BREAKING OUT "ON TOP"

I could just picture Pastor Dave sitting on the plane, bouncing along in the turbulence, trying to keep his Bible and work papers on his lap as he sat strapped in his seat.

Dave, a featured speaker at our Toastmaster’s meeting was describing a recent flight to the East Coast from his home in California.   

As his story unfolded we found that he had been sitting next to an elderly lady, apparently on her first flight. He had engaged in polite conversation with her but after reaching altitude and heading out over the Rockies he opened his Bible and began to work on this sermon for the next Sunday.

We were captivated as Dave described how, after a short while, the plane began to rock in the turbulence, the vibration becoming stronger each minute.  Even though they were at cruising altitude the plane encountered very rough turbulence and began to shake violently. The lady grabbed Dave’s arm, held on tightly and seeing his Bible and paperwork said, Young man are you a minister. Dave smiled and said, “Why, yes, I am”.   She said, “Well can’t you do something about this turbulence?”   Dave responded patiently, “No Mam, you see I am in Sales, not Operations.”   Brief pause and everyone in the place collapsed with laughter. That Dave, quite a guy.

He had held us all in suspense as the story built and the  effect was lasting.  Haven’t we all, like the little lady,  had those “white knuckle” experiences?    Haven’t we yearned for the “Operations” department instead of the “Sales” department when we are in trouble?  

Oh, the Sales Force is all over the place.  “Here’s a pill that will fix you.”  “With painless surgery we can fix your back, front, head, toe, grow hair, eyelashes!!”   “This new plan can get you out of foreclosure.”  “Your baldness will disappear in two weeks.”   “Our new Dating site will help you find a spouse.”     I even once knew an automobile salesman that had a bright red tie with the words “TRUST ME” emblazoned on the front!!  But really, Whom do we trust?

Over the years I have flown a lot, sometimes several flights a week, and experienced those moments of concern, and frankly have come to rely on Operations more than Sales, the operation of God’s unfailing laws of good!!!

As I would leave the office on rainy, dreary days sometimes my colleagues would bemoan the weather and feel sorry for me because of the poor flying weather. “White Knuckle Day” they would say.    "Gee Pat, lousy day for flying.  I bet you hate it."  Whether raining or snowing, with dreary, low clouds, dark skies and even worse weather threatening...  I DIDN'T dislike it!!

I loved the anticipation, the  EXPECTATION of freedom, coming out "On Top".  I well remember the feeling I often had as the pilot released the brakes, engines spooled up and we took off, speeding down the runway in the rain or snow, climbing up into the dark and threatening clouds lowering over the airport.  I would be glued to the window, watching intently.    Then, all at once... BRILLIANT SUNSHINE  as we broke out On Top!!  WOW.   You know, it had been there all the time, beautiful blue sky all around, sunlight shimmering off of the tops of the clouds we had just climbed through, while below things had looked bleak, dark and threatening.   The expectation had paid off. 

I think the experience was a constant reminder that we will

 always come out “On Top” if we maintain that Expectation of Good, the Trust that our lives are governed by God, good.  Not a Pollyanna,  sense of goody-goody naivete , but a growing understanding that in reality, life is spiritual and that good only is going on.      

In life, we are often faced with turbulence, in our home and workplace, dark clouds of worry, a rainy financial outlook perhaps, fear for our health or that of a loved one,  and the feeling of being helpless or far from a solution.    We may be entangled in the fog of thinking that we are just mortal beings with a limited life span, fearing that there are  “no guarantees”, facing a myriad of uncertainties, limping along in a fragile temporary existence.  But when we begin to understand that, in fact, we are pure, spiritual ideas of God, reflecting His presence, right here and now, we can establish that trust that is promised in the Bible, in Proverbs where we are encouraged to:  ¶ ”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. “ Proverbs 3:5-6.    

Now, is this counsel to TRUST or EXPECT good  just a few verses from an old book, or is it a living promise, a fact that was demonstrated thousands of years ago and countless times since then? 

The problems of Centuries ago were pretty much like they are today, some really “trying” days reaching from Abraham’s time through the period  when Jesus and his disciples lived, and up until today.  There were health problems, family squabbles, poverty, government oppression or failure, hunger, the ravages of sinful living, worries and responsibilities, all the dark and gloomy suggestions that the human situation can throw at us.

