Day 365 - FINAL ENTRY

Today's Lesson:

This holy instant would I give to You.
Be You in charge. For I would follow You,
Certain that Your direction gives me peace.

And if I need a word to help me, He will give it to me. If I need a thought, that will He also give. And if I need but stillness and a tranquil, open mind, these are the gifts I will receive of Him. He is in charge by my request. And He will hear and answer me, because He speaks for God my Father and His holy Son.

Miracles I'm noticing - and Reflections on 2007:

This has been an incredible year. When I decided to post the daily lessons from A Course in Miracles, I had no idea what that would mean in my life. One of the things I noticed is that when I put my mind to something, I can accomplish it. The mental discipline it took for me to not only study the lessons each day, but post them here was something I don't think I've ever committed to doing before and now I know I can do whatever I determine I can do.

Watching the miracles that unfolded for the ACIM study group I'm a part of was also a miracle in itself. Peace, parenthood, business ownership, connection to personal authenticity, abundance, love - all of these were characteristics in the lives of the participants this year, and those participants attribute their miraculous lives at least in part to their study of this course.

Today's text reminds us to choose once again if we would take our place among the saviors of the world or would remain in hell, and hold our brothers there. It is really a very simple choice! We always choose between our weakness and the strength of Christ in us. And what we choose is what we think is real. When we choose to bring our weakness to Christ, he will take charge of everything we do. Whenever we make a faulty choice, we get trials which are simply lessons we failed to learn presented again so we can make a better choice.

I watched the documentary "Jesus Camp" last night on A&E and the fear that was instilled in those children was a perfect example of choosing fear over love and calling it God. I have learned so much since I began studying this course, and for me it is the difference between motivation and inspiration. Motivation is man-made - it is external and based on fear. Inspiration is God-created - it is internal and based on love. Motivation is a push from behind, telling me what I should do and using guilt and fear as its motive. Inspiration is a pull from within, lighting me up and inviting me to listen to my heart - the Christ in me - and using love to light that fire.

I was thinking as I was watching this movie last night: what might people do if allowed to listen to their own hearts and do what they think is right instead of being filled with fear? These little 7-, 8-, 9-, 10-year-old kids were told that Harry Potter was evil and if he would have been in the Old Testament he would have been put to death. I realize that this is just one side of the story and depicts one certain evangelical Christian side mixed with politics. I don't need to get caught up in the drama.

So I started really thinking about what we would all be like if we didn't have someone else telling us "how it is" or what we should think. What if we really allowed ourselves to listen to what's inside us. Would we be inherently good or inherently evil? I firmly believe that we are all created in the image and likeness of God and if we just remember that, we really can't go wrong.

Today's text tells us the images we make cannot prevail against what God Himself would have us be. We should never be fearful of temptation, then, but see it as it is; another chance to choose again, and let Christ's strength prevail in every circumstance and every place we raised an image of ourselves before. That's the ego vs. spirit debate.

We are as God created us, and so is every living thing we look upon, regardless of the images we see. What we behold as sickness and as pain, as weakness and as suffering and loss, is but temptation to perceive ourselves defenseless and in hell.

It goes on to say let us be glad that we can walk the world, and find so many chances to perceive another situation where God's gift can once again be recognized as ours! As we fight against things we don't agree with (like some of the scenes in "Jesus Camp"), we simply give more energy to those things that make us upset. And there should be no reason to be upset when we remember who we are (created in the image and likeness of God - along with everyone else we see).

The bottom line is that we are all one, regardless of race, religion, creed, nationality, doctrine, upbringing, wealth, poverty or belief. As I remember that and choose love instead of fear, I really do transform the world. Let there be peace on earth - and let it begin with me.

Thank you for studying with me this past year. Although I won't be reflecting on this blog in 2008, I will be studying again. And I'll be listening to Marianne Williamson on XM Channel 156 as she teaches the daily lessons. Look inside yourself and when you have a choice, choose love over fear - Spirit over ego. Notice what you notice and you will see that your life has become more peaceful, more loving, and happier. And isn't that what miracles are all about?

Much love and light to you and everyone in your world!