Good Morning Beloved!

A woman goes into a coffee shop and notices there’s a ‘peel and win’

sticker on her coffee cup.

So she peels it off and starts screaming, “I’ve won a motor home! I’ve won

a motor home!”

The waitress says, “That’s impossible. The biggest prize is a free Lunch?”

But the woman keeps on screaming, “I’ve won a motor home! I’ve won a motor

home!”

Finally, the manager comes over and says, “Ma’am, I’m sorry, but you’re

mistaken. You couldn’t have possibly won a motor home because we didn’t

have that as a prize.”

The woman says, “No, it’s not a mistake. I’ve won a motor home!”

She hands the ticket to the manager and HE reads…”W I N A B A G E L.”

 

Honoring the Earth for Earth Day

Our Way-shower gathered His disciples around him, not by promising an easy life.  On the contrary, he told them they had to leave their families and their livelihood to join him.

Even the rich young man, when asked how he too, could gain Heaven on earth, was told how hard it would be, he had to give everything he had away to the poor to follow Jesus.

When we came to Unity, we didn’t have to give away all our possessions, but in many instances we had to give away the life we were living to gain a much fuller, more fulfilling life.

Honoring the Earth and Her ecology is like that.  We can continue living our lives without understanding that we are all in this together or we can make the changes needed and necessary to help stop and possibly reverse the damage done to the Earth.

Jesus spoke of true union at all levels: with oneself, with the neighbor, with the outsider, with nature, and–through all of these–with the Divine.

The Fillmore’s were very ecologically minded.  They promoted organic farming on what is now Unity Village.  They were vegetarians. They believed as Frijoy Capra states, “Ecology and spirituality are fundamentally connected because deep ecological awareness, ultimately, is spiritual awareness.”

 

Gaylord Nelson said, “The wealth of the nation is its air, water, soil, forests, minerals, rivers, lakes, oceans, scenic beauty, wildlife habitats and biodiversity… that’s all there is. That’s the whole economy. That’s where all the economic activity and jobs come from. These biological systems are the sustaining wealth of the world.”

I would add its people too.

And yet we are killing those very resources.

Earth Day is April 22^nd, this Friday.  And in many places, the entire week is celebrated as Earth Week.  Have you asked yourself what is yours to do regarding our environment?  That can be and IS a very important question.  And how you answer, is important, and possibly life changing for you.

Why do I say that?  Because as we get more and more aware of the Earth and what billions of people on her are doing to her, we most often get a little more motivated with regard to what is our part to do to help lessen the damage.

So, what is our part?  It is so easy to help with the Earth’s care.  And that is the name Unity Worldwide Ministries has for its ecology and environmental program…Earth Care.

Earth Care is something I envision that we can strive for when we arrive at our own building.

For now, there are things we can do to do our part.  You know what they are…but we forget.  Or we talk the easy way.  Or maybe we get lazy.

I think we are not CONSCIOUS of what we are doing a good bit of the time.  We miss opportunities to be of service to each other and to the earth because we are caught up in doing instead of BEING.

I don’t know what is yours to do for each of you.  But I do know that we all need reminded now and then. So –

Here are some reminders while we are in this building:

Conserve electricity by only have the lights on when we are here, making sure to turn them off when we leave a room and to turn the heat/cooling back to where it was when we got here.

Take care that when you are snacking, that you don’t drop any food or drink on the floor.

Reduce the use of paper products by bringing our own cups for coffee and tea.

Reduce the use of plastic water bottles by again, bringing our own cups or water bottles.  There are very nice glass water bottles now to eliminate further, the use of plastic.

Make sure we recycle as much as possible.

And we can take this further as we apply these ideas at home and expand them there and at work and play.  How you ask?

Reduce the amount of water you use at home.  Just because we have plenty coming through the water lines does not mean we should take it for granted.  Don’t let it run as we brush our teeth or do the dishes. Full loads when we do laundry and the dish washer.  Sun dry your clothes….

Recycle. Recycle. Recycle.  Almost everything is recyclable.  Not just paper and plastic and glass, but CFL bulbs, batteries and even computers.  Find out where in your area and recycle as much as possible.

