"we are living in exponential times"

Spiritual resource to share: joy and confidence for the journey



This video clip delightfully captures facts and figures about the "exponential times" we live in. While watching it a few times, I had to ask, from a spiritual standpoint, What is changing? and
What is changeless?

In a nutshell, what changes are the forms and means of those things that are changeless. Like, how we worship may change, but that we worship doesn't. How we communicate changes, but the fact that we communicate doesn't.

Ideas that transcend time are lasting, and I find lots of these ideas in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, who has written her book based on the Bible. Here are some of those ideas.

God expresses in man the infinite idea forever developing itself, broadening and rising higher and higher from a boundless basis.

Academics of the right sort are requisite. Observation, invention, study, and original thought are expansive and should promote the growth of mortal mind out of itself, out of all that is mortal.

Spiritual causation is the one question to be considered, for more than all others spiritual causation relates to human progress. The age seems ready to approach this subject, to ponder somewhat the supremacy of Spirit, and at least to touch the hem of Truth's garment.

Progress takes off human shackles. The finite must yield to the infinite.

Evidences of progress and of spiritualization greet us on every hand. Drug-systems are quitting their hold on matter and so letting in matter's higher stratum, mortal
mind. Homoeopathy, a step in degrees advance of allopathy, is doing this. Matter is going out of medicine; and mortal mind, of a higher attenuation than the drug, is governing the pellet.

Advancing to a higher plane of action, thought rises from the material sense to the
spiritual, from the scholastic to the inspirational, and from the mortal to the immortal. All things are created spiritually. Mind, not matter, is the creator. Love, the divine Principle, is the Father and Mother of the universe, including man.

Science reveals only one Mind, and this one shining by its own light and governing
the universe, including man, in perfect harmony. This Mind forms ideas, its own images, subdivides and radiates their borrowed light, intelligence, and so explains the Scripture phrase, "whose seed is in itself." Thus God's ideas "multiply and replenish the earth." The divine Mind supports the sublimity, magnitude, and infinitude of spiritual creation.

Divine Love blesses its own ideas, and causes them to multiply,--to manifest His power.

And from Mary Baker Eddy's other writings:

This age is reaching out towards the perfect Principle of things; is pushing towards perfection in art, invention, and manufacture. Why, then, should religion be stereotyped, and we not obtain a more perfect and practical Christianity? It will never do to be behind the times in things most essential, which proceed from the standard of right that regulates human destiny.

Human skill but foreshadows what is next to appear as its divine origin. Proportionately as we part with material systems and theories, personal doctrines and dogmas, meekly to ascend the hill of Science, shall we reach the maximum of perfection in all things. Miscellaneous Writings p. 232

(From an interview with Mary Baker Eddy) "But the pursuit of modern material inventions?""Oh, we cannot oppose them. They all tend to newer, finer, more etherealized ways of living. They seek the finer essences. ..... We use them, we make them our figures of speech. They are preparing the way for us." from The First Church of Christ Scientist and Miscellany, p. 35

River Lesson #5367

Spiritual resource to share: full engagement

I have learned so much from rivers. Rivers were a big part of my life for about ten years as a raft guide and whitewater kayaker and racer. Next to the the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, I probably learned more life lessons from this one natural resource than all others!

This lesson, lovingly called #5367, was about putting down the pride of accomplishment and fully engaging in the present state of things.

With rafting, I learned how to get a group of novices to work together quickly to play in the rapids and have fun; with kayaking, I learned much about overcoming fear and being able to trust; with racing, I learned how to sharpen my skills and got stronger, faster and more accurate with each race I took on.

HOWEVER, whenever I got to the river, got in my boat, and stuck my paddle in the first current, I noticed how unimpressed the river would be with all of my past accomplishments. Nothing from my past mattered except what I could put to use that day, that moment on the river.

In all my runs – whether it was with a group in a raft, or on my own in my kayak – I was successful when I was committed to the moment. And by successful I mean that I could experience the full joy of dominion over fear, of blending with the strength of the river and of increasing skill.

