Issue # 49

UPWARD BOUND J * O * U * R * N * A * L
SPIRITUAL LESSONS FOR YOUR PERSONAL GROWTH
W
e were having
breakfast last
week in our favorite local
caf, Scrambles, and as we
waited for our order I noticed
three people at a nearby table
saying grace. The scene was
reminiscent of an old Normal
Rockwell painting almost.
It seemed to take much longer
and appeared more dramatic
than what I normally observe,
and it got me to wondering
was there some serious
situation going on for them or
were they simply overdoing
their public display of their
religious beliefs?
I was reminded of Jesus
words from Matthew 6:5-7: When you pray, you must not be like the
hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the
street corners, that they may be seen by men. But when you pray, go
into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret;
and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. for your Father
knows what you need before you ask him.
Baird Spaulding put it eloquently saying: God does not hear us
God Is...or Isnt?
1. The Life and Teachings of the Masters of the Far East, pg 34, by Baird T Spaulding
through our loud and vain
repetitions. We must seek
God through the Christ
within, the invisible
connection we have
within ourselves. ... For
he that sees (God) in the
secret place of his own
soul and there abides, him
the Father will reward
openly.
1

Of course, anyone who is
in the painful throws of a
major challenge, would
want to have a lengthy
and serious talk with the
Lord God of their being,
seeking guidance,
strength and a timely,
positive resolution for everyone concerned. And that certainly includes a
family saying grace over their breakfast in a public cafe.
And yet, I am reminded that our relationship with God is much
simpler and direct than we typically think it to be. It has long been my
belief that when we say grace at a meal, what is important is the sincerity
of our gratitude not the length of our speech; the only thing we need to say
is simply Thank You, God! God knows what is in our heart and doesnt
Cypress stand, Lake Santa Fe, near Gainesville, FL. - photo by Art Holt
actually need to hear anything from us verbally; we speak the words of
thanks simply to release the joyous energy we are feeling out into the
world around us. We say thank you to celebrate the sense of
contentment we feel inside. And in our contentment we are close to God.
Too many words can dilute our gratitude.
There is a delightful little joy song we often sing just to project our
joy out to the universe.
I feel wonderful, I feel wonderful; for this is a glorious day
I feel wonderful, I feel wonderful; and Im going to stay this way.
Its a sweet reminder that we really do live in Gods grace, enhanced by
our recognition that we are a part of God, just as God is a part of us.

