Is all that we see or seem(to see) But a dream within a dream?

Is all that we see or seem(to see)
But a dream within a dream? 
Edgar Allan Poe

For some reason this poem has been haunting me. I'm not sure if this is what Poe meant but I interpret these words to mean that things we see with our eyes and comprehend with our limited brain capacity is not all that it seems. The invisible, unseen by the human eye is more than we think it to be. I have always believed that my existence in this life is not about me or you but the Life of God as dreamed/thought into existence billions of human years ago. Albert Einstein once said, “Everything is energy and that's all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy. This is physics.” When God said, "Let there be light," energy was formed throughout the universe. Einstein also said that, Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be changed from one form to another." To me there is no contradiction between science and creation.

IMAGINE by John Lennon

If you think about the words to this song and understand the depth and meaning that John Lennon is reaching for you will begin to imagine:

What if you were the last person living on this earth. There is no longer the institutions that we have embraced in our culture. There is no longer a church, a synagogue or mosque still in existence. There is no longer scripture, doctrine, creed or religious dogma of any kind.

Just you and God! What kind of relationship would you have with the creator of life? Could you even grasp the magnitude of the power of creation and design?

Albert Einstein never admitted to believing in God but he often talked of how man lacks the mental capacity to understand all that goes on in the universe of reality. The reality and mind of God and perpetual creation!

Just imagine!

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace

You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world

You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will live as one

LISTEN, LORD

Listen, Lord: A Prayer

  by James Weldon Johnson

(A Prayer from God's Trombones)
O Lord, we come this morning
Knee-bowed and body-bent
Before Thy throne of grace.
O Lord--this morning--
Bow our hearts beneath our knees,
And our knees in some lonesome valley.
We come this morning--
Like empty pitchers to a full fountain,
With no merits of our own.
O Lord--open up a window of heaven,
And lean out far over the battlements of glory,
And listen this morning.

Lord, have mercy on proud and dying sinners--
Sinners hanging over the mouth of hell,
Who seem to love their distance well.
Lord--ride by this morning--
Mount Your milk-white horse,
And ride-a this morning--
And in Your ride, ride by old hell,
Ride by the dingy gates of hell,
And stop poor sinners in their headlong plunge.

And now, O Lord, this man of God,
Who breaks the bread of life this morning--
Shadow him in the hollow of Thy hand,
And keep him out of the gunshot of the devil.
Take him, Lord--this morning--
Wash him with hyssop inside and out,
Hang him up and drain him dry of sin.
Pin his ear to the wisdom-post,
And make his words sledge hammers of truth--
Beating on the iron heart of sin.
Lord God, this morning--
Put his eye to the telescope of eternity,
And let him look upon the paper walls of time.
Lord, turpentine his imagination,
Put perpetual motion in his arms,
Fill him full of the dynamite of Thy power,
Anoint him all over with the oil of Thy salvation,
And set his tongue on fire.

And now, O Lord--
When I've done drunk my last cup of sorrow--
When I've been called everything but a child of God--
When I'm done traveling up the rough side of the mountain--
O--Mary's Baby--
When I start down the steep and slippery steps of death--
When this old world begins to rock beneath my feet--
Lower me to my dusty grave in peace
To wait for that great gittin'-up morning--Amen.
- See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15587#sthash.3uF9nYTd.dpuf

GO DOWN, DEATH

Go Down, Death


by James Weldon Johnson

 (A Funeral Sermon)
Weep not, weep not,
She is not dead;
She's resting in the bosom of Jesus.
Heart-broken husband--weep no more;
Grief-stricken son--weep no more;
Left-lonesome daughter --weep no more;
She only just gone home.

Day before yesterday morning,
God was looking down from his great, high heaven,
Looking down on all his children,
And his eye fell on Sister Caroline,
Tossing on her bed of pain.
And God's big heart was touched with pity,
With the everlasting pity.

And God sat back on his throne,
And he commanded that tall, bright angel standing at his right hand:
Call me Death!
And that tall, bright angel cried in a voice
That broke like a clap of thunder:
Call Death!--Call Death!
And the echo sounded down the streets of heaven
Till it reached away back to that shadowy place,
Where Death waits with his pale, white horses.

And Death heard the summons,
And he leaped on his fastest horse,
Pale as a sheet in the moonlight.
Up the golden street Death galloped,
And the hooves of his horses struck fire from the gold,
But they didn't make no sound.
Up Death rode to the Great White Throne,
And waited for God's command.

