sharing Christian Science

Spiritual resource to share: opening up and having fun

I am so glad to hear the conversation about sharing Christian Science opening up that is going on online. (Click here to join the discussion.) Many years ago, my Christian Science friends and I felt (for some reason) that we all needed to hide our religion.

But now, I haven’t had a problem with this at all. So I thought about why. And here is what I came up with.

I really get that Christian Science is universal. I really understand that Christian Science operates as freely and unconditionally as the law of gravity.

Just as everyone operates under the laws of gravity, everyone operates under the laws of Christian Science.

I haven’t found a person who doesn’t respond favorably to Truth, purity, and clarity. Our judicial system is based on defending truth, health laws require purity, journalists and other communicators practice and expect clarity in their communications. This is the law of Truth operating and as Mary Baker Eddy says, “Christian Science is the law of Truth (see Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 482: 27)

Who doesn’t strive to be good or to do good things? This makes sense for all children of God love good – loving all that is fulfilling, meaningful, substantial and loving. Artists strive for substance in their work, people are led to find companionship and work that is fulfilling and meaningful, and singers and poets have never exhausted the theme of what it means to be loving. This is the law of good operating. Mary Baker Eddy writes in Rudimental Divine Science p. 1 “Christian Science is the law of God, the law of good.”

Harmony is a desired trait in our lives. We seek it out because we are all spiritual beings who feel most natural when our bodies, our relationships and our actions are harmonious.

We balance our checkbooks, arrange our work schedules, appreciate and recognize the beauty of a river, the symmetry of traffic or even when a glitch in our computer is fixed! This is the law of harmony operating in our lives. In Science and Health p. 134: 21, Mary Baker Eddy refers to Christian Science as “the natural law of harmony.”

Intelligence, order, efficiency, ( do you see where I am going with this?), we all get this; we all have these qualities in our everyday experiences. If we didn’t have these qualities in our lives, the world would probably implode. The intelligence of the rescue and renovation efforts going on in Haiti and the relentless persistence for more efficiency and expediency come from all of us children of God who know that intelligence and order and love and compassion are what make up practical and effective ways to help each other. This is the law of Mind that operates in us and through us. Mary Baker Eddy writes that “Christian Science is the law of divine Mind”. ( Miscellany p. 240:11.)

So if Christian Science is already operating in everyone’s lives, Christian Science is already present in whatever situation we are in.

When introducing myself to others or when being a part of a conversation in which religion or spirituality comes up, I usually share by saying I’m a Christian Scientist or a student of Christian Science who is studying the science or the “how-to” of Christianity. And then I’ll share an interesting idea I found relevant to the conversation, and then ask them what they have learned or what they can share.

The Golden Rule applies of course and I treat others with a natural respect and that’s reciprocated.

There are always times to be alert to misstated facts like the questions about Scientology or faith healing. But it is easy to correct those statements.

Although I have come across some people who simply don’t like Christian Science ( or whatever it has been that they heard about Christian Science), but for every one person who has been negative about it I have found so many more people who are willing to talk about their own spirituality and are open to hearing new ideas about Christian Science.

One of my friends who went to a Christian Science lecture with me said, “Kim, I don’t know if I could ever be a Christian Scientist, but it gives me such hope that there are those who practice in this way.” We don’t need to try to convince anyone of anything here. Just sharing a simple truth like “Good is not helpless” or Love can lead the way” can be so helpful and meaningful to people. We can offer some needed encouragement or direction.

People are already familiar with and operating under the laws of good, of harmony, of intelligence and truth. It is not too hard to share with them other laws of God – in other words, it’s not too hard to share Christian Science.

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.

who am I going to be?

Spiritual resource to share: activity

hiking through Mauricio's farmlands in the jungle near Puerto Viejo on the southeastern coast of Costa Rica

About halfway into our three week trip in Costa Rica, I remember waking up, dreading another hilly walk to our language school, reluctantly starting off the day. As I approached the school, I had a wake up call, or more specifically a wake up question: "Who am I going to be?"

I had been building up a litany of excuses to be tired over the last few days. Really, it had become quite a rut:

Oh - I am doing so much!

Oh - learning a language is so stressful!

Oh - I can't believe how steep, how long, how hot, how cold, how difficult, how high, how low, how complex, and just how tiring things were!

That question - who am I going to be? - helped me see that I was unwittingly setting the stage for fatigue. And ...is that who I wanted to be? Did I actually want to be tired and fatigued?? With whom and with what was I identifying myself?

