Gabe and I were talking about where you all live and thought you might like to see where we are from. So we are including a map of the Middle East and the Midwestern US. We have lived in St. Paul, Minnesota; Boston, MA; and now here - so we have had urban, suburban and rural life. Where did you all live in Australia, India, UAE and now in Doha?
We had a wonderful time last Sunday talking about spiritual identity!
Let's continue to do this! Keep up a list of synonyms of the synonyms and regularly ask your self: How does God see me?? How does God see my neighbor?? I wrote up a way to do this that is fun. Click here and read through how to set up your own Spirituality Matrix. I've done this with all my Sunday School students and it is always fascinating!
Wasn't it interesting to hear from each other ways in which our spiritual identity can never be diminished? Just like the story of Jesus being tempted in last week's lesson, we can't be tempted to be anything less that a child of God. We can't be tempted to cheat, bully, be afraid, or be tempted to think we are NOT the brilliant, caring and intelligent person that God made us to be.
It was really helpful to come up with ways to pray about helping friends in intense situations, and praying about taking on adventures for the first time (like camp or boarding school) away from family. You guys are wonderful practitioners!
NEXT WEEK:
The Bible Lesson once again is loaded with some classic stories that teach profound life lessons and help us learn to heal. This week the lesson is on "Everlasting Punishment" and has these Bible stories in it:
- The story of the Prodigal son (Luke 15)
- Lessons learned from a proud and fallen king: King Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 4)
- Jesus and the adulterous woman (John 8)
Let me know what story you'd like to discuss.
Other topics to explore
EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT. Hmmmm. Not a topic that comes up real often. Did you ever wonder why Mary Baker Eddy included this topic in the 26 Bible Lesson study topics? What is it about Everlasting Punishment that we need to know?
I loved working with you on how to apply Christian Science to the issues of the day. Christian Science is universal and practical - it is something that blesses everyone! We'll do this again next week.
Gabe had a movie that really inspired him. The movie is "The Gladiator." From Gabe: "The hero expressed honesty, Truth, courage, strength, and he was skillful and he was loyal to his family." Abi and Emma - what other characters from books and movies stand out to you -- and why?
We're looking forward to talking again next week!
Feel free to email me at kim@kimckorinek.com!
P.S.
I was thinking about the qualities of Love that Abigail mentioned - expressed by us in caring, gentle and kind ways. Mary Baker Eddy knew about the power as well as the tenderness of Love. Read this and see if you thoughts about Love take on a new dimension!
Love is not something put upon a shelf, to be taken down on rare occasions with sugar-tongs and laid on a rose-leaf. I make strong demands on love, call for active witnesses to prove it, and noble sacrifices and grand achievements as its results. Unless these appear, I cast aside the word as a sham and counterfeit, having no ring of the true metal. Love cannot be a mere abstraction, or goodness without activity and power.
As a human quality, the glorious significance of affection is more than words: it is the tender, unselfish deed done in secret; the silent, ceaseless prayer; the self-forgetful heart that overflows; the veiled form stealing on an errand of mercy, out of a side door; the little feet tripping along the sidewalk; the gentle hand opening the door that turns toward want and woe, sickness and sorrow, and thus lighting the dark places of earth.
- Mary Baker Eddy, from Miscellaneous Writings, p. 250
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