Finding Beauty

Today, I am thankful for beauty. Beauty can be found anywhere when we open our eyes and begin to look out beyond ourselves. It begins with God and dwells in God forever for all of mankind to behold it. I think seeing beauty also brings about peace and harmony.

In my faith tradition, we often refer to God as Mind – He knows all and sees all and of course what Mind knows and sees is good and beautiful.

The other day several friends of mine who live in the Northeast posted beautiful pictures and videos of the glistening snow that had fallen. The light that hit the snow made for some incredibly beautiful images. One even took many of her images and set it to music in a video. It was so peaceful to watch and listen to. These friends found beauty in an early snowfall and shared with others to extend that beauty to others. I’m so grateful for this sharing.

And as I sit writing this, I’m grateful for the window in my home office that opens my vision to the beauty of sunlight and the beauty of the wind blowing in the trees. You see, for me, there will always be infinite beauty. I just have to remember to open my eyes and pause long enough to see it!

Today’s challenge for you – stop long enough to behold beauty and then breathe it in. It has an incredibly calming and peaceful effect!

Thankful Heart

2020! What a year it has been! So much to reflect upon and I feel like I have been, but I also decided I need to write and what better month than November – the month where many people in the United States give gratitude for all the good in their lives. As I look back at my page, I realized it has been about a year since I last wrote. Wow! Best laid plans ….

So, to begin this month out right, I have a thankful heart! I’m thankful for God first and foremost. He is my rock! God is my Mother and Father and for me that gives me so much to be thankful for because it means I will always have all the love, comfort and strength I will ever need always with me. God is everpresent Love. In the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy in the Bible, God tells us to honor our father and mother. And although that is referencing a human father and mother, I like to take that to a higher level and honor my Father and Mother, God, because as I do that, I am ensured long life filled up full with the love of God and all the provisions He gives – land, food, employment, companionship, etc.

In a favorite book of mine, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, author, Mary Baker Eddy, wrote, “Love, the divine Principle, is the Father and Mother of the universe, including man.” (p. 256:7) What a profound reminder that God is the Father and Mother not just of me, but of everyone around the world and there is nothing that can separate us from God.

I hope you have thankful heart today, whether for your Father-Mother, God, or really just for anything for there is so much for which to be thankful.

Psalm 56:4 – Trust

I love opening my Bible randomly and letting my eyes just fall on a verse and asking, what does this mean to me?

Today, Psalm 56:4 from the KJV.   “In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.”

A simple and profound declaration which when we break it apart says a lot.

I will praise God’s word – to me, this is singing and shouting God’s word, Truth, so all may hear it and come to know it’s power – the power to heal every ill, the power to mend relationships that seem to have discord, the power to provide supply when to the human eyes there may appear to be lack, and the list goes on.  What problem are you faced with?  God’s all-powerful word has the answer and when we praise that word, we see it made manifest in our lives.

I have put my trust in God – this is so simple a statement, and yet so deep.  Putting trust in God may seem easy.  But when you’re faced with a health challenge or a money challenge or a relationship challenge and there may not appear to be anything changing, trusting in God can seem hard, and yet I have found that that is when I need to most trust in the omnipotent God who not only made me, but loves me and cares for me above every human problem.  He only knows me in the spiritual image and likeness He made which is stated in Genesis 1:26-27.

I will not be afraid of what the flesh thinks it can do to me – If God made me in Her image and likeness, then there is no room for the flesh to have any control over me.  If I am praising God’s word and trusting in God, what room is there in my thought for fear?  In Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy wrote that fear is “false evidence appearing real.”  False evidence is what the flesh would try to tell us is wrong – be it illness, other physical problems, animosity or discord in human relationships, unemployment, etc.  All of these things appear real but to God these things have no power or reality for Her creation, man and woman, as the spiritual reflections of our Creator.  With a thought so full of God and everything good, there can be no room in my thought to fear the false claims of the flesh.

