Polish the Apple

APPLES, ART, BUSINESS, BLISS

Apples in Paris

I got left behind a long time ago. Being left behind is nothing new to me. I know the story. I get left behind and I have no idea how to catch up. And, it doesn’t matter how hard I try to catch up, I can’t do it. I’m on my own in this old world, spirituality and all. It is one thing to be spiritual, to have spiritual sense; but, it’s another thing to take that spirituality and make a profound connection to the world with it. How many people make a truly profound connection to the world anyway? It isn’t easy to do, and even those who do it don’t always know exactly what it was they did. It isn’t easy to make a profound connection to the world. I used to think that it was simply a matter of expressing Spirit, immersion in Spirit and brotherly love. Spirituality and love are good things, compelling things, but not necessarily aggressive, attention-getting things. They don’t make a big stir. They don’t create a big ruckus. Don’t go into spirituality because you want to change the world. What if the world doesn’t want to change? What if the world resists the kind of change that you have in mind for it? Did you ever think of that?

Does the world’s indifference or rejection of spirituality make Spirit of none effect? Is Spirit’s value to me diminished by the world’s rejection of it? No! How could that be? The world doesn’t set my standard. I don’t have a great life to begin with, but it would be an awful mess if I were governed by the world. I wanted to be more than I am—most people do. Most people want more for their lives than they get. Whose fault is that? Is it even a question of fault? Isn’t it just the way things are? Reality. The nature of things. The way of the world. I might be blessed to find a kernel of contentment in this world, but who cares and why should they? I didn’t seek and find contentment to impress anyone. I did it to save myself. I did it to find a place and space to be in. 

Thank God for writing. What would I do without it? Who would I talk to? Writing is like my best friend. It’s better than sex, and I like sex a lot. I have always tried to protect writing from the world, which is probably why I never succeeded at it. I didn’t sell my soul. I didn’t sell writing to the world, and I have reaped the stark consequences of my parsimony. Life in the world is all about selling something or other. Commerce. Buying and selling. Supply and demand. Success is about reading and responding to markets correctly. Trends. Movements of thought and desire.

Contrary to pop psychology, it isn’t about your bliss. Two tears in a bucket, mother-fuck it. Nobody gives a rat’s ass about your bliss. Which is not to say that your bliss is a bad thing, but just because it’s yours, doesn’t mean other people want to hear about it. Success is all about tapping into the monster and giving it what it wants, regardless of your bliss. You can take your bliss and go beat off with it on the toilet seat, but please don’t be sharing it with me! Give me something that I want. Show me what I want and give it to me. Thank you, baby. You mean I’ve got to pay for it? Oh, OK. Give it to me, baby. That’s what it’s all about.

Photograph:  Elena Dijour/Shutterstock.com

Bible Lesson 1/8/17

BIBLE, RITUAL, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

Sacrament:

For we being many are one bread, and one body:  for we are all partakers of that one bread (I Corinthians 10).

Passover--O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness (Psalms 96).

baptism--Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father (Luke 3).

Eucharist--His true flesh and blood were his Life; and they truly eat his flesh and drink his blood, who partake of that divine Life (Eddy, 1906, p. 25).

morning meal--This spiritual meeting with our Lord in the dawn of a new light is the morning meal which Christian Scientists commemorate (Eddy, 1906, p. 35).

race--Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12).  As time moves on, the healing elements of pure Christianity will be fairly dealt with; they will be sought and taught, and will glow in all the grandeur of universal goodness (Eddy, 1906, p. 329).

Often, when I read the Lesson for the first time, it’s just a lot of words.  But, as the week progresses and I read it again, specific themes and phrases stand out to me in the Bible and Science and Health.  I enjoy this weekly discovery of significant thoughts and modes of expression from our Pastor.

References

Eddy, M. B.  (1906).  Science and health with key to the scriptures.  Boston, MA:  The Christian Science Board of Directors.

Holy bible (King James version).  (n. d.).  Boston, MA:  The Christian Science Publishing Society.

Bible Lesson 1/1/17

BIBLE, GOD, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

God:

Now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not:  for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine (Isaiah 43).

Spirit--Moses advanced a nation to the worship of God in Spirit (Eddy, p. 200, 1906).  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure (Isaiah 46).

infinite--Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth:  for I am God, and there is none else (Isaiah 45).

eternal--I am the Lord, I change not; . . . Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you (Malachi 3; Jeremiah 29).

healer--With God all things are possible (Matthew 19).  The prayer that reforms the sinner and heals the sick is an absolute faith that all things are possible to God (Eddy, 1906, p. 1).

All--Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever.  Amen (I Timothy 1).

References

Eddy, M. B.  (1906).  Science and health with key to the scriptures.  Boston, MA:  The Christian Science Board of Directors.

Holy bible (King James version).  (n. d.).  Boston, MA:  The Christian Science Publishing Society.

Bible Lesson 12/25/16

BIBLE, CHRISTMAS, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

Christian Science:

Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:  and the government shall be upon his shoulder:  and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9).

wise men--Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. . . .  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy (Matthew 2).

Mary--And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word (Luke 1).

Joseph--And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left (Isaiah 30).

shepherds--The shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us (Luke 2).

Jesus--And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water:  and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him (Matthew 3).

Comforter--The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you (John 14).

References

Holy bible (King James version).  (n. d.).  Boston, MA:  The Christian Science Publishing Society.

Bible Lesson 12/18/16

BIBLE, ATOMIC FORCE, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

Is the Universe, Including Man, Evolved by Atomic Force?

He commanded, and they were created.  He hath also stablished them for ever and ever:  he hath made a decree which shall not pass (Psalms 148).

stillness--Be still, and know that I am God:  I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth (Psalms 46).

power--O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: . . .  To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary (Psalms 63).

glad tidings--Divine Love blesses its own ideas, and causes them to multiply,--to manifest His power (Eddy, 1906, p. 517).

earthly spell--To break this earthly spell, mortals must get the true idea and divine Principle of all that really exists and governs the universe harmoniously (Eddy, 1906, p. 39).

peace--And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.  And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm (Mark 4).

thanks--We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty . . . ; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned (Revelation 11).

References

Eddy, M. B.  (1906).  Science and health with key to the scriptures.  Boston, MA:  The Christian Science Board of Directors.

Holy bible (King James version).  (n. d.).  Boston, MA:  The Christian Science Publishing Society.

Bible Lesson 12/11/16

BIBLE, PRESERVATION, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

God the Preserver of Man:

Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations (Deuteronomy 7).

Love--Thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance (Psalms 32).

spiritual understanding--By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went (Hebrews 11).

prayer--And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces:  and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them (Numbers 20).

age--Thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning (Job 11).

children--Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray (Matthew 19).

light--I am the light of the world:  he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. . . .  Before Abraham was, I am (John 8).

fear not--O man greatly beloved, fear not:  peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong (Daniel 10).

References

Holy bible (King James version).  (n. d.).  Boston, MA:  The Christian Science Publishing Society.

Bible Lesson 12/4/16

BIBLE, CREATOR, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

God the Only Cause and Creator:

I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being (Psalms 146).

Word--In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God (John 1).

witness--Ye are my witnesses saith the Lord . . . :  that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he (Isaiah 43).

Jesus--Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel (Matthew 1).

the perfect gift--Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning (James 1).

sustenance--Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? . . . But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6).

the way--Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee (Psalms 143).

References

Holy bible (King James version).  (n. d.).  Boston, MA:  The Christian Science Publishing Society.