BUT… Jesus’ own understanding that life is spiritual, that we are not just clay objects with a limited mind,  but actually reflections of the Mind that is God, enabled him to bring healing and relief to those who came to him for help. 

Filled with expectation, folks that were deep in the dark clouds of dismay, fear and hopelessness came to him,  looking to climb out of the turbulent atmosphere to find healing.  Lepers came, and invalids, blind and deaf seekers, women with lifelong illness, even the desperate parents of dying children.  They came with Expectation, eagerly looking out of the window of thought, longing  to break through On Top, to see the sunlight, the beautiful blue sky of healing and happiness.  And they DID!! And we can too, as we look to the lessons that Jesus taught and lived. 

The Bible accounts of his presence, his deeply spiritual thinking, his understanding that we are spiritual beings, which prompted his Sermon on the Mount as contained in the book of Matthew, and  such quotations as: “The Kingdom of God is within you”,*  his urging to: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”**, and his encouragement for us to follow him in life practice:  “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”***

It make take a little Bible reading and quiet thought,  but the answers to our problems are there for us, and they have been time tested and proven.

Current scientific research such as contained in the new book, “Biocentrism”****  by Robert Lanza, one of the most respected scientists in the world, is breaking old thought patterns based on a universe consisting of matter, and showing that spiritual life as defined by Jesus 2000 years ago is now becoming clearer to us in this day and age.      

If our flight today gets bumpy, let’s look out the window and Expect to come out On Top!  Take your seat next to the window and strap yourself in.   It’s gonna be a great flight!! 

The Bible References*      Luke 17:21                                                                               
**    Matthew 5:48
*** John 14:12 

**** Biocentrism: How Life and Consciousness are the Keys to Understanding the True Nature of the Universe - Dr. John Lanza (Robert Lanza, a world-renowned scientist who has spanned many fields from drug delivery to stem cells to preventing animal extinction, and clearly one of the most brilliant minds of our times, has done it again. `A New Theory of the Universe' takes into account all the knowledge we have gained over the last few centuries ... placing in perspective our biologic limitations that have impeded our understanding of greater truths surrounding our existence and the universe around us. This new theory is certain to revolutionize our concepts of the laws of nature for centuries to come." Biocentrism will shatter the reader’s ideas of life—time and space, and even death. At the same time it will release us from the dull worldview of life being merely the activity of an admixture of carbon and a few other elements; it suggests the exhilarating possibility that life is fundamentally immortal.

LOOKING... and SEEING!

I was watching the Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves today on television and they were  suited up wearing “throwback uniforms”, replicas of the Detroit Stars and Atlanta Black Crackers, two early Negro League baseball teams. Apparently today was the nineteenth Annual Tribute game celebrating the contributions of players from the old baseball Negro Leagues .

Suddenly, watching the tribute, my thoughts faded from the game and  were transported back some 45 years. It was like reliving yesterday, the revelation of the difference between LOOKING and SEEING.  It was all coming back to me....

I had accepted a new job in Greensboro North Carolina on April 1, 1968, just three days before Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968. Almost immediately after I arrived in town, and in the wake of the senseless murder, there was tension, a feeling of fear and instability in the town that had previously been the site of “sit-ins” a few years earlier,  a series of nonviolent protests which led to the Woolworth's department store chain reversing its policy of racial segregation in the Southern United States

 We bought a home and settled in Pleasant Garden,  a very small town south of Greensboro. At the end of summer we were trying to get our young son registered in a preschool kindergarten program. The local school was filled but there was an opening at another school, the Rena Bullock School, a short distance away. We jumped at the chance and signed Kevin up to attend. A few weeks into the school year we set out for the PTA meeting on a lovely Tuesday evening. 

The Meeting. There was a palpable hush as we entered the large auditorium at Rena Bullock School. Apparently we were among the last to arrive, everyone else was seated awaiting the beginning of the meeting. The hush was undoubtedly brought on by the appearance of my wife and myself at the door. Our presence there was undoubtedly unexpected, and certainly a surprise, an incredible surprise to those already seated as we entered the auditorium and were seated. 