Compost!  It’s good for the landfills and good for the gardens.

Switch out your old light bulbs for CFL’s and LED’s and go solar where you can out of doors.  Unplug appliances when you are not using them, like chargers and kitchen appliances.

And while you are outside, check what you are planting and where.  Plant placement can aid in the need to heat and cool your home.  And the plants you plant make a difference too.  Plant native to your area to reduce the amount of water they need.

And plant for nature…that means plants that will encourage nature not kill it.  Using pesticides and insecticides only does further damage to our ecosystem.  And killing via insecticides does not encourage the predators you want to encourage to your gardens.  A praying mantis or lady bug will not come to your garden if there are no aphids, mosquitoes, caterpillars, scale insects, mealybugs, spider mites and other soft-bodied insects there to munch on.  And you really DO want the good guys in so the bad guys get out.

And if you don’t like spiders in your house, just gently place them outside, don’t kill them.  They are predators too.

And do not forget that as you kill insects you consider bothersome, you are also killing ones that are needed, like bees, wasps, butterflies and even ants, that pollinate our plants.  Without them, our food chain will falter.

Speaking of our food chain…. plant a garden!  And use organic soil and plants grown organically.  Or start your own from organic seeds.  Not only is this helping your environment it helps your grocery bill too!  And teaching our children about gardening will benefit us all in the long run.

And while you are at it, plant a tree too, if you are able.  We need plants to return oxygen to the air.  Remember oxygen…that element we need to breathe…. trees, plants, they are our friends.

Shop Farmers markets and look for organic as much as you are able.  Ask the grocers to wrap your items in as little wrapping as possible.  Do we REALLY need those Styrofoam platters that food is placed on just to be wrapped up in…? You guessed it, plastic?

Eliminate to need for the plastic bags at any store by always having your own reusable bags.

And eat less meat…it takes a lot to put a steak on your plate.  Growing and feeding beef cattle is expensive for the farmers and ranchers and for the earth. Go vegetarian once or twice a week, or more often if you are able.

Eliminate junk mail and reuse and recycle what you do receive.

I know this may be difficult for some of us, but drive the speed limit.  Keep your car in good working order and have the tires checked for the correct air pressure. And drive smart, organize your errand trips so you don’t drive more than needed to get where you want to go.

I know there are many, many more actions we can take.  But we must be vigilant, as Professor Moody from Harry Potter would say.  We need to keep ourselves aware of our actions.  They make a difference and are part of our integrity.  And others watch what we do, especially younger folks, and they see what we do and copy it.

So, we are always examples to the rest of the world.  What are we teaching as we walk and talk and drive and buy….?

Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtfully committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

And it doesn’t have to be a group, though that helps.

In the face of such huge global problems, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless, and to find ourselves asking, “What difference can one person make?” Just like voting, one person can make all the difference in the world:

• Rachel Carson was just one person who wrote Silent Spring, a book credited with launching the environmental movement in the United States.
• John Muir was one person who saved the Yosemite Valley, founded the Sierra Club, and inspired generations of conservationists who continue to do life-giving work.
• Wangari Maathai is one person who started planting trees and empowering women in her native Kenya, and eventually was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2004 for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace. There’s actually a song about her, called “Women Planting Trees.”
• Al Gore is just one person who traveled for years to any conference room or auditorium where people would gather to hear his call to action and see his slide show, which became the Academy Award-winning film and best-selling book, An Inconvenient Truth

 

You may not be able to reduce global warming, end pollution and save endangered species single-handed, but by choosing to live an earth-friendly lifestyle you can do a lot every day to help achieve those goals.

Here at the beach there are unique ways to help sea life, the beaches and the seas.

By making wise choices about how you live, and the amount of energy and natural resources you consume, you send a clear message to businesses, politicians and government agencies that value you as a customer, constituent and citizen.

The spiritual question is this: Does one’s life give any evidence of an encounter with God? Does this encounter bring about in you any of the things that Paul describes as the “fruits” of the spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22)? Are you different from your surroundings, or do you reflect the predictable cultural values and biases of your group?

We often forget that WE ARE NATURE.  Nature is not something separate from us. So when we say we have lost our connection to nature, we’ve really lost our connection to ourselves.

