Connections | Sharing Spiritual Ideas that heal

I had a wonderful insight today. A friend told me her daughter suggested to her mom, “You be you!” As if to say, we are very different,  you’ll be who you are and I’ll be who I am.

When I heard that, I loved its truth! I had such an influx of thought that we, by a statement like that, are not only being told to be who we are, but we are told to recognize who and what and why we are. What an inspiration that is!

Because who we are has nothing to do with generations, or age, or mother and daughter, or father and son. It doesn’t matter if we were flower children of the 60s or millennials today, or living on the moon in some further out-of-the-way location!  It matters who we are, and how we understand ourselves and our purpose, which, of course, truly is as our spiritual identity. It matters that we know who we are.

We are, each one, an individual idea of one infinite divine Mind. We fulfill the definition of ourselves by being the expression of that Mind, expressing the qualities of intelligence, integrity, alertness, ingenuity, discernment. That is the truth about every idea that has existed forever. We are the idea of divine Love, and this is seen in our being loved children of our Father-Mother God. We live love, kindness, consideration, compassion, tenderness, gentleness. That is who each and every one of us truly is. Our God has defined us as His expression, Her loved child. That has nothing to do with age, location, generation. And everything to do with our eternal, infinite spiritual identity.

We see this example recently in one who knew, and continues to know, who she is.  Her Majesty, The Queen of England, knew who she was and she continued to expressed that understanding, that dimension of thought,  from an early age.  Her understanding of true humanhood is expressed in seven decades of service. The world did not throw her off, nor did she throw off the world. Her example will be ours forever. She knew who she was in her love for God, her love for good, in her faithful service to her family, her country, and for mankind.

Why is that different for any of us? It isn’t. We must be who we are, know who we are, and live to that highest understanding. Only then do we fulfill our niche in time and eternity and give the best we have to our world.

….when we recognize, begin, and stay with our ever-increasing awareness of the absolute allness of God. There is no outside to God. In fact, no outside to the good that is God.  This is a spiritual fact, and as we grow in spiritual understanding we see the goodness of God everywhere.

There is nowhere you can go, no place you can be, that is outside of the all-good that is divine, that is God.  Our confidence in life, in living, in protection and provision of good comes more naturally and easily when our day begins with gratitude for God, for divine Love’s everpresence. Hold this in your thought as you begin your day.

In an article entitled  “The New Birth” we read, “We must learn that God is infinitely more than a person, or finite form, can contain; that God is a divine Whole, and All, an all-pervading intelligence and Love, a divine, infinite Principle; and that Christianity is a divine Science. This newly awakened consciousness is wholly spiritual; it emanates from Soul instead of body, and is the new birth begun in Christian Science.” *

We wake up morning by morning, more awake than ever to God’s ever-present love. Enjoy being awake!

* Mary Baker Eddy‘s,  Miscellaneous Writings: 15

What makes our life better? Simple: Caring for others through loving and living Good. We know our lives are better when we’re dedicated to something bigger than ourselves. We know our days are happier when we’re loving and caring for others, as well as taking care of ourselves. We know unselfish goodness, expressions of love, care,  kindness, generosity, enable us to make a better contribution to our world. Christian Science shows us how to love others by being dedicated to good, to God. That’s our safe, inspired place.

“Good demands of man every hour, in which to work out the problem of being. Consecration to good does not lessen man’s dependence on God, but heightens it. Neither does consecration diminish man’s obligations to God, but shows the paramount necessity of meeting them.” *

Consecration means to give one’s self unreservably to the service of God.  Daily loving God will daily define how we love others. It will keep us safe, help us to discern others’ needs and how to help appropriately. All the time we’ll feel our love for God and God‘s love for us. Wonderful, wonderful opportunities to love will give us a life filled with holiness and happiness. How blessed we are!

