predencia

Forgiveness is the only gift I give.

Forgiveness is the only gift I give, because it is the only gift I want. And everything I give I give myself. This is salvation’s simple formula. And I, who would be saved, would make it mine, to be the way I live within a world that needs salvation, and that will be saved as I accept Atonement for myself.

Father, how certain are Your ways; how sure their final outcome, and how faithfully is every step in my salvation set already, and accomplished by Your grace. Thanks be to You for Your eternal gifts, and thanks to You for my Identity.

I looked at the first sentence and thought… is forgiveness really the only gift I want? I could think of a great many other things I wanted. It wasn’t till I was on the motorway on the way back from Manchester that the thought filtered in, that all of my ‘wants’ would be useless without forgiveness, because I could not truly enjoy them.

The rest of my day fell so beautifully into place, everything came effortlessly, including a copy of Robert Magee’s Story. This, coupled with my meeting with a film maker on Sunday. Could this be a subtle hint that I should be writing films?

The Holy Spirit speaks through me today.

The Holy Spirit needs my voice today, that all the world may listen to Your Voice, and hear Your Word through me. I am resolved to let You speak through me, for I would use no words by Yours, and have no thought which are apart from Yours, for only yours are true. I would be saviour to the world I made. For having damned it I would set it free, that I may find escape, and hear the Word Your holy Voice will speak to me today.

We teach today what we would learn, and that alone. And so our learning goal becomes and unconflicted one, and possible of easy reach and quick accomplishment. How gladly does he Holy Spirit come to rescue us from hell, when we allow His teaching to persuade the world, through us, to seek and find the easy path to God.

Completing a Student Finance application form requires at least a first degree. If it formed part of the admissions assessment, I’m sure I would fail. I tried to contain my son’s impatience, by containing my own, remembering to teach what I would learn.

We rewarded ourselves for completing the marathon form with a walk around the park, with its stunning wall of trees, golden in the autumn sun, needles in a giant pin cushion.

On Saturday I heard of my aunt’s death, today my friend’s wife went into labour – a soul leaves, another arrives, it’s the circle of life.

The Holy Spirit looks through me today.

Christ asks that He may use my eyes today, and thus redeem the world. He asks this gift that He may offer peace of mind to me, and take away all terror and all pain. And as they are removed from me, the dreams that seemed to settle on the world are gone. Redemption must be one. As I am saved, the world is saved with me. For all of us must be redeemed together. Fear appears in many different forms, but love is one.

My Father, Christ has asked a gift of me, and one I give that it be given me. Help me to use the eyes of Christ today, and thus allow the Holy Spirit’s Love to bless all things which I may look upon, that His forgiving Love may rest with me.

Fear appears in many different forms… I experienced at least two forms today, but more importantly I experienced a great deal of love.

I did the meditation for the Tony Quinn seminar seven years ago, and was passionately re-connected with the energy of my goal. I’m really excited, as I move closer to the BIG goal I set back then. It was a ten year plan, so only three years left…

My body is a wholly neutral thing.

I am a Son of God. And can I be another thing as well? Did God create the mortal and corruptible? What use has God’s beloved Son for what must die? And yet a neutral thing dies not see death, for thoughts of fear are not invested here, not is a mockery of love bestowed upon it. Its neutrality protects it while it has a use. And afterwards, without a purpose, it is laid aside. It is not sick nor old nor hurt. It is but functionless, unneeded and cast off. Let me not see it more than this today; of service for a while and fit to serve, to keep its usefulness while it can serve, and then to be replaced for greater good.

My body, Father, cannot be Your Son. And what is not created cannot be sinful nor sinless; neither good nor bad. Let me, then, use this dream to help Your plan that we awaken from all dreams we made.

How did the Course know that I had a bereavement yesterday? Yes, I was left with my mouth wide open in amazement when I read this. Such a timely reminder of the real purpose of the body. Although the language is a little harsh… functionless…unneeded… cast off… the message in essence is a reminder that the spirit is the important part of us, and that cannot be destroyed.

I met with the film maker who filmed Caribbean Juices last week, to see if there is something we can do collaboratively. Such an interesting young woman and such ambition… really hope she’s a doer.

The city centre was heaving with the tail enders of the Birmingham half marathon. Such energy, and for the first time I saw a Rasta busking on his djembe. Oh, those sounds went straight to my soul.

All fear is past and only love is here.

