Two outstanding teens

Greely High School in Cumberland, Maine, boasts two outstanding basketball players. For eight or nine years Patrick Thibodeau, a Greely senior with Downs Syndrome, has practiced with the basketball team in the summer, and managed the drills during the season. He has kept the water bottles full. Yet he had never played in a game.

Patrick is one hero, and he rose to the occasion magnificently with two three-pointers!

The other outstanding teen in this story was in the starting line-up. Sam Thompson stepped aside to offer Patrick his spot. Interviewed after the game he said simply that Patrick came to every practice, worked hard, and deserved this opportunity.

Would that the media would bring to the world the many other seventeen year-olds who are also caring and generous.

The families in the bleachers also illustrated Greely's team spirit. After Patrick’s first basket, he was back on the bench with his teammates when, in the final moments, the fans – on both sides! – began clapping and calling his name. The coach put him in, and Patrick managed to deliver his second 3-pointer – at the buzzer. The fans were wild with happiness.

It was so much more than winning. That evening people were celebrating courage and unselfish caring. The media picked up on Patrick’s faithful service to the team all those years and also on Sam’s generosity.

Patrick had reached for the stars and touched them; everyone rejoiced with him. Sam Thompson had found something equally precious and a little more private – the gold in his own character.

There is no limit to the good unselfishness can do because it originates in the Mind of the universe, the infinite Love that reveals mankind’s innate goodness.

Here's something to ponder about unselfishness:
“Whatever holds human thought in line with unselfed love, receives directly the divine power.” (Mary Baker Eddy)

If you are really into basketball, a YouTube of Patrick’s highlights follows. Patrick's baskets are at the 1:46 and 3:47 marks. Patrick is Number 3.

Generosity in Jordan

Amman,

bustling Jordanian capitol

At the border crossing between Israel and Jordan, our Israeli guide took us skillfully through his side of the passport crossing; on the other side, our Jordanian guide shepherded us through his country’s passport stamping.

The first evening we were very privileged guests of an American Foreign Service worker at the US Embassy in Amman. Her Muslim friend catered a meal of attractively prepared Jordanian foods for our busload of 28 American and Canadian tourists. Our hostess loves Jordan and its people.

Our hostess, caterers,
and a feast of local food

On the way to the capital, our guide had assured us that all Jordanian children go to school. Yet that day we saw school-age children herding goats; and the next day school-age children were hawking bracelets and necklaces in Petra. “Oh pretty lady, you have beautiful eyes! Nice bracelet for you, one dollah! One dollah, pretty lady!”

My friend, Emilie, didn’t buy any jewelry, but she took a chocolate bar from her bag, and offered it to the enterprising little girl. The child’s whole body danced, from her eyes to her feet, as she accepted the gift. The chocolate might not educate her, but it clearly brightened her morning.

Queen Noor, American-born wife of the former King Hussein, has been a strong advocate for the empowerment of women in Jordan from establishing health care services as well as institutions providing microloans and technical assistance for start-up businesses.

This desert country with a bustling capitol and Bedouin herders is now more than a place on the map on the other side of the world to me. It is real people I met and talked to; it's where I rode a camel. It's what you see when you stand on the West Bank and look across the Dead Sea -- the mountains on the other side are Jordan.

I gain a sense of how important peace is to this region of Jewish-Muslim-Christian neighbors. And how important prosperity is to peace. And how important water is to prosperity.

I will pray more intelligently about peace.

Want to stay connected? Try love!

John Templeton was an philanthropist and a shrewd global investor.

In a tribute to this deeply spiritual man from Presbyterian roots, Gary Moore writes in tomorrow's The Christian Science Monitor, “John worked very intentionally to live the spiritual qualities he prized. And while he may have valued reason, prosperity, tradition, and spirituality, he gave top priority to love, the connecting force that holds us together despite our differences – even the largest ones.”

“Love, the connecting force that holds us together despite our differences.”

Don't you love it!

Families are often like that. Siblings and relatives can be totally unlike in their careers, marriage partners, life-styles, their worship, or non-worship. If they weren’t family, they would have little in common.