So, with praise and trust, I can give all to God and not fear anything!  That’s powerful!

James 3:17

In Christian Science there is a weekly Bible Lesson that addresses a topic and is comprised of citations from the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.  I often read directly from the books so I mark my books to find the citations easily.  Anyway, while marking my books for this week’s lesson I came across this verse and it was just so powerful for a lot going on in my life right now.

It states in the KJV, “… the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”

I already had written in my Bible that “wisdom from above does not result in disunity or division.”  And isn’t it great to know that God’s wisdom is pure, full of peace, gentle, easy to be asked for, and full of love and everything good?  God’s wisdom does not have a bias – it only knows good.  It also is not a “behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe or feel.” (Merriam Webster Dictionary definition of hypocrisy).  God’s wisdom is only and ever good.  It can’t act in an evil way, a way that would be exactly opposite to its innate goodness.

I also found this, although I am not sure where it comes from, other than a Bible reference book of some sort: “The absence of such blemishes produces a church that is loving, tolerant, and healthy; above all, it is centered in God’s holy will,”  I believe that “blemishes” is referring to partiality and hypocrisy.  Without those we can have a church that fulfills the wisdom and will of God.

My church is in the middle of a renovation project of which I am a co-project manager and there is so much going on, that I just found comfort in this passage.  Comfort that the project is in line with divine wisdom and that each church member can hear God’s message of wisdom in ways that bring peace, love and goodness to every one and every part of the project.  Also, comfort that no one can be subject to human bias or opinions when it comes to the project – there really is only one project manager and that is God and only His unfolding of right ideas relative to the project.  And comfort that I cannot see any member, myself included, as hypocritical.  No one has two sides to who they are – they are only the spiritual image and likeness of God – just as God created us.  As I keep my thought in line with God, the project and each aspect of it has to be centered in God’s holy will and it has to align with God’s goodness and wisdom with unity and togetherness!

I’m so grateful when I find inspiration from my study of the Bible for it always lifts my thoughts!

 

Matthew 4:19

Matthew 4:19 from the KJV of the Bible states: “…Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  This is Jesus telling Simon Peter and Andrew to lay aside their physical fishing nets to follow him, to preach the truth he preached among the people, to do the works he did – healing others from the base of knowing mankind is created good by God.

As I was thinking about what it takes to be a fisherman or fisherwoman, I reflected back on my time fishing with my family, specifically my dad, but my mom and brother also fished.  We always had to be quiet.  No sudden noises or movement were allowed.  It’s a quiet sport which gives one time for reflection and contemplation of everything good in the world – love, culture, nature, activity, family, friends, and of course, God Himself.  It allows for the quiet time to pray for what appear to be the ills of the world – war, fighting, racism, inequalities, climate control, negative politics, and the list goes on.

Fishing requires patience – do I have the patience in my prayers to really stick close to God and be open to seeing and hearing everything He is speaking and doing for me?

Fishing requires courage – the kind of fishing I did didn’t really require courage other than the courage to bait the hook – I never really did do that.  But there is some fishing – like deep sea fishing that requires more courage.  Praying and following Jesus requires courage.  Being willing to leave all for Christ, Truth requires much courage.  Willingness to speak God’s Truth and show how healing comes from changing our thought requires courage.

Fishing requires perseverance – there were times where we could sit for hours without one little bite by a fish to the worm or lure.  Not only did this require patience, it required the perseverance to stay on the boat or dock fishing until we caught dinner. 😉  Sometimes it requires perseverance in our human experience to see and demonstrate the healing power of God.  When something seems to be going wrong, it can sometimes take that extra hour, day or week or more of prayer to see what God sees and knows about each one of us as His son or daughter – that we are good, healthy and whole.

So you see, the same qualities that fishers need, man needs when following Christ Jesus in the way!  We need quietude, patience, courage, and perseverance.  Have you engaged any of these qualities lately?  Try it and be ready to catch the good God has for you!