So, how does this translate?

When an experience is new to me or some new element or person has come into my experience, I find this lesson very helpful.

When the pride of experience tempts me to plow through another’s obstruction, I remember that a river flows around the rocks, and I am careful not to get caught in the eddy of turbulent water behind the rock. I can be gentle, yielding, and not get caught up on a rock!

When another challenges how I do things, I remember to not stand on the things I did in the past, but on what wisdom directs me to do now. Progress is a law of God and so is constantly working. I can listen.

The river is constant; constantly moving and will find its own level. God is constant, and as God’s expression, we are constantly moving and expressing all of God’s qualities. We will all find our own level of expression that is full and satisfying, strong and enduring and joy-full!

Mary Baker Eddy shares these ideas from an article from Miscellaneous Writings (p. 224):

We should remember that the world is wide; that there are a thousand million different human wills, opinions, ambitions, tastes, and loves; that each person has a different history, constitution, culture, character, from all the rest; that human life is the work, the play, the ceaseless action and reaction upon each other of these different atoms.

Then, we should go forth into life with the smallest expectations, but with the largest patience; with a keen relish for and appreciation of everything beautiful, great, and good, but with a temper so genial that the friction of the world shall not wear upon our sensibilities; with an equanimity so settled that no passing breath nor accidental disturbance shall agitate or ruffle it; with a charity broad enough to cover the whole world's evil, and sweet enough to neutralize what is bitter in it.....

To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

a little twist on the Shepherd

Spiritual resource to share: insight on comfort

I came across these notes in a file I started many years ago, and I don't know its source. (So let me know if YOU know!) But it provides a fresh way of seeing how God always provides for us and I thought it provided some solid week-end inspiration.

The Shepherd's Psalm XXIII

[DIVINE LOVE] is my shepherd; Protection

I shall not want. Supply

[LOVE] maketh me to lie down in green pastures: Abundance

[LOVE] leadeth me beside the still waters. Peace

[LOVE] restoreth my soul [spiritual sense]: Healing

[LOVE] leadeth me in the paths of righteousness Guidance

for His name's sake. Purpose

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, Experience

I will fear no evil: Confidence

for [LOVE] is with me; Omnipresence

[LOVE'S] rod and [LOVE'S] staff they comfort me. Instruction

[LOVE] prepareth a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Provision

[LOVE] anointeth my head with oil; Consecration

my cup runneth over. Gratitude, Joy

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; Assurance

and I will dwell in the house [the consciousness]of [LOVE] for ever. Eternal Life

"How can I want, when I have - green pastures, still waters, a restored Soul, right paths, protection, God with me, God showing me, a table in the wilderness, ample abundance running over me and only goodness and mercy following me, and a spectacular dwelling (the consciousness of Love forever)????"

photo by Gabe Korinek 2008 copyright

To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

growing up wild on Earth Day

Spiritual resource to share: whatever good we can do

I've talked about my son who goes to this cool school whose whole curriculum centers around earth stewardship. I love it. On Earth Day, the school is sponsoring a radio broadcast. If you'd like to listen in you can go to 90.3 FM if you are in WI and go to their website. Here is their announcement:

WI Public Radio's Jean Feraca Will Be On Campus For Earth Day Celebration

Conserve School is pleased to welcome Jean Feraca of Wisconsin Public Radio to their celebration of Earth Day on April 23, 2008. The public is invited to join staff and students as Ms. Feraca broadcasts her daily radio show “Here on Earth: Radio Without Borders” at the school from 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.(CST)

During the broadcast, she will interview Conserve School teacher Jeff Rennicke along with two current students and two alumni. Rennicke will discuss his program Growing Up Wild: Connecting Kids With The Great Outdoors, in which he speaks about the joys, frustrations and challenges of raising a new generation of young people who understand, enjoy and feel connected to the natural world around them.

students from Conserve

The current Conserve School students will discuss the relationship between themselves, Conserve School and the environment and the alumni will discuss how their education at the school has helped them become environmentally sensitive citizens.

