Everyone is special

My family has a tradition of celebrating Special Days. It started with my husband and I because we like to buy each other little gifts. We also don’t like the silly focus on how old someone is that comes along with birthdays. So we celebrate Special Days several times a year. It’s a surprise because your Special Day falls on whichever day the family has decided to honor how special you are.

I love how it reminds me to show my appreciation for my family members frequently. And isn’t that the best part about birthdays — to honor someone’s unique, God-given identity?

I don’t think God knows about our age or personality or what color hair we have. I think God has a completely different view because God isn’t like man, God is a Spirit. The one and only Spirit. Infinite Life. Everlasting Love.

It’s nice to know that there is One out there who is seeing us as we really are — spiritual, unique, and free; Her adoring image & likeness; The reflection, the mirrored image, of the Perfect One.

I hope to see everyone around me the way God sees us today: made of beautiful, shining qualities radiating & shining out to warm & bless everything around you.

The Beatitudes teach us about friendship

I love the Beatitudes.

They illustrate beautiful qualities of character — the kind of person you want to be around.

They exemplify the perfect friend.

      • Humility — there is no quality more amazing to me than humility. It is beautiful, graceful & gracious.
      • Comforting — we’ve all had times when we’ve been down and turned to a friend for comfort. It’s a wonderful feeling. And to be able to give comfort when someone else is down gives a sense of satisfaction.
      • Selfless & generous — someone who can share and isn’t greedy.
      • Appreciates good activities (and good clean fun!)
      • Satisfaction in right-doing — does the right thing, even if it’s not popular (even if you don’t want to).
      • Forgiving — doesn’t focus on the past or hold a grudge.
      • Genuine — honest, authentic (not fake).
      • Peace-loving (instead of drama-loving) — looks for the best in you and others (doesn’t get in to gossip).
      • Loyal, faithful & devoted — to his/her beliefs as well as to your friendship.
      • Confident & courageous — stands up for what is right; sticks up for beliefs as well as friends.

See what I mean? It’s a perfect model for friendship (or business partner or neighbor). Christ Jesus exemplified this and showed us we can, too — that it is right and normal. He wouldn’t have said it if we couldn’t be it!

Enjoy giving & expressing these qualities today. You’ll be thanked for it!

Identity – who are you?

For me, pregnancy has been a deeply spiritual and special time. Although there are the outward physical changes, the most significant changes have been internal – an internal growing, awareness and appreciation for our spiritual identity.

As many pregnant women can attest, it can also seem to be a very public time with people openly comparing stories, asking questions and making comments (some helpful and some unhelpful) each time you go outside.

But, for me, none of these stories, comments or questions even touch the surface of knowing this child the way that God does.

“Being posses its qualities before they are perceived humanly.” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy)

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)

These passages speak to our eternal, spiritual identity and purpose. Before we are perceived humanly (and continuing after), we are each made whole, spiritual and eternal. Our identities are each made up of life, creativity, joy, humor, wisdom, beauty, and the power and ability to express them.

Early on in the pregnancy, it became clear to me that no one could perceive this child – know the depths of him or her – except as they know God.  As we listen and are receptive to what God is saying, we will know the identity of each child – whether he or she is still in the womb or is 80 years old. Everything that God tells us about ourselves and our children is good and perfect since God knows every child and reveals the spiritual, eternal nature and identity to each of us.

Who we are goes so far beyond material DNA, cells, bone structure, and personality. Before we had any of these material accompaniments, God knew us and created us spiritually.

We can go forward confidently and securely in our divine perfection. We can trust this perfection and look away from ourselves as being mini-creators and trust the order, harmony and beauty of divine Creation.

This spiritual perspective helps to heal anxiety, fear and can overcome any physical problem we might encounter.