You see, Rena Bullock School was an all black school, our son was the only white student and we were the only white couple in the building. All heads turned towards the door in the rear of the auditorium and hundreds of shocked faces and wide eyes returned our gaze. 

I must say that my eyes were opened wide at that moment too, literally and figuratively. For the very first time in my life perhaps, I had this sinking feeling in my stomach and heart, the sudden realization… the feeling that prompted thoughts reaching back over the years as I began to see and feel how many black citizens and members of other minorities must have felt in the past when they walked into the room filled with people of another race.  My wife and I had known that the school was all black but didn't calculate the stir it would cause among others.

LOOKING. My mind raced to try to get my thoughts around this feeling of being an outsider. But more importantly,  How could I not have known, how could we all not have known nor empathized with what it feels like to be a minority, to be tempted to feel out of place, to feel so alone in the midst of a crowd. The Golden Rule flashed through my thought, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

SEEING. That single moment changed me forever and I will always be grateful for it, even though it was rather a shock to my system at the time. 

I must point out that after the initial shocked reaction and when the formal meeting was over,  we were so warmly welcomed with kindness and courtesy. Loving glances, warm handshakes and laughter topped off our visit as we met with the teachers, the school staff and other parents. We were cordially accepted as “fellow parents” and friends by these lovely individuals. The dear people at this meeting were certainly upholding that Golden Rule  Standard, but had I always been so diligent?

How many times had I been cold or insensitive, not appreciating how others felt in similar circumstances? 

That initial feeling I had as we entered the auditorium has stayed with me to this day and has resulted in my ongoing attempts to look past what my eyes see on the surface and to look deeper into reality, to see beyond prejudices, to go farther than the worldly view that is constantly put before our eyes. Talk abut a tough lifetime assignment!!!

I began to be aware of other instances of where a deeper, kinder  

look may bring out a better understanding, more compassion, more affinity with my fellowman. This included a different view of the old woman down the street, looking lonely, sitting and rocking slowly on her front porch… an empty rocking chair next to her.

The middle aged man with ragged clothes, long straggly hair and unkempt beard walking along Highway 5 towards Blue Ridge, seemingly without a destination. 

The single mother with several children shopping carefully and frugally at the grocery, searching in her purse for enough to pay the bill. 

I began to ask myself, 'Am I content with seeing and experiencing only the outward sense of things… perhaps seeing and then forgetting the struggles so many people face every day. Am I going to settle for only what the eyes see and the ears hear?'   Or can I pray for a clearer view of Creation, one so perfectly demonstrated by the Master Christian?

In reading and studying the deep lessons that the Bible reveals, I saw that a more spiritual view of life brings new insights, new views and healing. Is it really possible for us to actually emulate the strength and healing presence that Jesus and his disciples demonstrated as they made their way through the cities and villages, uplifting and healing the lives of the people in those times?  Can we really make a difference by seeing the spiritual view of life?

Mary Baker Eddy, in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, points out how Jesus used SEEING instead of LOOKING, when she wrote: “Jesus of Nazareth was the most scientific man that ever trod the globe. He plunged beneath the material surface of things, and found the spiritual cause.” *1

I began to understand that by SEEING spiritually, instead of just LOOKING materially, SEEING God’s image and likeness in each individual, SEEING through the false picture to find the real person reflecting the underlying Love, Intelligence, Hope, Patience, Trust, Faith…Spiritual qualities inherent in each of us, where on the surface there appears want and woe, hopelessness, suffering, blindness, pain, fear, lameness, even death, Jesus taught us to uplift the situation. That's how he healed!!!

There are MANY examples in the Bible of this power but one that provides continuing inspiration for me includes a scene where a  large group, numbering in the thousands had

gathered to hear Jesus talk. The only food available was five loaves of bread and a couple of fish. Jesus, seeing the need to feed the group materially as well as spiritually, LOOKING at the meager supply of food, but SEEING that God is the source of infinite supply, that God meets our every need, that spiritual nourishment is all that we really require, fed and satisfied the crowd and with fish and bread left over. *2


Our next step? How do we start?  Why not emulate those wonderful folks at the Rena Bullock School in Pleasant Garden N.C. years ago. Simple Love and acceptance!

We can view and embrace the entire world in a spirit of LOVE, embracing everyone we meet with kindness,  provide bushels of loving smiles, warm handshakes and laughter.