I am happy that my son can be part of an action that can impact the world in a big way. And this 'big way' is made possible by taking many, many baby steps; by taking each individual seriously and seeing that each student holds a grand capacity for doing good - one step at a time, one day at a time, one person at a time.

So on Earth Day, go wild! We might not all be able to go back to school (sigh), but we all still have a grand capacity to do good. Remember to turn off your lights, recycle the garbage, don't buy into excess, and ride your bike.

Whatever good we can do adds up.





To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

Today is a good day to listen

Spiritual resource to share: listening

"Abiding Place" by Sonja Maneri

Today I am reminded of the importance of listening. This was prompted by a very dear friend who shared with me a song that she loves.

O may we be still and seek Him,
Seek with consecration whole,
Listening thus to hear the message,
Far from sense and hid in Soul.

He hath promised we shall find Him,
Love divine its promise keeps;
God is watching with the watchful,
God is Life that never sleeps.

If we pray to Him in secret,
Lift to Him the heart's desire,
We shall find our earthly longings
All made pure by Love's pure fire.

Then upon the precious metal
God's own image will appear,
Faithfully to Him reflected,
One with Him forever near.

This song's melody is a waltz, which just fits its harmonious message of quietness, repentence and closeness.

So today is a good day to pay attention and listen.
I know that God is constantly communicating ideas to us. God, as Love, Principle, and omni-action, is constantly actively connecting us with right ideas that nurture our growth.

I know that I can listen better.
I know that I reflect God. I know this about all God's children - we all reflect God. I can listen with the compassion and gentleness and insight I know from my relationship to God.

I can listen for openings, for new ideas, for fresh approaches; for redemption, recovery and renewal.
I can listen even if I have strayed from seeing my fellow man as less than Godlike, and I can instantly re-connect.

And then, when my listening is full, I can follow God's lead into the day.

Today is a good day for listening.







To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

more on PANGEA Day, May 10th

Spiritual resource to share: "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." -Phillipians 4: 8

One more post on PANGEA Day, May 10th (taken from an email from TED.com):

Wherever you will be on Saturday May 10, Pangea Day, you are warmly invited to join me and countless others around the world for a powerful, first-of-its kind experience.Gathered in homes, movie theaters and larger venues, we will participate in a remarkable program of films and talks -- a kind of super-charged, marathon TED session -- celebrating our common humanity.

If you think of yourself as something of a global soul, it could be one of the year's highlights. And in fact you could play an invaluable role in helping it realize its full potential... If you don't have time to read this now, please just calendar Pangea Day for Saturday, May 10th (11am-3pm US West Coast, 2-6pm US East Coast, 7-11pm in UK, 8pm-midnight in Europe and much of Africa, 9pm-1am in the Mideast, 11.30pm-3.30am India, etc.).

On that day, we invite you to gather around a screen with your family, friends and neighbors, preferably from more than one country. Pangea Day will be available on TV in many areas of the world. In the US, the full four-hour program is being carried live on Current TV, available in 41 million homes on the major cable and satellite systems.

Current TV pioneered the vision of citizen-empowered media, and we're delighted to be partnering with them. We have similar agreements with the massive satellite network Star TV in China/India/Asia, with MGM Networks in Latin America, with Sky in the UK, several partners in the Mid-East, not to mention Indonesia, Mexico, New Zealand and many more. Full details will be posted on our website next week.

And thanks to partnerships with Akamai and MSN, we will also be available on a live, full-screen web-stream everywhere with a broadband Internet connection.The best way to watch Pangea Day is not just as a normal TV show or web-stream. It should be watched as a community event.

We want the sense of the great global village gathering around a campfire. We already know of more than a thousand self-organized screenings taking place in homes, clubs, and movie theaters. We expect thousands more come May 10.