And to the God of our understanding, whether we name that energy Spirit, Goddess, Krishna, or Buddha; we need Nature to helps us with that most important connection.

 

The Native American Proverb reminds us, “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”

 

So please do what you are able to do for us all by making Earth Day every day.

 

Good Morning Beloved!
A woman goes into a coffee shop and notices there’s a ‘peel and win’
sticker on her coffee cup.
So she peels it off and starts screaming, “I’ve won a motor home! I’ve won
a motor home!”
The waitress says, “That’s impossible. The biggest prize is a free Lunch?”
But the woman keeps on screaming, “I’ve won a motor home! I’ve won a motor
home!”
Finally, the manager comes over and says, “Ma’am, I’m sorry, but you’re
mistaken. You couldn’t have possibly won a motor home because we didn’t
have that as a prize.”
The woman says, “No, it’s not a mistake. I’ve won a motor home!”
She hands the ticket to the manager and HE reads…”W I N A B A G E L.”
Honoring the Earth for Earth Day

Our Way-shower gathered His disciples around him, not by promising an easy life. On the contrary, he told them they had to leave their families and their livelihood to join him.
Even the rich young man, when asked how he too, could gain Heaven on earth, was told how hard it would be, he had to give everything he had away to the poor to follow Jesus.
When we came to Unity, we didn’t have to give away all our possessions, but in many instances we had to give away the life we were living to gain a much fuller, more fulfilling life.
Honoring the Earth and Her ecology is like that. We can continue living our lives without understanding that we are all in this together or we can make the changes needed and necessary to help stop and possibly reverse the damage done to the Earth.
Jesus spoke of true union at all levels: with oneself, with the neighbor, with the outsider, with nature, and–through all of these–with the Divine.
The Fillmore’s were very ecologically minded. They promoted organic farming on what is now Unity Village. They were vegetarians. They believed as Frijoy Capra states, “Ecology and spirituality are fundamentally connected because deep ecological awareness, ultimately, is spiritual awareness.”