Psalm 89:1

Welcome to my site if you’ve never been here!  If you have, welcome back.  It’s been awhile since I have written.  I thought I might try to write this month, hopefully every day by picking one Scriptural passage daily and reflecting on it here!  Hopefully you will find some inspiration in my musings!

Psalm 89:1 from KJV says, “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.”

I randomly opened my Bible this evening and came to this quote.  For me, this means I will sing, speak, give gratitude daily for the love that God gives to each one of us daily and which we experience in a multitude of ways.  For example, God showed me his love today in that I was able to pay my rent check.  He shined His love on me through the radiant sunshine.

As I continued to read, it isn’t about just singing the love of God, it’s about truly making known my trust, faith in and love of God to all those around me and for future generations. It’s about making sure that people now and future generations know the importance of the love of God for me and for themselves.

What love of God did you see expressed today that you could sing about?

Recently, I read a blog post by a Christian Science practitioner and he started the blog with this quote:

“I know not what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.”
~ Author Unknown

And I definitely do know who holds my future. It is God!  As my ever-present Father-Mother, She holds every aspect of my life in Her hands.  She knows everything about my future employment, future relationships, and my journey of living a balanced and healthful life.  And is there any reason I should doubt that omnipresent intelligence and wisdom and guidance?  Absolutely, 100% NO!

So, it’s not important for me to know my future, but ever so important for me to hold on to and know God holds it and thus it can only be good because God is All-Good and therefore everything She touches and knows has to be good!  That is good enough for me!

Lessons from my house plants!

I really enjoy house plants and potted plants/flowers.  One might not know that though because I don’t like to put my fingers in dirt.  I have lovely fingernails and the feeling of dirt under them feels funny.  I know you’re thinking I should just wear gloves.  Probably!   I’ve heard friends say they can’t have plants because they don’t have a green thumb, the plants just die. There really is no such thing, to be honest.

Over my many years and especially since inheriting my parents’ Christmas cactus that is now probably at least 30 years old and enormous, I’ve learned what it takes to keep plants alive and to help them flourish!  It’s really no different from what it takes for you and me to live and flourish!

Mom and Dad’s Christmas Cactus!

It takes:

1. Water – not a lot really.  I have one plant that when it begins getting droopy, I water every plant.  Same with me – when I’m feeling a little droopy during the day, I take a sip of water.  Obviously, I drink more water than my plants, but both the plants and I need water.

But, more importantly, I drink every day from the fountain of living water that Jesus told the woman of Samaria in the book of John, chapter 4 that she should drink of – “whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”  How wonderful to know that if we drink of the water Christ Jesus gives us, not only will we never be thirsty, but we’ll experience everlasting life.

2. Nourishment – we call that food and there is such a thing as plant food.  I don’t use it a lot, but now and then I’ll mix the water with plant food to feed my plants.   There are probably plant experts out there that would disagree and say you need to feed them so much food at certain increments of time.  My plants have never needed a certain amount.

Society says that we as people need a certain amount of food to live.  Yes, we need food and there are plenty of diets or food plans out there to help people figure out what is right, but to be honest my nourishment comes from God.  That may sound like pie in the sky thinking, but to be honest, of late, I’m learning through my prayers and study that God provides the only nourishment that truly fills me up full and makes me feel good.  No amount of or certain kinds of food ever truly satisfy me.  I’ve also discovered when I’m writing or praying and immersing myself in activity that requires me to think, I can forget all about food and never feel hungry.