And we can cherish a sense of God’s love for each and every one of His precious ideas, remembering ... “whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”*3

That’s a Golden Start!

*1  Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures - Mary Baker Eddy (313:24)

*2  Matthew 14:7

*3  Matthew 7:12

For those who have inquired about the book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, referenced in some of my articles, here’s the information. This book is used in Bible study by students of Christian Science and people of many different faiths.

It explains the scientific laws behind the teachings and healings of Christ Jesus. From the first chapter, “Prayer,” to her exegeses of Genesis and Revelation, the author invites readers to deeply consider the allness of God, the perfection of man as God's spiritual creation, and how an understanding of these facts brings healing—just as it did in biblical times. For over 135 years, readers have testified that reading and studying this book has given them a spiritual sense of the Bible and their permanent relationship to God, and has also resulted in physical healing and spiritual uplift. For more information or to purchase this book, click here.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

You would love her right away if you met her. A beautiful lady, bright smile, kind eyes, beautiful hair, a soft gentle look embracing everyone in her warmth.

Her name is Carolyn and we have been best friends for as long as I can remember, and I love her dearly. 

She is a rather quiet lady, doesn’t talk or boast about her talents and you would never know that she plays the piano and organ. And… that she plays very well. She has worked as church organist in various churches over the years, has accompanied Music Society singing and instrumental groups, and has taught piano privately and in a major city school system. She started teaching piano lessons to younger children when she was about age 13. 

The main thing is that she doesn’t TALK about playing, she just plays.  What a wonderful attribute, humility!!!

I was having lunch with Carolyn some time ago and told her  that I had heard about a man who wanted to learn to play the piano. He bought an instruction book and studied it diligently. He said he had read that book five times but he was very disappointed since after all of that reading he still couldn't play the piano. I was trying to be funny but there was a point to be made!

Now this Carolyn, sharp cookie that she is, and not to be outdone, told me a BETTER story that has stayed with me and made me think. I hate when I have to think.

Her story involved a man who was searching for God. This man was truly on a mission, he went from country to country asking where he might find God. After a lengthy search which covered months and months and thousands of miles and many blind alleys he finally heard about a place where God was reported to have been seen. Excitement built as he prepared to go to that area and perhaps reach his goal! 

He ended up at the base of a very high mountain and began an arduous climb, scrambling over rocks and scaling vertical walls. The climb became more difficult the higher he went. Finally as he neared the peak he saw a small cabin up along a small path. He approached cautiously and as he drew near he saw a sign on the door that said simply, GOD. He crept up to the door opened it quietly, looked in and saw God sitting in a chair by the fireplace.  God saw him peeking in and said quietly, "Come in and let's talk,  let's get to know each other." 

But instead, the man without a word or backward glance quickly closed the door and retreated, retracing his steps back down the mountain and hurrying to his home thousands of miles away. He spent the rest of his life telling people that he had found God.

The story for me is reminder of the importance of getting to know God instead of just talking about Him,  to humbly listen to God’s message, to feel His/Her warmth and love, accept the inspiration to be a faithful servant, as was Jesus.  How much the man missed out on when instead of going in to sit at God's feet to listen quietly, to learn more about Life as Spirit,  he ran off to tell others.   Perhaps he was looking for “atta boys” and honors for his discovery, rather than gaining that profound understanding which patient waiting, listening, feeling and experiencing God’s presence could have brought to him.

Now we know that God isn't really a person sitting in a mountain cabin!!  Not a  "person" at all, but the Divine Mind, the conscious intelligence that created ALL, spiritually.  We are not just mortal creatures, living in matter, but actually reflections of that Mind which is God.  When we are calm and quiet, we can feel those spiritual intuitions, guiding us, leading us, reassuring us.   The Apostle, Paul, encouraged us to: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:...  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. *

Like Carolyn, one who doesn’t talk about the piano, but practices, and practices,  and demonstrates her understanding of music through playing, how important it is for us to practice and practice listening to God’s gentle voice, to demonstrate to the best of our ability, on a daily basis, His direction and guidance, to prepare for those moments when we can share and demonstrate that “we have found God”, through uplifting, healing and tenderly caring for others who need our help. It requires practice, not just reading the books five times like the unsuccessful piano student!!!  