As many of you know, the day is the result of the combined efforts of countless TED supporters around the world, inspired by the TED Prize wish of film-maker Jehane Noujaim. She dreamed of a day when people around the world could share the the same film experience at the same time. The idea has grown into a giant global project... thanks to you. To get a sense of the scale of ambition, please take a minute to watch this beautiful trailer.

Here's the state of play: - Out of thousands of submissions, we have assembled a fantastic line-up of films. There are about 20 in total, ranging in length from 2 to 15 minutes (most of them around 5).

They all tell powerful stories, often without language, of what it is to be human. They are, by turns, funny, touching, dramatic, inspiring. - But you won't just be watching films. You'll be watching the world watching. We're bringing in live audience images from around the world. Watching a film about reconciliation is one thing.

Watching it while simultaneously witnessing the reactions of people who are supposed to hate each other will be something else altogether. - The day also features a dozen powerful three-minute talks from scientists, film-makers, story-tellers and global visionaries. Just as a session at TED takes us on a journey stimulating every part of our brains, so will Pangea Day. Don't dismiss it as a warm & fuzzy peace-fest.

The project builds on the latest ideas in anthropology, psychology and technology. We'll be revealing how.- The whole program is being broadcast in front of a live audience of 1,000 (from more than 50 countries) at a spectacular set being built at a Sony Studios soundstage in Los Angeles. - It will look and feel like nothing you've seen before.

If any of this excites you, please would you consider doing something to help the day realize its full potential. There are three specific things you can do.

1) Make firm plans to participate on May 10th. As a friend of TED, you can apply for free tickets to our main satellite-connected locations in LA, London, Rio de Janeiro, Kigali, Cairo or Mumbai. If you know you can bring a group of at least six people who will commit to being there for the full program, please write to pangeadaytickets@gmail.com. Or attend one of the other screenings listed in your area here. (If you happen to be in the San Francisco Bay Area, you can join a screening being organized there by a great group of TEDsters. Please write to Taylor Milsal, milsal@gmail.com)
2) Host a screening.
It could be in your home with a few friends and family. Or you could book a larger venue in your neighborhood and open it for others to come join. You'll just need a large TV screen, the right channel access (or a good Internet connection) and willingness to spend four hours as a global soul. The Pangea Day website has the details you need here. Make sure to add your screening to our fast-expanding global map.3) Most important of all. Please help us spread awareness of Pangea Day. There are numerous ways to do this:
- Forward this email to your friends and colleagues... and invite them nicely to do the same!
- Post a story on your website or blog
- Point people to some or all of the following high-impact films:

The Pangea Day website and trailer.

The series of anthems sung by one country for another that I sent you earlier this week, e.g.
France sings for USA
Kenya sings for India

A viral Pangea Day film that debuted at TED this year.

Do please write and tell us what you've done (you can write to my colleague, TED Scribe Jane Wulf, jane@ted.com). We want to recognize and celebrate those who make inspired contributions to the day.OK, that's the practical stuff.

Do you have one more minute? I'd like to just say something more about why Pangea Day is worth your time and effort.I think we can agree our world is becoming ever smaller/flatter/more inter-connected. An important consequence of this is that all of the issues that matter -- war, terrorism, poverty, disease, human rights, environment, climate change -- can only be tackled now from a global perspective. And yet the people supposedly trying to solve them are almost all serving narrow mandates on behalf of their nation, religion or tribe.

There's a terrifying mismatch here between the nature of the problems and the means the world is deploying to tackle them. "The world" itself doesn't even seem to have a seat at the table. But there's no reason this should be so. It is absolutely possible in the 21st century for us to begin a truly global conversation; to start nurturing that identity we share: one humanity.

Some use the language of promoting global citizenship, or reducing cross-cultural suspicion, or expanding our circle of empathy, or eliminating the "us/them" mode of thinking. These goals are all linked, and any progress toward them is, I think, a very big deal.I was brought up in an international boarding school in India with kids from more than 30 countries. We had a shared experience of each others' lives. Differences in color and race gradually faded.

