Grown Up Christmas Wish

What would you like to receive for Christmas? What are you giving? They have to match!
Several years ago, David Foster wrote the  song "My Grown Up Christmas List."  It is filled with ideas of things I want for myself and all beings everywhere.
A few of the lyrics are:

"No more lives torn apart  That wars would never start   And time would heal all hearts... And everyone would have a friend...And right would always win...And love would never end...This is my grown up Christmas list... This is my only lifelong wish...This is my grown up Christmas list."

A bridge between the verses states; "What is this illusion called the innocence of youth...Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth!"

O Christmas tree!

 I love the innocence of youth and don't think it is an illusion. I think about the feeling of wonder and awe that accompanied my early Christmas evenings when we finished decorating our tree, turned all the house lights off and sang carols. 'Blind belief' sounds like what many people would call faith. What is the truth we are looking for?

Jesus promised that he had come so we could live more abundantly. He promised peace... the peace that "passeth recognition."

I am ready for peace. I am ready to let fear be a thing of the past. If that is really my intention, what is my promise?  Since I must provide  a channel for my demonstration, it means that I must be prepared to live as peace. That means I cannot let my heart be troubled ever. As Dr. Bitzer, one of our pioneers in Science of Mind, was fond of saying, "Don't abandon Principle even for a special occasion!" I am being called to live as peace no matter what!

I am also ready to live in a world in which "no lives are torn apart." No lives torn apart by abuse, or neglect, or divorce or boredom! As a practitioner of the Science of Mind, I am called to see right action only...to see with spiritual eyes... to perceive the presence of the Divine even in the most challenging circumstances.

I am ready for a world in which "no wars will ever start."  But can I believe it?

Do I believe that "time will heal all hearts?" Do I believe that Principle is not bound by precedent? Or do I believe that the future is going to be a repeat of the past? It is time for self-examination, with loving kindness and honesty. Or is is possible, that simply by perceiving with spiritual truth, all broken hearts are healed?

Do I believe that love is eternal? Or do I believe that it can and does end?

I encourage you to join me this Christmas, to make a grown up Christmas List that we are willing to pray unceasingly to create. The time is now and we are the ones.
The video below is a beautiful rendition of Natalie Cole and David Foster singing "My Grown Up Christmas List." There is a special bonus for my Asian friends. Enjoy it!

The Joy of Cause and Effect

The Joy of Cooking

I just had a funny conversation with our administrator Diane Hennessy about the talk title "Joy of Living." She said, "It makes me think about a cookbook." To which I replied, "It is a cookbook! I have it." Then she responded, "No, that is what I thought, too. The cookbook is titled "The Joy of Cooking!" We both have the cookbook.I must admit that I never really found joy in cooking. I have not used my cookbook for a long time, but it didn't change titles. 

Think about it: The Joy of Living! When I hear that phrase, I see Snoopy doing his happy dance. I think of someone who is deliriously happy!

Does your life feel joyful? Do you awaken every day and hug yourself because you are living your life? Do you appreciate your work? your family and friends? your health? Do you break into smiles for no reason other than you are deliciously enjoying being you?

My rigorously honest answer would be sometimes. Sometimes I am so happy, I smile all the time. Sometimes I appreciate my health and praise myself for the well-being I am experiencing. Sometimes I appreciate my friends and family. Sometimes I appreciate my life.

Yes, I am living a privileged, inspired life right now. I am living this inspired life not because of the color of my skin or where I am blessed to live. (Although they are both true as well.) I am living this inspired privileged life because I know who I am and how life gets to be the way it is. I know what causes things to be the way they are. Knowing who I am, automatically brings me joy. 

Pierre Teillard de Chardin wrote, "Joy is the infallible sign of the Presence of God."

Years ago I found some books by Danish philosopher, scientist and poet whose short, sometimes illustrated philosophical poems were called Grooks. His Grooks almost always made me smile.  The idea of cause and effect reminded me of this Grook: 

Rhyme and Reason

"There was an old woman

who lived in a shoe.

She had so many children.

She didn't know what to do.

But try as she would

She could never detect

which was the cause

and which the effect."

I smile when I read or even think about Hein's poetry.

