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Archive for the ‘Good Morning’ Category

On Progress

Posted in Good Morning on November 6, 2013| 1 Comment »

 
The word repent means literally to “turn around”. One can never get to the right place going in the wrong direction. No matter how fast one might run, how hard or how long; to get to the right place we must go in the right direction. That is why it is essential to turn around quickly when we determine that we are going the wrong way. The longer we take, the farther we must walk to get back.
 
Turning signal ready,
Z gardener

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On Feeling

Posted in Good Morning on November 5, 2013| 3 Comments »

 
I think the thrill of the Pagan stories and of romance may be due to the fact that they are mere beginnings—the first, faint whisper of the wind from beyond the world—while Christianity is the thing itself: and no thing, when you have really started on it, can have for you then and there just the same thrill as the first hint.
 
For example, the experience of being married and bringing up a family cannot have the old bittersweet of first falling in love. But it is futile (and, I think, wicked) to go on trying to get the old thrill again: you must go forward and not backward. Any real advance will in its turn be ushered in by a new thrill, different from the old: doomed in its turn to disappear and to become in its turn a temptation to retrogression.
 
Delight is a bell that rings as you set your foot on the first step of a new flight of stairs leading upwards. Once you have started climbing you will notice only the hard work: it is when you have reached the landing and catch sight of the new stair that you may expect the bell again. This is only an idea, and may be all rot: but it seems to fit in pretty well with the general law (thrills also must die to live) of autumn & spring, sleep and waking, death and resurrection, and “Whosoever loseth his life, shall save it.”
 
Each revelation is a new beginning full of joy and delight. Yet, the hard work of living that revelation leads to greater joy…and more hard work. The key is to “renew our minds” daily and rising to each new revelation.
 
Author’s note: After a brief hiatus, today the Good Morning begins a new spiritual journey citing quotes from the great Christian spiritual writer/author and one time atheist, C.S. Lewis. As before with author Emmett Fox, Z Gardener will post Dr. Lewis’ daily devotional followed by this writer’s epilogue (In italics). As always, it is this writer’s prayer that the Good Morning Garden will be a place of peace, joy and blessings for all who enter therein.
 
Peace, joy and blessings,
 
Z gardener

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How Much Conviction?

Posted in Good Morning on October 25, 2013| Leave a Comment »

 
What do you really believe? It is as a man thinketh in his heart that matters, says the Bible, and this means the heartfelt conviction as distinct from mere formal assent.
 
If you want to know what you really believe, simply watch what you do. We always do what we believe, although we frequently talk differently. If you feel that you are not making the most of your life, change your beliefs. Your present beliefs must be wrong if they are not producing harmony and satisfaction.
 
Start believing in health; start believing in prosperity; start believing in the Christ in those about you; start believing that your own divine Selfhood is rapidly unfolding. Act as though you believed these things and the results will surprise you.
 
For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul…Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as was told me (Acts 27: 23-25)
 
Today’s Good Morning Garden message marks the 1,000th post in which Emmett Fox’s wisdom has been shared and upon which this writer has posted comments in the epilogues. After a short break and some research, the Good Morning Garden devotionals will resume with another author’s work as a guide. If any of you gardeners have a suggestion for a source author, please share them.
 
Looking forward,
Z gardener

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Lean Back On Life

Posted in Good Morning on October 22, 2013| Leave a Comment »

 
Mental relaxation is just as important as right mental activity. Wise relaxation and wise activity are the balanced poles of all true actions. Many people are constantly subjecting their minds to totally unnecessary wear and tear.
 
We speak colloquially of “taking the train” somewhere and actually many people who ride in trains do take the train mentally the whole journey. Many years ago I noticed that when a train arrives in the terminal after a long run, the locomotive men always seem to come off the train looking fresher than most of the passengers; although they have been working and the passengers have not. The explanation is that for the engineer and fireman it was only a routine day’s work. They did not “take the train” mentally – they let the engine take it.
 
The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms…(Deuteronomy 33:27).
 
Just as our bodies need rest to heal and rebuild, so do our spirits and our minds. Rest and relaxation are not luxuries, they are necessities. They heal our hurts and fears, rejuvenate our attitudes and lift our spirits. So today, take the time to rest mind, body and spirit. You will be better for it. Ahhhhh!
 
Resting as required,
Z gardener

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Posted in Good Morning on October 21, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Look Where You Go
 
Look where you are going because you will inevitably go where you are looking. Where your attention is, there is your destiny. Attention is the key to life. Whatever you really give your attention to, you become. Whatever you really concentrate upon will come into your life. The Bible says, For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7). It does not say simply as a man thinketh, but as he thinketh in his heart, and this means thinking with interest or feeling.
 
This law is often illustrated most amusingly in practical life. The “horsy” man with his equine looks is known to us all. Kipling speaks of a Newfoundland fisherman who appeared for all the world like a great codfish himself; and Dickens speaks of a pedantic old lawyer who looked just like an animated roll of parchment. Keep your eyes open for these amusing dramatizations, and be sure to take to heart the tremendous lesson that they teach.
 
Be present where you are. Think where you want to be. Go where you think.
 
Being here,
    Z gardener

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Increasing Your Dividends

Posted in Good Morning on October 18, 2013| Leave a Comment »

 
 
For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. (Matthew 25:29).
 
