Archive for natural disaster
Blessed and Blessing at the Beach
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Sanibel Shells by pmarkham
To say I felt blessed to be in Sanibel was an understatement. There was so much good pouring out to me on this vacation, would there be an opportunity to give back, to express my gratitude and “pay it forward” so to speak? There was indeed.
Sitting in a cozy restaurant/grocery having lunch, we became aware that a man at the counter a few feet away was having difficulty. A kind waitress was speaking softly to him, “Sir, are you all right? You seem to have fainted briefly—you weren’t all there for a moment.” He gazed blankly at her while another waitress discreetly dialed 911. A third waitress patted his shoulder and whispered, “I worked at a hospital for 10 years, and we’ll make sure you get proper help.” Miraculously, a fourth waitress appeared with a cool cloth, gently wiping his brow and neck.
A man in the booth in back of us said, “This is scary.” I nodded, but invited him to join us in a silent prayer of support for the man at the counter. He agreed and passed the prayer request along to his three companions. Soon it was time for us to pay our bill. We left quietly so as not to cause a stir, but after about 20 minutes we returned to pick up some juice. The man was not there, but an EMS professional was entering data into a laptop. I asked the waitress, one of the four “angels,” what had become of the man. Apparently, he was pronounced “just fine,” walked out of the restaurant and went home.
As a Christian Scientist, I’ve found prayer alone effective in meeting any health emergencies I’ve faced. But it is a privilege to be on prayer alert for opportunities to support my fellow man, no matter what their choices for health care happen to be. Praying with others—now there’s an opportunity to bless and be blessed. Even at the beach.
Combating Drugs with More Drugs
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Sixties Sign by Rupert Ganzer ( loop_oh)
Remember all that hoohah about the virtues of LSD back in the sixties? Supporters claimed the drug enhanced their lives in significant ways. Meanwhile, hideous experiences with the hallucinogen were also reported, and in some cases crashes cost lives.
Now the drug returns with positive press: it may treat alcoholism, some are saying in the Huffington Post.
Serious seekers of better health should ask: does it make sense to treat one terrible drug-induced condition such as alcoholism with another potentially terrible drug? As one wag put it years ago, there is plenty of evidence that people taking LSD and other similar drugs reported greater perception, creativity and pleasurable feelings. There is no evidence, however, that they were in fact any more perceptive, creative or pleased with life because of the drug. And some were damaged and even dead because of it.
A more spiritual approach to perception, creativity and pleasure delivers these states with no harmful side effects. Christian Scientists, people of other faiths, and even popular thinkers like Dr. Phil, Joel Osteen and Oprah seem to agree. You might want to investigate Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy for a long-tested, drug-free approach to health. Some call it prayer. Others might call it good thinking.
Dr. Seuss and the Angel Fish
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With apologies to Theodor Geisel, alias the beloved Dr. Seuss, whose birth date reminds us of the delightful, fanciful and chuckle-funny children’s tales he wrote:
Do you know– do you see it?
Well, March 2 will be it.
The birthday of Teddy means all should be ready
With a cake you can bake,
A cake you can take.
This party is hearty; let’s merriment make!!
In one favorite book, The Cat in the Hat, two children are alone and bored when a mysterious Cat appears to lift them out of the doldrums and into one madcap adventure after another.* He does dazzling tricks, makes messes, and generally creates happy but harmless havoc all over the house.
The children are fascinated but worried. What will their mother say when she returns? All along, the pet fish sounds the alarm and warns the children that,
He should not be here.
He should not be about.
He should not be here
When your mother is out!
Eventually, order is restored when the Cat in the Hat returns for the clean up and then disappears just in time for the mother’s arrival.
We grown-ups too have pet fish to warn us not to let trouble into our lives. Well, maybe not fish, but certainly consciences. In Christian Science we call these protecting and preserving thoughts angels.** These angels are thoughts of good coming to us all the time. If we’d listen, we’d have fewer messes to clean up and fewer fears about messes to begin with. Dr. Seuss got it right.
