ANIMAL PHOTO OF THE DAY.... FIGHTING FOXES

In our world today, we observe normally good people pushing and shoving for position and power at the expense of others.

For some, the daily battle to be "The Greatest" or The Best" often causes jealousy, rancor and strife. In her extensive writings, late 19th century theologian Mary Baker Eddy counseled:

"Competition in commerce, deceit in councils, dishonor in nations, dishonesty in trusts, begin with “Who shall be greatest?”

"The imaginary victories of rivalry and hypocrisy are defeats.
 We are brethren in the fullest sense of that word; therefore no queries should arise as to “who shall be greatest.”

"Let us serve instead of rule, knock instead of push at the door of human hearts, and allow to each and every one the same rights and privileges that we claim for ourselves. "

As the Master, Jesus of Nazareth said, "Love one another."

ANIMAL PHOTO OF THE DAY... A TRUSTING FIELD MOUSE

When I saw this delightful picture of a little field mouse, sleeping peacefully beside what may be his breakfast, I thought how naturally little animals like this go about their daily business and Trust that all will be well, contrasted with the Worry, Worry, Fret and Hurry of our busy lives. 

While sometimes we humans are "worriers", feeling responsible for making the world go around, this little guy sets a good example of the peace that is there for us when we relax and accept God's beneficence.

The Bible contains the promise for those who are receptive, as in these verses from Proverbs:

" Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither 

of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.

For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken."  Proverbs 3

Let's be like this little Mouse today. We can relax and TRUST God to guide and protect us. Then we will not fear and our sleep will be SWEET!!!!!!

ANIMAL PHOTO OF THE DAY.... PEACEFUL PUSSYCAT

When I saw this I was reminded of the Bible's promise of peace and harmony.

In her wonderful work, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy elaborates on God's natural Love and Tenderness. She writes:

"Tenderness accompanies all the might imparted by Spirit. The individuality created by God is not carnivorous, as witness the millennial estate pictured by Isaiah: —

'The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
And the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
And the calf and the young lion, and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.' Isaiah 11"

As I, in my own life, strive to reflect that loving spirit, that acceptance of others who may be different, that lack of "judgement"... and as I work to resist the fear that would keep us at odds with each other, I ponder the verses above from Isaiah.

And, I found a role model!! This lovely cat...a little wary maybe, but cautiously accepting a historic "arch enemy", a bird of all things, into her personal space.

Thanks for the lesson in peace and harmony Dear Pussycat.

ANIMAL PHOTO OF THE DAY... DOG TIRED

This picture is so appealing to me. This wonderful doggie is completely relaxed, ready to fall asleep. The security of a "doggie toy" gives assurance that all is well.

We too can feel that assurance, as promised long ago in the Bible book of Proverbs. When we are listening for God's direction, shutting out the madness of the material world and being in tune with the one Mind, we can emulate this trusting boy.

The reassuring thoughts from the Bible .....

"When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken." Proverbs 3:24-26

I wonder if this beautiful boy has his own copy of the Bible.

DAY AT THE CAR WASH!!!!

It starts when your wife tells you that you seem to have become negative over the last week. Negative? Well, I don’t think so. Me?  Of all people???

But, actually it does seem that many things have gone awry lately, maybe I am a little down. Just because my back aches, and I broke a bottle of liquid on the garage floor while getting the groceries out of the car, and… yeah… there is the computer virus someone is trying to implant in my laptop, and… well about a thousand other things.

But, the GOOD news is that the new automated car wash in Palm Coast Florida has lots of suds!! I found out as I tried out the new place which is pretty much completely automated after the initial mirror check and bug removal at Stage 1.  

It is terrific…  You pay for the automated car wash with a credit card device, pull up to the front of the line where two young guys are standing. As you reach the red line, these “almost eager”  workers jump into action. They start washing the bugs off of the front of the car, make sure your side mirrors are retracted, give a special wash to the windshield. Then they direct you to put car in neutral… foot off of the brake…and … the car rolls forward into the wash bay.

Being the gracious and entertaining fellow that I am, I have the driver’s side window down while the attendants do their job regaling them with some old jokes and friendly comments. Then they finish their work and we move on. AND, at that moment… that particular moment… the driver’s side electric window, for the first time EVER, refuses to go up.

As I frantically wrestle with the offending button, we roll quickly into the car wash, tons of suds washing over and into the car. As the panicking occupant (that would be me!!) wrestles with modern technology, an electric window which having only a two way button is not overly complex, about 1,000 gallons of water and soap suds are poured into the car by a completely unsympathetic automated process which I am guessing gets a perverse kick out of dousing the cheap customer who opted for the low cost wash instead of the $50 FULL SERVICE with hot wax and whitewall tire cleaner. 

As the water and suds flowed in covering the dashboard, the seat, most of the interior AND… the driver, I am almost positive I heard a faint electronic “chuckle coming from the mechanism !!!

Now, having been recently admonished by a certain wife who is ALWAYS correct, and remembering well her exact words about my being negative, I started to laugh!! I laughed with suds on my face and in my mouth, suds on my shirt and pants, suds on my head, suds in my lap and all over the inside of the car, water streaming in as if I was under Niagara falls.

I FINALLY got a little cooperation and the window suddenly went up just as it dawned on me that the window problem might relate back to an incident some months ago when a foolishly placed cup of soft ice cream slid off of the dash board onto the window button unit as I, oblivious to the danger, accelerated and the ice cream went flying. 

I learn a hard lesson, apparently! But to show that I am NOT negative, TODAY I laughed uncontrollably all the way through the car wash.

As the car rolled out of the bay I smugly thought, “That’ll show her!! Who is negative? Certainly not me!!! “ And then as if to offer one last humiliation, a big blob of soapsuds fell off my head into my lap.

As I pulled off the car wash lot I thought, to paraphrase Rudyard Kipling: “If you can laugh while all those around you are not laughing, you probably don’t understand the situation.” :::sigh:::

It isn’t easy being me.

MISS PIGGY and PONDERING REALITY

In a world that seems to have forgotten or neglected the spiritual realities of existence, this lovely hog, I call her Miss Piggy,  seems to be looking though the restraining fence of materiality longing for a more meaningful life.    

Sometimes I feel like this, overweight with self-imposed restrictions and limits, peering through a myriad of physical restraints.   Like many others, I question whether my simple life measures up to the standard set by ancient worthies, and ponder whether we are merely material flesh and blood creatures or entirely spiritual, as taught by Jesus of Nazareth.

In my pondering, I have found, as described by Mary Baker Eddy in the late 1800's, that life is actually spiritual, and best understood through a metaphysical view, a view that explores the fundamental nature of reality.   She wrote:    

"Metaphysical healing seeks a wisdom that is higher than a rhubarb tincture or an ipecacuanha pill. This method is devout enough to trust Christ more than it does drugs."

"Meekly we kneel at our Master’s feet, for even a crumb that falleth from his table. We are hungry for Love, for the white-winged charity that heals and saves; we are tired of theoretic husks, — as tired as was the prodigal son of the carobs which he shared with the swine, to whom he fed that wholesome but unattractive food."

(Miscellaneous Writings p 359... Mary Baker Eddy)

I love you Miss Piggy. May I join you in contemplating how best to rise above the simple corn husks of self-centered daily living and pursue a Life of Love and service?