Yet when they come together for holidays or other gatherings, they come with love that finds expression in respect, appreciation, and warm affection.

And it's true. This kind of love transcends differences. It isn't critical, it doesn't gossip. It isn't resentful and doesn't hold grudges. It keeps busy doing good.

Love is an amazing universal connecting force that flows through generous hearts.

NIU

My friend Krys emailed today, distressed about the senseless killings at Northern Illinois University. My daughter attended NIU, so that windswept campus among the cornfields holds a warm spot in my heart.

Years ago the husband of a friend committed suicide. A mutual friend who knew the couple better than I commented, “Suicide is a very selfish act.”

I hadn’t thought before that suicide was selfish, but I realized where she was coming from. The perpetrator thinks of no one except himself.

Well, we have been shown something even more selfish – the one who kills others before killing himself. We’re told the Virginia Tech killer was mentally unstable. Early reports indicate the NIU killer had recently quit taking his medications and had been behaving erratically.

I can identify with mental turmoil a little. I went through a period of great depression while in college; I felt I didn’t have any friends. But the thing that kept me from suicide was I knew how it would hurt my family. I could not do something so cruel to my family.

God pulled me right out of that pit by directing me to a career where I was actively helping people. For the next three years I learned to put my unselfish desires into practice, and ran my little legs off giving to others by training to be a Christian Science nurse.

What’s the antidote for selfishness? Generosity. The generous heart is so busy finding opportunities to help others that it has little time to mope about itself. I am blessed to count many generous hearts among my friends today.

Peggy, for example, is always asking, “What can I do to help?” Even when she doesn’t say it in words, you know she cares by how she pitches in without being asked.

How do we teach big-heartedness to today’s youngsters? By example. Kindness finds expression in unselfishness, caring, respect for others. It has to do with self-worth, feeling one has something of value to give.

Virginia Tech and now the NIU tragedy can be a timely wake-up call. Perhaps we can all do more to affirm the value of everyone we meet.

A cheery "Good Morning!" or a smile can be just the thing to turn someone’s discouragement around. God’s love includes everyone. Each person is important; no one should be marginalized or excluded.

We should not underestimate the power of a generous heart.

Other blogs on this topic:
The world is not falling apart!
Shooting in Illinois - scroll down to February 15, 2008

Hope fulfilled - even though after Christmas

Cat enjoys winter sunshine

during Christmas season

A friend replied to my email for a blessed Christmas. He wrote that although his wife is no longer here,

It is truly a joyous time for me because of the memories of the good of the past.

Then he included a wonderful story. It happened in the spring, decades ago, and embodies the spirit of Christmas, of hoped for good unexpectedly realized. He continued:

I did not know that we and our relatives were "poor" during the depression of the 1930's. My Dad and Granddad had a three person factory in Rock Island that a man had sold to them on a very friendly basis – no income, no payment.

A fellow from Chicago asked Dad to make a die that would stamp out little 2" x 4" tags that said "HOOVER." It was for attaching to automobile license plates because Hoover was running for President.

When Dad phoned and told him that the die was ready, the man drove down to Rock Island, and picked it up. He paid for the work with a check on the only bank in Chicago that was open.

Dad took the check to the grocery store where Mom had a bill. The grocery store took the check to the Rock Island Argus (newspaper, still exists today) and paid on their advertising bill. The Rock Island Argus took the check to the coal yard and paid on their fuel bill.

That check circulated around Rock Island like cash and many businesses were blessed. The back side of the check was filled with endorsements.

He concludes:
The Christmas "season" is for young people, and their happiness spills over into our happiness. Hopefully we all know what it is really about.

Hopefully we do.

Sweet celebration --Veteran’s Day

Alan introduces himself

and his shy "patriot"

At Jefferson grade school, all the kids were urged to bring a vet to school at 1 pm last Friday. The kids who invited their vets were called “patriots.” Patriots is also the name of the school mascot. About 60 veterans showed up for the program in the school library, including my friend Alan with his granddaughter.