Gaylord Nelson said, “The wealth of the nation is its air, water, soil, forests, minerals, rivers, lakes, oceans, scenic beauty, wildlife habitats and biodiversity… that’s all there is. That’s the whole economy. That’s where all the economic activity and jobs come from. These biological systems are the sustaining wealth of the world.”
I would add its people too.
And yet we are killing those very resources.
Earth Day is April 22nd, this Friday. And in many places, the entire week is celebrated as Earth Week. Have you asked yourself what is yours to do regarding our environment? That can be and IS a very important question. And how you answer, is important, and possibly life changing for you.
Why do I say that? Because as we get more and more aware of the Earth and what billions of people on her are doing to her, we most often get a little more motivated with regard to what is our part to do to help lessen the damage.
So, what is our part? It is so easy to help with the Earth’s care. And that is the name Unity Worldwide Ministries has for its ecology and environmental program…Earth Care.
Earth Care is something I envision that we can strive for when we arrive at our own building.
For now, there are things we can do to do our part. You know what they are…but we forget. Or we talk the easy way. Or maybe we get lazy.
I think we are not CONSCIOUS of what we are doing a good bit of the time. We miss opportunities to be of service to each other and to the earth because we are caught up in doing instead of BEING.
I don’t know what is yours to do for each of you. But I do know that we all need reminded now and then. So –
Here are some reminders while we are in this building:
Conserve electricity by only have the lights on when we are here, making sure to turn them off when we leave a room and to turn the heat/cooling back to where it was when we got here.
Take care that when you are snacking, that you don’t drop any food or drink on the floor.
Reduce the use of paper products by bringing our own cups for coffee and tea.
Reduce the use of plastic water bottles by again, bringing our own cups or water bottles. There are very nice glass water bottles now to eliminate further, the use of plastic.
Make sure we recycle as much as possible.
And we can take this further as we apply these ideas at home and expand them there and at work and play. How you ask?
Reduce the amount of water you use at home. Just because we have plenty coming through the water lines does not mean we should take it for granted. Don’t let it run as we brush our teeth or do the dishes. Full loads when we do laundry and the dish washer. Sun dry your clothes….
Recycle. Recycle. Recycle. Almost everything is recyclable. Not just paper and plastic and glass, but CFL bulbs, batteries and even computers. Find out where in your area and recycle as much as possible.
Compost! It’s good for the landfills and good for the gardens.
Switch out your old light bulbs for CFL’s and LED’s and go solar where you can out of doors. Unplug appliances when you are not using them, like chargers and kitchen appliances.
And while you are outside, check what you are planting and where. Plant placement can aid in the need to heat and cool your home. And the plants you plant make a difference too. Plant native to your area to reduce the amount of water they need.
And plant for nature…that means plants that will encourage nature not kill it. Using pesticides and insecticides only does further damage to our ecosystem. And killing via insecticides does not encourage the predators you want to encourage to your gardens. A praying mantis or lady bug will not come to your garden if there are no aphids, mosquitoes, caterpillars, scale insects, mealybugs, spider mites and other soft-bodied insects there to munch on. And you really DO want the good guys in so the bad guys get out.
And if you don’t like spiders in your house, just gently place them outside, don’t kill them. They are predators too.
And do not forget that as you kill insects you consider bothersome, you are also killing ones that are needed, like bees, wasps, butterflies and even ants, that pollinate our plants. Without them, our food chain will falter.
Speaking of our food chain…. plant a garden! And use organic soil and plants grown organically. Or start your own from organic seeds. Not only is this helping your environment it helps your grocery bill too! And teaching our children about gardening will benefit us all in the long run.
And while you are at it, plant a tree too, if you are able. We need plants to return oxygen to the air. Remember oxygen…that element we need to breathe…. trees, plants, they are our friends.
Shop Farmers markets and look for organic as much as you are able. Ask the grocers to wrap your items in as little wrapping as possible. Do we REALLY need those Styrofoam platters that food is placed on just to be wrapped up in…? You guessed it, plastic?
Eliminate to need for the plastic bags at any store by always having your own reusable bags.
And eat less meat…it takes a lot to put a steak on your plate. Growing and feeding beef cattle is expensive for the farmers and ranchers and for the earth. Go vegetarian once or twice a week, or more often if you are able.
Eliminate junk mail and reuse and recycle what you do receive.
I know this may be difficult for some of us, but drive the speed limit. Keep your car in good working order and have the tires checked for the correct air pressure. And drive smart, organize your errand trips so you don’t drive more than needed to get where you want to go.
I know there are many, many more actions we can take. But we must be vigilant, as Professor Moody from Harry Potter would say. We need to keep ourselves aware of our actions. They make a difference and are part of our integrity. And others watch what we do, especially younger folks, and they see what we do and copy it.
So, we are always examples to the rest of the world. What are we teaching as we walk and talk and drive and buy….?
Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtfully committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
And it doesn’t have to be a group, though that helps.
In the face of such huge global problems, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless, and to find ourselves asking, “What difference can one person make?” Just like voting, one person can make all the difference in the world:
• Rachel Carson was just one person who wrote Silent Spring, a book credited with launching the environmental movement in the United States.
• John Muir was one person who saved the Yosemite Valley, founded the Sierra Club, and inspired generations of conservationists who continue to do life-giving work.
• Wangari Maathai is one person who started planting trees and empowering women in her native Kenya, and eventually was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2004 for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace. There’s actually a song about her, called “Women Planting Trees.”
• Al Gore is just one person who traveled for years to any conference room or auditorium where people would gather to hear his call to action and see his slide show, which became the Academy Award-winning film and best-selling book, An Inconvenient Truth

You may not be able to reduce global warming, end pollution and save endangered species single-handed, but by choosing to live an earth-friendly lifestyle you can do a lot every day to help achieve those goals.
Here at the beach there are unique ways to help sea life, the beaches and the seas.
By making wise choices about how you live, and the amount of energy and natural resources you consume, you send a clear message to businesses, politicians and government agencies that value you as a customer, constituent and citizen.
The spiritual question is this: Does one’s life give any evidence of an encounter with God? Does this encounter bring about in you any of the things that Paul describes as the “fruits” of the spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22)? Are you different from your surroundings, or do you reflect the predictable cultural values and biases of your group?
We often forget that WE ARE NATURE. Nature is not something separate from us. So when we say we have lost our connection to nature, we’ve really lost our connection to ourselves.
And to the God of our understanding, whether we name that energy Spirit, Goddess, Krishna, or Buddha; we need Nature to helps us with that most important connection.