I am ever so grateful to be practicing Christian Science where establishing our right identification with God is a regular discipline. I have taken to starting my day by broadening my understanding of God, the infinite and eternal Life, Truth and Love. Then I take time to understand just who I am as God's image and likeness.

• As I see God as Love, I see that I am made in the image of Love and I am naturally loving, learning and connecting with others.
• As I see God as Truth, I see that I am made in the image and likeness of all that is pure and true. I have integrity, honesty, clarity and order as my inheritance.
• As I see God as Life, I see that I am made in the image and likeness of Life - of all that is active, energizing, growing.

I could just as easily choose to think tiring and burdensome thoughts as I could choose to think thoughts of peace, order and strength. The difference is that thoughts of peace, order and strength have divine authority - are part of the spiritual substance of Life, God. Tiring and burdensome thoughts are finite beliefs, based on limitations and are ultimately, self-destructive.

So who am I going to be? A child of God made in the image and likeness of God? Or a tired and stressed mortal? When put in those terms, it was pretty easy to choose.

On the walk home from school that day, I was seeing more beauty; I identified more birds; the valley below the school was ribboned with clouds; I bumped into new friends on the way home.

I could easily identify and feel grateful that I am doing so much.

Every day I was gaining more mastery in speaking Spanish.

And every day I was seeing how beautiful, now majestic, how peaceful, how stunning, how articulate, how happy, and how timely my days were.

Who am I being? I had to agree with this: I am being the alert, active and grateful child of an all-loving, omni-active God.

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.

angel with moose wings

Spiritual resource to share: self-forgiveness and expectation of good

Two evenings ago, I took my dog, Mocha, out to a remote area where we could hike a wide expanse of lake. The ice on the lake had been frozen over for months and gave us an open vista to run and jump through drifts while watching the sun set.

I parked the car easily and Mocha and I were soon out of the car and onto our hike. But when returning, I realized there was an ever so slight slope to my parking space. But that was enough to keep me from backing up onto the icy dirt road and head on home. After thirty minutes of trying to get out, I was stuck.

I realized I didn't have my cellphone.

I realized that we had earlier emptied the car out of all emergency equipment

I realized that it was getting dark and this was pretty remote.

Oops.

I realized I needed to pray.

My first thought was to berate myself for not having checked before I left to see that I had what I needed in case of an emergency. I drive in remote areas so often and it is almost second nature to have with me these emergency things. I needed to forgive myself - immediately. I didn't have time to dwell in self-condemnation and fearful speculation. It was getting dark fast.

Mocha and I walked out a half mile to a paved road. Far down the road, I could see headlights of a car. I waved earnestly with both arms. It went right past me.

Sure, I thought, who is going to want to pick up a stranger with a Rottweiler at night? Right on the wings of that thought came another. I had a choice. I turned down the ideas that I could be abandoned or that we would have a long, cold lonely 10 mile walk home.

I started listening to angels - "God's thoughts passing to man" - that assured me that God is right with me. God cares for each of His children. This is a law of Love operating right now on our behalf -- and on behalf of any of God's children that happen to pass by this way!

Another set of headlights. Another car passed by, but then stopped, went into reverse and stopped again in front of me.

As the driver of this 4x4 pick up truck with a trailer hitch rolled down his window, I explained my situation and asked if he had a phone I could use. He volunteered to take me to my car and help pull me out. Mocha and I jumped in the back of the pick up and into a wide all-embracing set of wing-like antlers of a moose. We negotiated space with the antlers and then took off to find our car.

What was lovely about this experience was the man - he was kind, understanding and concerned for my safety. After he easily pulled my car out onto the dirt road, he followed me to be sure that I could get to the paved road with no problem. The fullness of God's care for each of His children was shown through this man's unselfishness and kindness. This was God's angel message in a fully equipped pick-up truck.

After many heartfelt thanks, we parted on the paved road and Mocha and I were safely on our way home.

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.

Natación con pirañas/swimming with piranhas

Spiritual resource to share: love of adventure

Recurso espiritual de compartir: amor de aventura

Presented first in Spanish, followed by a translation in English

Presentado primero en español, seguido de una traducción en inglés

(Por favor véase abajo para más información/See below for more information)

Este articulo (abajo), escrito en 1974 por Alex Noble y publicado en El Monitor de Christian Science, ha sido un pilar inspirador - lo saco siempre que yo esté listo a emprender algo nuevo y desconocido. ¡Disfrute!

