An elderly couple were driving in their old car which had a bench seat (not the bucket seats that so many new cars have.) They passed by a younger couple who were walking hand-in-hand, showing great affection for each other. The wife turned to her husband and said, “Why aren’t we more like them?”
To that the husband replied…
The beatitudes, as Jesus stated them in the Bible, were considered a promise of hope for the people of the time. The term “beati” translates to “happy,” “rich,” or “blessed.” As he stood and delivered what came to be known as the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was not speaking to the rich and powerful, but to the poor and disenfranchised who hungered for a message of release and healing from their oppression. His message was not a focus on the outer world for salvation, but a focus on the inner truth that would release their minds and hearts…
Author Karen Casey once told a story about the Dalai Lama that really stuck with me. It seems he had been invited to speak at a high-priced fundraiser. After dinner, it was time for the main event. The Dalai Lama walked to the microphone and slowly looked around the room, and then said, “Love one another.” Those important words hung in the air, and then he turned around and sat down.
An uncomfortable hum filled the room as people wondered if they had paid all this money for three words! All of a sudden, the Dalai Lama rose again from his chair, appearing as if he had forgotten something. As he made his way back to the podium, the crowd sounded a collective sigh of relief as they anticipated his next words. He leaned into the microphone…
It has been over forty years since I first opened A Course in Miracles and felt that I was holding a book that had the answers to every question I didn’t even know I had. This knowing has never wavered. I found a home in the Course that met my needs then, and continues to awaken my heart now. As I read again sections in the Course I have read many, many times before, I am taken deeper into my heart. I can so clearly see its wisdom and its practical answers to a world so desperately in need of peace.
Whether you have been on this path for a while, or are new to it, you have felt this as well. The Course came to us because…
A lady at a resort in the Catskills says, “The food here is terrible!”
Her friend replies, “Yes, and they give you such small portions.”
I always chuckle and shake my head at this joke because it really illustrates the situation of the world. We rant and rave about this problem and that person, but we’re still dining on that “terrible” food!
While we are not going to completely stop sneaking a taste of suffering all at once, we do need to start making a concerted effort to stop repeating the problem. That’s why the workbook of A Course in Miracles is so powerful…
Do you remember coloring with crayons? Growing up, I loved to color. I delighted in getting a new box of crayons with all the pretty colors, perfectly sharpened and all in a row. So when I first gave a brand new box of crayons to our son, when he was a toddler, I was interested to see his reaction.
I recall how he opened the box carefully and said…
“I can be free of suffering today”
For most of us this is a joyous statement, and one we want to embrace and experience. It would seem unthinkable that anyone would not want release from suffering. And yet, all we need do is look around this world and see all the suffering and pain and wonder if this thought is realistic or even desired.
Is it realistic?…
After presenting a sermon at one of my favorite local churches, I was chatting in the social hall when a woman I had visited with many times before came up to me. She told me she was now residing in an assisted living home, and she continued…
“I did not like the idea of living there, but circumstances were such that there was no other choice. I was not happy. Then, one day, I decided if I was going to live in an assisted living home, I would start assisting the living. Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I started helping others – assisting the living – and now I feel great!”
That was all it took for her – a simple shift in perception…and, isn’t that a miracle? As the Course reminds us…
Have you noticed how much stuff we seem to collect? It is hard to sort through things and decide what to discard and what to keep. But, at some point we have to do it! In doing this tedious but necessary process, I came across of box of our son Jeff’s old school things — things he had accumulated over the years. One item was an award for “Student to the Month.” The note read: He’s a very self-motivated learner. He asks questions, helps others, and frequently communicates with me when he needs help”. . .
A set of twelve cards, each featuring an inspiring affirmation from A Course in Miracles on the frontside. On the backside is a related prayer to recite throughout the day. Each measures 3 1/2″ by 5 1/2″ and is printed in vibrant color on 14 point card stock.