Well, the old woman was puzzled about cause and effect on the physical plane. We can

   laugh about it now.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Like many other people of my era, I thought that life was something that just happened

 to me.

I thought that if I were lucky, I would have happiness, health and peace of mind. 

Now I have come to understand that we have  a limitless power which is always 

responding to us.

I understand that with this Power I am constantly creating the life of my beliefs. 

My deepest beliefs, including all the unexamined ones and the shadows, all of them are

coming into the visible plane through my consciousness.

If I do not like the result, I go back to my perceptions, and after determining what my

false beliefs are, I use affirmative prayer to change my mind, to create a new belief.

I am so grateful for knowing what I know.

Life is good now. Take a moment and let Life tickle you!

Feeling Joy With Baxter and Freddy 

Are You Pretending to Believe

"If you will only believe, and not just pretend to believe, that Infinite Intelligence is guiding you in all your ways  -- in your thoughts, words and deeds, you will be led along the right road. Artists, poets, writers, and inventors listen to their voice of intuition. As a result, they are able to astonish the world by their beauties and glories drawn from the storehouse of knowledge within themselves."  Dr. Joseph Murphy, The Psychic Perception: the Magic of Extra Sensory Power

"Then Jesus said to the centurion, 'Go! Let it be done just as you have believed it would! And his servant was healed at that moment."  Matthew 8:13

Rev. Dr. Lisa Laurie Stewart wrote these words to begin  her monthly letter to ANTN, our sister organization of which she serves as President. She continues:

 "Are you pretending to believe? Or do you believe that your thoughts create your reality, no matter what. 

If you are blaming someone else for your experience, you are a pretender.

... If you think you need your job because you need the money, you are a pretender. 

 If you blame the government, the President, the President-elect, the candidate, the congress FOR ANYTHING, you are a pretender.

Are you living from the mystical where ALL things are possible, or are you living from an experience and a belief in lack and just pretending to love and live New Thought? Which is it? A house divided cannot stand. If you are pretending, in any area, get a teacher, study a book, not just flip through it or speed read, but STUDY it, intend to grow in wisdom and awareness."

I love this idea from Dr. Murphy.

If I am  caught up in fear, blame, excuses, old habits, or anything else that is not befitting for a person immersed in Infinite Intelligence, I am being a pretender.

One of the ways to make welcome Infinite Intelligence and break the cycle of pretending is to take a class. Right now there are two fantastic classes that are being offered at our Center. Rev. Arpad Petrass is offering a class he created "Writing to Heal While Learning to Dance."  I just began a class called "The Essential Ernest" which is a class about Ernest's ideas and how they fit into your life! My class begins with the Declaration of Principles and continues by exploring the first four chapters of the textbook, The Science of Mind. It mirrors what is happening on Sundays, in that we began our exploration of values by going back to the basics.

It is done unto us as we believe. Do we make excuses and look outside ourselves for causation? Or do we take full responsibility, change our thinking and change our lives? It is fully up to you.

Are you confident in the spiritual truth?  Or are you just a big pretender?

Consciously Enter the Godmode

Jason Silva's, Shots of Awe, Entering Godmode, is a profound visual and auditory experience. Silva is a man who is excited about the possibilities that are within us and available to us right now.  I love his enthusiasm and knowledge. From Silva's point of view, this is a leading edge idea. Indeed it is a ;leading edge idea, and we, students of the Science of Mind have been on that leading edge since the 1920's. 

As students of the Science of Mind, we have had this knowledge for a very long time. Are you as excited as Jason about what you can create? Or have you become mesmerized by the your circumstances, habits and ordinary thoughts?

It really is exciting to truly understand that not only can we create our own experience, but that we are always doing so. We are not always conscious of that creative process.

Consciousness creates form.

Your consciousness is subject to your beliefs. What do you believe about yourself and your capabilities? Have you started to awaken to that inner giant, your subconscious mind? Have you awakened to the other inner giant, the Presence of the Divine?

This upcoming Sunday, my message is "There is Only One Life" and I will be exploring that God expresses in and though all that is and all that ever will be.

Since Spirit shows up through the creative process in all people, all beings and all life, it is important to plant seeds of your choice.

What are you planting?  Are you planting the same old ideas year after year? Or has something inspired you to make  a quantum leap to a whole new world? What is the best possible world you can imagine for yourself? Plant those ideas!