And God said: Go down, Death, go down,
Go down to Savannah, Georgia,
Down in Yamacraw,
And find Sister Caroline.
She's borne the burden and heat of the day,
She's labored long in my vineyard,
And she's tired--
She's weary--
Go down, Death, and bring her to me.

And Death didn't say a word,
But he loosed the reins on his pale, white horse,
And he clamped the spurs to his bloodless sides,
And out and down he rode,
Through heaven's pearly gates,
Past suns and moons and stars;
on Death rode,
Leaving the lightning's flash behind;
Straight down he came.

While we were watching round her bed,
She turned her eyes and looked away,
She saw what we couldn't see;
She saw Old Death.  She saw Old Death
Coming like a falling star.
But Death didn't frighten Sister Caroline;
He looked to her like a welcome friend.
And she whispered to us: I'm going home,
And she smiled and closed her eyes.

And Death took her up like a baby,
And she lay in his icy arms,
But she didn't feel no chill.
And death began to ride again--
Up beyond the evening star,
Into the glittering light of glory,
On to the Great White Throne.
And there he laid Sister Caroline
On the loving breast of Jesus.

And Jesus took his own hand and wiped away her tears,
And he smoothed the furrows from her face,
And the angels sang a little song,
And Jesus rocked her in his arms,
And kept a-saying: Take your rest,
Take your rest.

Weep not--weep not,
She is not dead;
She's resting in the bosom of Jesus.
- See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15586#sthash.5RUInznv.dpuf

MYTHS ABOUT INTROVERTS

Definition of introverts via Wikipedia:

Introverts are people whose energy tends to expand through reflection and dwindle during interaction. They often take pleasure in solitary activities such as reading, writing, music, drawing, tinkering, playing video games, watching movies and plays, and using computers.  The archetypal artist, writer, sculptor, engineer, composer, and inventor are all highly introverted. An introvert is likely to enjoy time spent alone and find less reward in time spent with large groups of people. They prefer to concentrate on a single activity at a time and like to observe situations before they participate. Introverts are easily overwhelmed by too much stimulation from social gatherings and engagement. They are more analytical before speaking.

Introversion is not the same as being shy or being a social outcast. Introverts prefer solitary activities over social ones, whereas shy people (who may be extroverts at heart) avoid social encounters out of fear, and the social outcast has little choice in the matter of his or her solitude.

Great list of myths about introverts via Carl King Creative:

Myth #1 – Introverts don’t like to talk.

This is not true. Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something to say. They hate small talk. Get an introvert talking about something they are interested in, and they won’t shut up for days.

Myth #2 – Introverts are shy.

Shyness has nothing to do with being an Introvert. Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason to interact. They don’t interact for the sake of interacting. If you want to talk to an Introvert, just start talking. Don’t worry about being polite.

Myth #3 – Introverts are rude.

Introverts often don’t see a reason for beating around the bush with social pleasantries. They want everyone to just be real and honest. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in most settings, so Introverts can feel a lot of pressure to fit in, which they find exhausting.

Myth #4 – Introverts don’t like people.

On the contrary, Introverts intensely value the few friends they have. They can count their close friends on one hand. If you are lucky enough for an introvert to consider you a friend, you probably have a loyal ally for life. Once you have earned their respect as being a person of substance, you’re in.

Myth #5 – Introverts don’t like to go out in public.

Nonsense. Introverts just don’t like to go out in public FOR AS LONG. They also like to avoid the complications that are involved in public activities. They take in data and experiences very quickly, and as a result, don’t need to be there for long to “get it.” They’re ready to go home, recharge, and process it all. In fact, recharging is absolutely crucial for Introverts.

Myth #6 – Introverts always want to be alone.

Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot. They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve. But they can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share their discoveries with. They crave an authentic and sincere connection with ONE PERSON at a time.

Myth #7 – Introverts are weird.

Introverts are often individualists. They don’t follow the crowd. They’d prefer to be valued for their novel ways of living. They think for themselves and because of that, they often challenge the norm. They don’t make most decisions based on what is popular or trendy.

Myth #8 – Introverts are aloof nerds.

Introverts are people who primarily look inward, paying close attention to their thoughts and emotions. It’s not that they are incapable of paying attention to what is going on around them, it’s just that their inner world is much more stimulating and rewarding to them.

Myth #9 – Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun.

