Oct 26, 2007 |
by Annette Bridges. © 2007. All rights reserved.
Recently I found myself dealing with one family crisis after another. I wanted to be the perfect mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt. But instead, I was feeling overextended, burdened, overwhelmed, and maxed out.
My parents and father-in-law had various care needs, while another family member had lost her job and her marriage, and had been involved in a serious car accident. Yet another family member with a new baby needed care and financial assistance. To top it all off, my husband and I were struggling to maintain our cattle ranch in the worst drought conditions we’d had in north Texas in 50 years. The demands seemed endless.
Around that time, a headline in a local newspaper grabbed my attention: “Overburdened family caregivers.” That was me, all right. As I read over the piece, it only reinforced all the strain I was feeling. It asserted that caregivers for family members will have times when they feel alone and stressed out.
When I began to experience regular headaches and chest pains in between phone calls from loved ones, I realized the situation was calling for some serious prayer. I didn’t want to buy into the idea that my desire to help loved ones must bring suffering as a normal result.
The rock of Truth is much higher than my limited sense of things.
One day, at the peak of my frustration, I read this passage from Psalms: “When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Through my study of Christian Science, I’ve learned there is a rock much higher than my own limited sense of things. Many times I’ve prayed to understand more about this rock of Truth when I’ve been struggling with various challenges.
And healing has always involved lifting my thought above and beyond my human sense of things to see the spiritual and eternal facts relating to the situation. I knew I needed to do the same thing in caring for my various family members now.
When we limit our perceptions to only the human sense of things, we cut ourselves off from God’s infinite view, which lights the path to healing and reveals the best solutions. Mary Baker Eddy wrote in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: “Beholding the infinite tasks of truth, we pause,—wait on God. Then we push onward, until boundless thought walks enraptured, and conception unconfined is winged to reach the divine glory.”
I was definitely seeing endless human tasks associated with the collective needs of family members. But I was forgetting the key to accomplishing God’s “infinite tasks”—pausing and waiting on Him, and seeing that the accomplishment of anything good always comes from a source greater than human effort or willpower. So I decided to refocus my efforts and see that I could feel unconfined and free to carry out God’s plan.
I was actually being called upon to witness the power of God.
I worked to dismiss a burdened sense of my family and my role as defined by mundane duties, obligations, and responsibilities. Sometimes even in our good desires and deeds we martyr ourselves and accept suffering as natural. But as Mrs. Eddy pointed out, the word martyr actually comes from the Greek and means “witness.” I saw that rather than take on burdens and focus on a litany of problems, I was actually being called upon to witness the power of God, of good, in the lives of my loved ones.
As I gained a more spiritual view of my family, remembering that each one was a child of our Father-Mother God, who loves each of us dearly, the situation changed. The result was healing and progress for each and every one of us.
One family member found a new job, another expressed more independence, and yet another repaid all the money he’d borrowed from us. I was even able to accept a new job opportunity, which helped ease our stretched finances. The headaches and chest pains ceased, and they haven’t returned. And I feel a deeper peace.
No, the demands on me haven’t gone away entirely. But I trust that progress is God’s law for each of us, His beloved children. Most important, I’m more certain that the one divine caregiver is God who is able to meet the needs of His children and guide us to the best solutions and answers. We can count on it.
Oct 26, 2007 |
by Annette Bridges. © 2007. All rights reserved.
A few years ago, I took part in an exercise with a group of other people in management jobs that really changed my thinking. We were each asked to pick out a Bible character and discuss his or her leadership and management qualities and skills. Ultimately, the plan was for us to discover skills that we could apply in our own jobs, wherever we worked. I chose Nehemiah.
Reading the story of his life in the Bible, I was intrigued at the strong connection between his reliance on prayer and his many accomplishments. As a Christian Scientist, it was natural for me to pray to God when I was ill, and I’d had lots of physical healings. But now I realized prayer could help me in my work, too. And Nehemiah provided a good management model.