I'm convinced today's media have the power to humanize "the other". To help people make the mental switch from "them" to "us". Telling stories through film is especially powerful in this regard. At the start of a film, you see someone strange-looking. At the end you feel kinship. There's no moral effort involved here. It's just a natural mental repositioning. Call me idealistic, but I really believe that that mental shift holds the key to our shared future.

Of course, May 10th won't lead to an outbreak of world peace. But I do think it will reveal a sense of possibility: the possibility that there are incredible new ways of using technology as a force for good; that peoples' minds are not locked in a dark place forever; that our global village can start the long journey from "us/them" to "we".

As the Pangea Day website says: Films can't change the world. But the people who watch them can.








To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

Circle the date to circle the world - May 10th

Spiritual resource to share: watching through another's eyes

I just finished installing the movies feature in my new facebook account. I had to admit. I love movies. So when TED.com ( an incredible organization celebrating all of what is innovative and progressive) announced PANGEA Day on May 10th, I was totally on board. Nothing like totally creative, idealistic, hopeful and pragmatic artists to get me going. Check it out.



The Pangea Day Mission & Purpose (from their website)
Pangea Day is a global event bringing the world together through film.

Why? In a world where people are often divided by borders, difference, and conflict, it's easy to lose sight of what we all have in common. Pangea Day seeks to overcome that – to help people see themselves in others – through the power of film.

The Pangea Day Event
Starting at 18:00 GMT on May 10, 2008, locations in Cairo, Kigali, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Rio de Janeiro will be linked for a live program of powerful films, live music, and visionary speakers. The entire program will be broadcast – in seven languages – to millions of people worldwide through the internet, television, and mobile phones.

Here is one of those programs from a series. They are each just one minute long. They feature a choir in one country singing another country's national anthem: a simple idea that packs surprising emotional power. This one is of France singing for the USA.












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the joy of cleansing and renewal

Spiritual resource to share: renewal

Happy New Year, kind of - Thai style! Our new exchange student daughter from Thailand, Taew, has been bravely dealing with our continued snow and cold, windy conditions.

However, these last three days, her very large family and countrymen have been whooping it up with the Songkran Festival - a national celebration whose main theme is renewal or rebirth.

"The idea is that as the old year gives way to a new one, it is a time to give thanks to elders and others who have bestowed acts of kindness upon you in the past year, and conversely, to expel all the bad luck and look forward to the good times the coming year will hopefully offer." Everything old and useless gets thrown out and people are drenched in water as a way to celebrate cleansing and renewal.

On learning of this, I poured through the internet, if not just to find pictures of people in extremely hot weather and sigh.

But, I thought further, what time is NOT good for renewal and rebirth? Now is a good time! Now is a good time for gratitude and appreciation and repentance and new ideas!

• Isa 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
• II Cor 6:2 Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
• Rev 21:5 Behold, I make all things new.
• Lam 3:22 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

So in honor of this most fun festival, get wet, throw out your garbage, kiss your grandparents and great aunt and uncle, and look forward to all of the infinite possibilities for good that lie ahead!



To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

God's Plan - a poem

Spiritual resource to share: other spiritually oriented websites!

I've been hopping onto TMCYouth.com a lot recently. The site is mainly for discussion on all things Christian Science - from healing oneself to questions about church and sharing Christian Science to questions about the Bible.

On this site, I found this little nugget of a poem called God's plan submitted by Newunffolddment.

For those of you new to Christian Science, God is defined in part by seven synonyms: Principle, Mind, Soul, Spirit, Life, Truth and Love. Enjoy!

A God orchestrated plan is one in which
Principle upholds,
what Mind constantly unfolds.

And Spirit enfolds,
what Love, already beholds.

Soul blends its rhythmic crescendo,
With Truth's harmony,
While creating and maintaining Life's balance-
From overture, to its complete fruition,
In restful rejoicing and gentle satisfaction.

