Saturday, July 31, 2010

Dawns On You

Isn't it funny how you can hear an idea over and over and over and think about it over and over and over and then suddenly it's like it finally dawns on you! I love it when that happens. Today the idea that I really don't have to take anything seriously including my own guilt (is there any other kind?) just dawned on me.

What a relief, I tell you! I've been feeling so guilty about not blogging all that much, and as soon as I stopped taking the guilt seriously, what do ya know, a new blog.

The truth is all guilt is completely made up. It doesn't exist in Reality at all... none, zero, zip, zilch. No exceptions! Same goes for this whole world. Same goes for everything that is not perfect Love.

Sure we experience it as real, but it's a false experience. Jesus, Himself, swears this is the truth. So all the trauma, and drama, and sin, fear, guilt and death was really just the result of taking one tiny mad idea seriously...way too seriously.

And so today I'm not going to. I'm not going to take it seriously! Whew and thank God!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Bumper Cars

So, I'm driving down the road with the baby in his car seat, and this little red car comes right up on my bumper. I mean if his front end were a mouth and my back end were a butt, he'd a been kissing my ass! I couldn't believe a car could get that close and not actually be touching me.

I thought to myself, "What is he thinking? Everyone knows you can't join with the body. Only minds can join!"

I'm just kidding, I didn't really think that. It's all just normal people around these parts, so I doubt that anyone thinks about only minds being able to join. Although, what do I know?

The truth is I didn't really think anything. I just put on my turn signal, pulled off the road, and let him go by. Then I thought, "You are Christ, pure and innocent, we are forgiven now."

It's funny how things that may have been upsetting in the past aren't upsetting anymore. It's also funny how some teensy, little thing that doesn't matter one lickin' stick can send me right over the edge!

Hey, I guess they're all teensy, little things that don't matter one lickin' stick. I just don't always remember that right away!

Oh well, better late than never!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Here is a conversation that I overheard between between George who is 10 years old and Albert who is 2. It made me smile.

GEORGE: Are you special? Do you have special powers?

Albert: No

George: Can you fly?

Albert: No, I don't have wings.

George: Can you shoot fire out of your nose?

Albert: No

George: Why?

Albert: Cuz.

Oh the entertainment they provide! (And the forgiveness opportunities!)

Here's a couple of related sayings from Pursah's Gospel of Thomas from Gary Renard's book, Your Immortal Reality.

4. J said, "The person old in days should not hesitate to ask a little child the meaning of life, and that person will live. For many of the first will be last, and they will become a single one."

79. A woman in the crowd said to him, "Lucky are the womb that bore you and the breasts that fed you." He said to her, "Lucky are those who have heard the word of the Father and have truly kept it. For there will be days when you will say, "Lucky are the womb that has not conceived and the breasts that have not given milk."

MAD COURSE STUDENT: I'm glad He said it!

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

God Made Flesh

If God could be made flesh which He can't, but if He could, the female version would look like my friend who I'll call Christ since that's who she really is anyway. I mean it's just not even normal how good looking this chick is. She's like some sort of goddess or princess or something. I've never seen anything quite like her. And she's just as lovely on the inside as she is on the outside!

She and I hadn't seen each other in years and years. She had moved thousands of miles away, and we had lost touch for awhile. Then last summer she came and stayed with me for a couple of weeks.

I was totally unprepared for how gosh darned much she had blossomed. I thought I was way beyond bodies and envy and stuff 'cause I'm a Course student and so it's like elementary that bodies are not even real and who cares? Right?

Wrong! I fell apart! And how could I not because we would walk into the grocery store and the whole place would just stop shopping or working or whatever they were doing and then they would just stare at her wide eyed and open mouthed. Men, women, children, babies, the elderly, you name it, the entire establishment halts! I've never seen anything like it!

My husband who I have been separated from for quite some time changed practically instantaneously from an extremely angry and disgruntled person into the nicest guy on the illusory planet! All of the sudden he was hanging out, folding the laundry, doing dishes, and acting like he's just always had the disposition of Mother Theresa!

Well, I forgave it all the best I could. I was honest with everyone about how I was feeling, and I only cried like two oceans and three lakes. My friend was very sweet about it, and she agreed to wear a burlap sack anytime my husband was coming to see the kids. Although, that really didn't help much!

Well now, a year has passed, and my friend may be coming to stay! I don't know how I'm going to survive living with this beautiful goddess! I mean who wants to be the ugly duckling? This is a very serious threat to my specialness. I'm going to forgive the best I can, and then I don't know, maybe exercise? Good Lord, I'm going to need a lot of help with this one!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Forgiving at the Drive Thru

I should say forgiving after the drive thru, right? Because I'm always miles down the road before I realize that my meatless taco has meat in it, and the kids crispy strips aren't crispy strips at all, they're drumsticks.

Aah geez, we're one step closer now, I think. Each time the choice is made to forgive truly is one step away from error rather than towards it. That's a relief.