Nehemiah was serving as a cupbearer in the palace of Artaxerxes, King of Persia, when he got word of conditions in Jerusalem, and the fact that the city walls were all broken down and the people there were in a very sorry state. He felt called to go to Jerusalem to help them, but to do this he needed permission from the king. Anxious as he was to get started with this work, he knew that he had to wait for the right time, and he prayed for guidance about when to ask as well as for the right words to say. Mary Baker Eddy wrote in Science and Health, “Desire is prayer; and no loss can occur from trusting God with our desires, that they may be moulded and exalted before they take form in words and in deeds.” It seems to me that Nehemiah’s desire to help his people was proof that he lived this statement. And his desire to go to Jerusalem was granted.
Rebuilding the wall would not be an easy task.
Even after Artaxerxes agreed that he could go to Jerusalem, Nehemiah knew rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall was not going to be an easy task. It would be a massive architectural undertaking. At first, he was uncertain how to inspire the people of Jerusalem to help him.
But again, he didn’t act impulsively or hurriedly. He prayed for guidance. And his prayer resulted in knowing just what he needed to do and say in the right way at the appropriate time.
Nehemiah was frank and forthright in talking with the people in Jerusalem, but he was also patient with their fears and discouragement. Under his guidance, they became united in their common goal.
As I compared Nehemiah’s actions to my own, it occurred to me I was often too impulsive in my work. I didn’t always fully consider the consequences of decisions made and actions taken. Nehemiah’s example showed me that prayer can bring clarity of vision—as well as tact.
The more I learned about Nehemiah, the more I was impressed by his humility. And I knew I needed more of this quality in my own work. There were too many times when I arrogantly insisted on “my way.
Mrs. Eddy wrote about humility, “One can never go up, until one has gone down in his own esteem” (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, p. 356).
Nehemiah turned to God and kept his own ego in check.
Nehemiah frequently went to God in prayer to seek guidance, direction, wisdom. By looking to a higher authority for answers, he kept his own ego in check.
Nehemiah was never impressed by gossip, criticism, or doubt—he stayed on task and focused. His enemies tried to persuade him to stop his work many times. But his prayer-inspired clarity kept his focus on the work God was directing him to do.
This part really grabbed my attention. Too often, I allowed gossip or criticism to hurt my feelings and distract me from my work. Mrs. Eddy’s article “Taking Offense” is full of good advice for such times. She wrote, “It is our pride that makes another’s criticism rankle, our self-will that makes another’s deed offensive, our egotism that feels hurt by another’s self-assertion” (Mis., p. 224).
I could pray to God to guide me.
The more I studied Nehemiah’s example, the more I realized I could exhibit the same leadership abilities he expressed. I could pray to God to guide me. From then on, prayer became an important part of my management plan. And I soon had a chance to put my new understanding into action.
I was part of a management team that created and designed products for use both in the office and by the public. Consistency and clarity of message was crucial. Tight deadlines were routine and there was no time to placate sensitive egos. We needed to work together harmoniously without losing sight of our purpose and ultimate goal.
Before this Biblical management study, I often anguished over projects. I dreaded working with some of my colleagues and the tension resulted in daily headaches. I didn’t enjoy my job, and often thought about quitting.
But Nehemiah helped me to understand how to stay focused on the ultimate goal. As I tried to express more humility, I quit letting personalities and opinions—mine included—stop progress. In fact, I began to welcome fresh and new ideas. The willingness to be flexible became natural. The daily headaches ceased and the joy I experienced at work returned.
I’ve started to think of the Bible as a textbook for every area of my life. Whether as a business manual, a health guide, or a parenting and relationship workbook, I’ve found the Bible is a great reference book for all of life’s questions and problems. Mary Baker Eddy wrote, “The Bible contains the recipe for all healing.” I’m finding this to be true, at work and at home.
Oct 26, 2007 |
by Annette Bridges. © 2007. All rights reserved.
The world seems trapped in perpetual “us and them” warfare – caught in the habitual groupings of nationality, age, race, and culture that highlight individual differences, rather than similarities.
At an early age we learn to pick sides for spelling bees, relay, baseball, or math teams. In our desire to be with what’s familiar, we may become conditioned to look for and avoid what’s different – not simply in acquaintances but in activities, choice of food, travel. Such a tendency imposes on one’s natural leaning to love others and is a perspective that has negative implications for humanity as a whole.