Whenever I watch one of Jason Silva's videos, I am inspired by the infinite possibles within me, to the difference I can make just because I know what I know.

I am envisioning such great things this year. I am envisioning collaboration and cooperation greater than any we have seen thus far. I am envisioning more kindness and caring. I am envisioning more connection with friends and family.I am envisioning a healthy mind and a healthy body. And I am envisioning more prosperity and abundance than ever before for all of us.

Are you willing to consciously enter the "Godmode" and plant seeds of excellence, newness and vitality? This would be saying yes to your Higher Power's greatest ideas about you. listen to your heart and move in the direction of your dreams.

Love is a Stimulus

Ernest Holmes writes: "When we find we are without friends, the thing to do is at once to send our  thought out to the whole world; send it full of love and affection. Know that this thought will meet the desires of some other person who is wanting the same thing, and in the same way the two will be drawn together. Think of the whole world as your friend,but you must also be a friend of the whole world." Science of Mind, p.298

Do you have enough love in your life? Have you been sending your love out to the entire world?

Many people remain lonely despite wishing for human companionship. I am curious about the reason this is so.

Could it be that we are sending un-loving thoughts out to the world? On what are we focused? If we believe that all the good ones are taken or that we can't trust people we have never met, we are planting seeds of loneliness and separation.

Are you being a good friend to the people who are now in your life?

Have you  experienced love at first sight? Do you believe it is true love?

Feeling attracted to someone may be true love, but you will not know for certain  for some time. Love usually needs room, time and space to grow. So maybe the feelings need to deepen.

In the story of The Alchemist, the boy fell in love with Fatima immediately their eyes locked and he was smitten. That feeling of wanting to be with Fatima was a stimulus to Santiago. He wanted to stay with her but he also knew that she would have greater regard for him if he kept on his path to find the treasure. It wasn't that she wanted the treasure, but rather she would be proud of her man for being true to himself.

I wonder if it is true that love is a stimulus.

Ernest Holmes writes:"All is Love yet all is Law. Love is the impelling force and law executes the will of Love. Man (human) is a center of God-consciousness in the great Whole. He cannot deface his real being, but may hinder the Whole from coming into complete expression through his life. Turning to the One with a complete abandonment and in absolute trust, he will find that he is already saved, healed and prospered."." The Science of Mind,p. 323

It seems that Ernest agrees that Love is a stimulus; he says love is the impelling force.

Lessons from Santa

You may think that the lessons from Santa include the advice of the song: 

You better be good, You better not cry, You better not pout, I'm telling you why...Santa Claus is coming to town." 

However, the lessons that I want to talk about are the lessons in clarity  Santa showed us last Sunday. We had Christmas brunch at Adele's. The children were excited. the adults were having a good time visiting with friends.  Santa was very clear about who he was (the star of the show,) and what he expected. He explained how it would be. Santa was very clear. There was no talking among the adults. The children were very quiet. Santa read them "The Night Before Christmas" and when the children started to join in, he let them know that it was his story to tell. He was friendly when the children were getting their presents, but he made them promise that they wouldn't open any presents until he gave the word. They all opened their gifts at the same time, and then they cleaned up the wrapping paper! It was amazing to watch him. He was a jolly Santa and there was no doubt in  anyone's mind, who was in charge.

1. 

   Santa at Adele's 12/14/14

   
   

   But what about you? What about me? Do we know that we are in charge of our lives? Do you remember to watch your thoughts? Do you remember to watch your words? Do you remember that you are always co-creating out of your inner beliefs?
2. This is a great time of year for all of us to remember that it is up to us.
3. If you feel that life happens to you, you will be victimized.
4. If you feel that life happens, by means of you, you will feel exhausted trying to keep it all together.
5. But if you feel that life happens through and as you, you will feel empowered and enlivened. Let's choose our to use that One Power in intelligent ways.
6. 
   

Practically Perfect in Every Way

The most famous pronouncement of "Practically Perfect in every Way," come from the classic musical Mary Poppins. 

As you might remember, Mary poppins, a Nanny of extraordinary abilities applies for and receives the job of Nanny for the Banls' children.

This is the advertisement to which she responded:

Mary Poppins meets the children and below you will see what she said about measuring up.