Introverts typically relax at home or in nature, not in busy public places. Introverts are not thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. If there is too much talking and noise going on, they shut down. Their brains are too sensitive to the neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Introverts and Extroverts have different dominant neuro-pathways. Just look it up.

Myth #10 – Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts.

A world without Introverts would be a world with few scientists, musicians, artists, poets, filmmakers, doctors, mathematicians, writers, and philosophers. That being said, there are still plenty of techniques an Extrovert can learn in order to interact with Introverts. (Yes, I reversed these two terms on purpose to show you how biased our society is.) Introverts cannot “fix themselves” and deserve respect for their natural temperament and contributions to the human race. In fact, one study (Silverman, 1986) showed that the percentage of Introverts increases with IQ.

THE PRODIGAL SON, God's Trombones by James Weldon Johnson

Young man—
Young man—
Your arm’s too short to box with God.


But Jesus spake in a parable, and he said:
A certain man had two sons.
Jesus didn’t give this man a name,
But his name is God Almighty.
And Jesus didn’t call these sons by name,
But ev’ry young man,
Ev’rywhere,
Is one of these two sons.


And the younger son said to his father,
He said: Father, divide up the property,
And give me my portion now.


And the father with tears in his eyes said: Son,
Don’t leave your father’s house.
But the boy was stubborn in his head,
And haughty in his heart,
And he took his share of his father’s goods,
And went into a far-off country.


There comes a time,
There comes a time
When ev’ry young man looks out from his father’s house,
Longing for that far-off country.


And the young man journeyed on his way,
And he said to himself as he travelled along:
This sure is an easy road,
Nothing like the rough furrows behind my father’s plow.


Young man—
Young man—
Smooth and easy is the road
That leads to hell and destruction.
Down grade all the way,
The further you travel, the faster you go.
No need to trudge and sweat and toil,
Just slip and slide and slip and slide
Till you bang up against hell’s iron gate.


And the younger son kept travelling along,
Till at night-time he came to a city.
And the city was bright in the night-time like day,
The streets all crowded with people,
Brass bands and string bands a-playing,
And ev’rywhere the young man turned
There was singing and laughing and dancing.
And he stopped a passer-by and he said:
Tell me what city is this?
And the passer-by laughed and said: Don’t you know?
This is Babylon, Babylon,
That great city of Babylon.
Come on, my friend, and go along with me.
And the young man joined the crowd.


Young man—
Young man—
You’re never lonesome in Babylon.
You can always join a crowd in Babylon.
Young man—
Young man—
You can never be alone in Babylon,
Alone with your Jesus in Babylon.
You can never find a place, a lonesome place,
A lonesome place to go down on your knees,
And talk with your God, in Babylon.
You’re always in a crowd in Babylon.
And the young man went with his new-found friend,
And bought himself some brand new clothes,
And he spent his days in the drinking dens,
Swallowing the fires of hell.
And he spent his nights in the gambling dens,
Throwing dice with the devil for his soul.
And he met up with the women of Babylon.
Oh, the women of Babylon!
Dressed in yellow and purple and scarlet,
Loaded with rings and earrings and bracelets,
Their lips like a honeycomb dripping with honey,
Perfumed and sweet-smelling like a jasmine flower;
And the jasmine smell of the Babylon women
Got in his nostrils and went to his head,
And he wasted his substance in riotous living,
In the evening, in the black and dark of night,
With the sweet-sinning women of Babylon.
And they stripped him of his money,
And they stripped him of his clothes,
And they left him broke and ragged
In the streets of Babylon.


Then the young man joined another crowd—
The beggars and lepers of Babylon.
And he went to feeding swine,
And he was hungrier than the hogs;
He got down on his belly in the mire and mud
And ate the husks with the hogs.
And not a hog was too low to turn up his nose
At the man in the mire of Babylon.


Then the young man came to himself—
He came to himself and said:
In my father’s house are many mansions,
Ev’ry servant in his house has bread to eat,
Ev’ry servant in his house has a place to sleep;
I will arise and go to my father.
And his father saw him afar off,
And he ran up the road to meet him.
He put clean clothes upon his back,
And a golden chain around his neck,
He made a feast and killed the fatted calf,
And invited the neighbors in.


Oh-o-oh, sinner,
When you’re mingling with the crowd in Babylon—
Drinking the wine of Babylon—
Running with the women of Babylon—
You forget about God, and you laugh at Death.
Today you’ve got the strength of a bull in your neck
And the strength of a bear in your arms,
But some o’ these days, some o’ these days,
You’ll have a hand-to-hand struggle with bony Death,
And Death is bound to win.


