Oct 24, 2007 |
by Annette Bridges. © 2007. All rights reserved.
I’ve read various theories about the final minutes of United Flight 93. But for me there is only one certain truth. The courageous actions of its passengers.
Whether or not we think a movie should have been made about this flight doesn’t change the fact that it’s part of our American history. Our national narrative. The unfolding saga in the war against terrorism. A war that often seems without obvious rules and clearly against an enemy without country or ethical boundaries.
It’s certainly not the first time that Hollywood has made a movie depicting a national tragedy. The same could be said for numerous books and songs. We seem to be a people who like to record our events and feelings about those events.
Without question the actual details of those final minutes can only be guessed. Phone conversations between passengers and relatives tell us that passengers became aware their hijacked plane was likely to be used as a terrorists’ weapon. And … that they must do something.
So, the courage of everyday people is told in a movie some refuse to see, some feel they must see, some criticize, some praise.
And what of courage?
While there are numerous stories of courage described in the Bible, the one that comes to my thought first is David battling and conquering Goliath. David was a shepherd boy who volunteered to do what trained soldiers feared they couldn’t.
I’ve always loved this story. The setting was army against army. An enormous and frightful soldier from the enemy’s camp, Goliath, made a challenge for one man to fight him. David wasn’t in the army. But his brothers were. Their father had sent David to his brothers’ army camp to bring food.
He was obedient. He wasn’t looking for fame and glory. David’s noble desire was to help, and he believed with all his heart he could.
At first the army leader questioned David’s ability to face such an experienced soldier, since David was a mere boy. He said, “You can’t go and fight this Philistine. You’re too young and inexperienced — and he’s been at this fighting business since before you were born.” Yet, leading spirituality author Mary Baker Eddy wrote that individuals’ “strength is in proportion to their courage.”
What kind of courage did this young boy have, which I believe was also the kind of courage of which Eddy was speaking? Not animal courage often flaunted by impetuosity, brashness or daring. But moral courage, exhibited by David’s fortitude, determination and undaunted spirit.
And it’s these qualities of moral courage that no doubt strengthened the hearts and emboldened the actions of the passengers on United Flight 93. Qualities that surely must be part of the foundation of all right thinking and acting.
What greater actions are there than to do what is right? Actions impelled by pure and selfless motives. Not prompted by ego or inspired by grandeur of self.
Do you think such qualities are reserved for the few?
With God the Father-Mother of all, my hope and expectation is that surely all of His children have all they need at every moment. Would not this include moral courage as an ability that is instilled in each of us by God? Completely independent of and unlimited by physical prowess.
Moral courage guiding our thoughts, decisions and actions shows us how to be better men and women. Gives us the strength to overcome seemingly overwhelming human odds. Enables us to “fight the good fight.”
I have no doubt the passengers on Flight 93 fought the good fight. There’s no question their actions were compelled by moral courage. I deeply wish the outcome of their success could have resulted in their lives continuing with their loved ones. But their example of courage lives on.
Their example assures you and me that we also are armored in the strength of moral courage. That we can go forward through our lives prepared to battle and disarm any “Goliath.”
Whether or not everyone goes to see the movie of “United 93” doesn’t stop us all from honoring and remembering its passengers. Everyday people with moral courage. Courage we can discover within ourselves. Courage of better men and women who people a better world.
Oct 24, 2007 |
by Annette Bridges. © 2007. All rights reserved.
When studying my weekly Bible lesson recently, I came across a powerful verse from Psalms that reads, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.” These words took on a deeper meaning last year after I read a tsunami survivor’s account of her experience.
Who could forget, well over a year ago now, when the horrific tsunami struck Sri Lanka and the Asian coast? We’ve probably all read some of the incredible survivor stories scattered among the procession of tragedies.
My hope is that speaking about this woman’s survival will be strengthening to individuals who today may be feeling overwhelmed with challenges in their lives. Debts. Divorce. Unemployment. Injury. Illness. Devastation from tornados or hurricanes. A list that probably could go on and on for some, struggling to keep hope and faith to believe better days are even possible.
