Good Morning Garden

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).

Worry, stress, fear, anxiety, doubt and all the other useless and harmful wear and tear we subject ourselves to affect more than just us. It subjects those we love to the same mental friction. It also degrades our total environment. Mental relaxation applies to more than turning off our minds or meditating on peace. It also means affirmatively refusing to allow unnecessary negative mental activity to infect us.

Laid back,
Z gardener

Read Full Post »

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.

There are so many sayings that reflect this truth in life. “keep your eye on the ball, watch where you are going, stay focused” are just a few. In spiritual matters, and in all matters, we will inevitably follow that upon we we focus our attention. Similarly, when we focus on ourselves, we will tend to exclude others. This will lead to self-centeredness, self-pity and self-recrimination. On the other hand, when we focus on others it will lead to selflessness, gratefulness and self respect.

Eyes on the prize,
Z gardener

Read Full Post »

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.

Let us this day, meet both trouble and treasure with joy, hope, anticipation and thankfulness. Let us think, speak and live in certainty and peace and in the comfort that God will reward these actions with greater understanding, blessings and miracles.

Absorbing and radiating good,
Z gardener

Read Full Post »

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).

Sometime we create false realities for ourselves that imprison and blind us to the true beauty and happiness God has planned for us. We establish priorities, make plans based on those priorities and then may feel like failures when those plans and priorities do not materialize or don’t turn out as planned.

Persevering in faith,
Z gardener

Read Full Post »

When you go down to the seashore, you find what is practically an unlimited supply of sea water at your disposal. There are billions upon billions of gallons there, but the amount that you can carry away will depend upon the vessel with which you have provided yourself. If you take a ten-gallon can, you can get ten gallons, but if you take only a pint pot you can take away only a pint, and if you have nothing bigger than a thimble, you would not be able to take away more than a thimbleful.

So it is with divine abundance. The only limit is the limit of our capacity to receive.

Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing (Psalm 145:16).

This raises the obvious question of “What kind of vessel are we”? Do we really believe that infinite abundance is available to us? Do we truly feel that we deserve infinite supply? Do we feel that unlimited blessings will be good for us?

Growing the vessel,
Z gardener

Read Full Post »

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).

Of course, the statement above assumes right actions. Those activities which are good, God-centered and positive. That does not mean we should never look back when engaged in bad behavior. In fact, the quicker we turn back from such thoughts, words and deeds, the better.

On course,
Z gardener

Read Full Post »

Perhaps the second best prayer ever written is the Scotsman’s Prayer – “Lord give us a good conceit of ourselves.” You cannot have too much respect for yourself. You cannot have too much confidence in yourself. You cannot claim too much for yourself. But remember that you must realize these things as being the expression of God in you and not independent qualities of your own. You must also accept them as being true for every other human being.

Nothing but failure can come of self-depreciation. Of course, it is true that stupid people can get the malady called “swelled head” – and this ends in a fall – but the realization of one’s divine selfhood never gives swelled head. It gives wisdom, balance, poise, and steady progress. Think, talk, live your divine, glorious selfhood, and it will demonstrate itself in your life.

I have said, Ye are Gods; and all of you are children of the most High (Psalm 82:6).

Yes, brother and sisters, you heard that right. You are a God! Within each of us is the spark or seed of the divine. And just as our children have the seed or spark we planted in them, so do we all have God’s spark within us.

Still plowing,
Z gardener

Read Full Post »

God has no office hours. There is never a time when God is unavailable. Day or night, summer or winter, God is always present; always ready to heal, to comfort, to inspire. It is not possible that you could turn to God in prayer without receiving help.

The one thing required of you is that you shall turn to Him wholeheartedly, and that you shall expect Him to act. The greater the emergency, the easier will it be to demonstrate. The most powerful of all prayers is simply “Be still, and know that I am God.”

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose hearts is perfect toward him. (2 Chronicles 16:9).

No matter how alone we feel or how impossible our predicament seems, it is within God’s power to meet our needs. The difficulty arises when we can’t turn to God with our whole heart. In those circumstances we must ask for God’s help to turn our hearts to him. God is there to heal our hearts whether they are filled with fear, hurt, disappointment or even anger at God. What is required of us is that we “turn” to God. Because while God is always available, we hold the key that opens the door to God. That key is our heart.

With all my heart,
Z gardener

Read Full Post »

It would probably be safe to say that more than half of the evil in the world is due to well-meaning busybodies who just cannot refrain from interfering. Needless to say, such people never have harmony or success in their own lives, for it is an invariable rule that he who minds his neighbor’s business, neglects his own.

To interfere mentally in any situation involves you in the consequences just as much as would a physical interference. Of course, where it is your duty to concern yourself in any matter, you must do so – constructively and spiritually – and then the consequences to you can only be good.

For every man shall bear his own burden (Galatians 6:5).

This does mean that we should neglect those around us who we can help. Interference is not help, it is injecting oneself into another’s affairs that are none of that person’s business. The obligation to help those around us, to counsel those who depend on us and to share our concerns with those we love always exist. But when we are not asked for help, or when we have no obligation to counsel, then the appropriate action is to be available, respond when asked and to direct love toward those about which we have concerns. When we inject ourselves into the affairs of those to which we have no duty or from which we have no invitation, then we have “gone from preaching to meddling”.

Bearing up,
Stan

Read Full Post »