Young man, come away from Babylon,
That hell-border city of Babylon.
Leave the dancing and gambling of Babylon,
The wine and whiskey of Babylon,
The hot-mouthed women of Babylon;
Fall down on your knees,
And say in your heart:
I will arise and go to my Father.
James Weldon Johnson

THE CREATION, God's Trombones by James Weldon Johnson

                         And God stepped out on space,
                         And he looked around and said:
                         I'm lonely --
                         I'll make me a world.

                         And far as the eye of God could see
                         Darkness covered everything,
                         Blacker than a hundred midnights
                         Down in a cypress swamp.

                         Then God smiled,
                         And the light broke,
                         And the darkness rolled up on one side,
                         And the light stood shining on the other,
                         And God said: That's good!

                         Then God reached out and took the light in his hands,
                         And God rolled the light around in his hands

                         Until he made the sun;
                         And he set that sun a-blazing in the heavens.
                         And the light that was left from making the sun
                         God gathered it up in a shining ball
                         And flung it against the darkness,
                         Spangling the night with the moon and stars.
                         Then down between
                         The darkness and the light
                         He hurled the world;
                         And God said: That's good!

                         Then God himself stepped down --
                         And the sun was on his right hand,
                         And the moon was on his left;
                         The stars were clustered about his head,
                         And the earth was under his feet.
                         And God walked, and where he trod
                         His footsteps hollowed the valleys out
                         And bulged the mountains up.

                         Then he stopped and looked and saw
                         That the earth was hot and barren.
                         So God stepped over to the edge of the world
                         And he spat out the seven seas --
                         He batted his eyes, and the lightnings flashed --
                         He clapped his hands, and the thunders rolled --
                         And the waters above the earth came down,
                         The cooling waters came down.

                         Then the green grass sprouted,
                         And the little red flowers blossomed,

                         The pine tree pointed his finger to the sky,
                         And the oak spread out his arms,
                         The lakes cuddled down in the hollows of the ground,
                         And the rivers ran down to the sea;
                         And God smiled again,
                         And the rainbow appeared,
                         And curled itself around his shoulder.

                         Then God raised his arm and he waved his hand
                         Over the sea and over the land,
                         And he said: Bring forth! Bring forth!
                         And quicker than God could drop his hand,
                         Fishes and fowls
                         And beasts and birds
                         Swam the rivers and the seas,
                         Roamed the forests and the woods,

                         Then God raised his arm and he waved his hand
                         Over the sea and over the land,
                         And he said: Bring forth! Bring forth!
                         And quicker than God could drop his hand,
                         Fishes and fowls
                         And beasts and birds
                         Swam the rivers and the seas,
                         Roamed the forests and the woods,
                         And split the air with their wings.
                         And God said: That's good!

                         Then God walked around,
                         And God looked around
                         On all that he had made.
                         He looked at his sun,
                         And he looked at his moon,
                         And he looked at his little stars;
                         He looked on his world
                         With all its living things,
                         And God said: I'm lonely still.

                         Then God sat down --
                         On the side of a hill where he could think;

                         By a deep, wide river he sat down;
                         With his head in his hands,
                         God thought and thought,
                         Till he thought: I'll make me a man!

                         Up from the bed of the river
                         God scooped the clay;
                         And by the bank of the river
                         He kneeled him down;
                         And there the great God Almighty
                         Who lit the sun and fixed it in the sky,
                         Who flung the stars to the most far corner of the night,
                         Who rounded the earth in the middle of his hand;
                         This Great God,
                         Like a mammy bending over her baby,
                         Kneeled down in the dust
                         Toiling over a lump of clay
                         Till he shaped it in his own image;

                         Then into it he blew the breath of life,
                         And man became a living soul.
                         Amen. Amen.

               

                        

The Marvelous Structure of Existence

The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed. It was the experience of mystery -- even if mixed with fear -- that engendered religion. A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, our perceptions of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty, which only in their most primitive forms are accessible to our minds: it is this knowledge and this emotion that constitute true religiosity. In this sense, and only this sense, I am a deeply religious man... I am satisfied with the mystery of life's eternity and with a knowledge, a sense, of the marvelous structure of existence -- as well as the humble attempt to understand even a tiny portion of the Reason that manifests itself in nature.

from The World As I See It, an essay by Einstein
http://www.aip.org/history/einstein/index.html

No Risk, No Gain

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually

 strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. -TR

YOU NEVER KNOW

You never know

When God is going to bless you!!