The story of a Midwestern farmer defies that perspective. Every year, he won a blue ribbon for his corn at the state fair. A reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with neighbors. The reporter was surprised; the neighbors entered the same competition. The farmer explained that wind blows the pollen from field to field: “If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.”
What a life lesson! It points to solutions for every community and world problem and affirms that the welfare of everyone is bound up with the welfare of all. Further, it illustrates the effect of following Jesus’ command to love our neighbor as ourself (see Mark 12:31).
Recently, a report of the work of Heifer International caught my attention. This organization provides a continuing supply of food by giving families, rather than short-term provisions, an animal to raise – such as a lamb, heifer, or chicken. Even more compelling is the project’s “Passing on the Gift” aspect: Participants who receive a heifer, for example, agree to give a neighbor one of its calves, as well as the know-how to raise it. Each then experiences the joy of helping others while learning how to fulfill their own needs.
As a result, in places such as Tanzania, Christian and Muslim neighbors are, possibly for the first time, experiencing the wisdom and blessing of working together.
Individuals like that Midwestern corn farmer and Dan West (who founded Heifer International) saw the practicality of loving one’s neighbor, thereby debunking the “us and them” way of thinking. One seed, one heifer, at a time. “Us and them” strife is a call to prayer, which benefits society as a whole.
Prayer that strives to understand that God, Love itself, is the Father of all, will show each of us how to exercise love. Mary Baker Eddy wrote that working together isn’t always cooperation, but sometimes co-elbowing: “…seek alone the guidance of our common Father …,” and “…prove his faith by works, ethically, physically, and spiritually.” She added, “Remember that the first and last lesson of Christian Science is love, perfect love …,” and “that unity is divine might, giving to human power, peace” (“Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896,” p. 138).
It is possible with love and prayer to co-elbow in harmony and peace! Unity is divine might and gives peace. Prayer that acknowledges unity as a law of God aligns thought with His omnipotence and transforms discord into harmony. Acknowledging that we share the same divine source disarms dogma and tradition that would divide otherwise well-meaning people.
Events that expose tribal factions and the mass mistreatment of certain groups can alert our prayers to accept this truth. Recognizing that there is only one God unifies us in the understanding that we all have the same divine Parent. And when differing and conflicting opinions, in our families, communities, and churches appear, our prayers can affirm the spiritual fact of God as Love and the interconnectedness of His children everywhere.
Our viewpoint then changes to “we” instead of “us and them.” Loving our neighbor becomes more about what binds us rather than what separates us.
Oct 24, 2007 |
by Annette Bridges. © 2007. All rights reserved.
“Journalism is a public service and readers are best-served if I and the people I am writing about speak the same language.”
So wrote Jill Carroll, freelance reporter on assignment for The Christian Science Monitor, in a scholarship application shortly before her kidnapping in Iraq. The Washington Post reported.
When I began writing this column, the world still awaited the outcome of her ordeal. I’m happy the world has now received the good news of her release. But her words are continuing to give me pause today and I know they will do so in the future.
Many newspapers have written about Jill. And many shared more information about the newspaper she was writing for. Such as “The Christian Science Monitor was founded in 1908 by a woman, Mary Baker Eddy, who believed passionately in the power of prayer.” (Chicago Sun-Times)
The paper is owned by the church Mary Baker Eddy also founded. It is an international daily newspaper, winner of seven Pulitzer prizes, renowned for its balanced, in-depth news coverage of world events and issues.
The Christian Science Monitor
The Sun-Times also reported, “The paper has an implicitly spiritual mission, one that by all accounts Jill — a young woman from Ann Arbor, Michigan, who moved to the Middle East a few years ago because she wanted to understand the region and humanize the lives of its inhabitants — believes in with all her heart: ‘to injure no man, but to bless all mankind.'”
Jill has been dedicated to learning Arabic since her arrival to the region and it has been reported that she can speak Arabic well enough to easily talk to the Iraqi people and interview Iraqi officials.
