Connections | Sharing Spiritual Ideas that heal

Hi all…

My name is Jo, and I’ll be attending your Association as a guest next month (can’t wait!). I love Pam’s invitation to share ideas on the blog…..so I thought I’d just toss this out there for your consideration…

Here’s some background:

When I read the weekly Bible Lesson, I am always on the lookout for 2 things (in addition to whatever other inspiration may come):

*Some further definition or understanding of what God is – you know, in a daily, practical, tangible way

*What instruction is offered – there is always instruction – we must…, we should…etc

So….when I encountered this citation in the Responsive Reading last week, I recognized it right away as good direction.

“He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”     Micah 6: 8

The As I started to dig in a little, I realized that the 2nd one – Love Mercy – wasn’t coming so clearly to me. What does “love mercy” mean to you? How does it translate into everyday experience? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Many thanks. See you in August!

If I had obeyed you, Dad,

I would have practiced the violin
every day,
And learned patience;
and, now,
I’d be a virtuoso.

I would not have
stolen
and eaten
your hidden treats and snacks,
And learned unselfishness;
and, now,
I’d look no further than where my eyes fall–to a full heart,
always fulfilled.

I would have kept our living space
clean and clear,
Every day,
And seen through your eyes,
Appreciation,
And heard through your words,
Praise,
And felt through your expression,
good temper;
And, now,
I’d be free
from anger and hatred.

I would have listened to
and heeded
your stories and advice,
And learned from trust and wisdom,
Acceptance–
Love, free from judgment;
And, now,
I’d have advocacy and support
as my constant companions

I would have loved classical music,
and heard the music of the spheres,
And the silence,
As universal communication,
And, now,
I’d hold you,
In the sounds of the living.

I would have loved you,
and your manhood,
And learned the Golden Rule,
True relationship,
And, now,
I’d embrace and serve
all humanity.

~ Karen Joyce Lloyd

“I shall not die.”
Gentle in, gentle out.
See the gentle care.
Moses–
God saw him that turned aside.
O’ gentle Presence!

~ by Karen Joyce Lloyd, inspired by and composed from the words of my teachers, Mary Baker Eddy and Pamela DeBolt

Thanks Pam for this very inspiring glimpse of what a moment as a practicing Christian Scientist unveils and reveals of the present beauty and bounty in everyone’s life, wherever we are.
Last week,I was shopping for some wallpaper, and the lady selling me the product ask me what kind of work I was doing.
I said I was a Christian Science practitioner. This lead to other questions on her part. Next she asked, “How do you handle all the bad news we hear in the media?” She seemed quite distraught about it at the time.
This was an opportunity for me to explain some simple truths we might teach our students in Sunday School.
But then it occurred to me to talk to her about the CS Monitor Online, and Christian Science.com.
Yesterday, I picked up the wallpaper I had ordered, and brought a copy of the CS Monitor and a copy of the CS Sentinel.
She graciously accepted both publications.
Then it occurred to me, I had been listening to the little voice within, Christ. Now I needed to leave it to God, let Him do the nurturing of His spiritual idea, man.
Love
Suzanne❤️?

An enormous, all-encompassing word
Each day may I learn
More about Love
May I express more Love
In moments, in all circumstances, when I am afraid
Love can teach me to see beyond
The troubles, the hard times
Love teaches the Truth
Reminds me of the ever-present, ever-powerful divine Principle,
The origin and foundation of all being
Being is God, Mind, and Soul
Without Love the world crumbles, disintegrates
We exist because Love exists
We are because we Love
Our invariable cultivation of Love, devotion
Blesses the universe
Expands God
Protects us from evil
Our invariable cultivation of Love
Creates harmony, friendship, peace and compatibility in our world

(Thanks to Duffy)

Thanks, Cindy!

I love what you said, Pam, about really being a Christian Scientist in every moment and in every situation. I have been endeavoring to love each and every individual I meet, and that has brought smiles and good will, but it isn’t the same as viewing all as a Christian Scientist, is it? Human love, however good and well intentioned, isn’t divine Love. It still sees flaws and makes one better than another. Divine Love sees each as its own beautiful whole and good creation, having all it needs at every moment.

One Sunday we found a man sleeping behind our church. He ventured in to the church just as the service had ended. Here was an opportunity to see him as Love created him. He appeared dirty, drunk, and incoherent. But Love didn’t see him that way, so I sat down with him and we chatted for over an hour. He told me he didn’t see any reason to live, that he was a miserable alcoholic and didn’t think God wanted him to live since he had taken a life while on military duty in Kuwait. He had been living outside for four years, including outside during our epic snowy winter this year. He didn’t understand why he was surviving. As we chatted I shared with him that he was loved, that God wanted him to thrive, not just survive, that he had a divine purpose. We shared laughter, tears, and a kindred sense of purpose. I gave him a Science and Health and asked him to read it. He was grateful for it.

Each time I thought of my new friend during the week, I would recognize his innocence and dominion and purpose. This Sunday, he came to church. When he came in, he was drunk, but Love doesn’t see that, does it? He sat in the back with tears in his eyes. After church, we chatted again and he was sober. He said he felt good here at church, had read some of Science and Health and asked me what he should do after church. The words popped out that he had a purpose and could go do some thing good for someone. Smiling broadly, he said he would and went his way.

I don’t know if he got as much as I did from our exchanges. I got to see beyond the mental picture of a homeless man to see the integrity, humility and love of this idea of God. Being a Christian Scientist is pretty fantastic, I’d say.

(Thanks, Kit.)

Happy in God

Open
Let ‘I’
slip through thought’s fingers

Be still
Listen with knowing emptied,
till only now remains

Humbly
receive life as a gift,
soft as a gecko’s footprints
strong as wind traced patterns across the rocks
warm as a summer’s sandy beach
and the echoes of joy that fill the day
that fill life
that fill all up full
until we hear
joy in every breeze
see joy in every movement
dance with joy
the gift of being

Happy in God

Thanks, Kit.

The home where I grew up was in the mountains and had a clear, beautiful spring-fed stream bubbling by our doorstep. When I was a child, my father and I would hike up old logging roads until we reached the source of our water, gushing crystal cool out of the very rocks. We drank that water with relish, sure of its purity.

Once in awhile, the stream became cloudy and full of mud. My father would tell me not to worry. Someone was digging upstream and disrupting the soil, but the spring was still pure. He assured me that if we took the time to walk up stream, we’d see that the source was undisturbed.

It’s a lesson that has had bigger implications in my life. I’ve learned through my study of Christian Science that with God as our source, we are actually spotless and pure as God’s spiritual expression, just as the stream expresses the purity of the spring at its origin. I know it doesn’t seem like that, but I’ve had proof that it’s true. Our experiences and circumstances often seem to put distance between us and our divine source—and muddy us along the way. But prayer walks us back to our source, God.

 
Whenever I have a challenge, I remember that insight from childhood. I can know that God, my true source, is like the crystal clear spring, and so I am an expression of that purity. In this way, I can mentally “walk myself upstream,” above the disturbing view, by consistently claiming my spiritual and true purity, with God as my source.

If I’m tempted to think that there’s a legitimate reason for any discord, I love being reminded that I cannot be tricked by any attempt to muddy my stream. My source—everyone’s source—is always our ever-present, loving God. And if it doesn’t come from God, it can be challenged and overcome.

Sent by Kit Kurtz