In times of distress or pain, as we just experienced with the bombings in Boston and the horrible plant explosion in West, Texas, we need to go way beyond just saying “you are in our prayers,” or “our hearts go out to you” and then going about our daily routines. We can offer so much more by going into the closet of prayer, as Jesus also demonstrated, shutting out the material senses and listening for the thoughts that bring the sense of peace and love that is required to bring healing to the world.   God is already there, waiting for us to come in and listen, and in  the silence of that closet we can KNOW that God is comforting, uplifting, providing healing thoughts and giving new insights into the eternality of Life to those whose hearts are broken.  THAT is practicing!!!

Jesus faced every threatening situation with prayer and a firm understanding that God can deliver us from the "evil one".  And he counseled each of his followers to do likewise.  He said: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." **     And THAT too is practicing!

Religious leader Mary Baker Eddy said it so well in her writings. On the importance of Practice she said:

Christians rejoice in secret beauty and bounty, hidden from the world, but known to God. Self-forgetfulness, purity, and affection are constant prayers. Practice not profession, understanding not belief, gain the ear and right hand of omnipotence and they assuredly call down infinite blessings. ***

The best sermon ever preached is Truth practised and demonstrated by the destruction of sin, sickness, and death. ****

Oh,  I almost forgot. That lady... Carolyn, the piano player, she is my wonderful Sister and I love her. 

*      The Bible   Phillipians 2
**    The Bible   John 14:12
***  Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy   page 15:25  **** 201:1

************************************************************************************************************************************************************

For those who have inquired about the book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, referenced in some of my articles, here’s the information. This book is used in Bible study by students of Christian Science and people of many different faiths.

It explains the scientific laws behind the teachings and healings of Christ Jesus. From the first chapter, “Prayer,” to her exegeses of Genesis and Revelation, the author invites readers to deeply consider the allness of God, the perfection of man as God's spiritual creation, and how an understanding of these facts brings healing—just as it did in biblical times. For over 135 years, readers have testified that reading and studying this book has given them a spiritual sense of the Bible and their permanent relationship to God, and has also resulted in physical healing and spiritual uplift. For more information or to purchase this book, click here.

Picky-Picky

The speaker stepped up to the podium but didn't say a word.  I was getting a little nervous for him. Was there a problem? Why was he just looking out over the audience?
SUDDENLY, he held up a large white poster board, and shouted “What do you see”? We all sort of jumped in our seats. All we saw was the white board with one small dot on it, smack dab in the center. 

    

After recovering from the initial surprise, one of the ladies in the audience tentatively ventured an answer… “A small black speck?” she offered. 

Then he really came back loud and strong. “SEE WHAT I MEAN? This board is all white but there is ONE, TEENEY WEENIE black spot on it and THAT’s what you see.   Notice that you didn’t say a large white poster with a teeny dot.  That's the problem with being a janitor!  People only see the tiny flaws, not the big picture”!

Then his shoulders dropped and he gave us a wide smile. The tension broken, we all relaxed. 

This was a Toastmasters meeting and we were all here to improve our public speaking skills, to learn to improvise, to structure and deliver different kinds of speeches and presentations. 

Bill owned a fairly large janitorial service in the Los Angeles area and he showed his frustration in that speech, apparently an ongoing problem in the cleaning service business, that no matter how much effort you spend or how clean you get a building or offices, there is always SOMEONE that sees a small imperfection or spot. 

Bill made his point very clearly as he discussed how so many times there is a lack of appreciation for the efforts expended and too many unrealistic expectations of what people should get for their money. 

I loved that speech. It’s funny how some things stick with you to use as examples in life. I have thought about it many times since, the mark of a good, impressive message. It has made me think how often we are “Picky-Picky” over the smallest things.   By way of definition, Picky-Picky is a fictional cat in the Ramona series of children’s’ books by Beverly Cleary.  Picky-Picky is the Quimbys' old grumpy cat and his name comes from his finicky attitude towards his cat food. Having three cats, we know all too well the signs of “Picky-Picky”. 

We have all probably experienced that situation where despite our best efforts someone just isn't satisfied. Whether in our family situation or at work, in a sporting event, at church or in a public meeting. Way too many times in marriages, or personal relationships, impatience or intolerance raise tempers and cause hurt feelings, or worse.