Pasos avanzados

Encuentro que el riesgo hacia objetivos expansivos y loables es esencial. Mientras el riesgo es fácil para hablar de, no es tan fácil practicar. Cuando tomo un riesgo, ampliándome en una nueva dirección, parece a salir en un lago congelado. La invitación de miradas superficial, ábrase y seguro. Pero hay siempre la posibilidad que el hielo rajará - la posibilidad de fracaso, de poner en ridículo de mí. Siempre que yo tome un riesgo - hacia el desarrollo de una nueva habilidad, hacia una amistad nueva y desafiante - casi siempre tengo dudas profundas en cuanto a la sabiduría de mi curso.

Verdadero a cada paso de la nueva experiencia cuando esto no se abre antes de mí, avanzo, sostenido sólo por un sentido interior de aseguramiento y necesidad, aunque el paisaje circundante pueda parecer incierto y hasta peligroso.

En cualquier situación de riesgo, trato de mantener que una buena voluntad de dejar va de cosas que no calculan de un modo natural y espontáneo. Debe haber libertad, flujo y crecimiento. Pero un nuevo talento o habilidad, un nuevo amigo, una perspectiva fresca en mi vida - éstos bien valen el examen de conciencia lo que arriesga por lo general provoca.

Jean Cocteau ha dicho, "un artista debería averiguar lo que él hace todo lo posible, y luego hacer algo más. ¿" Qué debe adelantar allí si me quedo la caja fuerte y caliente dentro de los límites de una orden cómoda, establecida? ¿Por otra parte, qué puedo posiblemente perder encarando el nuevo, el desconocido, dónde asombroso, las cosas vigorizadoras, que abren horizonte, y hacer, pueden pasar? En la toma de riesgos, a menudo me hago esta pregunta: ¿"es hecho algo de un impulso de mi truest mí un error, sin tener en cuenta qué podría pasar?"


ENGLISH

This piece, written in 1974 by Alex Noble and published in The Christian Science Monitor, has been an inspirational mainstay - I pull it out whenever I am ready to embark on something new and unknown. Enjoy!

Stepping forward

I find that risk toward expansive and creditable goals is essential. While risk is easy to talk about, it is not so easy to practice. When I take a risk, extending myself in a new direction, it is like stepping out onto a frozen lake. The surface looks inviting, open and secure. But there is always the possibility that the ice will crack - the possibility of failure, of making a fool of myself. Whenever I take a risk - toward developing a new skill, toward a new and challenging friendship - I almost always have deep misgivings as to the wisdom of my course. True to each step of the new experience as it opens up before me, I move forward, sustained only by an inner sense of assurance and necessity, even though the surrounding landscape may appear uncertain and even dangerous.

In any risk situation, I try to maintain a willingness to let go of things that are not working out in a natural and spontaneous way. There must be freedom, flow and growth. But a new talent or skill, a new friend, a fresh perspective on my life - these are well worth the soul-searching that risk usually provokes.

Jean Cocteau has said, "An artist should find out what he does best, and then do something else." What is there to gain if I stay safe and warm within the confines of a comfortable, established order? On the other hand, what can I possibly lose by confronting the new, the unknown, where amazing, invigorating, horizon-opening things can, and do, happen? In taking risks, I often ask myself this question: "Is anything done from an impulse of my truest self a mistake, regardless of what might happen?"

Después de bajar por 800 pasos a una cascada hermosa en Costa Rica, nos dijeron que los peces en los fondos estuvieron relacionados con pirañas - sin embargo, esto era una relación distante y estos peces eran vegetarianos!

After climbing down 800 steps to a beautiful waterfall in the cloud forests of Costa Rica, we were told that the fish in the surrounding pools were related to piranhas - however the relation was quite distant and these fish were vegetarian!

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 light that keeps shining

Spiritual resource to share: comfort

Days after the thrill of a surprising victory at a recent competition my son was in, we heard the tragic news. One of his schoolmates passed on after a short illness. This had us all running for comfort, trying to find ways to make sense of this.

Comfort is a gift. And, like a gift, it has to be accepted. This may be hard after shocking news, but after the anger and questions calm down, we can reach out for and receive comfort.

There is a song about comfort:

Like as a mother, God comforteth Her children,

comfort is calm, that bids all tumult cease.

