The unfolding petals of divine Love's holy purpose

 February 23, 2021 Found a post-it note his morning. I don't remember where this is from but here is what I wrote down. Be an agent for comfort, not distress. Be at peace yourself. God supplies full support to fulfill His purpose. The disciples were followers of Jesus. They left their jobs, their families, their home and went on the road with him. As he began his ministry, word began to spread about this man who was doing such remarkable healings. Multitudes flocked to him. But most of that crowd was not seeking spiritual growth, they just wanted to be healed rather than leave all and follow him. In the second section of the Lesson Jesus asks the disciples who people think he is. I'm pretty sure he already knew but he wanted them to think. And then he wanted them to be sure they knew who he was. Simon answered for all of them, acknowledging that Jesus was in fact the Son of the Living God. I ask myself, why am I following him? Because I also believe he is the Son of God. But I ...

February 22, 2021 This week's Bible Lesson is about Christ Jesus I will be studying to see how the Master handled certain situations and seeing how I can do better as I interact with others. In the first section I already found some helpful pointers. In Isaiah's description of our Master he says he will not cry out or cause his voice to be heard. He will speak calmly. He won't call attention to what he does with loud speeches. A bruised reed he shall not break. He will not brush aside the weak or hurting. He will not quench the tiniest spark before the flame goes out. When love seems to be barely there, he will not put it out, allow it to grow faint or discouraged. He will steadily and firmly set things right. He will bring justice to those who have been wronged.  Right solutions that will bless all. Hymn #269 is a good one to work with today. The second verse speaks to ' hearts that yearn for righteousness with longing unalloyed. Unalloyed means purity. A pure longing ...

 February 18, 2021 Section six of our Bible Lesson this week contains a description of the day of Pentecost. During the days after the resurrection Jesus gave his disciples what we think of as Normal Class, final instructions for them to carry on establishing his church. He had also promised them another Comforter and this event fulfilled that promise. They were all together in one place and the work they were to continue was to evangelize the world through preaching and healing. At Pentecost this new spirit began its work. What a contrast to an early section of the Lesson about what happened at the tower of Babel. Then the people had been moving away from God, now they would be drawing closer.  To Jews Pentecost celebrated the giving of the Law on Sinai. How appropriate that on this new day the gospel harvest would begin. among modern parallels the most suggestive is the case of St. Vincent Ferrer, who, when preaching in Spanish is said to have been understood by English, Fle...

 February 18, 2021 This morning I am feeling grateful for the periodicals Mrs. Eddy has given us.  When I first began studying Christian Science I was reading Science and Health but it was all new to me and her vast vocabulary and spiritual terms difficult to understand. What I found easier to comprehend were the daily religious articles in the Christian Science Monitor. I looked forward each day to reading them and thinking about how they could help me with my growing understanding of God as Love and how to pray. The Christian Science Sentinel, which came out weekly, was my next step. I loved the poems and children's articles. If those dear little ones could experience healing, surely it would be there for me as well and I began to have healings myself. Another blessing with the Sentinel is the Bible Lens, described as shining a light on the Bible Lesson with insights for some of the citations. I was so grateful to be getting this weekly Lesson and learning so much about the ...

 February 17, 2021 A beautiful morning here in Florida after stormy weather last night. Much lightning. Contacting our family and friends in other parts of the country affected by unusually heavy snows, power outages and cold temperatures. Sending our warmest best wishes. The fourth section of this week's Bible Lesson includes the account of a woman struggling with a health issue. It had been going on for 12 years. She had spent all her money and tried everything available to stop this issue of blood to no avail. Then she heard about Jesus and the healings happening. She believed he had the power to do what no one else had been able to do. But she was breaking Jewish law by mixing in the crowd while she was ceremoniously unclean. That would come with a severe penalty if anyone found out. So she got up close to him from behind, trusting that if she could just touch his clothing she would be healed. And she did and she was. Immediately! But before she could disappear into the multitu...