As a parent, I have been guilty of holding too high a standard, many times an inflexible (some would say “bull headed”) expectation of what my beloved children should be doing, saying, wearing, thinking, and acting… the whole gamut. In some instances I have “missed the ball” and some wonderful moments to see surprising creativity, to appreciate the unexpected, to experience the beauty of “outside the box” thinking by my children, due to my own adherence to a previously outlined course of behavior or action. 

Now, as I mentioned, I have seen the other side of Picky-Picky too!!   And, as my friend Bill of the janitorial service learned, it hits closer to home when we are the object of the exacting scrutiny, the meticulous appraisal of our best efforts and persnickety criticism of our performance. (Think, "Boy, he can dish it out but he can’t take it"!!!) 
 As the object of criticism we can learn even greater lessons. I’m sure most of us have been on the receiving end and realize just how hurtful and unjust it often seems. 

On one occasion I had been elected to serve as the leader of Sunday services in our local church. This was an important position and having been elected by the membership to serve that three-year term, I worked very hard to prepare. I was pretty nervous and wanted to do a good job.

In preparation I selected appropriate scripture readings, selected hymns, rehearsed, and even took a series of Reading Aloud lessons from a professional instructor. Although we were relatively young, didn’t have a lot of money and were raising four children, I invested in a new suit, several beautiful blue shirts, an expensive tie, new shoes, even got a haircut!! 

At the first Sunday morning service, my “debut”, I was really excited. Everything went off without a hitch. I was so delighted… until… a lady came up to me afterwards in the vestibule and said, “You really should have worn a white shirt. Readers ALWAYS wear white shirts”.     Psssssssss. That sound was the air going out of my balloon!! After all of the work, the hours, the prayer, the study, the attention to detail… my shirt turned out to be the problem!! 

At that moment… I KNEW Picky Picky!!!

I got to the car, sat there for a minute with wife and 4 kids on board, and I started to laugh. I laughed and laughed and couldn’t stop. I had run head long into Picky-Picky.   You know, I just loved that dear lady. I loved that she was so concerned that everything be just right. I loved that she wanted me to be the best. I loved that I could see the love that she was expressing, even though it seemed like a hammer to my head.

You may have read this interpretation of Jesus’ counsel about criticizing others as given in Matthew 7 where he described the “mote and the beam”. This translation is from The Message translation by Biblical scholar Professor Eugene Peterson:
“Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. … It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt?... …Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.” 

The lessons I have learned from the grumpy cat, Picky-Picky are… Do be meticulous. Do strive for perfection. Do be fastidious, painstaking, and fussy. But not when it gets in the way of love, understanding, openness, sincerity, receptivity to new ideas. 

Because… Love is the basis of life and is it more important than anything else in the world.   (And blue shirts aren’t really all that bad!!!!)

Kilkenny Cats - Good Cat - Bad Cat

Two cats sit before mirrors. One cat a fluffy little blue-eyed, loving cat sees reflected back from that mirror a loving image, innocent and gentle, mirroring back the love that is projected from the original.

Now picture an angry cat, a cat with a grudge perhaps, a cat that is unhappy, maybe bitter, maybe suffering a bad attitude, a bad hair day perhaps. He sees reflected back the snarling, hissing, unhappy visage staring back in anger.

The mirror gives a pure reflection, faithfully imaging back the characteristics of the original in each case. Two cats. Two mirrors. Same law of reflection in operation, the mirror reflecting back what it sees, but the pictures are completely different.

The image of the angry cat reminds me of an old Irish legend, that can be recited or sung, and it has a real-life lesson. It goes like this:

There once were two cats of Kilkenny,
Each thought there was one cat too many,
So they fought and they fit,
And they scratched and they bit,
Till, excepting their nails
And the tips of their tails,
Instead of two cats, there weren't any.