The principal warmly welcomed the vets, and invited everyone to sing the National Anthem. The sixth grade chorus in bright red polo shirts sang “Grateful to be American.” Two kids read a neat patriotic poem of gratitude to those who have fought for our freedoms.

Then came the best – and longest – part. Each vet accompanied by his “patriot(s)” went to the microphone, and read from a little sheet they’d filled out when they came in. They told their name, branch of service and years they served, their highest rank attained, and their “patriot’s” name and grade.

The whole room was totally attentive! Vets of all ages, every branch of service, were each honored with a great round of applause. Some had served 8 or 9 years or more; some were career guys; some on active duty – one just back from Iraq, another re-deploying in February. One harked back to WW II. Some were in uniform, some not – from all walks of life.

Group photos of the men (no women this time) with their military branches followed these individual introductions. Then began a great parade through flag-decked school halls, lined on both sides with 800 clapping, cheering, children and their teachers.

Think 6, 9, 12 years old. And you and your brother/uncle/dad/grandpa are being cheered by your classmates, because of their service to their country. What a special memory!

Gratitude is always appropriate. Appreciation for another's sacrifice is never out of fashion. And honoring those who have put their lives on the line for their country speaks of generosity and caring.

Thanks NF for the photo!

The spirit of generosity - giving back

beauty beyond man's making

The year is about 1000 B.C. King David and his people have just contributed generously to the temple that David’s son Solomon will build.

And David reveals his understanding of the source of all goodness when he says, But who are we, “that we should presume to be giving something to you? Everything comes from you; all we’re doing is giving back what we’ve been given from your generous hand.” (The Message, I Chron 29:14)

David was talking about gold, silver, bronze, and jewels. Material things. Even though I don’t believe God gives us “things,” still, I think David had the spirit right.

All that's pure, constant, true, and lasting about life comes from divine Love, and as we express these qualities, we praise and glorify the origin.

We don’t own the qualities, or possess them. Because of their infinite source, we cannot ever use them all up. They aren’t really dependent on DNA or genes.

Whatever is good in life originates in Spirit and that’s why it lasts. Matter doesn’t last. David’s gold and Solomon’s temple were destroyed. But the spirit of generosity permeates all generations, all cultures.

Material beauty fades. But the concept of beauty lasts. We are cheered by beauty every time we discover it - in sunsets, spring flowers, songbirds, Grand Canyon.

As we recognize that God’s giving – kindness, strength, intelligence, patience, healing, foresight, insight, caring – is spiritual, then we can use these gifts generously, productively, creatively, to bless all mankind.

Amazingly we lose nothing in the process. And as we utilize opportunities for sharing, we give back what S/He has given us.

God gives you His spiritual ideas,
and in turn,
they give you daily supplies.
Mary Baker Eddy

The simplicity of kindness

Helping is natural

We are discussing kindness. And in that context Ron emails: “Saying Yes to loving our fellow man, is saying No to voicing anything unkind.”

Can life be so basic? So straightforward?

When we say Yes to divine Love (who for me is God) as the center of our lives, our thoughts, our goals, are we at the same time making a mental and spiritual commitment to say No to any unkind words?

I like the simplicity. It makes perfect sense. And I’m surprised to easily think of several people who are active in my life and are achieving this genuine, deep, and consistent kindness. What a privilege to know them. They don’t talk about it, they may not even think about it. They just live authentic generosity of spirit.

So I wonder, is this an attainable goal? Can I be deeply caring too? One has to come to terms with the fact that to become consistently and genuinely kind demands monitoring thought like never before.

Saying Yes, agreeing to love my fellow man, means saying No to rattling off at the mouth whatever pops into one’s head. It means rejecting the smart remark in favor of a gentle reply or perhaps even silence.

Yikes.

In fact monitoring thought means being selective about what one chooses to think, because our words are the outcome of our thoughts. I know it’s possible to choose which thoughts to companion with, that we can reject thoughts that make us uncomfortable, because I’ve been applying that principle with some modest progress.

