A Course In Miracles Workbook Lesson #224 - God is my Father, and He loves His Son.

 

Lesson #224

God is my Father, and He loves His Son.

We humans and all of God’s creation are an extension of the Divine. As such, how could the Source of all Being not love It’s creations?

In Alcoholics Anonymous, it is suggested, in step eleven, that we pursue our conscious contact with God through prayer and meditation. What this means is to me mindful of our Source in all we do say, intend, and do.

In Unitarian Universalism, we covenant together to affirm and promote a love for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. Could anything be more wondrous and joyous?

Today, it is suggested that we begin and end the day, and many times in between, with a few minutes to reflect on the Divine Source which flows through our being. Such reflection transforms our life.

A Course In Miracles Workbook Lesson #223 - God is my life. I have no life but His.

 Lesson #223

God is my life. I have no life but His.

Neale Donald Walsch teaches that if you don’t like the word “God” substitute the word “Life”. They are interchangeable. So we could say, “Life is my life. I have no life but Life’s.”

To ask if someone living it whether they believe in “life” or not seems silly, doesn’t it? “Excuse me, sir/madam, do you believe in Life?”

In Alcoholics Anonymous it is suggested in the first three steps that we recognize and acknowledge that our separation from the Source of our Life is no life. To anesthetize our consciousness with alcohol and other mood and mind altering drugs is to reject what is naturally and freely given us. The ego tricks us into thinking that we are not worthy and that mood altering chemicals are the answer to the problem of our unhappiness. AA teaches that there is another way and encourages us to try it.

In Unitarian Universalism, we covenant together to affirm and promote the acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth which takes us deeper into gratitude and appreciation for Life. UU is a facilitative agent encouraging us to live deeper, fuller, more satisfying lives in a covenantal relationship based on seven principles which uplift us from the world of the ego to the world of Love.

Today, it is suggested that we begin and end the day, and many times in between, to reflect on the idea that Love is our life and that we have no real life except Love’s.

And so it goes............Week of April 11 - April 17, 2021

 

Brigid, killed at 5 in a drunk driving crash in 1993 would be 34 today, April 11, 2021. I still miss her and visit with her in my dreams from time to time. She was/is a sweetheart. I am so glad I got to know her.

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Some people’s God punishes people because they didn’t do what that God wanted them to do. What kind of God is that?

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It’s been rainy the last few days. Then I remembered that “April showers bring May flowers.”

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A friend of mine, recently released from prison, is finding it hard to adjust to all the requirements and expectations of non institutional life, and he keeps encouraging himself by saying to himself, “Resilience. I have to be resilient”. Yesterday, he added a new word to his mantra, “Gratitude.” He says now, “I have to be resilient and grateful.” Don’t we all?

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I read this in Neale Donald Walsch’s book, The New Revelations: A Conversation with God on page 29 and it made me laugh, “Everything depends not on whether you believe IN God, but on what you believe ABOUT God.”

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The millennial anti-vaxxers are people who benefited from childhood vaccinations for polio, small pox, tetanus, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, diphtheria, etc. The paradoxes in life seem amazing sometimes

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The problem is not the ethnocentrism of Trumpists but their denial of truth. The postmodern age which has taught that truth is socially constructed and contextual has done great damage and led to narcissistic nihilism for which Donald J. Trump has become the poster boy..

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A 17 year old nerdy, introverted, female became known as the school slut because she had sex with her first boy friend and six of his buddies. She became very depressed and suicidal. When I asked her how she explained this she said to me, “I guess I’d rather be used than be alone.”

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Grief over pet loss is significant and slowly being more and more recognized and acknowledged in our culture. Is this an evolutionary step forward as more and more people develop more reverence for the interdependent web of all existence. Animals are no longer exploited because they are increasingly appreciated as our friends and fellow travelers on planet earth.

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“I’m giving up vengeance and just forgiving people.” She’s 62 and had a traumatic childhood full of abuse, pain, and suffering which led to a huge chip on her shoulder and she became a “tough girl” that nobody wanted to mess with. “It served you well for several decades,” I said, “and now it’s outrun its usefulness. Time to give it up.” “Exactly,” she said with a smile. This is what A Course In Miracles calls a “miracle.” They happen more often than you ‘d think.

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Grief over pet loss - Goodbye, Friend by Gary Kowalski

Goodbye, Friend: Healing Wisdom for Anyone Who Has Ever Lost A Pet by Gary Kowalski is a very helpful person who is or ever has grieved over the loss of pet.

Gary Kowalski happens to be a Unitarian Universalist minister which gives this book about grieving a reverent and spiritual tone. Kowalski not only covers several topics about pet loss conceptually, but gives specific suggestions about how to plan ceremonies, rituals, and practices to share the loss with others and honor the memory of the pet.

If you or someone you know is struggling with grief over the loss of a pet or you are a helping person who is inclined to console others going through pet loss, this book may be very helpful to facilitate a way of thinking about the experience.

A Course In Miracles Workbook Lesson #222 - God is with me. I live and move in Him.

 Lesson #222

God is with me. I live and move in Him.

St. Paul writes in one of his letters to the Corinthians, “If God is with you, who can be against you?” You and God are a dynamic duo. When we bring our will into alignment with God’s will we feel tremendous peace, harmony, and bliss.

In Alcoholic Anonymous, it is suggested in  three that we turn our will and lives over to the care of God. There is even a slogan, “Let go and let God.” Some call this “surrender.” I prefer “acceptance” or “joining.”

In Unitarian Universalism, we covenant together to affirm and promote the love for the interdependent web of all existence in which we are One with that which some call “God,” some “Transcendent Source,” Luke Skywalker called it, “The Force.” Whatever it is called, It is with us and we live and move in It.

Today, It is suggested that we take some time at the beginning and end of the day and at least every hour in between to reflect on that which animates us and is the ground of our being.

Religion in the public square - UU A Way Of Life supports UU The Vote

 Unitarian Universalism; A Way Of Life support UU The Vote.

UU The Vote exemplifies the UU fifth principle which is to affirm and promote the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process.

With the attempts of Republican legislatures across the county to suppress the vote, it is more important now than ever for Unitarian Universalists to live their faith and promote the right of every American to vote.

For more click here.

A Course In Miracles Workbook Lesson #221 - Peace to my mind. Let all my thoughts be still.

 Lesson 221

Peace to my mind. Let all my thoughts be still.

Today, A Course In Miracles workbook begins part two. The time for a lot of words is over and the student is encouraged to spend most of their time meditating. We are encouraged to step back, and invite awareness of the Transcendent Source into our minds and hearts. So it is suggested that we say, “Peace to my mind. Let all my thoughts be still,” and then step back and patiently welcome the dawning of the peace of God in our hearts.

In Alcoholic Anonymous, it is suggested in step eleven that we seek through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understand God.

In Unitarian Universalism, we covenant together to affirm and promote encouragement to spiritual growth of one another and a way to do this is through meditation.

Today, it is suggested that we take whatever time we want at the beginning and end of the day, and many times in between, hourly perhaps, to step back and invite the awareness of the peace of God into our mind and hearts.