This tsunami survivor example has given me encouragement to meet disaster or catastrophe in life. I keep thinking that if she could survive a tsunami of that proportion, what could I not survive, endure or overcome? Maybe others also will be encouraged to find answers for overcoming their catastrophes.
The tsunami survivor was in Sri Lanka for the wedding of her niece, along with other family members and friends. They were, like many others I read about, having breakfast in their beach hotel when the monstrous wall-high waves hit. I was immediately drawn into her experience — not knowing how to swim, being crushed by furniture and other debris as she reached out for something to save her.
It took my breath away when she told the first thought that came to her as she tumbled in the water: the Psalmist’s words “I shall not die, but live.”
More thoughts came to her, some giving her direction such as “Cycle … paddle … use your legs.” She thought of Jesus calming a storm on the sea with those powerful three words, “Peace, be still.” And also the words “Know that God is here.” And again that declaration “I shall not die, but live.”
I was comforted that in her extreme peril, she received what she described as “angel thoughts.” It reminded me of spirituality and health author Mary Baker Eddy’s definition of angels as “God’s thoughts passing to man; spiritual intuitions.” As I read all the “angel thoughts” this woman heard and felt, Eddy’s words “These angels deliver us from the depths” seemed poignantly true.
Reading this woman’s story told me that perhaps it’s not necessary to try to explain why bad things happen or where evil comes from. But that the need is to learn how to conquer evil. How even against all odds, I could be victorious. I could be saved. I could be healed. And my survival is what destroys evil by proving it powerless over me.
To begin, I need to know that God is not a destroyer but the Creator. A protector. A preserver of humanity. A God of love. As the book of I Kings says, God is not in the wind, earthquake or fire. God is in the “still small voice” that is present no matter how dire the situation and will direct me to safety.
Perhaps you and I may never encounter a tsunami. But how do we contend with whatever we may be facing?
Do we give up? Do we believe there is no hope? Do we resolve to a life of chance, vulnerability and uncertainty? The inspiration I gained from one woman’s victory over a formidable foe has strengthened my confidence and trust in the mightiest power of all — the Divine.
While we all may face struggles and hardships that at times bring us to our knees, we can be assured that the “still small voice” will be with us, will lift us up and guide us onward and upward to a new day. To solutions. Freedom. Peace. Comfort. Healing.
May we too have the strength and faith to look at adversities and proclaim, “I shall not die, but live.”
Oct 24, 2007 |
by Annette Bridges. © 2007. All rights reserved.
Imagine a quaint French tearoom … in Texas. Live jazz piano background music. Servings of hot tea, bite-size desserts and chocolate-covered strawberries. A lovely and charming lady surrounded by family and friends telling what they love about her. This describes the recent scene of my mom’s 80th birthday party.
Mother’s Day just around the corner seems a fitting time for me to recognize and honor the woman who has inspired and taught me most about life, courage, persistence and my own spirituality.
Most folks reading this do not know my mother and never will. But her story may sound familiar to some. By society’s standards, even today, she was a child bride. Unhappy at home with her mom and stepfather, she was easily wooed by a handsome young man in uniform. Her teen years were spent as a wife and mother of two. By 1967, she was the mother of four children — three of them grown. She had been married two-thirds of her life.
She struggled with a troubled marriage and health problems. What was next for her? When her marriage ended in divorce, she hit the road, taking me and little else. We often joke how she did manage to pack her ice cream freezer. There are certain priorities that a multi-generational Southerner from Georgia never forgets. This most definitely would include the ability to make homemade ice cream for her guests.
Our road not only took us westward. It would be a life-finding journey for my mother that would bless my life more than I have space to say.
