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April-June, 2006

Preferring Holy Spirit’s Plan

by Rev. Barbara Kraetsch

I am struck by how similar the first principle and foundation of St. Ignatius is to ACIM. Another confirmation that the truth is the truth. It may come to us in slightly different words, merely symbols in form, but the truth always remains the truth. Visionaries and mystics throughout time always come to the idea of oneness, with all else being illusion.

It is in coming to the idea of oneness that we can come to recognize our soul. We cannot find ourself except to look at the One Self. We cannot find ourself anywhere else because we don’t exist anywhere else. Everything in the illusion made by the mind can be a help to the end of rejoicing in our oneness with God. We can make use of what is in the illusion to help us to this end, and also learn to let go of what is any hindrance to us. A hindrance for us is attachment to form, letting expectations, preferences, or obsessions rule our lives.

Truly we cannot recognize oneness as we cling to thoughts of separation. We must step outside of the illusion in order to see the illusion, in other words detach ourself from it. I see I cannot be helpful to myself or to others while I cling to my expectations, my judgments, my preferences, even in simple things. How often I find myself preferring health to sickness, a sustaining income to poverty, honor to dishonor. The illusion is filled with comparisons and contrasts. I want to be liked and respected. These are all thoughts of the illusion. I even have preferences in one type of spiritual work over another, as if one were better or more satisfying than another. My “dream” has been to write a book of spiritual wisdom given by a great teacher that goes out to the world like some of the wonderful ACIM teachers we have today that I admire, as if this were better somehow, more valuable than working quietly as I do. This is an attachment to my idea of what is best for me in the world. I see that as long as I cling to any ideas like this, I am not free to truly serve the One Self. My one desire must be to serve God’s Will in love, unattached to a particular form.

This is the call of the One Self — I am that I am. The one desire and choice is whatever is in keeping for the fulfillment of our creation. There is no other desire and choice in truth. When I am attached to certain ways in form, I have lost sight of this. It seems hard to say that preferences have no place.

Wouldn’t I rather be well than sick? Yes, but I can find God just as well in sickness as in health. How do I know which is best for me? I have arthritis in my back and knees. In times past I have resented this condition. I have wondered why this is coming from my unconscious mind, and tried to focus on perfect health instead. I have denied the condition and tried to push it away, all to no avail. I was assuming I could find more spirituality in health than in illness.

It wasn’t my preference that was wrong-thinking, but my attachment to my preference. In my attachment to a way I thought was better, I lost sight of what is. I was struggling with what seems to be because it didn’t fit my attachment profile. Instead of finding the dee per idea that God is present in all, I thought that God would be more present if I could manifest perfect body health. After all, isn’t that how I was created, in perfect health? Illness is an illusion. So is perfect health in the body part of the same illusion. One is not more desirable than the other in oneness because both are of the body. I am much happier when I am not struggling with body conditions, but accepting them in loving self-forgiveness.

And so today, I focus on the idea that the truth of the One Self is always present, and that it can be learned through many different symbols and forms. The divine plan has arranged for me how to best recognize its presence. I am grateful in my trust, grateful that in the stillness of my mind the Voice for God points the way to truth through many avenues. I gladly accept today the way that is given me as best for me. God in His providence has given us the Holy Spirit for our healing and our healing plan. Let His preferences take precedence over mine today.

Rev. Barbara Kraetsch is a Pathways of Light minister living in Hartford, Wisconsin.

© 2006, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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April-June, 2006

The Sacred Light of Winter

by Rev. Margaret Huckabay

The stillness of winter can be a
sacred gift allowing time for
mediation, prayer and silent heart
communion with the Most High.

When any of us allows
sacred periods of “hush” to bring
stillness to our busy world…
Heartseed from on high can
germinate Heart Awareness.

And when we choose to listen,
to hear, to “ponder in our heart the
brilliant light of His great Love”
will breath by breath, step by step
increasingly illuminate His ever
emerging plan for each of us.

What joy to allow the slower pace of
January and February to be a holy
gift of beauty and grace…
born through stillness, contemplation
and increasing heart communion and
atunement with the Most High.

What peace to silently, lovingly
welcome God’s whole and holy plan
for us in this year of our Lord, 2006.

Rev. Margaret Huchabay is a Pathways of Light minister living in Shreveport, Louisiana.

© 2006, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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April-June, 2006

My Desire to Be Right Causes Me Pain

by Rev. Joan Haber

I was given an opportunity to choose between being right and being happy yesterday and I discovered that I act out of habit. When the situation arose, I instinctively turned on my defenses and made a decision out of wanting to be “right” with this other person.

Right after I did so, I stopped and actually thought about what I did and why. I believe it is this type of vigilant awareness that will eventually save me from this type of situation that only brings me pain.

I also checked in with myself and asked of myself, “How does this behavior feel in your body?” My answer was that I felt a familiar feeling of anxiety and discomfort within my body. I apologized to the person in question, which caused everything to just go “poof” and we were both happy. Thank you God! 