The Native American Proverb reminds us, “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”

So please do what you are able to do for us all by making Earth Day every day.

Good Morning Beloved!

 

A guy walks into a bar and orders a double martini. He slams it down in one gulp and orders another one. He slams that one down too and orders a third.

The bartender says, “Hey buddy, what are you doing? You are going to kill yourself drinking like that. Do you have a problem?”

The guy replies, “My wife and I got into a big fight and she is not speaking to me for 30 days.”

The bartender says, “Well, that might not be all that bad. Think of it positively. A little peace and quiet isn’t going to hurt anything. Enjoy it.”

The guy said, “Yes, but this is the last day.”

 

The Power of our Words

 

Have you ever seen this phrase of Lao Tzu?  Or heard it maybe?

Watch your thoughts; They become words. Watch your words; They become actions. Watch your actions; They become habits. Watch your habits; They become character. Watch your character; It becomes your destiny.

 

What does that say to you?

It tells me that our thoughts and words have Weight, they have power.

 

Just as the Hebrew Scriptures showed us that a spoken Word can create the heavens and the earth, we too can create the life we desire by thinking and speaking faith, positive filled words. The words we speak will either give life or cause death.

 

A lot has been said about the power of our thoughts and words.  If you have seen the experiments that have been done with water by Dr. Emoto and others, and the effect of positive and negative words on the crystals of frozen water, you would be convinced that we all need to be doing that same scientific process to ourselves.

After all, aren’t we made of mostly water?  But instead of walking around with little pieces of paper with all sorts of positive and loving words sticking to us, maybe we should just speak more kind words to ourselves and while we are at it, to others too.

Our thoughts produce chemicals in our body as a result of those thoughts; positive thoughts give rise to health-supporting chemicals while negative thoughts give rise to ‘harmful’ chemicals. Our thoughts can depress our immune system.

What we want to do is become more conscious of what we are thinking and saying.  The more conscious we become, the more we deepen our relationship to the words we use so that we speak from a place of actually feeling what we are saying. We begin to recognize that words are not abstract, disconnected entities used only to convey meaning; they are powerful transmitters of feeling.

For the next few days, you might want to practice noticing how the words you say and hear affect your body and your emotional state. Notice how the different communication styles of the people in your life make you feel. Also, watch closely to see how your own words come out and what affect they have on the people around you.  AND on you….

Here’s another thought to ponder – Speaking quickly, without thinking, or rushing to get our ideas across, our words don’t carry the same power as when we speak slowly and confidently, allowing those receiving our words time and space to take them in. When we carefully listen to others before we speak, our words have more integrity, and when we take time to center ourselves before speaking, we truly begin to harness the power of speech. Then our words can be intelligent messengers of healing and light, transmitting deep and positive feelings to those who receive them.

Of course, they can also be thoughtless words that harm.  And we probably have all thought, said and maybe even done things that we wish we could take back.

Well, we can’t. So as my Metaphysics Instructor would often say…. WATCH YOUR WORDS.

From the Aramaic translation, Proverbs 12:18: “There are those whose speech is like the piercing of a sword; but the tongue of the wise heals.”

 

There are many troubling phrases in our language that we use without considering their full meaning simply because they have been accepted into common knowledge.  Our domestication brings with it words and phrases that often have damaging effects.  Even as our ideals progress, our language maintains some phrases from our past that no longer serve us, for example: Boys don’t cry; boys will be boys; illegitimate child; and one that I was told, girls don’t do that.  I am sure there are many more.  Do you have any?

You may want to look back and try to remember some of the words you have been carrying with you through the years and work on eliminating them from your life, because boys DO cry, and there is no excuse for unacceptable behavior from anyone, including boys; ALL children are born with Blessing, and girls do run and play sports and go to college.