Now, lest you think I spend my days thinking about Irish fighting cats, let me explain.   This thought came up recently when I was examining my own actions, wondering why I was feeling unhappy with myself. It seems that too often some things get under my skin, and they shouldn't  I think television and the news media have a lot to do with it, but it’s my own reaction, similar to that angry cat that is at fault. The bad feeling comes from my own impatience and a seeming lack of justice in the human scene that brings it on. I am seeing a reflection of my own critical thinking.
Oh, the issues are endless, immigration injustices, gun control and the arguments on both sides of that issue, voting rights, the lack of love and respect for our fellow man as witnessed in gay issues, political maneuvering, equal rights for women, international turmoil, world climate change, the U.S. budget deficit, and more and more…. 
How tempted I am to respond, to strike back with sometimes critical, ego driven comments which do not actually reflect the peace and harmony which I strive and pray for. 

And how subtle is that "temptation to engage", to wrestle, to contend, to scream and shout our opinions. The TV stations even invite us to “respond’ to controversial issues, “Weigh in...Tell us what you think!!” they say.   Like poking and prodding us to fight, to get into the scrap!! The equivalent of the old boyhood challenge “I dare ya to knock the block off my shoulder!” 
That peaceful cat, looking out and seeing the loving peaceful cat reflected back has become a role model for me.

A statement in the widely read and referenced Bible companion book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, gives us a clue to why we react this way. The author, theologian Mary Baker Eddy, writes “Pictures are mentally formed before the artist can convey them to canvas. So is it with all material conceptions.” * She elaborates her point by saying, “Mortal mind sees what it believes as certainly as it believes what it sees. It feels, hears, and sees its own thoughts.”

When I am feeling contentious, getting angry over the news or other issues that trouble me, I am acting out those mental pictures I have been developing. Like the artist, I am painting the pictures held in thought on the canvas of my life. But sometimes they have not been pretty ones.

The Bible has some clear guidance to help stop us before we get too deep into the contention. A great verse says: “The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.” ** The Message Bible translation of that same verse brings it home to us today in an even clearer picture: “The start of a quarrel is like a leak in a dam, so stop it before it bursts.”

When Jesus was confronted by anger and strong opinions, what did he do? He turned away to walk through the crowd; stooped and drew in the sand when confronted by those who questioned his judgment; and he turned the other cheek. A wonderful clue shows us how he avoided the petty day-to-day arguments. He said: “I am not of this world”.*** His sights were higher, his goals more spiritual, his boundaries unlimited. His view of life transcended the material, conflicting views of those around him as he lifted thought to be in the secret place of the most High, the Kingdom of Heaven, the realm of thought where God lives. He counseled his followers to be Peacemakers. This man, the highest earthly spiritual representative of his Father, set the example for us and assured us that we too could do the works that he did. 

After all, our day-to-day crises, our troubling present, those things that upset us today will fade away, but we have an eternity in which  to love. We, too, can say, "I am not of this world."  We can get started today, casting off the contention, the angry cat in each of us, and reflect love and harmony in our thoughts and actions like that loving kitty.

Science and Health assures us that: "Man is harmonious when governed by Soul. Hence the importance of understanding the truth of being, which reveals the laws of spiritual existence." ****

Don't you just LOVE... LOVE?

*      Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures – by Mary Baker Eddy page 86:29
**    Proverbs 17:14 King James Version of The Bible ***  John 8:23 
**** Science and Health  page 273:18

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For those who have inquired about Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, referenced in some of my articles, here’s the information.  This book is used in Bible study by students of Christian Science and people of many different faiths.

It explains the scientific laws behind the teachings and healings of Christ Jesus. From the first chapter, “Prayer,” to her exegeses of Genesis and Revelation, the author invites readers to deeply consider the allness of God, the perfection of man as God's spiritual creation, and how an understanding of these facts brings healing—just as it did in biblical times. For over 135 years, readers have testified that reading and studying this book has given them a spiritual sense of the Bible and their permanent relationship to God, and has also resulted in physical healing and spiritual uplift.   For more information or to purchase this book, click here.

Moldau or Dead Sea?

Two springs pour forth in the shade of the forest, one warm and gushing, the other cold and peaceful. Their waves joyously rush down over their rocky beds, then unite and glisten in the rays of the morning sun.  Thus begins the symphonic picture of the Moldau River as painted in music by renowned Czechoslovakian composer, Bedrich Smetana.   

The Moldau, the longest River in Czechoslovakia is about 300 miles long and flows from its source, those two streams in the Bohemian forest, and finally empties into the Elbe River.   As you listen to Smetan's composition you can almost hear the river grow from its humble beginnings into a mighty river. 

