Science and Health , 446)

Recalling that Mrs. Eddy originally called her discovery “Moral Science,” we should take the above instruction seriously in our desire to do healing work for outselves, for others, for our world. We could contribute very little of mental or spiritual inspiration if we slipped into any dishonest cincumstances, or found ourselves in any way supporting a supposed power called evil.

Goodness, including our integrity and living from a strong clear moral sense will do more than make us feel happy. It will prepare our thought to discern what needs to be healed, either for ourselves, for a patient, or for our prayer for our world.

A code of conduct often seems lacking in our world today. So then, it’s obvious that our lives should be ones of uprightness, decency, trustworthiness, and an ethical code of conduct that includes lawfulness, and obedience to the right that gives us a strong inner voice guiding our thoughts and actions.

These qualities, lived in our lives, will brighten the darkness of immorality that we see in the world. They will bring health and wholeness because they are being consciously lived and loved by us.  These will protect and provide you and your own needs. They will harmonize what needs healing in our world because they are the light shining in darkenss. This brings the kingdom of heaven into our own lives. Isn’t this light so needed in our world?

I recall a time when an individual asked me to pray for her because her life was out of balance. People were lying to her, being dishonest with her, withholding good, and just generally treating her badly.

In my prayer it occurred to me to simply be all the qualities that seem to be lacking in this woman’s experience. I consciously was obedient to every law, every speed limt.  I  lived the very best I could the qualities I knew that I wanted to see expressed in that woman’s life.

After about a week and a half she called to say everything has been corrected. She has been given back money that was owed her, and an appropriate office for her business, as well as an acknowledgement for the dishonest actions. It showed me the possibilities of living the details of integrity and morality and then expecting it to be seen. And it was.

As you bring your prayers to your world, we are told to hold good in our  thought, and to live the uprightness and integrity that is man as the expression of God, the all-good Creator.  Love so much your God, as Jesus did, that the upright man will be your neighbor, and you will heal all those who come to your thought for heaing. Remember the wise man in Ecclesiastes who saved the city? Might that not be you? (Eccl.9:15)

Our growing understanding of Truth and Love never harm us in any way, or cause any doubt to him whose affections are fixed on God.

This  wonderful fact reminds me of how completely Jesu lived every detail of his life focused on God. As I read the Scriptures, I am overwhelmed often by the love that Christ Jesus had for his God. It was his everything. His life was not lived in fear. His love for God was his life, his breath, and, obviously, his reason for being. It enabled him to rise to the experience of the crucifixion, not through fear, but because of the provision included in love for God. Every decision and experience of healing celebrated Love!

Jesus’ dedication to his God gave him birth and purpose. His life was lived in obedience to, and love for God.

As you read the Scriptures, can you feel in your heart that same love that Jesus had for God, and apply the presence of divine Love as your own life, in your daily experiences?  If so, we will live our lives, not acting or reacting in fear of evil,  but expecting good regardless of the challenge, because of our love for God. This will change the view we have for the reason we live.

…..and that t’will be enough.

Too much is made of tomorrow.                                                                            Yesterday isn’t even here anymore.

But if, today, I bring all that I am to each moment
I will bring the best I am to this today.

I will bring the gifts I know to each encounter, gifts of kindness, patience, peace, discernment…..

I will “ put away childish things,” and shine the light of integrity and order to claims of dishonesty and disorder

I will not judge where I have no right to

or  criticize what is not mine to

I will speak with beautiful words alone, pure and kind

words without judgement, yet obedient to law.

I will clean what needs cleaning, put away what needs putting away,

cherish what is worthy, and love where I can.

and being a God-day, it will be a good day.

I found a healing on JSH today by a man in 1895 (some of those are my favorites, aren’t they?) who was in the bleakest of situations,* and belonged to a church that believed that God sent afflictions. When he finally turned to Christian Science, he challenged the healer about not wanting to give up his old ways of thinking,. Her assured him he could keep what was true, and answered his concerns  by assuring him that “Christian Science robs you of nothing good.”

I was profoundly stirred by that comment of conviction. How vitally important it is for each of us to confront anything that would claim to limitm or obstruct, our prayer and progress. Science provides us with the means for all good, – and  yet it is essential that we remove from our thought anything that would suggest we can lose good or be separated from our healing practices for ourselves or others by following God as Christian Science reveas to us.