3. Light & Warmth – these to me are two of the most important things plants and people need.  Plants need the light and warmth of the sun – some need direct sunlight.  Others need more muted sunlight.  I have this African Violet that was given to me 15-18 years ago.  The former owner had taken such good care of it that it was enormous as far as violets go.  A few years ago, during the month of December, I put it in my spare bedroom.  There was plenty of light, but it got really cold in that room and my plant got a little too cold.  Most of it died.  But I brought it out to the warmth of my living room and set it in light.  I also re-potted it with fresh soil.  Until this summer, it seemed to always be struggling.  It now sits in my office window which gets muted afternoon sunlight (I have the blinds drawn), and it has begun to just burst out in new growth and the leaves have gotten really big and it has its first blooms in years!  I’m pretty excited!

Inherited Look of violet

See how small it is (plant on right) after it got too cold.

My violet today – Nov 9, 2017

People also need light and warmth, but we need the light and warmth of the Christ, of God’s presence in our lives.  In II Cor, Paul wrote: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” ¹ For me, it is this shining light of Christ, of having the knowledge of God that warms me and helps me see things more clearly and expands and grows my thought. It truthfully is what nourishes me too!

4.  The other and most important thing both plants and people need is love!  No, I’m not being funny when I say to love your plants!  Plants, like people and animals need love.  They need someone watching them to ensure they are getting enough water and the right amount and type of light!  Some plants need to have their leaves wiped down or dead blossoms plucked to make room for new growth!

People need love too!  We need God’s divine love filling our hearts with the richness only God’s goodness can fill and we need affection from family and friends.   Jesus provided us with two great commandments.  They require us to love and in so doing we feel that infinite love in return.  That’s not to say God doesn’t love us first, He does, but we also must love Him.  “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” ² And in the book of John, Jesus said, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” ³Also, as we clean our thoughts and purge them of negativity, unhealthy thoughts about ourselves, harsh criticism of ourselves and others, or anything that is “dead thinking,” we make room for the love of Love to blossom anew in our hearts and mind – kind of like picking the dead blossoms off a plant.  New growth comes from loving as God loves us!

So, drink up, be nourished, feel the light and warmth of Christ and love and be loved!

 

 

 

1 II Cor 4:6

2 Matt 22:37-29

3 John 14:21

 

Symphony of life

I absolutely love music – listening to all different kinds, singing, and playing my flute and a little piano.  I even participated in many groups in high school and now I am currently singing with a local community choral group.

A symphony as a piece of music has many notes and a symphony as a group has many different instruments and when they all come together they create a unique symphony of music.

What about your life? Your life is like a symphony! It’s the group with many instruments playing an unique score.  The instruments or parts are jobs, relationships, health, hobbies, maybe kids, maybe pets, spirituality – that place where a higher power plays a part in your consciousness.  The musical notes are all the components of each.  For example, let’s take a job – it might represent the brass players and the notes being played are the salary, position, place, camaraderie with co-workers, responsibilities, respect from/for your boss, etc.  How are you playing those notes?

Are each of the parts of your life coming together into one unique whole?  If one or more parts seem discordant, how are you working to pull them all together to create a harmonious whole?  How are you making sure the notes of each are in the right key and being played correctly?

First, my symphony of life is already complete, harmonious and perfect because that is all God knows about my life.  He didn’t create anything inharmonious or incomplete.  The same applies to the symphony of your life.

That being said, I do still have much to learn and notes to correct.  And the place I start with in correcting them is by turning to God, the divine Conductor, in prayer.  I ask Him to help me better hear and see what the notes are I’m supposed to be playing. A note that is sharp when it should have been natural is simply thought not being in tune with God’s melody. 

I love this sentence by MB Eddy, “Mental melodies and strains of sweetest music supersede conscious sound. Music is the rhythm of head and heart.  Mortal mind is the harp of many strings, discoursing either discord or harmony according as the hand, which sweeps over it, is human or divine.” 1  It speaks volumes to me about how what we think determines discord or harmony of the symphony of our individual lives.  When a part seems off, it is generally how our thought is playing out each part – sharp when we should have played a natural or an F when it should have been a G.  When this happens, I stop, listen and say, please show me, Father, how to correct that note.  Or if it looks like I have left out a note or even the whole part, I ask how do I add those in so the symphony of my life looks and sounds the way You created it – complete and harmonious.