To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

the day the sunshine melted the ice

Spiritual resource to share: our stories of encouragement and patience

We have had a few days of glorious weather -- 40 degrees Fahrenheit -- just above freezing. Kids have gone to school in t-shirts and sandals. The promise and anticipation of spring is literally in the air. Okay, but today, we are predicting another two inches of snow accompanied by a drop in the weather.

In my last post "Here comes the sun..." I had some wonderfully encouraging and hopeful comments that I wanted to share with you all. Here is one from fellow blogger, Kate:

Lovely...thank you Kim...I remember hearing a story about a Christian Science teacher who had faced a very protracted illness with unflagging resolve. When it finally yielded after years of treatment, he was asked, "What was the thought that finally broke through"....he responded by asking the person if they had ever seen a frozen river in winter. and they said yes, they had. He then asked them if they remembered how once Spring came you would watch and watch for the river to run freely again. The person said that yes, they had. He then asked them, "what day of the sun's shining melted the ice?"

The punch line was, "Every day"....I have loved this reminder that there is no day of the sun shining from within that doesn't melt away whatever seems frozen in our lives.

Keep shining! And for those of you readers nearer the equator and in the southern hemishpere, we appreciate your empathic reading!



photo by R.COFFEY - Fotolia.com

To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

making self-righteousness be still

Spiritual resource to share: releasing the heart

This is a tricky one. Self-righteousness can be such a tangled mess. But getting out of that mess is such a JOY!

It sometimes starts like this: I have a question about the rightness of an activity - usually it is the rightness of someone else's activity. I pray about it and come up with a conclusion that seems reasonable. I start studying and find all kinds of quotes and rules that support my view.
I make my stand. There is a subtle (or sometimes blatant) sense that others' behaviours need to change. I come to feel that by making this stand I am doing the only right thing. And that, if I don't make this stand, the world would be compromised.

So what is wrong with this picture? There is no God in this picture - except as a back up to justify my pre-conceived right way to do things! There is no humility, listening, dropping all sense of self, and willingness to change. This picture hides the unspoken fears, the pride of position and prejudices. Somehow it feeds the small ego into thinking that it is very important to be the one who can right this wrong. It also suggests that by restricting or controlling the behaviours of others, we are doing the right thing.

Here are some ideas have come to my rescue when I have struggled with this: "...humility... is the genius of Christian Science (Miscellaneous Writings by Mary Baker Eddy). Cast the beam out of one's own eye. (See Luke 6.) Let go (of ego) and let God. All of these ideas have helped me break the back of self-righteousness from time to time.

I once worked in a traveling performing group. Our schedule was tight with a show in a different city almost every night. The five of us were together 24/7. When little tensions would flare up, we dealt with them fleetingly, but enough so that we could get back to work. Finally at one point, the tension and pressure of the performance schedule fueled with self-righteousness and a growing frustration led to one very alert member to call for a time out.

What happened next was lovely. After one of our shows, we all met in the back of our traveling RV. We all agreed that we needed to talk.

We first established that we loved each other and that we appreciated each other. This was a surprising and delightful thing to do! It helped to disarm any self-righteousness any of us may have felt. We kept it up until we felt that we firmly had a foundation of love, trust and respect.

We openly talked about our hopes and our motive to make our whole adventure a blessing to others and a support to each another. Even though we all understood what the mission and purpose of our adventure was when we signed up, we needed to re-fresh that and affirm what we were all about and what noble goals we had hoped to achieve. It was in this atmosphere of a unified purpose that we could go forward.

It was only then that we brought up some things that were a concern to us. Then and only then could we go into removing what were becoming increasingly heavy burdens to our work. Being sure to not accuse anyone of wrongdoing, we were able to impersonalize the errant actions and re-establish our trust of one another. Then we each stated individually how certain actions made us feel.

Gone was the sense that if a person felt a concern about something, then they obviously didn't know enough about God! (Doesn't that even sound silly?) Gone was the sense that one person had to carry the whole group. (Whew!) And what was revealed was a sweet kindness that we had always had toward one another, but had been temporarily buried under the pressure of the schedule, misunderstandings and hurt feelings.