Comfort is hope and courage for endeavor,

comfort is love, whose home abides in peace.*

Comfort as calm, as hope, as courage, as love. This is a gift for each of us. This is a gift that helps to clear our head so we can see what is true and lasting about life.

Some say that time will heal the hard headache of grief. But perhaps that is only the time it takes

• to let go of the disorientation and welcome a new re-orientation to life.
• to stop looking at the lost opportunities and find the opportunities that exist right now to love each other, to help each other, to enjoy each other.
• to replace the shame of past unkindnesses with the affirmation of the life (the love, the goodness, the joy) that was shared
• to replace the guilt of forgetting with the balm of forgiveness. It is not too late.
• and finally, to exchange the fear of loss and change with an understanding of what is changeless.

Sooner or later, we recognize the integral part each friend, each family member and even each acquaintance has in the fabric of our lives. We weave into one another's lives like the threads that weave over and under and cross each other in a taut fabric ..... and there is no unraveling.

Love is spiritual and good - like light. We can no more lose what is good than we can lose light. Consider that the absence of a loved one brings their gifts into sharp focus and demands recognition!

My son and his classmates are celebrating their friend's life. They are preparing a memorial service with his pictures, his stories and all that he brought to this startlingly connected school community. This action - shared by the whole school - was quickly becoming an affirmation of life and the continuity of community. His friend's life's connections showed them what their life connections were.

"Mom, I want to stay here with my friends" my son explained to me when I asked if he wanted to come home for a while, "you can feel the healing going on."

It becomes more obvious than ever before that we are all important to one another. The light that we bring to others keeps shining. And the light of this friend goes on in all the lives of all the people he touched.

* Christian Science Hymnal Hymn #174


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.

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Aprendiendo a escuchar

Spiritual resource to share: Lessons and inspirations in Spanish!
Recursos espirituales de compartir: ¡Lecciones e inspiraciones en español!

Vine a Costa Rica por muchas razones, incluyendo aprender a escuchar. Mi educación de español era un poco irregular, pero tengo bastante capacidad y puedo hablar mas o menos bien. Pero, es obvio, necesito escuchar con mas atencion.

Los creo que se necesitan tres cosas escuchar con atención:

1 – la voluntad

2 – amor

3 – la creencia que es posible.

La voluntad

Querer algo es estar abierto a una experiencia nueva. En este caso, no es importante tener un orden del día, pero es im portant estar receptivo a cualquier cosa que otra persona haya dicho.

Amor

El Amor - es uno de las siete cualidades de Dios (se escrita en Ciencia y los Salud con Clave de las Escrituras por Mary Baker Eddy). Y mas, los sinónimos de amor son balance, harmonía, y la igualdad entre demanda y provisión.

Cuando hay un ambiente de harmonía, es mas fácil remover las distracciones y entonces, tener un enfoque claro a la otra persona. Existe un equilibran entre el hablante y el escucha. Hay una expectación que el mensaje es claro decir y igualmente claro escuchar.

La creencia es que es posible escuchar y comprender

Creencias como "yo ningún tengo la capacidad a aprender; estoy tan viejo, tan perezoso, tan preocupado" etc. Esos creencias necesitan tirarles.

Sus creencias probado la direccion de su vida, y es su responsabilidad de elegir sus pensamientos con sabiduría.

Su deseo, expectaciones, y voluntad alcanzara un otros y escuchara con un actitud que sera abierta y apoyara. Aprendiendo a escuchar es aprendiendo a amar.

humble expectations

Spiritual resource to share: a spiritual approach to new experiences

I was surprised when clicking off my Godwords* before our trip that it started with humble expectations. But as we headed off to the airport, with our bare minimum luggage and packs, long list of contacts and addresses - humble expectations were the one thing I kept reminding myself were most important.

This wasn't a trip in which we were trying to get away from it all, nor was it a luxury trip. It was a trip designed for the four of us to have time together to explore and play off our own discoveries of what we were learning and enjoying with each other and with the people we met along the way.

Humble expectations helped me to NOT outline, and to be open to new experiences. So, if the food, accommodations, travel arrangements or weather were not what we were used to, we have already set up the framework of this trip to be ready for anything and thrive outside of our own comfort zone!

O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts

Humble expectations helped to clear the deck so we could see beyond what was familiar. Drawn to what is infinite and good, we weren't disappointed!