I always think about the spaces between the words – in other  words, somebody writes up a healing and it’s kind of a Cliff Notes version of their lives – but this experience moved me particularly when he said that the healer confidently told him, “Christian Science robs you of nothing good.” Those spaces between the words in our stories just include more evidence of all that Christian Science has given to each one of us.

Note: Christian Science is not a random activity;  it is a spirotual discipline. Your good is never withheld. I find, instead, it does require of us continued gratitude and awareness of what we have been provided with. Maybe that’s why it’s so vital for us to be grateful for the gifts we’ve been given,  gifts of love and patience, gratitude even for the challenges that we face, that always, always lift us to new views and experiences.

Today might be a great day to see if, in any way, we feel  as that man did. And to make a list of all the reasons we are grateful to Christ Jesus and to Mrs. Eddy for all the good we have as the result of this pracal revelation. What do you think?

*How I was led to Christan Sciece by R.L.H. CS Journal, 1895

When I feel most secure is when I am more conscious of and interested in God and in loving than I am of matter in any form. I can actually feel the difference in my choices and in my acts for my day. It is a tangible feeling of greater confidence.  When, early in the morning, or as soon as possible, I direct all my energies toward a new idea of God, or simply an assurance of God‘s very presence and power, the choices for my day become higher, stronger, and safer.

You and I, (actually every single individual,) have a higher purpose for our existence than we often consider. Here is Mrs. Eddy’s explanation of her reason for being. She tells us that we, too,  may rise above “the oft-repeated inquiry, What am I? To the scientific response, I am able to impart truth, health, and happiness, and this is my rock of salvation and my reason for existing.“ (Miscellany)

Let’s be willing to go to God for our reason for existing. Let’s quietly listen for His unique message and guidance and instruction. Let’s accept Love’s provision and care. You are here to bless and to be blessed. You are essential, for you are here to love, to live, and bring forth what is really true for the world that needs you. Let’s enjoy consciously raising thought, recognizing and discovering our real purpose. To your Father, and to your world, you are priceless!

Why do we study?  Why do we want to learn?  Is our goal to use Science just to make bad things go away?  Or to just have a happy life in matter?  If so, sooner or later, it’s apt to disappoint.

In fact, we know there is so much more available to us, and through us, though  the “more,” the increasing good,  is frequently unknown to us. But we trustingly study and grow in love and grace and in spiritual receptivity. We don’t know the full effect of our prayer and study, but it is there and will be seen.

When Saul started his journey, with obvious enthusiasm but in the wrong direction (see Acts 9),  he had no idea what obedience to God would entail and provide. In his blinded situation, he asked, “Who are you, Lord?” “What would you have me do?”  

As Saul was transformed through his relationship to God, his character changed.  And Paul, then, changed the world he lived in, and beyond.  He even said he took pleasure in infirmities. (amazing thought!) Why? He knew even inharmonies would make him grow spiritually.

Sorry, guys, for planting this seed. But ultimately there will be times our understanding of  Science removes inharmonies in matter, and, as well, we may use those same inharmonies to bring us increased spiritual growth and greater spiritual understanding.  Every step counts!

I love reading the Scriptures gently.
Maybe only one or two verses open a new view.

Today when I read (in John 14: 5,6) that Thomas asked Jesus, “….how can we know the way?” Jesus simply said, “I am the way, …”

That simple response asked me to identify the way I am seeing. Am I seeing as Jesus saw?  He saw the real man, purely spiritual, ageless, harmonious, able,  good and true, regardless of what others may have been seeing.

He saw the spiritual truth of harmony, wholeness, health, man’s sinless perfect being. His view was the law to the circumstances, and brought healing. Others were blessed because of the way he saw. His God-given perception corrected their misperceprions and brought healing.  It did for him, and it does for you and me.

The term matter is a concept. It is not what you see but the way you see that determines your human experience. For example, if you hold health and harmony as yours because God-derived and God-given, along with the beautiful and good, in your consciousness, you will bring these into your experience and the experience of those you care for. What we hold in consciousness determines our human experience. You choose the way you see. Choose well!