Shortly after her divorce, my mom began studying Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy’s explanation of Christ Jesus’ healings and teachings. These ideas gave her comfort, hope and practical ideas about prayer and healing. It’s not that she didn’t know about God and prayer before. She had been a Bible student all her life, attending a couple of different churches. But now she was starting to gain a new view of her identity that proved to be health-giving and life-regenerating.
How can I summarize her next 40 years? My mother found a new life for herself, step by step. She never gave up, no matter how rough and bumpy the road got. Her belief in herself grew as her trust in God grew. Over the course of these years there were many firsts and accomplishments. From owning her very own car and house, her first bank account to college and a career. And there were also the intangibles of happiness, peace of mind, satisfaction and better health.
Her life has taught me that it’s never too late. Beginnings and first times can happen throughout life at any age. Happiness is not bought with money. Home is in your heart. Joy is God-given and can’t be taken from you. Never give up. I could go on and on!
I don’t think any words are truer than these of Mary Baker Eddy: “The lives of great men and women are miracles of patience and perseverance.” In my eyes and to many who know her, my mom is among the greatest of women, whose life is most certainly a miracle of patience and perseverance. God-given qualities she learned were hers as her identity grew from a struggling single mom to a whole-souled woman reflecting the motherhood and fatherhood of God.
Her achievements against great odds have instilled in me a conviction that anything is possible. Perhaps the greatest gift a mother could ever give to her child. So it’s time for me to say “thank you” to my mom for life lessons that have left indelible marks on me and many others, too. Happy Mother’s Day!
Oct 24, 2007 |
by Annette Bridges. © 2007. All rights reserved.
We all have choices to make. Some choices are not easy. Some take us down roads less traveled. Some choices require confronting and overcoming our fears. If many new graduates are like my niece, they are wondering how to come up with money for college. I remember when I was a high school grad wondering the same thing, some thirty years ago.
I never thought about not going to college. But it wasn’t obvious how I was going to afford it.
Even with loans, grants and work, it still appeared I would be short what would be required. With my mom’s help, I had enough money for the first semester, but would I be able to pay for the next?
Jesus might answer, “No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it.”
My mom and I had witnessed the truth of those words many times. She and my dad divorced when I was ten years old. With no formal education or work experience, she managed to build a new life for both of us. She firmly trusted in God to provide whatever we needed. And along the way, she made a believer out of her daughter — me.
Prayer to God had always brought solutions in the past, even in financial matters. Why should I doubt now? Could I believe there might be a situation or condition when God had no control — where God was powerless?
The healings and teachings of Jesus recorded in the Bible had been a source of guidance to me all my childhood, and they still are. I read again about a man who was waiting at a pool called Bethesda. It was believed that, at a certain time, the water there was stirred by an angel. Tradition said that whoever got into the water right after the angel had visited the pool would be healed.
A crippled man had been waiting 38 years — probably most of his life — to enter the pool. But each year, he missed the perfect moment and others got to the water first. Still, he didn’t give up. And his hope was finally realized through Jesus. His healing came — but in an unexpected way.
This account, in John’s Gospel, gave me a new perspective on my worries about college expenses. Was I limiting my options? The man at Bethesda had thought the only way he could be healed was if he got into the pool at exactly the right time. Yet that wasn’t the “only way.” When Jesus redirected his faith from a pool of water to the Christ-power that uplifts and heals, the man found the freedom he had longed for.
Where was my faith, I asked myself? Was it tied only to loans and grants? To finding ample employment? Getting a scholarship? What were my options? Did I face an uncertain future?
What I learned from thinking about Jesus’ encounter with the man at the pool of Bethesda was that God is continuously sending me — and everyone — infinite possibilities. I needed to open my thought to them. Not define or limit the ways my needs could be met.
I could replace fear and uncertainty with the knowledge that God was governing my life. Affirm that God makes all things possible. Including a college education!
So I headed off to college on what some would call a leap of faith. But it was more like a confident and expectant trust that solutions would come, even though I couldn’t see them immediately. I focused on one semester at a time and worried less about the future.