Dear Lord, I thank You for this day,

I thank You for my being able to see

And to hear this morning.

I'm blessed because You are

A forgiving God and

An understanding God.

You have done so much for me

And You keep on blessing me.

Forgive me this day for everything

I have done, said or thought

That was not pleasing to you.

I ask now for Your forgiveness..

Please keep me safe

From all danger and harm.

Help me to start this day

With a new attitude and plenty of gratitude.

Let me make the best of each and every day

To clear my mind so that I can hear from You.

Please broaden my mind

That I can accept all things.

Let me not whine and whimper

Over things I have no control over.
And give me the best response

When I'm pushed beyond my limits.
I know that when I can't pray,

You listen to my heart.

Continue to use me to do Your will.

Continue to bless me that I may be

A blessing to others.

Keep me strong that I may help the weak...

Keep me uplifted that I may have

Words of encouragement for others.

I pray for those that are lost

And can't find their way.

I pray for those that are misjudged

And misunderstood..

I pray for those who

Don't know You intimately.


I pray for all my sisters and brothers.

For each and every family member

In their households.

I pray for peace, love and joy

In their homes; that they are out of debt

And all their needs are met..

I pray that every eye that reads this

Knows there is no problem, circumstance,

Or situation greater than God.

Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight.

I pray that these words be received

Into the hearts of every eye that sees it

Amen!

I Carry Your Heart With Me by E.E. Cummings

I carry your heart with me(I carry it in

my heart)I am never without it(anywhere

I go you go,my dear;and whatever is done

by only me is your doing,my darling)

I fear no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)I want

no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)

and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows

higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

I carry your heart(I carry it in my heart)

God Does Not Make Mistakes

Even though we grieve, I know this: God doesn't make mistakes.

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, Love leaves a memory no one can steal.

There are things that we don't want to happen but have to accept, and things we don't want to know but have to learn.

There are people we can't live without but have to let go.

As much as we know that death is inevitable, we are never quite prepared to deal with it. But Earth has no sorrow Heaven can't heal.

A Conversation With God

Me: God, can I ask you something?

GOD: Sure.

Me: Promise you won't get mad?

GOD: I promise.

Me (frustrated): Why did you let so much stuff happen to me today?

GOD: What do you mean?

Me: Well I woke up late,

GOD: Yes

Me: My car took forever to start,

GOD: Okay....

Me (growling): At lunch, they made my sandwich wrong and I had to wait

GOD: Hmmmm..

Me: On the way home, my phone went dead, just as I picked up a call

GOD: All right

Me (loudly): And to top it all off, when I got home, I just wanted to soak my feet in my foot massager and relax, but it wouldn't work. Nothing went right today! Why did you do that?

GOD: Well let me see..... the death angel was at your bed this morning and I had to send one of the other angels to battle him for your life. I let you sleep through that.

Me (humbled): Oh...

GOD: I didn't let your car start because there was a drunk driver on your route that might have hit you if you were on the road

Me (ashamed): ............

GOD: The first person who made your sandwich today was sick and I didn't want you to catch what they have, I knew you couldn't afford to miss work

Me (embarrassed): Oh.....

GOD: Your phone went dead because the person that was calling was going to give a false witness about what you said on that call, I didn't even let you talk to them so you would be covered

Me (softly): I see God

GOD: Oh and that foot massager, it had a short that was going to throw out all of the power in your house tonight. I didn't think you wanted to be in the dark.

Me: I'm sorry God.

GOD: Don't be sorry, just learn to trust me.........in all things, the good and the bad

Me: I WILL trust you God

GOD: And don't doubt that my plan for your day is always better than your plan and is Good and Perfect!

Me: I won't God. And let me just tell you God, thank you for everything today.

GOD: You're welcome my child. It was just another day being your God and I love looking after my children.

Wise Words

If tomorrow starts without me,

And I'm not there to see,

If the sun should rise and find your eyes

All filled with tears for me;

I wish so much you wouldn't cry

The way you did today,

While thinking of the many things,

We didn't get to say.

I know how much you love me,

As much as I love you,

And each time that you think of me,

I know you'll miss me too;

But when tomorrow starts without me,

Please try to understand,

That an angel came and called my name,

And took me by the hand,

And said my place was ready,

In heaven far above,

And that I'd have to leave behind

All those I dearly love.