* Science and Health: 261

From Cindy

Recently, I had the privilege of meeting up with a former teaching partner.  While reminiscing, we recanted how we had both enjoyed working together for so many years because of our philosophy of discipline.  We used to say to a child who had done something wrong, “Oh, too bad, that was a poor choice.”  Our tone and steadfast stand allowed the children to see they had made a poor choice, and could change their behavior.  Our partnership in clear, unwavering discipline made our students feel safe and made our classrooms run very harmoniously.

With this week’s lesson on the prodigal son, I thought about how the son “came to himself” or realized he had made a poor choice and could at once change his behavior and be in harmony.  It is much like being porter at the door of thought.  If we admit a thought that was a poor choice, we can immediately turn from it and choose the right.  We don’t have to wallow around in poor choices, and use them as an excuse.  

Our choosing the good and rejecting the wrong, demonstrates the harmony of God’s government.  

At a very difficult time in my life, I was choosing to be angry rather than seeing what God had always been doing for me even in the difficult times.  This same colleague, in effect, told me I was making a poor choice to be angry.  She said she couldn’t be around me at lunch anymore because I was too negative.  That got my attention!  And, she was right.  I saw I was making a poor choice in letting anger cloud my view of what God had been and was doing for me all along.  I then chose to let God, good, govern.  What a welcoming back to harmony!  Soon good was evident in all aspects of my life.  Lots of new views of harmony flooded in.  What a gift!  And, my colleague doesn’t even remember saying something to me!

When we get into  confusion, anger, or whatever, we can “at once change our course and do right!!”  This is confirmed in Science and Health. “ If you believe in and practise wrong knowingly, you can at once change your course and do right.” * I am grateful to know that a wrong choice is merely nothing, and that turning to the right and good is the only reality.

* S&H. 2

“BELOVED Christian Scientists, keep your minds so filled with Truth and Love, that sin, disease, and death cannot enter them. It is plain that nothing can be added to the mind already full. There is no door through which evil can enter, and no space for evil to fill in a mind filled with goodness. Good thoughts are an impervious armor; clad therewith you are completely shielded from the attacks of error of every sort. And not only yourselves are safe, but all whom your thoughts rest upon are thereby benefited.” *

“Hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good, and the true, and you will bring these into your experience proportionably to their occupancy of your thoughts.” **

* Miscellany 210
**Science and Health 261

“….. this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”*

Here is the beginning of the story, the end of the story, and the truth in the middle. This directive is all that is ever needed, and  it is the answer, the solution, the beginning, middle, and conclusion to every need and circumstance.

Christ Jesus was always Christ Jesus. He didn’t come and go from the Christ. He wasn’t luke-warm or distracted. In every detail of his being, he lived the Christ, never departing from the truth that gave him divine authority, presence, and power.  He was fully engaged in the Christ in every detail of his being.

Do we let  (allow, admit, agree to, consent to, accept, give heed to, make way for, yield to, cause, give the right to, acquiesce to…)  that mind which was in Jesus be in us, never coming or going from the Christ?  If so, we will feel the deep peace, confidence in good, the divine authority given by divine Mind. We will feel loved by God, provided for by divine Life, living each day governed by God.

Perhaps it’s helpful to ponder prayerfully what obedience to this instruction would mean for us, and for our world.

* Phil 2

We have so many opportunities to listen and to obey. Love is always at hand to change a mental course of fear or worry into a proper course of trust and  care. Here is a recent experience that showed the value of trusting our spiritual intuition.

After being away for a few days for association, we returned to our homes in Tahoe, to the kitties that we had left behind. Although lovingly cared for by a kind neighbor, Ellie wasn’t acting normally. Usually quiet and reserved, instead, she was tearing madly around the house and into the yard, almost looking like she wanted to escape or run away.

Since I couldn’t find her, I called my buddy, Cindy, who lives next door, and we both began to pray and scour the neighborhood, front and back yards, but with no success. Finally, as I walked back into my yard,  I felt a quiet feeling of care, with the assurance. “Be still, and KNOW that I am God.”* I realized that panicking over this wouldn’t bring any answers. Soon everything became more about my own state of consciousness than it did about the kitty.