I’m encouraged by something Eddy writes in her book, “Science and Health.” She says, “The devotion of thought to an honest achievement, makes the achievement possible.”

And, for heaven’s sake, Jesus' answer to Cain’s defensive question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” – is an unequivocal Yes, in the form of a strong offensive initiative to “Love one another.”

Apparently love is our debt to God, and love is how we pay it. Not the limited human affection that comes and goes, waxes hot and cold, can be possessive and jealous. But that broader love for mankind that is constant and unconditional. That’s the big stuff. The real stuff. That’s what lubricates relationships, shades them from the harsh glare of misunderstanding, guides them safely through the shallows of envy and criticism.

I may stumble and fall along the way, but so what? I’m going to start saying more Yes to loving my fellow man, and more No to voicing words unkind.

Whose are you?

A delightful and insightful podcast discussion, “Community and the human spirit,” includes this:

Shirley: “I think there are moments when we are tempted to forget about who we are”
Harry: “And whose we are.”

“And whose we are.”

Doesn’t that make you smile? Most of us wear many hats, sometimes in a single day. And we may think, I am:

• a student, a soccer player, a football fan
• a dancer a musician, an artist, a teacher, a contractor, a manager, an electrician
• a mom, dad, uncle, aunt, grandparent

While these are some of the roles we may fill, they are not who we are.

Who we are is greater than the sum of our roles. When we strip away the uniforms – for student, musician, aunt – what’s left?

I love that Christian Science emphasizes our identity as God knows us. Starting with the first chapter of Genesis where God’s entire creation, including man, is very good. Man is God's very good idea.

Jesus evidently thought man is a good idea too. He showed us Whose we are -- that we belong to a God of Love and compassion and caring. His life records not only his healing others, but what we call The Sermon on the Mount (Matt chapters 5-7). Guidelines for happiness. Goals we can reach for. How God expects us relate to one another. To be merciful, peace-makers, not to hold grudges – basically to live generously.

He taught a simple prayer that is not just words to memorize; the Lord's Prayer meets all human needs. It's rather incredible that so short a prayer connects man to God so concisely and precisely.

Jesus had no patience with criticism and hypocrisy. Instead, he showed by example that we need to treat others the way we want to be treated. And to grab the initiative and do it first.

It’s good to take time daily to go into our mental prayer closets and shut out the distractions, to carve out time to be absent from the body and present in thought with God.

Who are we? And whose are we? Here is the apostle Paul’s conclusions about identity and community. Life can be so simple, if we let it:

God is our Maker. We are God’s work of art!
Created in our union with Christ Jesus
to devote ourselves to the good deeds
for which God has designed us.

From Today’s English Version, Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible
(Ephesians 2:10)

Click here to see the podcast, Community and the Human Spirit:
Then scroll down to August 29, 2007, and click on LISTEN

Episode of the cookies

Here’s an email story that’s just come around again, and is worth repeating.

A young woman was waiting in the VIP lounge for her flight. Anticipating a lengthy wait, she had brought a good book and a baggie of chocolate chip cookies.

On the seat next to her where the baggie of cookies lay, a man came and sat down. He opened his magazine and began reading.

The woman took out the first cookie, and the man also took a cookie. She was mildly annoyed, but said nothing. She waited awhile and took another cookie. The man did too. This continued till there was only one cookie remaining. She was highly offended by now, and wondered if he would eat the last one.

He took the last cookie, broke it in two, and offered her half. In a huff, she stormed out to the boarding area.

Settled in the plane, she was riffling through her purse where she discovered to her chagrin, an unopened baggie of chocolate chip cookies.

The man had shared his cookies with her, not the other way round. She couldn’t help but compare her self-righteous indignation with the stranger’s nonjudgmental and kindly generosity. Needless to say, she felt quite ashamed and humbled.

Moral: Things are often not what they appear to be.

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Bible wisdom on anger

“He that is slow to anger
is better than the mighty.” Prov 16:32

“It is better to dwell in the wilderness,
than with a contentious and an angry woman.” Prov 21:19

“Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry:
for anger rests in the bosom of fools.” Eccl 7:9

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