This great text has been a stumbling block to many. It looks like injustice. It sounds like cruelty. Yet Jesus said it, and we know that he was always right.
 
The explanation is logical when you have the key to life. Your experience is the expression (pressing out) of your state of mind or consciousness, at any time. When your consciousness is high, everything goes well. When your consciousness is low or limited, everything goes wrong.
 
When trouble comes the usual thing is to meet it with fear, anger, disappointment, self-pity, or brutal will power. This naturally lowers the consciousness a good deal more, and things get still worse. From him that hath not (much) harmony, shall be taken away even that which he hath.
 
Harmony and joy naturally raise your consciousness and your faith in God still higher, and so things improve further. Unto everyone that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance. This is a simple statement of natural law. Let us thank God that this wonderful law exists.
 
Just as the servant who used his talents wisely, we will be given even greater abundance if we express our God-given joy, peace and harmony. By increasing the expression of God’s dividends to us, we increase the manifestation of those dividends in our experience. This is living in the garden God created for us.
 
Expressing & investing wisely,
Z gardener

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Just A Thought…

Posted in Good Morning on October 9, 2013| Leave a Comment »

A friend sent this to Z gardener today. I was just thinking…

…but time and chance happeneth to them all.
  —Ecclesiastes

Life, director of the comedy, always lets things get a little out of hand. We all know what would be normal and right, but the right horse sometimes finishes last in the race, and the jerk has all the money. The wise people, like us, are ignored by all, and the good woman gets in trouble with the law. The saint cheats on his income tax, but he never gets caught the way the needy ones like us do, and the worst sinners get saved in the nick of time, while the fittest sometimes just drop dead.

If all the best-laid plans go wrong, maybe we are meant to learn that such important things aren’t so important, after all.

If the skies are custard pies waiting to plop down on our hopeful faces, maybe it is best to accept the gift, count it a blessing, and lick our chops.

How have my failures been successes in disguise?

 
In disguise,
 
Z gardener

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The Law of Limitation

Posted in Good Morning on October 2, 2013| Leave a Comment »

 
 
A Young doctor and his wife were entertaining an elderly aunt. After-dinner coffee was served, whereupon the visitor said excitedly, “John, you know I cannot drink coffee! The nicotine in it keeps me awake all night.”
 
The nephew said, “ I assure you, my dear aunt, there is no nicotine in this coffee.” The aunt replied, “There is always nicotine in coffee, and it keeps me awake the whole night.” The host then said, “My dear aunt, I assure you upon my word of honor as a doctor, that there is no nicotine in this coffee.”
 
The old lady, who had the highest regard both for her nephew’s professional qualifications and for his personal integrity, was satisfied; and thereupon drank three large cups of coffee, enjoyed them immensely and slept like a top all night.
 
Naturally, there can be no nicotine in coffee; the old lady meant caffeine. Of course, one does not approve of the deception employed – deception is never legitimate – but the story illustrates perfectly the power of good and bad suggestion. The old lady first made a law of limitation for herself, and then repealed it without any trouble. Why not start today and repeal some of the many such laws you are sure to have made for yourself.
 
If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth (Mark 9:23). 
 
Only we can limit ourselves. Let us today, repeal the limits we have accepted for ourselves. Today, we can decide that old limitations no longer apply and can lay them down as easily as a thought. However, we must also continue to leave them lay if we are to truly overcome them. That takes focus and intentionality every day. Nothing however, could be more valuable and rewarding. Let’s start today.
 
Limitless,
Z gardener

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Never Look Back

Posted in Good Morning, tagged , on September 30, 2013| 1 Comment »

Never look back. Always go right ahead. Even if you are quaking, go right ahead. Jesus said the man who puts his hand to the plow and then turns back, is not worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. He also said:Remember Lot’s wife (Luke 17:32).
 
No matter how unattractive or how dangerous the road ahead may be, it is better than the road back. The road ahead may be veiled from sight – but you must teach yourself to regard the unknown as friendly. Remember that God is always on the road ahead.
 
…cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee (Psalm 143:8). 
 
Turn neither to the left nor to the right, but be strong and of a good courage. And you will prosper wherever you go.
 
Forward,
Z gardener

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Why Worry?

Posted in Good Morning on September 26, 2013| Leave a Comment »

 

Nothing is really worth worrying about. Nothing is really worth getting angry or hurt or bitter about. Positively nothing is worth losing your peace of mind over.

 

These important truths follow logically upon the following fact: you are going to live forever – somewhere. This means that there is plenty of time to get things right again if they have gone wrong. No matter what mistake you may have made, enough prayer will overtake it and cancel it. If those you love seem to be acting foolishly, you can help them with prayer to be wiser, and, meanwhile, if they suffer, it means that kindly nature is teaching them a lesson that they need to learn.

 

But suppose something awful should happen? Well, what then? Suppose you lost everything and landed in the poorhouse. What then? Think what a wonderful demonstration you could make there, and you would probably learn several valuable lessons there, and, anyway, it would be quite interesting. Suppose the whole universe blew up. What then? When the dust settles, God will still be in business and you will be alive somewhere, ready to carry on.

 

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved (Psalm 55:22).

 The problem is not the problem. Worry, anger, fear and all our other negative reactions are the problem. Conquer those and the blessing in the problem will reveal itself. 

Casting,

Z gardener

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