*TM and copyright by Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. renewed 1985. Random House Children’s Books.
**Angels: …spiritual intuitions, pure and perfect; the inspiration of goodness…” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, p.581)
Moved with Compassion
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Dad and Daughter, Photo by s_falkow
It’s not enough to feel compassion. One must be moved by it. Movement takes place first in thought, taking us away from self and toward another. Movement takes place second in kind deeds and practical help. We think more lovingly; then we’re motivated to act.
These ideas came to me as I anguished with others over the cruel fate of the Josh Powell family: first, in the callous apparent murder of the young wife and mother; then in the appalling and deliberate murder-suicide of the father and his young sons in Graham, Washington on February 5. Husband and father Josh Powell himself would seem to be the guilty one in all these deaths. The alleged perverted behavior of Josh Powell’s father only adds insult to grievous injury.
No one remains of this small family for us to understand the why, or to demand accountability for the crimes. In this case the only response to such horror for most of us is to commit to a finer, more demonstrable love for each other. Some ideas:
Donate to a local charity that supports families in crisis
Volunteer to help a child struggling in a home with few resources
Read a story to your children about love, loving, and being loved
Go to a house of worship to hear God’s law of love, and to learn how to live it
Deal with your own demons or get help if you cannot
Hug each other. Do it again and again!
Pray
One who led a life of unconditional love for others was Christ Jesus. Before he healed the multitudes of lack, heartache, condemnation, disease, the Bible says he prayed….and was “moved with compassion.” Christian Scientists and other Christians value this lesson. People of other faiths and keen moral sensibilities do also in their own ways. As Mary Baker Eddy put it, “Love alone is Life.” (Hymn #30, Christian Science Hymnal)
Pray, Love, Move.
E.Coli: What We Can Do to Decontaminate Food
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Perfect Peppers, Raleigh Farmers Market Photo by (Sean) Fotodawg
It’s barbecue and picnic season, but the spoiler is the recent outbreak of E.Coli from contaminated foods in Europe. Northern Germany is cited as the source, and sprouts and other veggies the supposed culprits. The contamination is serious, having caused thousands to be ill and a few to die.
Can we do anything but be afraid to eat? Yes, we can. We can recognize the role our thinking has to play in all this, and then act up to the highest, purest, standards of that thought. Experts tell us to: 1/ wash all produce before eating; 2/ wash our hands before preparing; 3/ wash utensils carefully; and 4/ keep utensils separate (meat from veggies, beef from chicken, etc.) These practical and preventive behaviors begin with thought—the purest, cleanest and most prudent thought. It does not have to be fearful thought, however.
More importantly, we can recognize this thought process as the basis of prayer. We are appealing calmly and confidently to a source of wisdom greater than mere human intellect–you might say to Infinite Mind itself, a power many call God, Good. After all, we were promised dominion over all the earth from the very Beginning (See Genesis 1).
This appeal to a benign Creator is successful and has Biblical precedent in the story of the poisoned vegetable stew that Elisha’s followers feared. (See II Kings 4:38-41). Not only were they not harmed when they appealed to the prophet for help, but so today people have been freed from food poisoning when they have appealed to the Creator in like manner. I have read of many such experiences in the Christian Science Sentinel and Christian Science Journal, and have also experienced healing myself of some mysterious food-caused ailment through prayer alone. This approach to prayer is taught by Mary Baker Eddy, the Founder of Christian Science.(See Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures) Although many critics believe this view is a bland denial of reality, in fact she shows us how to experience a deeper and more trustworthy reality, the one God gave us. God’s reality displaces what appears to be inharmonious, and health is restored.
I love our Farmer’s Market here in Raleigh, North Carolina, and look forward to their famous sweet potatoes, corn and blueberries. All good!