But I think perhaps her idea of speaking the same language may go beyond the limits of verbal communication although certainly important. Perhaps the secret to speaking the same language is rooted in the stated mission of The Christian Science Monitor — “to injure no man, but to bless all mankind.”
How do we speak so as not to injure?
Qualities seen in Jill’s writing come to mind. Honesty. Sincerity. Empathy. Thoughtfulness. To name only a few.
Jill will be writing for the world about the world again soon in the future. But perhaps her life and example will inspire and encourage us. Learn to speak to one another, our neighbors and strangers, our friends and foes, in such a way that enables us to live in peace and understanding each other.
Tolerate and accept there will be differences. Appreciate and honor varying viewpoints. Respect uniqueness of cultures. Believe there is one God regardless of many religious beliefs and practices. No one is greater than another in His eyes.
Her example is helping me share her passion. Her resolve. Her mercy. Her faith. Her hope.
For humanity’s sake, I’ll try to speak the same language to all I meet. A high goal? Maybe so. But if we all try, mankind will surely be blessed.
Oct 24, 2007 |
by Annette Bridges. © 2007. All rights reserved.
The name of my birth state in The Christian Science Monitor headline grabbed my attention — “Georgia may OK Bible as textbook.”
The National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools, with headquarters in Greensboro, N.C., reported the Bible is already being referenced in as many as 1,000 American high school courses of study. The U.S. Supreme Court has long allowed the Bible to be utilized in public education as long as it is presented objectively.
A spokesman for the Georgia bill’s sponsor said there are misconceptions regarding the bill. He said that the proposed bill would use the Bible as a primary text to teach a course in history and to teach literature influenced by the Bible.
A recent conversation with a high school English and world history teacher of 20 years revealed that using the Bible in the classroom is hardly a new idea. She, and many others, have used Bible passages, stories and historical characters to teach history and to help students understand literary allusions — a natural thing to do, since much of American and English literature has been heavily influenced by biblical references to stories, writing style and language, as well as by allusions to lines in the Bible.
The current question seems to be whether public school curriculum decisions — in this instance, approving the Bible as a textbook for a course of study — should be made by state legislatures or individual school districts.
I do love thinking of the Bible as a textbook, a term I think fits it well.
Mary Baker Eddy, author of “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” spent years studying the Scriptures before writing her primary work. Her writings make many references to the Bible, describing it as “her sole teacher,” as “the chart of life,” as her “only authority,” as her “guide” — and, yes, as her “textbook.”
The Bible has long been my textbook, a reference book I’ve searched to find answers to countless life questions and problems. Granted, my use of the Bible as a textbook goes well beyond classroom perusal and comparison.
In her chapter on “Christian Science Practice,” Mary Baker Eddy writes, “The Bible contains the recipe for all healing.” I’ve always found this to be so.
A few years ago the company I worked for did an exercise in which each manager was to pick a Bible character and discuss his leadership and management qualities and skills. I chose Nehemiah.
I was impressed with his vision for rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall. He illustrated tact when he made his request to the king to be sent to Judah. He showed good organizational skills and attention to detail as he collected everything needed for his journey and goal.
Throughout his work, there were times when he needed to pause and go to God in prayer to seek guidance, direction, wisdom. In this way he kept his own ego in check.
He had great people skills. He inspired people working with him to feel united with a common goal. To feel empowered. To understand the importance of cooperation. He was frank and forthright when needed, while also patient with people’s fears and discouragement.
He wasn’t a time waster, but a man of action. He had a “let’s do it” attitude. Not impressed by gossip, criticism or doubt, he stayed on task and focused.
Nehemiah’s example of trust, faith, courage, persistence and purpose made the people working with him rally to do what was needed to accomplish the shared goal.
In my job, this turned out to be a great exercise, and I think all who participated in the exercise learned much on how to improve their management skills. I felt like I did. The Bible was a management textbook that day.
Whether the Bible is used in public education or not certainly doesn’t keep parents and students, businesses — anyone — from using it as a textbook, a guide, a manual, a workbook and an exercise book for their lives.
The Bible is the oldest textbook I own. It remains at the top of my recommended reading list.