But as I turned to walk away,

A tear fell from my eye,

For all my life, I'd always thought,

I didn't want to die.

I had so much to live for,

So much left yet to do,

It seemed almost impossible,

That I was leaving you.

I thought of all the yesterdays,

The good ones and the bad,

I thought of all that we shared,

And all the fun we had.

If I could relive yesterday,

Just even for a while,

I'd say good-bye and hug you

And maybe see you smile.

But then I fully realized,

That this could never be,

For emptiness and memories,

Would take the place of me.

And when I thought of worldly things

I might miss some tomorrow,

I thought of you, and when I did,

My heart was filled with sorrow.

But when I walked through heaven's gates,

I felt so much at home.

When God looked down and smiled at me,

From His great golden throne,

He said, "This is eternity,

And all I've promised you.

Today your life on earth is past,

But here life starts anew.

I promise no tomorrow,

But today will always last,

And since each day is the same way,

There's no longing for the past. "

So when tomorrow starts without me,

Don't think we're far apart,

For every time you think of me,

I'm right there, in your heart.

GOD VS. SCIENCE

'Let me explain the problem science has with God.'

The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand.

'You're a Christian, aren't you, son?'

'Yes sir, 'the student says.

'So you believe in God?'

'Absolutely.'

'Is God good?'

'Sure! God's good.'

'Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?'

'Yes'

'Are you good or evil?'

'The Bible says I'm evil.'

The professor grins knowingly. 'Aha! The Bible!’ He considers for a moment. 'Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?'

'Yes sir, I would.'

'So you're good...!'

'I wouldn't say that.'

'But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't.'

The student does not answer, so the professor continues. 'He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Can you answer that one?'

The student remains silent. 'No, you can't, can you?' the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax. 'Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?'

'Er..yes,' the student says.

'Is Satan good?'

The student doesn't hesitate on this one. 'No.'

'Then where does Satan come from?'

The student falters. 'From God'

'That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?'

'Yes, sir..'

'Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?'

'Yes'

'So who created evil?' The professor continued, 'If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.'

Again, the student has no answer. 'Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?'

The student squirms on his feet. 'Yes.'

'So who created them?'

The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. 'Who created them?' There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized. 'Tell me,' he continues onto another student. 'Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?'

The student's voice betrays him and cracks. 'Yes, professor, I do.'

The old man stops pacing. 'Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?'

'No sir. I've never seen Him.'

'Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?'

'No, sir, I have not..'

'Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?'

'No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't.'

'Yet you still believe in him?'

'Yes'

'According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist... What do you say to that, son?'

'Nothing,' the student replies.. 'I only have my faith.'

'Yes, faith,' the professor repeats. 'And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith.'

The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of His own. 'Professor, is there such thing as heat?'

'Yes. ’

'And is there such a thing as cold?'

'Yes, son, there's cold too.'

'No sir, there isn't.'

The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain. 'You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit down to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.'

Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.

'What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?'

'Yes,' the professor replies without hesitation.. 'What is night if it isn't darkness?'

'You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?'

The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. 'So what point are you making, young man?'

'Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed.'

The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. 'Flawed? Can you explain how?'

'You are working on the premise of duality,' the student explains.. 'You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought.' 'It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it.' 'Now tell me, professor.. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?'

'If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do.'

'Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?'

The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed.

'Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?'

The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided. 'To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean.' The student looks around the room. 'Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?' The class breaks out into laughter. 'Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir.' 'So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?'

Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable. Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. 'I Guess you'll have to take them on faith.'

'Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life,' the student continues. 'Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?'

Now uncertain, the professor responds, 'Of course, there is. We see it Everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.'

To this the student replied, 'Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.'

The professor sat down.

Power of Imagination

Whether you realize it or not, you bring everything to you through the power of your imagination. The power of imagination is not something you have to acquire; you have it already! You think in images even if you aren't aware that you do, and you use imagination or imaging every single day of your life. When you think about the past you are imagining. When you think about the future you are imagining. And as you imagine and concentrate on anything with feeling, you are bringing it to you.

When you worry about something, you are using your immense power of imagination negatively. You are imagining the worst, and as you imagine the worst, you are bringing it to you. When you are excited about something, you are using your power of imagination positively. You are imagining the best, and as you imagine the best, you are bringing it to you.