I notice the kids are unusually flexible when it comes to this sort of thing. They were most upset on my behalf, so I assured them that the truth is, I could probably stand to miss a meal here and there anyway! And it's not like I would actually have to miss one because our cupboards couldn't get any fuller. And the girl at the drive through was just so kind, how can we really blame her?

That's just the way the script was written, and I wrote the darned thing. Yup, I made a deal with my ego to get the meat filled taco so I could blame the drive thru for my lack of peace and keep the seeming separation going and going and going...

But I have a new deal now with the Holy Spirit. I agree to forgive my sister at the drive thru for what she hasn't really done, and He agrees to remove the unconscious guilt from my mind.

Hey, now that's a deal that can't be beat! And everyone wins!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The Movie

Hey, brothers and sisters! Do you remember this part from The Disappearance of the Universe?

ARTEN: You've had an eventful few weeks. Did you read it?

GARY: You mean the Course?

ARTEN: Yes.

GARY: No. I'm waiting for the movie.

ARTEN: God help us all...

It's from page 91. And believe it or not, A Course in Miracles The Movie, has just been released and is available at Amazon.com. I ordered my copy today.

It's funny because today was the third time I had heard about it, and if I hear about something three times, I usually try to pay attention. I haven't watched it yet, obviously, because shipping is quick but not that quick. As soon as I do get it and watch it, I'll write a review right here.

At least three of my favorite Course teachers and authors are in it including Gary Renard, Dr. Kenneth Wapnick, and Linda Jean McNabb. With a line up like that, it's got to be good!

Who'd a thunk it, A Course in Miracles The Movie? Wild!

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Music Heaven

I think I didn't die and went straight to music Heaven! Okay, there's no music Heaven that I know of, but my dear friend, GiddyupMikey, jokes that music is the one thing that the ego got right! Wait a minute, he may not be joking!

I got a new ipod a couple of weeks ago, and just tonight, my teenage son put some of my favorite songs on it. And even as I write this, I'm totally rocking out. Music can be so transcendent! I don't think I've ever met a person who doesn't love music. I can't actually dance, sing, or play a musical instrument, but that hasn't stopped me from listening!

Seeing as it is Saturday night, and Jesus does use the word "song" 58 times in A Course in Miracles, I thought I'd share my new little ipod playlist. I even got to choose the order!

California Gurls by, Katy Perry(feat. Snoop Dogg)
Party for Two by, Shania Twain & Billy Currington
The Show by, Lenka
Hot in Herre by, Nelly
You Sexy Thing by, Hot Chocolate
Mercy by, Duffy
Crazy by, Gnarls Barkley
Collide by, Howie Day
Why Can't I? by, Liz Phair
You Are the Woman by, Firefall
No One by, Alicia Keys
One Thing by, Finger Eleven
Hurt by, Christina Aguilera

There's one song that I wanted right now, darn it, but I couldn't seem to get it. It's my little brother Johnny's song. It's called, " I Don't Wanna Be" by a guy named Gavin Degraw! It rocks, and I swear it was written just for him. It's 11:59PM, at least on my clock, so in one minute, he would have turned 30 years old. Ooh, it's now! Happy Birthday, John! I love you!

Thursday, July 8, 2010

The Little Found Girl

I was chatting on the phone with my mother on Tuesday while she was watching the news. She said there was an Amber Alert issued for a four year old little girl. She had been playing in her front yard with her brother when a man came along and snatched her.

I started asking questions, "Where? When? What kind of vehicle?" My mother didn't know. The newscaster wasn't giving that information.

So, I got very annoyed, and I started saying how ridiculous it is that this information wasn't readily available. And with technology being what it is, surely they could, within minutes, get all known information out on the radio and television for say a fifty mile radius so that we could, ahh, save her. And, what the hell was wrong with everyone?

Then, I remembered that the very LAST thing I would want to do is project my unconscious guilt onto this situation.

So, I stopped, and I joined with J, and I forgave everyone involved, not for what they were or were not doing because that would only make the error real. Instead, I remembered that this is MY dream and everyone is perfectly innocent because I'm the one who is seeing what is not true! I trusted J and chose His strength!

Then the next day, I had the news on, and I heard them say the little girl had been found safe and sound and had already been reunited with her family. Her hair had been cut short, but she had not been abused in any way! I cried for the sheer joy of it!

I certainly don't always know exactly what effect true forgiveness is having behind the scenes at any seeming point in time. The Course says in Miracle Principle number 39:

The miracle dissolves error because the Holy Spirit identifies error as false or unreal. This is the same as saying that by perceiving light, darkness automatically disappears.

And in Miracle Principle 45:

A miracles is never lost. It may touch many people you have not even met, and produce undreamed of changes in situations of which you are not even aware.

And heck, one quote from The Disappearance of the Universe, page 192:

ARTEN: Forgiveness is the only thing that can really change the world, and that isn't even the purpose of forgiveness.

MAD COURSE STUDENT: The man they suspect did the snatching, shot himself when police showed up to question him. He died today. I believe that man made a mistake, and then he chose to listen to the Holy Spirit instead of the ego. I thank him for making that choice. I'm going to keep choosing the Holy Spirit right along with him. Thank God.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Interpreting, Part II

I have one little bit more information to share about all of this interpretation business.