As it turned out, it was semester by semester prayer that led the way to my college degree. And expenses were paid each semester in countless — sometimes unexpected — ways.
One unexpected solution came in the form of a note in my school mailbox. An anonymous donor had paid the remainder of my tuition that year. There were many loans, grants, scholarships and awards. Plus a variety of jobs — some of which gave me valuable experience that served me well in future endeavors.
My college years strengthened my trust in God, divine Love, who truly does meet every need. And I know this is true for my niece and other college-bound grads. Everyone. Maybe we just need to remind ourselves — His ways are infinite and sometimes quite unexpected.
Oct 24, 2007 |
by Annette Bridges. © 2007. All rights reserved.
We all face crossroads in our lives. We come to a fork in the road. And we make a choice. As the U.S. Memorial Day holiday approaches, I can’t help but reflect on a choice made by many in my family. The choice to serve the United States of America through the armed forces.
A choice made by my dad. Two of my brothers. My uncle, who lost a leg in World War II. My father-in-law. And currently my son-in-law. I have great respect and gratitude for all who have made such a choice. And I admire the reason for their choice — to protect and preserve peace and freedom not only for their country but for all humankind.
When I moved to Tioga, Texas, some 25 years ago now, I learned more about the town’s most famous son — Gene Autry. Many know Gene Autry as America’s Favorite Singing Cowboy. Particularly for his signature song, “Back in the Saddle Again.” But I wonder how many people know that this man made a choice at the height of his career, after World War II broke out, to join the Army Air Force and do his part.
I suspect most everyone remembers the choice Pat Tillman made in the wake of Sept. 11, 2001, to give up a lucrative football career to become an Army Ranger. Sadly his choice resulted in the ultimate sacrifice of a fallen soldier.
Why do we build monuments or designate days for tribute and celebration?
Perhaps we need reminders of important events and people who have taught us invaluable lessons. Perhaps commemorating honorable actions of others encourages us to live in an honorable way as we go about our day to day.
There was an article published in the Boston Herald in 1898 at a time when there was strife between the United States and Spain. In the article, Mary Baker Eddy, then a world-known spiritual leader, made what I think is a profound statement: “The character and lives of men determine the peace, prosperity and life of nations.”
As I appreciate the dedicated characters and lives of our soldiers of old and today, I am beginning to consider how the choices I make in life impact others — in my family, in my community and nation and consequently, the world.
I have a choice in the way I think and in what I believe. I have a choice in what decisions I make and what actions I take. I have a choice in how I view my life. The old question whether I see the glass as half full or half empty exemplifies this choice.
Some choices are not easy. Some take us down roads less traveled. For me, one such choice was the decision to home-school our daughter.
Sometimes we can have doubts about the choices we make. We wonder if we’re doing the right thing. Making the best decision.
I’ve found examining motives provides a good basis for making choices. Christ Jesus taught how motives lead to good or bad decisions. When motives are sincere and unselfish, for example, our choices would be on a firm and solid basis. These choices lead to actions that are beneficial to yourself and others.
Our decision to home-school our daughter did turn out to be the best choice for her.
Some choices require confronting and overcoming our fears. I will be forever humbled by the Iraqi citizens who, despite threats and under great risk, voted. Who could forget the woman holding up her ink-stained finger, saying she felt like she had been reborn? Surely, the choice that she made, along with other citizens in her country, ultimately will bless their troubled nation.
I’ve not always made the best of choices and certainly have not always lived up to my own expectations for myself. Looking to models of good character and high ideals can help us make better choices in our life. Divinely impelled choices ally our hearts — and characters — with living more spiritually. More in line with the ultimate role model found in the life and works of Christ Jesus.
Certainly not all of us will serve our country in military duty. But maybe we all serve our country by our character and our lives. We all have choices to make that can build on the example of those who’ve given their lives for the peace, prosperity and life of our nation. Let’s make good ones.