Without doubt, when I do this, sometimes immediately and sometimes with time, I begin to hear and see what God already knows – each part and note blending in one harmonious and complete whole.

Here’s to hearing, seeing and being a part of the symphony of your life that God created!  May you enjoy it to the fullest because it is a beautiful, harmonious and magnificent work of art!

 

1 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, pg 213:24

Armour of God

It’s been awhile since I’ve written (8 months).  I’m hoping to change that starting today.  Lots of changes have happened in my life this year.  Lots of prayer has happened too!  And, I finally decided what I want this blog/website to focus on.  Since I started it, it has gone through several name changes and title changes.  For now, even if the title changes again, the focus won’t – this is going to remain what it has always been – a blog for me to share my spiritual thoughts in writing and now also a website to advertise my love for the practice of Christian Science healing and my willingness to accept patient cases as a Christian Science Practitioner.

So on that note, today’s writing is on the subject of the armour of God.  Why, you might ask?  Because I’ve been thinking about what protects you and me from every ailment, burden, or challenge we may face in life.  What protects you and me is God!  The immensity of God breaks down into many qualities and attributes.  I came across this quote from Ephesians not too long ago and it just struck me that here is something that protects me and keeps me safe as I take forward moving human footsteps in all areas of my life and can’t we all relate to a coat of armour?  Here’s the whole quote below that goes on to talk about each part of the armour.

“…. my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, …” (Eph 6:10-18)

The first part of the armour mentioned references protecting our loins with Truth.  The Truth of God helps keep our thought resting on him, rather than on world beliefs.  What are some world beliefs that Truth might protect us from?  Lack, loneliness, and sickness to name a few.  When we focus solely on the Truth of God, there can be no room in our consciousness for our thoughts to dwell on those negative worldly beliefs.

Second, the breastplate of righteousness.  If we’re being righteous, we’re acting in accord with divine law.  We’re being loving, honest, good, humble, and fair.  We’re standing up for others against harsh criticisms, false accusations, etc.  We’re also protecting our own heart against negative attacks of any kind.

Are you wearing the Gospel of Peace on your feet?  Are you walking with God in troubled times and acknowledging His peace for your life?  Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matt 5:9)  How awesome that we can wear that peace and share that peace in every step of life we take!

My shield of faith is my unwavering trust that God is caring for me, keeping me safe, never leading me astray.  It is a faith that God keeps His many promises to me.  It’s a faith that allows me to overcome any doubt I may have in God’s ability to protect me. It’s a faith that by standing with God, nothing evil can touch me (fiery darts of the wicked).  This shield is not penetrable by evil!  It’s rock solid!

And we all look beautiful in helmets of Salvation!  Maybe not in metal helmets, but in acts of destroying sinful behavior, yes, we look beautiful!  Salvation, in Christian Science, is the realization of the supremacy of infinite Mind (God) over all, it’s “Life, Truth, and Love understood and demonstrated as supreme over all sin, sickness, and death destroyed.” 1  How wonderful to know our thoughts are protected with this helmet!

And finally, I love carrying the sword of the Spirit, the word of God. It is His word that I try to keep first and foremost in my thought.  Some might think the sword is the first thing we use when defending ourselves, therefore making it an offensive weapon, and that is very true – when I start with God, I am protecting myself from the outset.  I also see God’s word as the first line of defense against the attacks of error.  Whenever I’m having a challenge, I try to turn first to the Word of God which I know heals and brings guidance and deliverance from any of those challenges.  It is what I turn to daily in prayer, thereby protecting myself.

I’m so grateful I don’t actually have to wear the old metal armours soldiers used to wear, but that I am wearing an even stronger armour – that of being the child of God, inseparable from His mighty presence, power and law.

 

1 – Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, pg 593:20