  February 16, 2021 I am looking more closely at the third section of the Bible Lesson where Paul makes a speech to the Athenians on Mar's Hill. He does not reference the Old Testament as they would not be familiar with that. These men were philosophers. They had erected a series of different temples and altars, not really being too superstitious but careful to not leave anyone out. He was careful to start his speech with a compliment rather than a reproach.  For most of my early years God was 'unknown' to me as the religion I was raised with presented Him as vengeful, punishing and hard to understand. Unapproachable except through the priest. I never could accept that and was so grateful to be led to Christian Science where I found a church that sees Him the way I did.  He is not unknowable at all. He is ever present and always active Love. Jesus certainly  knew Him well and could address Him as Father. Mrs. Eddy writes, "The calm and exalted thought or spiritual ap...

 February 15, 2021 Another week, a new Bible Lesson, continuing with the synonyms for God, God as Mind. I love the way that peace is part of the expression of Mind. We are familiar with the phrase 'peace of mind' and that is something everyone is yearning for to cope with the challenges we appear to be facing. The dictionary defines 'peace' as the absence of hostility, freedom from disagreements, harmonious relations. Inner contentment. One Bible story this week is from Genesis 11, the explanation of the diveristy of languages and the human race. Babylon is represented as the original center of human civilization after the flood. Their chooses to erect this temple is regarded as rebellion against God, an impious attempt to reach heaven. The was the original source of discord. This does not present a picture of freedom or harmonious relations. There could not have been peace of mind. We should not seek that turning to or following other gods  Beware of 'babblings...

February 12, 2021   have gotten deeply into this week's Bible Lesson on God as Soul. This comes in the topic rotation twice a year and as I have been studying Christian Science almost 50 years that's a lot of lessons. All are different and unique and being out another aspic of God as Soul. This week it is focused on remembrance, God remembering us and our remembering Him. The beautiful story of Abraham sending his servant to find a wife for Isaac among their people is such a love story. The servant knows he has found God's choice by her graciously offering him a drink of water at the well and then watering the camels as well. My favorite part is when she has agreed to the marriage and is riding back with the servant. Isaac is out meditating in the field, probably wondering about the woman he has married without ever seeing. He sees the camels approaching. Rebecca gets down and greets him with respect and they fall in love immediately.  Another story is from the New Testamen...

 FEBRUARY 11, 2021 One last thing for daily duties, this one also found in our Manual. A RULE FOR MOTIVES AND ACTS Neither animosity nor mere personal attachment should impel the motives and acts of the members of The Mother Church. In Science, divine Love alone governs man, and a Christian Scientist reflects the sweet amenities of Love, in rebuking sin, in true brotherliness, charitableness, and forgiveness. The members of this Church should daily watch and pray to be delivered from all evil, From prophesying, judging, condemning, counseling, influencing or being influenced erroneously. (p.40) One could spend all day working with this. animosity is defines as active hatred, something to be avoided. Personal attachment can sometimes cloud one's judgement as well. We must not either of those qualities impel how we act and why. The best way is always to let divine Love guide us in our actions and reactions. Then there is the whole issue of forgiveness. It can mean excusing a fau...

 February 10, 2021 Here is another daily duty. We really need to pray with this one at least once a day. "Christian Scientists, be a law to yourselves that mental malpractice cannot harm you either when asleep or awake." (S&H 442) I am sure it is no coincidence that Mrs. Eddy puts this at the conclusion of her chapter in Science and Health about Christian Science practice. How often are we alert to this? It is not to be made real or as something to be afraid of. The next chapter, Teaching Christian Science, defines mental malpractice for us. "All mental malpractice arises from ignorance or malice aforethought. It is the injurious action of one mortal mind controlling another from wrong motives, and it is practiced either with a mistaken or a wicked purpose." (S&H 451) Atop that same page she gives another directive. "Christian Scientists must live under the constant pressure of the apostolic command to come out from the material world and be separate....