Dear Joplin… with Love, North Carolina
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Joplin Falls: Head for Higher Ground, Photo by BenSpark
People sometimes ask, “What do Christian Scientists do to help others in times of trouble?” They may have the idea that, since we are a “prayerful” people, we don’t take practical action to demonstrate our love and support. In fact, Mary Baker Eddy, the Founder of Christian Science, gave us one example of Christian compassion when she donated money for shoes for all the poor children in her town. Today our world headquarters, The Mother Church in Boston, Massachusetts, maintains a disaster relief fund as many other denominations do. The Christian Science Monitor is publishing articles of practical ideas for rebuilding. Most importantly, there is always the first response of individual prayer,–that instinctive plea, “Father, help us.” Dear Joplin, here are eight simple prayers from your friends in North Carolina. We are holding you in our hearts daily.
1. God will guide you every step of the way so you come out of this furnace fire without even the smell of smoke.
Sarah, Raleigh
2. God, divine Love, has the whole world in His hands and the wind in His fists. No one is ever outside the shelter of His tender care, steadfast love, and unfailing goodness.
Heather, Highlands
3. The knowledge of God’s everpresent love, guidance and peace is controlling all. Rest in his omnipresence.
Barb, Highlands
4. Ages have seen His might,
Father we call His name;
Nights of our mourning and sorrow end,
Light blesses opened eyes,
Joys like the dawns arise
As we see Him our God and Friend.
Russ, Wilmington (From “Crusader’s Hymn” by William P. McKenzie)
5.”Be still, and know that I am God…” (Ps 46:10) is hard to fathom in difficult circumstances. But when there are few material answers, it can be the comfort we need to go on. Godspeed.
Dick, Salisbury
6. Father-Mother God, we know that when Christ Jesus commanded one form of natural condition “Peace, be still,” he meant that command for all natural conditions for all mankind for all time. As your loving children, we claim that eternal stillness for ourselves and our neighbors here and now.
Dane, Salisbury
7. Trust in the Lord from whence cometh your help. God is with you.
Chuck, Wilmington
8. Only the power of omnipotent Mind reigns, for God holds the wind “in His fists.” … The Christ, Truth, alone declares to the storm, “Peace, be still.” Each of God’s ideas is embraced in this love and protection.
Sharon, Hendersonville
Joplin friends, while you begin your rebuilding we pray you will some day soon see yourselves as untouched and lovely as these Falls. All the best…
After Bin Laden, A Time for Thinkers
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Photo by Smithsonian American Art Museum, SAAM
Now we adjust to another “new normal:” a world without Osama bin Laden. How will we respond? Will the US and Pakistan continue to hurl counter accusations about slack security vs. violation of a country’s sovereignty? Will the “birthers” become “deathers” in refusing to accept the facts of the tyrant’s violent end? Will flash mobs of jubilation spark more violent reaction in the Middle East? In other words, will reason prevail over fear and group-think? An answer may be found in practicing the spiritual qualities we learn in the best teachings of our faiths.
One eloquent voice from Greenville, North Carolina spoke with wise restraint and simple decency. He wrote in Raleigh’s The News & Observer:
“Rarely is news so breaking that people halt everything just to follow it. Sunday’s [May 1] news regarding Osama Bin Laden was at such a level. I am sure my fellow countrymen felt a sense of relief.
“Being an American Muslim I felt two forms of relief. First, I was relieved that the man who was responsible for making the “Muslim” synonymous with “terrorist” within the American psyche was finally put to rest. Secondly, I was relieved because a major threat to my country has been diminished.
“Whether this development will put a damper on terrorist activity or inflame them even more is yet to be seen. At any rate, as a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA, I would like to reassure my fellow countrymen that they have nothing to fear from us. We take the advice of the Quran to obey those who are in authority among you seriously and have proved ourselves to be loyal American citizens since we first established ourselves in this county in the early 20th century.”
Hassan Ahmed, Muslim Writer’s Guild of America http://www.newsobserver.com/
I like the way my countryman Mr. Ahmed appeals to a faith of reasonableness. As a Christian Scientist, I’ve always liked Mary Baker Eddy’s urging, “The time for thinkers has come.” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Pref. vii) No extreme or violent emotion here, no settling for what everyone else thinks or does. Each must listen to Divine Mind,–the highest idea, the God-like idea, before acting. First, we must be thinkers.