It's from one of my all time favorite books, The Disappearance of the Universe. There's nothing quite like a quote from that book to make everything perfectly clear. This first gem is from page 91:

ARTEN: If J meant for his Course to be subject to your interpretation rather than his instruction, then why give it in the first place? Why not just let you make up your own version of everything, which is exactly what you've been doing throughout your seemingly separate existence? The truth is that if you really understand A Course in Miracles, which is rare, then there is only one possible interpretation. If you change it, which is typical, then it is no longer A Course in Miracles.

And this second one comes from page 100:

ARTEN: Let me ask you something else. If today you have 20,000 churches that don't really understand J's message -- and I assure you they don't -- and if you have them all disagreeing about what J's message is supposed to mean, and in the meantime the world hasn't changed -- not really -- then do you honestly believe it will serve humanity if you end up with twenty thousand different interpretations of A Course in Miracles?

MAD COURSE STUDENT: Probably not! What I get out of all of this is the sense that, by listening, I'm being saved a whole lot of trial, error and time! And for that, I thank God!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Interpreting

I've been thinking a lot about interpreting A Course in Miracles. If left to my own devices I would interpret the Course as... well... NOT for me!

I got my first copy of the Course somewhere between 10 and 15 years ago. At that point, I was left to my own devices, and so, I ended up tossing the book in the trash can! What a knucklehead I was!

But I didn't know what any of it meant. It seemed kind of Christian which was not my favorite thing on account of the whole sacrifice the life of the one perfect guy to make up for all the rest of us hooligans thing.

I mean who does that? Having three boys myself, it wouldn't even occur to me to take the most well behaved one out into the backyard and kill him to make up for the bratty-ness of the other two.

And if I did do that, it would be weird if millions of people then worshipped me! Yeah, I didn't figure I really wanted to go to Heaven with a God like that.

I feel very thankful to have good teachers in form to help with accepting the fact that there really is only one interpretation of A Course in Miracles. And apparently my job isn't interpreting anyway, it's learning and then applying and applying and applying...

That Jesus sure does know everything! I'm going to keep all this true forgiveness business up, so I can remember that I know everything, too!

Sleepless in Sherman

I was going to blog earlier, much earlier, but I was just too tired. Yet, sleep, apparently isn't what I'm supposed to be doing now.

It's alright because, heck, remember my old favorite characteristic of a teacher of God? Well, it's patience. Here's that section again. It never gets old, I tell you!

VIII. Patience

Those who are certain of the outcome can afford to wait, and wait without anxiety. Patience is natural to the teacher of God. All he sees is certain outcome, at a time perhaps unknown to him as yet, but not in doubt. The time will be as right as is the answer. And this is true for everything that happens now or in the future. The past as well held no mistakes; nothing that did not serve to benefit the world as well as him to whom it seemed to happen. Perhaps it was not understood at the time. Even so, the teacher of God is willing to reconsider all his past decisions, if they are causing pain to anyone. Patience is natural to those who trust. Sure of the ultimate interpretation of all things in time, no outcome already seen or yet to come can cause them fear.

Amen and good night!

Sunday, July 4, 2010

It's Independence Day!

It really is Independence Day. So, it's the perfect day to say, "Boy, after reading DU, the term "independence day" really takes on a whole new meaning! Here's the quote to explain why from page 188."

PURSAH: Yes. The ego's chaotic nature also ensures that there will never be a unified theory of the universe that will hold up over time, because the universe isn't really based on the thought of unity -- it's based on the thought of separation and division. However, it includes fascinating and ingenious patterns that help to give it the illusion of unity. That's why you shouldn't be impressed by every new discovery or theory about the universe. So what if superstrings can make gravity work at both the Newtonian and sub-atomic levels? An illusion is still an illusion. We're not saying you shouldn't do research or analysis, if that's what you do. Go for it. Just try to remember that you're doing it during a pre-programmed dream script.

GARY: Not to mention the fact that you're a freakin' robot.

PURSAH: Only temporarily. You're not a robot once you get in touch with your power to choose. It's independence day, Gary. You'll never be the same once you know how to forgive.

ARTEN: The process Pursah has been describing gives you one example of how the universe follows a script that was made in a holographic way but appears to play out in a linear manner, like a movie that's already been filmed. The whole thing has alrady been written, and so has your life story. Even the day your body will die has already been determined. The only real freedom you have is to choose to return to God by listening to the Voice for Him, instead of continuing indefinitely within a fixed system that has nothing to do with Him. Your brain isn't hard wired to know God; your mind tells your brain what to do! Be glad the universe and your brain have nothing to do with God, and that there's a way to return to His Universe. You think your universe is impressive because it's all you can remember. You think it's big, but it's not. What you've done is make yourself look and feel small, like one little piece of the puzzle. You're like a child with little toys you don't want to give up. Yet what you really are cannot even be contained by your universe.

MAD COURSE STUDENT: Wowie, wow, wow and wow! Happy Independence Day, Everyone!