As I came through the gate and began to water my flowers, a mental quiet clearly  instructed, “Don’t do this like the world does.” It reminded me of Christ Jesus’ statement to his adversaries. “ …he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.” ** What a relief. No panicking outside, no fruitless wandering up and down the streets, putting up signs and posters. Just an intuition that there was a solution we would know.

Almost immediately, I asked Cindy to come back over, and help me tip my big couch in the living room forward. We did and she reached inside to find Ellie inside the bowels of the couch, safe and calm. With some extra love and lots of prayer from both of us, Ellie is absolutely back where she needs to be, safe, lovely and happy as ever.

But I will not forget the lesson of Love and the needed instruction that came.  I have used it so much to remind me that the right peace-filled consciousness brings an answer of peace.  So when a choice needs to be made, take the highest way. “Don’t do this the way the world does” Following this guidance returns us to divine Love’s instruction and reminds us of the right course for harmony.

* Ps. 46
** John 8

 

In the middle of the night, I was in the midst of a very horrific dream. It seem to go on and on and I couldn’t get myself to a place that’s settled the dream. I couldn’t get a good conclusion in the dream. I kept going round and round trying different angles to solve the issue in the dream.

Then, something woke me up. And as I was going back to sleep I thought I’ve got to solve this dream. But on the heels of that thought, came God’s Angel message, “ you know, you don’t have to finish the dream!“

I sat wide awake thinking about what a gift I had just been given. I don’t have to finish the night dream and I don’t have to finish a dark daydream either. I don’t have to figure out every angle to try to solve a dream. I just have to wake up.

With  love, Cindy

 

I am so grateful for the God messages that come to us even in a dream.

What if the bad news isn’t real news? What if it isn’t required that we live in fear? What if it were true that the goodness of God is permanent, possible, and right at hand?

Let’s change a negative mental dialogue to one of trust in good. Let’s recognize in our own individual consciousness, what the Scriptures promised centuries ago. How wise those biblical prophets were. In Malachi 3:10, we read, “Bring all the tithes (the tenth) into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you [so great] a blessing until there is no more room to receive it. *

This wonderful promise is true today. It is honored by receptive hearts, who gratefully, trustingly, respond to it. The promises of God are forever new, forever possible for us right now. Today the promises, such as this one in Malachi, can be prayerfully pondered as they give us peace, calm, and confidence in God’s good gracious care.

You are dearly loved, tenderly cared for, cherished and protected by the love of God which is the divine law of Life. Accept the promise. Then let God love you.

When you wake in the morning receive this promise. Let Love open windows of heaven and pour out blessings. Then take those blessings to your day and use them to bless others.

*Amplified Bible

“Behold! I make all things new!” *

Let’s do it!  Let’s be all things new!

Let’s see all things new!  John saw this. In Revelation, we read,  “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” *    

Every day is new, -new choices, new views, new opportunities! Every moment, even every second, is an opportunity for brand new views; for more inspired, expansive love, for greater kindness, for a closer walk with God, and all that God is, and all that God gives.  We are new-born,  feeling loved, cherishing purity. We, then, hold in consciousness all that is pure and good.

In this pure consciousness,  there is no more sea, no more confusion, no mortal opinions to take our joy. There are no ancient absstractions from a past, no habitual thinking, no indecision, no false influence, no identity with mortality, and no fear, -in essence, no fake news!

Be that new! Love and live with new eyes, new choices, new visions, new views! They’re all yours right now!  You choose what and how you see . Eternity is new now! Embrace all that is right and real.  Cherish the good, the honest, the beautiful in your thought. With these fresh, spiritual views direct from divine Love, we feel  refreshed, safe. We know we are loved, and we know we are forever one with our God.

Today,  remember that each and every moment is a choice and can be fresh, new, wonderful, joyful, beautiful! Today, each day,  let’s be as God knows Her own,- let’s be all new!

*Revelation 21