  February 9,2021 Continuing with our daily duties, there is another one given in our Manual on page 42. ALERTNESS TO DUTY It shall be the duty of every member of this Church to defend himself daily against aggressive mental suggestion, and to not be made to forget or neglect his duty to God, to his Leader, and to mankind. Just what is aggressive mental suggestion?  Mrs. Eddy uses the word 'aggresssive' only once in our textbook, Science and Health, on page 102. The mild forms of animal magnetism are disappearing, and its aggressive features are coming to the front.  So secret are the present methods of animal magnetism that they ensnare the age into indolence and produce the very apathy on the subject which the criminal desires. These are those suggestions coming to thought that there is something wrong, a pain, a fear, that tries to keep our thought centered on that which God could not and did not create or cause.  An example is the focus the world places on the ef...

 February 8, 2021 Good morning all,  This morning I will continue to work with our daily duties. Mrs. Eddy doesn't say do these when you feel like it but do them every day. This next one is also in our Manual. It should be the duty of every member of this church to pray each day "Thy kingdom come," Let the reign of divine Truth, Life, and Love be established in me, and rule out of me all sin, and may Thy word enrich the affections of all mankind and govern them. (Manual p.41) This takes me back to Mrs. Eddy's spiritual interpretation of The Lord's Prayer - Thy kingdom is come, Thou art ever present. I love to pray with this and to use the 7 synonymns she gives us for God.  (Principle) is ever present - God's law of everpresent good. (Mind) is ever present - We reflect Mind so we can never have memory problems, we can always know and be aware of what is true and important.  (Soul) is ever present - all of the faculties are present and functioning perfectly. Thi...

  February 5,2021     Millstone or milestone Mary Baker Eddy not only wrote our textbook and founded our church, she also created our Manual. More of the daily duties are found there. Today I will share  A Rule for Motives and Acts found on page 40.     Neither animosity nor mere personal attachment should impel the motives or acts of the members of The Mother Church. In Science, divine Love alone governs man; and a Christian Scientist reflects the sweet amenities of Love, in rebuking sin, in true brotherliness, charitableness, and forgiveness. The members of this church should daily watch and pray to be delivered from all evil, from prophesying, judging, condemning, counseling, influencing or being influenced erroniously. Obeying  this sets a pretty high standard for behavior. Today I am praying with an idea that came from reading a poem written by Peter Henneker-Heaton entitled Millstone or milestone. He had a remarkable healing of total paralysis. A...

 F ebruary 4, 2021          Daily duties Part 1 Good morning.  There is a lovely move to acknowledge and thank our service men and women. We are so grateful for your service! When I thanked one soldier I saw in the supermarket he said, "Only doing my duty".  The dictionary defines 'duty' as a moral obligation. Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer and founder of Christian Science and the author of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures has pointed out some duties. They are important enough to be observed on a daily basis. So, I recently refreshed my set of 4X6 note cards where I had printed them out. It is surprising how lots of suggestions come to mind to prevent praying with these each day. All the more reason to be diligent in obeying this duty. Here is the first one I pray with to start my day. "One thing I have greatly desired, and again earnestly request, namely, that Christian Scientists, here and elsewhere, pray daily for themselves; not ...

  February 3, 2021 Hello to you all. I had a blog for several years where I shared healings through prayerful treatment and inspiration gained from the study of the Bible and the writings of Mary Baker Eddy. Life continues to be the 'unfolding of the petals of His holy purpose. After many years in Texas our family has now relocated to South Florida. If you are getting acquainted with me, I will share that I listed my  name as a full,-time practitioner in 2002, have been an active member of my branch church (just finished 3 years as First Reader, had a few dozen articles printed in the Christian Science Sentinel, and given 7 Association addresses. We are settling in to our new apartment and I have been able to set up my office with a lovely view from our 7th floor. There is a very nice branch church here and I look forward to attending the Wednesday evening testimony meeting tonight. This week's Bible Lesson on God as Spirit has lots to say about God's gifts. He is so good a...