It is a charming movie.  And spiritually we can learn a great deal from Mary Poppins.

She had a positive attitude! She was cheerful, confident, pretty and had a great knack of entertaining children. No matter what was going on, she knew there was a positive solution.

What would happen if we thought of ourselves as practically perfect in every way? Not our future selves, but rather the ones we are right now! We could think of ourselves as having some practical magic! When we understand that our deeply held beliefs become our experience, we are realize that we are practically magicians, consciously creating the lives that we do want.

Of course, the Creative Spirit left us alone to discover for ourselves our innate perfection. Having discovered it, we are also free to use it intelligently or to use that mighty moving Power in unintelligent ways. Today choose good thoughts to be passionate about. Start proving that you know the secret and practice the magic.

Unconscious Beliefs and the Law of Attraction

Rampart! Rampart! Someone's gotten into my subconscious and I can't get them out!

"You are going to end up being a garbage man!" my father yelled at the top of his voice. "Now sit down and focus! You won't get into college if you can't do the math. You will never be able to do what you want!"

He started again, "Imagine you have a pie and you take one slice out ..."

Math homework for my brother was a nightmare. It probably didn't have to be that way but that is the way it was.

He's been a garbage man now for about 25 years.

And there is nothing wrong with that. But it's not his dream and it never was.

He probably doesn't remember that moment at the dining room table, but I do. I remember watching and wishing I could save him from the humiliation and even felt ashamed that math came easily for me.

He wanted to be outdoors. He loved hunting and fishing and the show Emergency. Do you remember that show? Well he LOVED it. He watched every episode.

It was such a calling for him that he later took EMT classes, trained as an underwater scuba rescue person and now volunteers at the local fire department. He has saved numerous lives. He dives under the frozen ice into freezing cold water to save people. He has two awesome sons, one a fireman and another studying to be a doctor.

That's what I see. But it's not what he sees.

So when Rev. Bruce gave us a little preview his workshop coming up on Saturday August 24 I couldn't help but think of my brother and that moment at the dining room table.

What are the unconscious limiting beliefs that you have about yourself? 

What are the limitations that you have bought into? You may not even remember the moment but we all have them. Sometimes they come from something we have observed. Sometimes they come from the poorly chosen words of a frustrated parent. Sometimes they come from our own negative self talk repeated through the years.

But the point that Rev. Bruce made is that this limiting beliefs must be erradicated if we are going to live truly inspired, authentic lives. No Law of Attraction stuff is going to work if we are harboring these untruths in the deep recesses of our mind.

Here is a clip from Sunday's service of Rev. Bruce talking about these "unconscious beliefs."

Join us on Saturday August 24 for the workshop with Rev. Bruce Fredenburg one of the lessons will be how to find and irradicate these unconscious beliefs one and for all!

And if you sign up before August 7th you will receive the additional bonus of some one-on-one follow up time with Rev. Bruce Fredenburg, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, to help put these principles into practice.

My Journey from Head to Heart

This week I had an unplanned and unexpected adventure. I went on a journey that has changed my life forever and I didn't leave my office! I didn't plan for it or expect it and it only took about sixty minutes.

So, where did I go? I left my head and went to the ultimate destination - my heart. It is the ultimate journey for anyone on the path of awakening and self-discovery. That journey of moving from theory or concept to experience. I went to a new level of self-awareness that is sought and chased even coveted by many of us. My great journey took place during our Wednesday Wisdom Service where  twenty-something of us were gathered to celebrate the summer solstice, connect with Spirit and uplift our lives. We did those things that prepare our heart and mind for insight and inspiration. We chanted, we prayed and we listened to ourselves and to each other. The perfect starting point for self-discovery we were there on purpose and with purpose connected at the place of unity, wholeness and love. The great 'aha' occurred during the drumming time. Drumming circles are not new to me and I enjoy them so I joined in prepared for a "good time". As I was drumming and hearing the rhythm being created by the group I noticed my wanting to set myself apart, to make my own beat, to differentiate myself, to stand out. That is not an unusual attitude for me and I did that even as I noticed that I kept getting drawn into the 'groups rhythm' and that my drum was blending with the others to make the whole. Here is where the 'glimmer' occurred and the launch from head to heart was set in motion. It only lasted a few moments. This very real and visceral experience that my uniqueness, my individual gift was not because I set myself apart and played my own rhythm, but because I Am my own rhythm, I Am my own beat, and that which I Am is a part of the whole and cannot be separated from it. I had the experience of realizing what I tell others and myself often: we are all a part of this great experience of life and we are all here by right of consciousness to give our gift and to know our magnificence. 