Rev. Joan haber is a Pathways of Light minister living in Sarasota, Florida.

© 2006, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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January-March, 2006

This Year, Am I Willing to Remember the Mind Boggling Truth?

by Rev. Mary Stoelting

As we begin this new year together, I am struck with the idea that this coming year brings with it an opportunity of ‘mind boggling’ proportions. As students of A Course in Miracles, we all know that it is very important for us to allow our minds to be ‘boggled’ by the Holy Spirit. When we let our minds be ‘boggled’ by the Holy Spirit we remember that in reality, there are no separate minds. We remember that there is only one Mind and that we are all included in the one Mind of Love. We remember that we cannot leave the one Mind of Love because It is our true Identity and we cannot change What we are.

The Course reminds us that if we really want to release ourselves from the bondage of the ego, nothing is more important than being open to receiving the mind boggling truth that nothing has really changed us from the way we were created by the one Mind of Love. The mind boggling truth is still there in our mind, waiting for our acceptance. The mind boggling truth cannot leave our mind, even though we choose not to be aware of it.

If I want to make this coming year be a truly happy and peaceful year, I will allow myself to accept the mind boggling truth that everyone is the same Love and no one can really be anything but Love. I will remember that Love cannot change into something else. I will remember the mind boggling truth that Love is eternal and changeless. 

In Chapter 22, Section II, Jesus tells us, “Only if it were possible the Son of God could leave his Father’s Mind, make himself different and oppose His Will, would it be possible that the self he made, and all it made, should be his master.” (9:6) This mind boggling truth means that the figures in our dream are not controlling us like it seems in our ‘life’ story. It means that if we want to, we can see the great projection of separation for what it is — a defense against the truth — and forgive, or let it go because we see that it is not really giving us the eternal happiness and joy that God provides eternally.

Jesus also reminds us of this mind boggling truth: “Behold the great projection, but look on it with the decision that it must be healed, and not with fear. Nothing you made has any power over you unless you still would be apart from your Creator, and with a will opposed to His. For only if you would believe His Son could be His enemy does it seem possible that what you made is yours. You would condemn His joy to misery, and make Him different. And all the misery you made has been your own. Are you not glad to learn it is not true? Is it not welcome news to hear not one of the illusions that you made replaced the truth?” (T-22.II.10:1-7) Now this is a happy mind boggling that can truly make this coming year a year filled with peace and joy.

Another mind boggling truth is that the whole Sonship — which is the extension of God’s Love — is God’s joy. This means that no one is excluded in being God’s joy. As we accept the mind boggling truth that everyone is God’s joy, we remember to love every one as God loves them. We let the Holy Spirit show us the truth that every brother is pure Love and nothing else. This is what will bring us joy without end this coming year. This is our answer to every perceived problem as we enter this new year. This coming year we would let the mind boggling reality of Love replace every error in our minds and be happy instead of accepting the fearful dream as real.

Jesus tells us what will happen when we are willing to remember the mind boggling truth about every brother. He tells us, “The love of Christ will light your face, and shine from it into a darkened world that needs the light. And from this holy place He will return with you, not leaving it nor you. You will become His messenger, returning Him unto Himself.” (T-22.IV.3:7-9)

When we give the mind boggling gift of seeing every brother as he truly Is, we receive the gift. We return Him unto Himself and see that giving the truth is the same as receiving the truth.

This year, am I willing to remember the mind boggling truth? This is the same as asking myself if I am willing to free myself from pain and suffering or if I am willing to forgive illusions of separation and see that only Love’s oneness is real. The moment I decide to become aware of the mind boggling truth is when it is there for me to see because it has already been given. My job is to let that time be now because why would I want to delay my awareness of Heaven?

Jesus tells us, “The holy instant is the miracle’s abiding place. From there, each one is born into this world as witness to a state of mind that has transcended conflict, and has reached to peace. It carries comfort from the place of peace into the battleground, and demonstrates that war has no effects.” (T-27.V.3:1-3) What a joy it is to know how to truly resolve every perceived conflict, and how to comfort and be comforted in the truest sense by simply being willing to allow the mind boggling truth to enter my mind! This is why Jesus says, “Reality is safe and sure, and wholly kind to everyone and everything.” (T-16.II.8:6)

As we move into the new year Jesus encourages us to remember the mind boggling truth with these words: “This is a year of joy, in which your listening will increase and peace will grow with its increase. The power of holiness and the weakness of attack are both being brought into your awareness.” (T-16.II.7:1-2)

What an outstanding year we can all have as we let this year be a year of joy by listening to the mind boggling truth from the Holy Spirit instead of deciding anything on our own. What an outstanding year we can all have as we remember the simple fact that, “illusions are not fearful because they are not true.” (T-16.V.14:1) What a peaceful and happy year we have ahead of us as we let the truth be true and remember that nothing else is true.

Mary Stoelting is co-founder of Pathways of Light. She lives in Kiel, Wisconsin.

© 2006, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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