Using the power of your imagination is something that comes to you naturally, but I want you to understand something about your imagination that will change your life: Whatever you can imagine already exists! You simply can't imagine anything unless it exists already, because when you imagine something you are actually tuning into a particular frequency, and if that frequency didn't exist in the Universe you wouldn't be able to tune into it. So when you imagine yourself with something you want you are tuning into a real thing that already exists, and you are looking at the very frequency of you with your desire!

Now I am going to take you step by step through a revolutionary process using your imagination from the book The Power.

First, imagine something that you really want. It could be money, health, a particular job, a partner, a vacation, happiness, or anything else. Imagine yourself with your desire; close your eyes and really get the picture of yourself with your desire.

Pay special attention to what you see about yourself in your imagined picture. Notice how you are talking. Notice how you are moving. Notice how you are walking. Notice how you are acting. Notice how you are feeling. Look at everything about yourself in your imagined picture, but in particular, notice how happy you are! Capture every detail that you can, and open your eyes.

Understand that the picture you just imagined of yourself with your desire exists already! You know it exists because if it didn't exist how could you tune into it? How could you see it in your imagination? When you imagined yourself, you were looking at the actual real version of you with your desire!

Can you see the difference between yourself right now and your imagined picture of yourself? Because your job is to become as much like the version of yourself in the picture as you can! Walk like that now. Talk like that now. Act like that now. Feel the same as that, now. Become as happy as that person, now. Be that person, now! When you become the person in your imagined picture you have shifted yourself to the frequency of your desire, and it must and will appear. Your imagination is showing you precisely the person you need to become. It is showing you what you look like and how to act and feel so that you can copy it and become that person!

To help you become more and more like the person in your imagination, practice closing your eyes and seeing yourself in the imagined picture with your desire as many times as you want. Seeing the imagined picture of yourself will continuously remind you how you need to be, feel, and act. Then come out of your imagination and go about your day doing your best to act and feel like that person, now. You will be amazed at how little copying it takes before you see the evidence that your desire is coming.

This is one of the most powerful processes you can ever do to make your desires appear with lightning speed. This process is based on the physics of the Universe. Use it! Practice it! You have The Power to your life; every force in the Universe will do anything for you, but you have to use The Power that you have!

From the book The Secret and The Power by Rhonda Byrne

True Perfection

To see the perfection of God in another person's life or in your own circumstance is life changing and is the kind of truth that will set you free.

The Lord Is With Me

I behold the image of Perfection in everything I see. There is continual progression of my soul and the Spirit of God leads me and gives me purpose in life. Since God is infinite, my expansion is progressive and eternal. No matter how much good I experience today, the Infinite Spirit of God has more in store for me tomorrow. The march of life is not a funeral dirge, but a song of triumph.

I know always that the Spirit of the Lord is with me and that the glory of the Lord is all around me and I am thankful.

The Mind

Words you speak have a frequency, an energy of it's own, and the moment you speak them they are released into the Mind (Universe). The law of attraction responds to all frequencies, and so it is also responding to the words that you speak. "My words shall not return unto me void." When you use very strong words, such as "terrible", "shocking" and "horrible" to describe any situation in your life, you are sending out an equally strong frequency, and the law of attraction must respond by bringing that frequency back to you.

The law is impersonal, and simply matches your frequency. Do you see how important it is for you to speak strongly about what you want, and not to use strong words about what you don't want?

Consider The Tree

"Not even a tree is created but what it bears many times more leaves than is necessary and so is the nature of the abundant life God has promised each of us."--Willi B

By This Faith

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."--Hebrews 11:1

Faith is more than objective statements of belief. We do not have perfect faith while any subjective or reactionary contradictions deny the affirmations of our spoken word. When the intellect is no longer contradicted by our emotional reactions, by unconscious doubts, fears, and anxieties, then the words of our mouth will immediately bear fruit.

"So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."--Isaiah 55:11

Today I have faith that my word shall not return unto me void. I know that there is a creative Spirit(God) that gives substance and power to this faith. By this faith my life is made whole, good and perfect. By this faith perfect peace, joy, happiness, love, good health, wealth and prosperity are made manifest in my life each day. By this faith the Kingdom of God becomes my only true Reality.

God Is Not Limited

The Spirit of God is not limited, so neither am I."I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Therefore, I let go of all negative and restricting ideas. Knowing that Life(God) gives according to my faith, I lift my thought and elevate my faith to the utmost high.