I love that mental picture of that river flowing with a sense of purpose, rolling on past farmland and forests carrying boats,  giving of itself, perhaps providing a refreshing drink to birds and animals, flowing ever onward supplying water for farmers’ fields, and beauty to all those who gaze upon it.  To me it typifies the constant flow of life coming from a hidden source and disappearing into the eternal existence.  A river with a purpose, not only a thing of beauty but a worthwhile function, a raison d'etre.   

The Arid Dead Sea

In sharp contrast to the Moldau is the Dead Sea.  The Dead Sea is fed by the Jordan River and some small canals that drain into it.  But, unlike other seas it has no outlet, no river or stream originates from the Dead Sea and as a result water only leaves by evaporation, leaving behind high concentration of salinity. Over time the water has become so salty that it does not support life, hence it's name... Dead Sea.   Many years ago the Dead Sea was much larger than it is today and was not as salty, but lack of an outlet and the resulting  stagnation have left it lifeless, purposeless in the cycle of life.

That thought of the Dead Sea having no outlet compared to the vital, alive Moldau has caused me to compare the two and how that contrast can typify our lives.    I ponder which one I have become and often think it would be wise for us all to stop and ask ourselves, maybe each day, “Will I be the Moldau today?  Or the Dead Sea?   Do I have sense of purpose; Am I a living, bubbly river of joy, happiness and selflessness, am I a worthy recipient of God’s Love, am I sharing the blessings?  Or am I a closed off, aloof loner, not wanting to share all of the good I have and the lessons I have learned?  Maybe satisfied to sit and do little, even while I have so much to share?”

The temptation for some folks as they reach retirement age is to , in effect,  “shut down”.   You may have witnessed it to some extent in otherwise wonderful, talented, loving people who accept the world belief that older people have not much to offer, or can’t be very productive.   

I have found it helpful to ask myself,  'Am I living for others? Or am I only living for myself, my limited goals and objectives, my own selfish interests?  Am I becoming saltier and saltier, filling up with the pollution of stagnation with no outlet?'  Oh, the temptation is there!!

A friend recently asked why I kept so busy. This dear, long-time friend said, “When I retired… I RETIRED!   I don’t do anything.”     I thought to myself, ‘but you have so much to give, so much to share of your experience, so much love to impart to a thirsty world.’  That conversation inspired me to "keep moving"!!

Selfless Giving

Each one of us has the innate ability to be like the Moldau River, to see life’s flow as productive and useful, to flow effortlessly, to share and support and to give, to quench the thirst of those who are thirsting for love and companionship, maybe themselves searching for more meaningful life, maybe just needing a gentle touch or a warm handshake and a smile. (Or a small bouquet of flowers!!) 

In that book that contains priceless home remedies for everything we need, the Holy Bible, Jesus sets the example for us to follow, selflessly sharing what he had with all who were receptive. On one occasion he met a young woman at a well and asked her to draw some water for him.   She questioned him as to why a Jew would be asking for water from a Samaritan, since the Jews usually had no dealings with the Samaritans.  

Give the Water of Life Freely 

Jesus, seeing her need for help morally and spiritually, told her that if she had asked him, he would have given her “living waters”.  In John 4 "Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.   Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:  But 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.

Jesus, that loyal servant of his Father, whose life defined “sense of purpose”, whose every breath reflected the Love, Life and Mind of the Creator,  shared the Living Waters, the healing Truth of God's Love for man, the Father's precious ideas, and he blessed all  whom he encountered.     

A wonderful poem depicts the blessing of the flowing, living waters as opposed to “Dead Sea living”  It demonstrates how in sharing with others, we ourselves are refreshed! 

Make channels for the streams of Love, **

Where they may broadly run;

And Love has overflowing streams,

To fill them every one.

But if at any time we cease

 Such channels to provide,

The very founts of love for us

Will then seem parched and dried.

For we must share,

If we would keep

That blessing from above;

They cease to have who cease to give:

Such is the law of Love.

May we all leave behind the Dead Sea life and choose the Moldau, the “living waters” as our Water of the Day, today, and always.

(If you are not familiar with Smetana’s Moldau, you can hear it here:     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KsFwS4V_is  )

** The Christian Science Hymnal