How did I know I had taken the journey? Because I experienced in my being, that which I have known for decades in my head.  This was not a new idea, I had heard it before, I have passed it on to others as a truth, as a reminder, and as I shared with some friends later they reflected back to me the same thing I heard myself say: "I knew this". But, now it was different, now I Know this. My life has changed. The other clue that the journey was made is the difficulty in articulating to another person that which I now know in my heart - because it is so well known in the head. The journey is a personal one. I may have had travel companions with me at that Wednesday service, I was the only one who could take that journey for me.

So, I share with you some of the insights I have had the past few days as this realization anchored in my life. You never know who your traveling companions will be and regardless of who is there with you, the journey is completely personal. The suggested preparation for a journey of this type is spiritual practices that open your heart and mind, connect you with yourSelf.  Be prepared to depart at any time. Much of the journey occurs in the reflection back. I had the aha in the moment and then I continued to bring it into my life by reflecting on what that means to me. The exciting thing about discovery is that it is an adventure, and sometimes it seems to come out of nowhere. The only thing to pack is an open mind. Carry that with you wherever you go and you will have all you need to experience the truth that you know, the truth of you!

You Can't Fully Prosper With Beliefs Like That!

My Potted Azalea Last Year

Several years ago, at the top of the housing market, I succumbed to the lure of buying a condo that I didn't love or even like. Real estate prices were rising so fast I fell into the urgency of that market, thinking this would eventually become my savings for my future. 

People were pleased for me. Many people poured their love on me -- they helped make the home brighter and lighter by painting, cleaning, papering the cupboards, installing screens and doors.I felt so loved by the members of my community who wanted the best for me. I was very grateful but at the end of the day, my heart sang with gratitude for the people in my life but not for my home.

The home was still dark, damp and cold. Although there was a small patio, there was no place where the sun reached. I knew inside that I had compromised.I was not being true to myself. I was not living my dream. One of the turning points was to look at my patio to see a couple of potted plants that had only weeks previously been full of healthy blooms, now looking bedraggled and forlorn. I believe they were reflecting my consciousness.

Two years ago I started listening to my heart's desires to live somewhere beautiful! After three floods and a crash of the housing market, I finally woke up to the fact that this condo would never provide me with good, because I didn't love it. I tried to love it. Sometimes I got close. 

The Church of my Childhood

Perhaps you can relate. I believe it is very important to be living your dream. That means to pay attention to what you really love and do it. It is really loving yourself. No matter how much love is poured on you by others, you will never bloom fully until you are fully loving yourself: loving without restrictions or conditions; telling the truth to yourself; saying yes to the voice of the great I AM. 

There is an old gospel song that we sang in the church choir when I was a kid, "There is sunshine in my soul today." I loved that song then. (It no longer fits my musical taste or beliefs but the feeling of being filled with joy is still important.) It is really the sunshine of your soul that makes everything flourish! 

For some people shade is pleasant and soothing. I am not one of those people. I like living in  the light. Spiritual living is living in the light.

I finally realized that no matter how painful it was to give up, to quit trying to make something work, it was even more painful to stay where I felt imprisoned. I decided to put the condo on the market even though the market price was much lower than what i owed on it. It was scary and it was worth it. Last year I moved to a large condo that is filled with light. My patio is filled with beauty. The potted plants not only survived the move, they thrived from the move.

Nature does not withhold our good from us. We do it to ourselves when we  are living from the world of effects. Looking back I see that I was originally motivated by fear and greed. Fear of never being a home owner again and greed to cash in on the inflationary market. Of course, I could never fully prosper with those beliefs as my initiating causation. I had to let go and tell myself the truth. When I did, the entire Universe conspired to make my dreams come true. 

Nature is a big show off. My potted plants and I love our new location. My heart is filled with sunshine and my home reflects the beauty and sunshine of my soul.