The first week, we lived in a clean and airy beach cottage with electricity and running water, just a two minute walk to the beach. Every day, we would do something - sea kayaking, ziplining, visiting an animal rescue center, hiking up through the jungle, eating and smelling our way through with the help of a new friend whose family had lived there for decades.

Every afternoon we would take in the beach, or explore the town or just relax. Dinners were out in the bohemian town of Puerto Viejo where reggae, arabic and hip hop could be heard on the streets. Nights we were together, talking, reading, writing, falling asleep to the sound of the waves or the wind....

The last two weeks were spent up in the mountains of Costa Rica where we went to language school and volunteered in the community and took in the incredible diversity of the flora and fauna and the people.

"The earth is full of Thy riches" and I was enriched by just letting go of any outlining and letting in the beauty and the fun that was there for the taking.

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.

I'm baaaaack!

Spiritual resource to share: returning home

Hello!

I have missed being here at my desk, blogging away into the blogosphere and catching connections with all of you who stop in and visit.

But it has been a very full few months and I am happy to say I have kept up with family and the practice. But two other major projects demanded the rest of my time.

1 - We now are part of a blended household. My parents moved in the end of October and we have continued to take the best of two households and blend them into one, and giving the rest away to thrift stores and charities. Work on renovations, remodeling, and unpacking all were finished before Christmas and we were all tucked in quite nicely for the holidays.

2 - Plans for an amazing family trip to Costa Rica were underway most of this time. In January we spent 3 weeks on the beaches and in the mountains exploring the language, the people and the incredible bio-diversity that Costa Rica is known for

I have lots more material to share with you all, so stay tuned! And it is good to be back.

Christmas Hope

Spiritual resource to share: readings from inspired writings



As I looked at the Glossary from Mary Baker Eddy's book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, it struck me how many words applied directly to the Christmas story. So that became the basis of my readings for a Wednesday evening testimony meeting. Enjoy! And have a blessed Christmas!

Jer 17: 7
Job 11: 17, 18
SH 591: 23

Isaiah 9:6-7
Psalm 72:17

SH 581: 4
SH 588: 7
Luke 1: 26- 37

SH 494: 15 (only)
135: 6
591: 21
Luke 1: 38- 47, 56

SH 589: 19
582:14
589: 16-18
Matt 1: 18-24
Luke 2:4-7

SH 596: 11 (only), 15
510: 9
593: 4
Matt 2:1, 2, 5, 6, 9-11

SH vii: 4, 2
594: 12
584:26
298: 28-30
Luke 2: 8- 20, 22, 24

SH 583: 10
590: 9
582: 1
Luke 2: 25-33, 36-40

29: 20-1
298:13-15, 19-20, 22-24
319:5-7
446:20-23
45: 16
482: 19-22, 23

Hymn 236
Hymn 310
Hymn 222









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.

Lessons from trees and babies and patients

Spiritual resource to share: fun

No one ever told me how much laughter happens when you are in the daily practice of Christian Science. There is much joy to be harvested here -and sometimes that joy comes out in full throated guffaws. You operate on honesty and earnestness and you expect and demand results. It has to be practical. It ends up being joy-full.

In one particular conversation with a patient, we were talking about moving forward and how this is natural for us to do. As natural as the seedling rises to its full purpose of a tree, it is part of our nature as children of an all-loving intelligent God, to rise to our full purpose.

A favorite quote comes to thought: "The place where God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet." (F. Buechner) It is not what we love that moves us forward , it is THAT we love that we cannot help but move, grow, and continue to bless others as well as ourselves. God calls us to fulfill Her holy purpose. We respond.

But what about dealing with obstacles or seeming setbacks? What would try to divert, hinder or stop us from moving forward. Perhaps it is nothing but our own fabrications.

So, our conversation continued, how would a child learning to walk deal with a stumble? We know that something in them moves them forward; some compelling and holy curiosity gets them to stand up and try again. This is not heroic or out of the ordinary. This is what babies do! (Can you even imagine a baby taking a tumble and then refusing to get up? "Oh yes, you see," this hypothetical baby might try to explain, "I just must be the falling down baby type. Perhaps I am really meant to be on the floor." Preposterous.)

Segue to the Bible's book on II Timothy, where it states:

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.... Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus ....

And answering this calling, and practicing this Truth, and sharing/discovering it with others leads to a joy that just makes you want to look up, hold your arms out and laugh.


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.