While these phrases may be intended to be harmless, they are inherently negative. Children can be especially sensitive to such phrases, which may stay with them their whole lives, adversely affecting their self-image and wounding their self-esteem. We can create positive change by choosing not to use these and similar words and phrases as we come across them in our vocabulary and our daily lives.

 

Language is an area where we can exercise our free will, creating positive change in the world around us by simply choosing carefully the words we use. It is one way the phrase, Peace Begins With Me is placed into action.

It may seem like a small thing, but our words have a rippling effect, like a stone thrown in a pond. People naturally pick up on the way other people speak, consciously or unconsciously changing the way they speak in response.

While I was teaching and to this day to some effect, I had always asked people who used what most would deem bad language to refrain from using it around me.  I wasn’t judging them, I just didn’t want to pick up the habit of using it and have it slip during class or coaching!

We want to control what we say, to think before anything comes out. Once said, it cannot be returned as if nothing was said.

Every time you speak, you influence your world. You are either building it up or tearing it down.  Kind of like Part of the solution or part of the problem…

 

The intensity of the effect of our words depends on the intensity of the thought and feeling behind it and the way the word is spoken.

An obvious and very basic example of this is the fact that soothing words create the release of “soothing” chemicals in the body. This is true for the speaker of the words as well as the listener.

Angry words, on the other hand, cause the release of harmful “fight or flight” chemicals. Again, this happens not only in the person speaking the angry words but in the one spoken to as well.

It is common knowledge that speaking soothing words of love and encouragement to plants makes them grow faster and better. Harsh, hateful words spoken with vehemence tend to make them wither. If our words can have such an impact on plants, imagine the impact we have on ourselves!  And watching what is happening in our society and across our world, we can see the results of words gone awry.

 

Every word we speak is saturated with energy that will create or destroy. We cannot help becoming what we say we are. The more resolutely and intensely we speak the word of who and what we are, the more surely we move toward becoming what we say. If we happen to accept the words directed to us by others, if we make their words our own, then we will move in that direction as well.

“As a man thinketh in his heart so is he.” Proverbs 23:7 Peace, love, joy in our hearts will show in our lives.

 

There is no doubt that all words affect us, but it is our own words which affect us the most. Whether we make our statements kiddingly or seriously, they have an impact. The subconscious has no sense of humor. It doesn’t know the difference between your jokingly referring to yourself as “such a dope” and you actually thinking that you are a dope.

So be careful of the seeds you are planting.  In reality it is Blaspheme to talk badly about yourself.  You are made of the same substance as your creator.  When we say be careful of the words you place after the I AM, that is because we consider I AM one of the names for that ENERGY that is everything. SO, then we are describing that ENERGY with whatever adjective we place after it.

It’s like me saying I AM magnificent.  Or I AM stupid.  God IS magnificent.  But God is not stupid.

 

The words you use reflect your state of consciousness, but they are more than that. They are the very cause of the maintaining of that consciousness. So, if you tell yourself, “You messed up again. You really are worthless,” you are not only affirming your present sense of worth, you are setting the parameters of your worth for the future: Today’s words become tomorrow’s reality.

 

You are a co-creator with the Universe. You co-create your own world by linking your mind with Divine Mind. That link comes through your words. Your words tell God, the Ultimate Creative Intelligence, just what it is that you want.

If you want prosperity and abundance in your world, speak only words of prosperity and abundance. If you want peace in your world, speak only words of peace. If you want love in your world, speak only words of love.

This is not a denial of the fact that there is less than abundance and peace and love in your world. On the contrary, it is simply declaring to the universe and to yourself just what it is that you want.

And how you say what you want is important, as anyone who follows the Law of Attraction knows.  So, state your desires positively.  Do not use don’t, doesn’t, can’t, etc….no negative statements to the Universe.  State your desires in a positive way. I desire a safe, comfortable, home that provides for all the needs and wants for myself and my pets.

 

AND, Words become more empowered when spoken aloud.

How much more emotion and power when we speak the word with others, when a like-minded group affirms a statement of truth with passion and intensity.  Words spoken like this can have astounding effects.

This is one reason why we say affirmations together every Sunday.