All fear is past, because its source is gone, and all its thoughts gone with it. Love remains the only present state, whose Source is here forever and forever. Can the world seem bright and clear and safe and welcoming, with all my past mistakes oppressing it, and showing me distorted forms of fear? Yet in the present love is obvious, and its effects apparent. All the world shines in reflection of its holy light, and I perceive a world forgiven at last.

Father. Let not your holy world escape my sight today. Nor let my ears be deaf to all the hymns of gratitude the world is singing underneath the sounds of fear. There is a real world which the present holds safe from all past mistakes. And I would see only this world before my eyes today.

The day started slow and then sped up, if not in reality, then certainly in my head. I meditated – something I haven’t done properly in a while. Maybe it was preparation for the Reiki share I was going to attend later in the day. That too, I haven’t done in a while – in fact many years.

It was lovely to be back in the place where I first did my atunements; in the warmth and fellowship of Reiki practitioners and Masters, and in the power of Reiki energy when channelled by a group.

I went to a work reunion in the evening, a time when there was ample opportunity, if I wished, to focus on past mistakes, both those of myself and of others. But thankfully most of the people wanted to focus on the good things happening in their lives, on their achievements since they left, and on their future plans. It was great fun, but I was grateful to hit my bed at midnight.

Maybe the fatigue it was partly due to the news that one of my aunts in Jamaica died, just short of her one hundred and first birthday.

A happy outcome to all things is sure.

God’s promises make no exceptions. And He guarantees that only joy can be the final outcome found for everything. Yet it is up to us when this is reached; how long we let an alien will appear to be opposing His. And while we think this will is real, we will not find the end He has appointed as the outcome of all problems we perceive, all trials we see, and every situation we meet. Yet is the ending certain. For God’s will is done in earth and Heaven. We will seek and we will find according to His Will, which guarantees that our will is done.

We thank You, Father, for Your guarantee of only happy outcomes in the end. Help us not interfere, and so delay the happy endings You have promised us for every problem that we can perceive; for every trial we think we still must meet.

I met with one of the writers who attended Caribbean Juices at the MAC today. Unashamedly went to see the By the Rivers of Birminam exhibition again – and was fortunate to meet Vanley Burke, sitting beside the juke box outside the exhibition, listening to a selection of his own music. Such wonderful talent housed in such a warm and unassuming body. We apparently just missed Benjamin Zephaniah.  I had a long chat to a photography student up from Bristol to see the exhibition, and to get some inspiration for when he goes to Jamaica on a photography expedition next year.

The Ghanaian writer I met, who shared some of his work with me, gave me a new name, ‘Lady Sage.’ I quite like it. Hope I can live up to it.

I couldn’t resist dragging him around the park again, losing ourselves in writers talk and autumn colours.

What is the real world?

The real world is a symbol, like the reso of what perception offers. Yet it stands for what is opposite to what you made. Your world is seen through eyes of fear, and brings the witnesses of terror to your mind. The real world cannot be perceived except through eyes forgiveness blesses, so they see a world where terror is impossible, and witnesses to fear cannot be found.

Lesson 291

This is a day of stillness and of peace.

Christ’s vision looks through me today. His sight shows me all things forgiven and at peace, and offers this same vision to the world. And I accept this vision in its name, both for myself and for the world as well. What loveliness we look upon today! What holiness we see surrounding us! And it is given us to recognise it is a holiness in which we share; it is he Holiness of God Himself.

This day my mind is quiet, to receive the Thoughts You offer me. And I accept what comes from You, instead of from myself. I do not know the way to You. But You are wholly certain. Father, guide your Son along the quiet path that leads to You. Let my forgiveness be complete and let the memory of You return to me.

There was very little stillness today. Contrary to the lesson I spent most of the day in movement and in conversation, either in person or on the phone. It wasn’t till I got to ACIM group tonight that I realised how little I’ve meditated in the last two weeks. I need to put that right – though having said that, I’ve not been feeling stressed. Could it be that living the course is reducing my need for formal meditation? Or could it be that writing the morning pages and doing the ‘Walking in This World’ is a form of meditation?

Anyway, I put the cat among the pigeons by playing devils advocate in the group, and reinforced for myself that I need more of a discussion group –one less focused on going through the lesson word for word. After all, I read them throughout the week. I need to find out from others how they face the challenges of living the principles in a world hostile to love and so at home with fear.