God's Spirit which is in me will never fail me if I never fail to believe and trust in God's goodness. Since God is for me and within me, none can be against me. I will cease merely to exist; I will live a life of passion and purpose. Today I am set free knowing that my spirit, my soul, in and of the Life of God is forever free.

Life Flows Up

The Spirit of God is an undivided and indivisible Whole. It fills all time with Its presence and peoples all space with the activity of Its thought. My endeavor, then, is not so much to find God as it is to realize God's Presence and to understand that this Presence is always with me. Nothing can be nearer to me than that which is the very essence of my being. My Life flows up from within me, from my center.

I recognize the Life of God responding to me from every person I meet, in every event that transpires, in every circumstance in my experience.

Simplicity of Truth

There is no more a simple truth than what Jesus taught us when he in utmost simplicity proclaimed, "I and the Father are one." What do you suppose would happen if all of us truly believed his declaration, not as a mere intellectual concept, but with deep inward feelings and faith, with an expanding sense of its meaning? I believe the world would change in an instant, don't you?

Perhaps what Jesus taught was too simple to comprehend, too good to be true, however, all of Nature is living proof, a living example, a continuous reminder, that there is a Spirit animating everything, a Presence so real, a Law governing, a Unity sustaining, a coordinating Will and Purpose binding everything together, and last but not least, a unifying Principle and Intelligence holding everything in perfect place and order.

The key that unlocks the treasures of the Kingdom of God (Good) is in my hand. This simple truth unlocks the doorway of my consciousness and gently opens it so that the Divine Presence may flood my whole being, my soul with light, illumine my being with Its radiant glow, and direct my footsteps this day and everyday onto the pathway of peace, love, joy and happiness.

Consciousness of God

Life has set the stamp of individuality on your soul. I am different from any other person who ever lived and so are you. Every person is an individualized center in the Life and Consciousness of God. Every person is an individualized activity in the Action of God. As part of the Life and Consciousness of God, my life is eternal. Therefore, I do not wait for immortality. The resurrection of Life is today.

As I begin to live today as the immortal being that I am, all thoughts of death, all fear of change disappear. I step out of my tomb of uncertainty into the light of eternal day and night.

What we see as death, God sees as a resurrection; therefore, gladly I die to everything that is unlike the nature of God, the Good. I am resurrected into that which is joyful, beautiful, happy, enduring, and true. Silently, without fanfare, I pass from less to more, from isolation into inclusion, from separation into oneness. Today, realizing that there is nothing in my past that can rise against me, nothing in my future that can menace the unfoldment of the beautiful experience I have in the Life and Consciousness of God. I revel in the fact that my life is an eternal adventure and throughout this experience great joy, happiness, love, peace, good health, wealth and prosperity are made manifest in my life. I also revel in the contemplation of the immeasurable future I have, the path of eternal progress and evolution, the longevity of my being and the eternal nature of my soul. I am renewed daily by the energy and action of the Divine Spirit of God who creates me and sustains my existence.

Now I See

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. Isaiah 55:8

I desire with all my heart to see things as they really are through the eyes of God. I desire for my thoughts and words to come directly from the Mind of God unfiltered by the confusion, fear and doubt of my own reactionary, always questioning subconscious mind. The all-seeing eye of God, by its very nature, being one and only, must forever see things as they really are. This is why Jesus said to judge not according to appearances but to judge righteously. Too often we see things with blurred vision because we are so confused and distracted mentally. To live in the true Reality of God I must view everything as I feel the Divine, Infinite, and Perfect Spirit of God must know and understand Its own creation to be. Seeing through the eyes of God leads me to right thinking and right action.

Unfortunately, man since the beginning of time has approached God through the eyes of man, not through the eyes of God. For too long, we have defined God through multiple layers of humanistic thought as it relates to our own human drama in history. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD."

Today and everyday I am seeing things and thinking things through the eyes and mind of the Divine nature of God. I am looking at things in a perfect and direct way. I am seeing through confusion to peace, through doubt to certainty, through fear to faith. Everything that occupies my attention I bring to a broader vision, a deeper insight, a more complete perspective of the Infinite Harmony that I know is back of , in, and through everything that God has made. I am keeping my eye to this one truth--what God had done is good, therefore my experiences are good and perfect. What God creates is wonderful, all-good and perfect, therefore I am surrounded by the same. I see things according to a Divine Pattern and Purpose and as I do this everything I look upon, think upon, act upon, shall become transformed and reborn. Lord, make my thoughts your thoughts and my ways your ways.

One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. John 9:25