And another reason why Unity practices Affirmative Prayer.  Rosemary Ellen Guiley, author of Prayer Works, states that affirmative prayer “sets into motion the forces that enable us to manifest what we pray for.”

She adds, “Prayer is ineffective when it is accompanied or followed by negative thinking… We have to put power and intensity into our thought, change our thought, and believe in the guidance we are receiving. If we spend energy on negative beliefs and feelings, we will get negative results, even if we and others pray daily for us. For example, if you pray for a job and then complain to others that you have no job or can’t find one, you are undermining your prayer.”

 

Rather than begging or beseeching God, Affirmative Prayer involves connecting with the spirit of the Divine within and asserting positive beliefs about the desired outcome. Affirmative prayer is the same method of prayer Jesus taught when he said, “So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24).

 

Need more proof?  A scientific experiment took place in which a handful of iron filings are placed upon a thin metal sheet. Then a certain musical note was struck and those iron filings formed themselves into a star pattern. Then a different musical note was struck and they formed themselves into a snowflake.

This experiment demonstrated how a certain kind of vibration, a certain sound vibration, literally demonstrated itself into the physical world in a different pattern.

So it is with every word that proceeds out of our mouths. Those sounds have specific vibrations that affect the patterns of matter in this world.

 

From Face Book: There are two things to remember in life: Take care of your thoughts when you are alone and take care of your words when you are with people.

 

So, Watch what you say. Before you speak, Ask, Is this positive? Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?

 

Meditation

TODAY – I will try to live through this day only, and not tackle my whole

life’s problems at once.

 

TODAY – I will be happy. What a very wise man was Abraham Lincoln, when he said, “Most folks are just as happy as they make up their minds to be.” I will smile and others, witnessing my happiness will smile WITH me.

TODAY – I will adjust MYSELF to what IS, and not try to adjust everything

to my own desires.

TODAY – I will do something for my own soul.

TODAY – I will be agreeable.  I will speak softly, look my best, be kind

and considerate, neither criticizing nor finding fault with anyone.

TODAY – I will have a quiet half-hour all to myself — to RELAX. During

this half hour, some of the time I will try to get a better perspective on

myself, to see myself as others see me, and ask myself if I LIKE what I

see.

TODAY – I will be unafraid. Especially I will not be afraid to be RIGHT

and to stand by what I believe IS right, if I know the God of my understanding and my conscience are on my side.

TODAY – I will be very careful of my words.  If I can’t find something

nice to say, I will be silent for the spoken word, no matter how much

regretted, can never be recalled.

TODAY – I will keep smiling. It takes seven muscles to smile and 84 to

Frown, so SMILE!

TODAY – Everything I do, or say, or even THINK will be constructive.

Whatever I do will be done to the best of my ability. It may not, and

probably WILL not be the best that can be done, but it will be MY best

for “If you give to the world the best you have, then the best will come

back to you.

Good Morning Beloved!

At the end of his sermon each week, Father Richards offers an altar call, inviting anyone who needs prayer to come forward. Last week, Father Richards gave the invitation and was surprised to see Lee Johnson, a local roustabout, coming forward.

“Brother Lee, what do you need prayer for today?” Father Richards inquired.

“My hearing,” Lee answered quietly.

Father Richards put his hands on each side of Lee’s head and prayed a prayer so beautiful that surely the Angels in Heaven must have been crying. It was a prayer so profound there were only a few dry eyes among the congregation. When he finished, Father Richards removed his hands from Lee’s ears and bellowed, “So Brother Lee, tell the congregation how your hearing is now!”

Lee answered, “I don’t know, Father. It’s not until next Tuesday.”

The Parable of the Sower of Seeds

Parables are a well known method of teaching used by Jesus. According to Elizabeth Sand Turner in “Your Hope of Glory”, a parable is a short, fictitious narrative based on a familiar experience and having an applicaition to spiritual life. And John Dominic Crossan calls parables ‘fictional stories for moral or theological purposes.”

Personally, I enjoyed the ‘moral of the story’ with a bit of humor from Rocky & Bulwinkle! But I digress….

