More than sledding

Wheee!

In January my grandson and I had a great one-on-one vacation. We drove to the Wisconsin north woods to visit relatives and engage in great snow activities. We sledded, snowshoed, baked cookies in a happy extended family setting.

One day my cousin was supervising some sledding behind their house. I stood nearby, camera in hand, to catch some of this fun. I wasn’t participating in the sledding activity, became of a hurting back. I was praying, however -- from the standpoint that this pain was trying to suggest I could be separated from God’s love – a relationship I hold very dear. Or that God was too busy to care for every detail of His universe.

It wasn’t a prayer to God as a super person to stop what He was doing and look after me, so much as an affirmation that an infinitely good God who is Spirit and Truth infinitely maintains harmony. If God is wholly good and fills all space, then this pain could not be a reality in His presence. A loving God doesn’t send evil. He sends harmony.

Now at that point in my prayers, it occurred to me that I had been indulging in some pretty self-righteous criticism that morning. Right now, I have no idea what it might have been. But at the time it seemed important and troublesome.

Big deal! Who doesn’t criticize? Well, yes. Except that I had lately been making a fairly successful effort to see beyond the human scene. To discern more of God’s goodness and His good creation. So criticism now stood out by way of contrast as a backward step in a forward spiritual journey. This kind of negative thinking was no longer comfortable.

So I began undoing that criticism, replacing the “wrongs” I had been anguishing over with what was clearly right about the person or situation (while I don’t recall the specifics, I do remember the process!) appreciating the good qualities – what God knew from His vantage point to be enduring and true.

This happy mental conversation took place even with great laughter and fun punctuating the snowy scene all around. About midway down the hill, the boys were packing snow into a little jump for the sleds in hopes of gaining some “air time.”

My cousin clowning on a tube

Then my cousin said, “Sandi, why don’t you go down the hill? I’ll hold your camera!”

Moment of truth. Do I really believe that God, Spirit, is my whole substance and my only substance? That matter cannot make laws to undermine God’s harmonious control?

The feeling in my back hadn’t changed. It still hurt. But thought was moving, so I trusted God, divine Mind, as the source of that movement and settled onto the sled behind my grandson. We sped down the hill landing with a bump on the other side of the jump. And that was the last time all day that I thought about my back. In fact, it’s been uncomplaining ever since.

I just love adventures in learning more about God’s great love.