The tour went on very successfully. But even more so, I walked away with a major lesson on how to make self-righteousness be still. It is that can be constantly fine-tuned!








To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

The heart grows rich in giving....

Spiritual resource to share: giving

So now my favorite show to watch on the 'net is Oprah's Big Give. Have any of you seen it? Basically, Oprah and friends of Oprah give money to a selected group of people who compete against one another to give this money away in the most creative way. Combining the popularity of reality tv shows and the interest in seeing people get eliminated every week, she taps into the fundamental satisfaction of giving unselfishly. And not only that, but the competitive element sharpens the focus on giving as creatively and as exponentially as you can.

What a hoot! Those team members are most successful when they are able to get others who have been dumbfounded on receiving cash and gifts from a perfect stranger, to go and give of themselves to others. A Pay It Forward kind of act.

It is catching. The responses from the team members, once they have done their deeds, are great! They are exhilarated and happy, happy, happy. It's kind of like starting a movement. The attraction and satisfaction of being unselfish is catching on!

It makes me think......

We are all rich: in spirit, in time, in stories to share, in experience, in hidden talents like writing, singing, speaking Finnish, and maybe in things like money, clothes, toys, etc. How can we give even more creatively and in a way that builds momentum for others to give? And how can we do it in a deeply satisfying way? How can we do this so that it makes us laugh for the joy of it all?

Here are some inspiring "giving" ideas from two of my favorite books:


Giving does not impoverish us in the service of our Maker, neither does withholding enrich us.

Happiness is spiritual, born of Truth and Love. It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it.

II Cor 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

The rich in spirit help the poor in one grand brotherhood, all having the same Principle, or Father; and blessed is that man who seeth his brother's need and supplieth it, seeking his own in another's good.

Your thoughts??







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here comes the sun...

Spiritual resource to share: being present

...we hope. I woke up this morning to eight inches of freshly fallen snow. My heart sunk. We have had months of a record snowfall. I scrambled to find all my past posts where I lauded the beauty and magic of the first snowfall. But the beauty and magic of the snow alluded me now.

Have you ever been in a situation where you were waiting and waiting for something, and then, right when you thought you were going to get "it" (whatever it was you were waiting for), you realized you had to wait some more?

When I have been in these situations where the waiting is prolonged, I remember being brought out of a sense of impatience and irritation by being more present and grateful to what is happening now.

We all need to wait for things, but when that waiting turns into thinking that you lack what you need now, and can only have it sometime in the future - and the nearer that future the better -thought turns inward and restrictive.

What has been most helpful to me is Christ Jesus saying: "the kingdom of God is within you."

The Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven is defined in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by MBEddy as "the reign of harmony in divine Science; the realm of unerring, eternal, and omnipotent Mind; the atmosphere of Spirit, where Soul is supreme."

And most comforting of all, MBEddy writes,'.... remember Jesus' words, "The kingdom of God is within you." This spiritual consciousness is therefore a present possibility.'

So the atmosphere of Spirit, the reign of harmony is a present possibility. Right now. Right now as you are reading this. But how can that be? When we have waited so long? Step up to this claim and make it your own. You can claim this. Harmony right now is a present possibility.

Harmony, goodness, love and abundance aren't stuck in a material expression. They are qualities of thought. And we can align our thought with all we know of God. We can harmonize with God. We can pray. We can accept that the kingdom of God is here.

It is this yielding and letting go of sometimes our most cherished hopes that may be hardest to do. But actually it is harder to hold on to these hopes when we can only see that they come in a certain form: For instance if we feel that we have to see that person, or we have to see green grass growing or we must get out of this place -- in order to be happy, we are stuck. Letting go of those materially based hopes help us see the good we already have - now.

The kingdom of God is already within us. We can expect to feel that satisfaction that we have what we need, and trust that God is guiding us to those places that are best for us. And best of all, we can see the beauty and loveliness that exist around us right now.





To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.