There are 9 parables referring to the mysteries of the kingdom of God or Heaven, depending on which gospel you are referring to. Both terms refer to the spiritual plane of our being. To realize the kingdom within is the highest ideal we can set for ourselves.

The Kingdom of Heaven is within you. Jesus didn’t see himself as the exception, but as an example. He said, “What I have done you can do also.”

The Gospels were originally written in Greek, in which the word kingdom means realm. The word heaven means a process of rising up to higher levels of happiness and empowerment. So the Kingdom of Heaven translates as a higher realm of awareness within us, characterized by greater degrees of happiness and empowerment.

The 30 parables of the New Testament are put forth in a particular sequence so they become like stepping-stones on a secret pathway that leads to a deeper state of well-being and personal evolution.

Shortly after embarking on his ministry; after teaching the first three parables, Jesus realized something was wrong. The people weren’t catching on; they weren’t getting it.

 

So the fourth parable was his response to the problem. It is the parable of the sower, and is often called the key that unlocks the deeper level of meaning in all the other parables.

Read the parable

There are several ways to interpret this parable, here’s one….

We are like the farmer. Instead of creating a field full of crops, we are creating our lives. The seeds represent our potential. We have the potential to become more, to live better, to be happier, to love more. And just as the seeds need to be planted in good soil, nurtured and tended to in order to grow, our potential is totally dependent on the thoughts we think. Positive thoughts nurture our potential, and we get positive results.

So here lies the problem in the parable of the sower. Some seeds fall on the roadside and the birds take them away. Some seeds fall on a rock and they can’t take root. And some seeds land in the weeds and the sprouts get smothered out. Seventy-five percent of the farmer’s efforts are wasted because he is not paying attention, he is not focused, he is not truly committed to what he is doing.

And so it is with us at times. We hear the good news about the potential we have to change our lives in many positive ways, but we don’t really set our intention, our unwavering intention to commit to that process, so what we hear is like the seeds carried off by the birds.

Or we allow the negative attitudes of the past to continue and dominate, so new thoughts can’t take root, like the seeds that landed on the rock.

Or we let the attitudes of others smother out the new thoughts and they can’t grow, like the seeds that landed in the weeds. …

Does this resonsate?

Here’s another interpretation:

The sower is the indwelling Christ who is always speaking the word of truth to us (sowing the seeds).

There are 4 types of hearers: 1. The hearer hears the word but is so lacking in spiritual understanding that sense consciousness quickly obliterates it…the seeds ‘fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.’

2. The hearer hears the word, receives it gladly and remembers it for a time. However, this person has only a superficial knowledge of Truth and when trials come thrusts the word aside. This hearer’s mind is like the ‘rocky ground, where they had not much soil’. The sprouting seed, not having enough roots, is scourched by the sun’s rays.
3. This third person’s mind is like thorney ground, they are obsessed with a sense of burden (cares of the world) and absorbed in the pursuit of wealth (they delight in riches.) These are the thorns that choke the seed and keep it from growing.

4.The 4^th hearer, as a result of study of spiritual things and love for God, has a receptive mind. This represents the ‘good soil’ that produces an abundant harvest.

The parable of the sower tells us three things.

First, if we truly want our lives to change for the better, if we want to express a greater degree of our potential, we have to commit 100 percent of our time, energy and focus.

Second, we have to become aware when old, negative, defeating ways of thinking surface and do what psychologists call a pattern interrupt. We interrupt the pattern of negative thinking by putting our attention back on our intention. Denials and Affirmations help here.

And third, we need to spend our time in a positive environment with positive people, doing positive things.

Sound like Unity of Rehoboth Beach!

To some this might seem like a lot of work. You might even wonder if it is worth the effort. But in truth, it is much, much harder to live in an unsatisfactory way, with a low sense of well-being or an unsettling notion that there is more to life than what we are experiencing.

Each of us has the power to choose the kind of consciousness that we will have and the outcome of our hearing the word will either be indifferent or beneficial according to the way in which we receive it. The seed falls into our mind and responds to our consciousness.

Nothing brings intensity, satisfaction, meaning, pleasure, passion, and fulfillment like your life becoming more than it has ever been.

What is YOUR interpretation of this parable?