This bit of observation also brought to mind another question. How
often do most people actually think about God? I assume that for many
people a Sunday church visit is the principal time they devote to God
thoughts and the rest of the week their minds are preoccupied with their
concerns about work, family, home, bill-paying, health and perhaps
hobbies and recreational activities such as gardening or travel plans. The
routine of saying Grace at mealtimes does not by itself guarantee that we
are actually thinking about our love of, and appreciation for God, at that
moment. For many people, it is simply an obligatory habit.
Our Sunday church experience is intended to bring reassurance that
God is here for us and cares about us; that is if the lesson and music
contain elements of inspiration and not personal condemnation. So during
the days that follow we run along more or less smoothly, and our thoughts
about God are fleeting and infrequent. For many then, God becomes a
convenient security blanket, there for us when and if we need him, and
resting comfortably on a shelf (like our family Bible) the rest of the time.
Thats okay! God doesnt care if we use Him as a convenience. He
wants us to live easily and comfortably. If God were in a container we
might find it labeled take only as needed for comfort and relief. Of
course our needs depend on what or who we believe God to be.
ABC News recently took part in a survey of the American people to
determine Who believes What about God. The results were rather
interesting; our beliefs breakdown into four nearly equal parts: God is -
Authoritative, Benevolent, Critical or Distant.
Twenty-eight percent of Americans believe that God is both
Authoritative and Judgmental. They see God as engaged in the activities
of the world and responsible for everything from earthquakes to oil spills
as His punishment for our wicked ways. These believers are mostly
evangelical and male.
Another group, mostly evangelical women, believes that God is
Involved in the world, but in a more Benevolent and loving way, not the
stern judgmental way. This is a group of about twenty-two percent,
putting half the people surveyed believing that God runs the show.
The third group, slightly smaller at twenty-one percent, holds the
belief that God is a Critical deity, who is removed from our daily events,
but who renders judgment in the hereafter, deciding who is to enter heaven
and who is doomed to hell. According to the researchers, this group is
mostly lower income and less educated.
Then there is a rather interesting group of twenty-four percent, who
consider themselves Spiritual, not religious. They see God at a distance;
the one who set the world in motion (and I presume the Universe as well),
and then disengaged himself from further involvement. That means they
see God as out there somewhere, watching and wondering what we will
do next.
One can easily see that there are rather large differences between
these four groups which helps to explain why we are such a divided
nation, religiously as well as politically.
The survey leaves a mere four percent remaining, about which the
survey had little to say (that I am aware). This group gives those of us
U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * L
who dont necessarily agree with any of the first four groups a chance to
voice our own opinions. Well, at least it gives us chance to ponder our
own beliefs. So, where do you find yourself? Are you in one of the four
primary groups, or do you have a more independent perspective?
For instance: Do you believe that God is the Creative force that
initiated the Universe from beginning to end? Do you view God as the life
energy that birthed every form of life that was, is and will be? Do you
believe that everything in your life was pre-ordained, or do you believe
that you control your own destiny? Is your conception of God one in
which God is with you every step of the way, and yet does not manage
your life, interfere in your deeds or save you from your disasters?
I happen to believe that heaven and hell are parts of our life
experience, not a place we have to earn or fail to achieve in the hereafter.
I cant imagine a loving God judging our success or failure at the end of
our life and sending us to strum the harps with the angels or stoke the fires
of hell with the devil. What did the author of I John say? God is love,
and he who abides in love, abides in God and God abides in him. (I JN
4:16). A loving God does not condemn His beloved children to eternal
damnation!
How do we know God or is that even possible? Most of what we
have been told about God is either intellectual or the opinions of early
church leaders intent on controlling the population. But in reality, God is a
heart connection and we have to feel His presence, physically. If you have
ever had any kind of mystical experience than you know that you know.
In the meantime the combination of meditation and observation can make
that knowing very real for you.
Standing on the edge of one of hillsides bordering the Pacific Ocean
one can literally breathe in a sense of Gods awesome presence. A simple
walk in a garden or park may pass near to a tall and stately tree whose age
predates your great grandparents. If you pause for a moment in silent
contemplation you will be able to feel the universal life energy radiating
out, connecting with you at a
deeper level.
For centuries going back to
Socrates and Plato, there have
been a few individuals who have
professed that there is nothing
more important than discovering
the mystical moment of knowing
the reality of Gods loving
Presence in their lives by
experiencing it personally.
Since the beginning of human
history, the ability of the mind to
think, to imagine, to wonder, to
solve complex problems, has driven man to seek reasons for the many
challenges in life storms, floods, freezing winters, long dry summers,
seasonal changes in flora and fauna, and all the human dramas as well.
Almost universally, people believed that something or someone had to be
responsible, but Who or What? Many gods, One God, or Mother Nature?
With the limitations of his creative thought and nothing else to relate to,
man imagined a someone we now call God, to either blame or praise.
Man (humankind) mentally created God in our image, and later turned it
around so that in telling stories of creation, God would make man in Gods
image.
As the centuries rolled by many people with many beliefs, came
together bringing with them many versions of god. Over time, each
groups idea of god coalesced with the others and there became many gods
to worship or make sacrifices to.
In fact there became layers of gods; the higher gods ruling the lower
ones. At the top, were the chief gods, warring with each other for control.
We call that period of history, Greek and Roman mythology with an
U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * L
emphasis on Myth.
Eventually the Hebrews were credited with the idea that there is only
One God, but in fact they borrowed the idea of a singular God from an
earlier Egyptian Pharaoh. Still, it was the early Jews of Abraham who
made the belief in One God the basis for all similar beliefs today.
As the images and beliefs around God continued to evolve, the
Hebrew nation grew as well, patiently waiting for the prophecy of a
warrior king, a savior, to lead them to victory in their struggle with the
Roman Empire. Then the peace-maker Jesus, came along resulting in a
break-away group, a mixture of Jews and Gentiles, who became known
initially as followers of The Way. (In our modern world, a break-away
group like that is regarded as a cult and many traditional believers
make a major effort to destroy or eliminate such a group.) Christianity
evolved as the name of the group years later.
A third group known as Moslems, also derived from one of the twelve
tribes of Israel, began with divine revelation to Muhammad in 610 CE. All
three groups claimed devotion to One God. It was and is the same God,
but seen differently by each group. Because of the different views, the
different beliefs, and the different evolutions, many differences became
unacceptable between the various religious groups - including a number
of Gentile groups with their many gods - and wars between different
beliefs and believers have been common for thousands of years.
We should be able to see that what we believe about God today has
evolved through the years, just as we have evolved in our thinking about
everything else. The real disaster is that we just havent reached a point
where we can all agree on the subject (God) that we (mankind) made up in
the first place.
The dilemma is that we dont know how to describe God for sure.
God may or may not be any or all of the things we have come to believe
about Him (Her, It). Hopefully, there may be one thing however, upon
which we can agree. God is!

U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * L
God exists and the way we know is from personal experience. Far too
many people have felt the Presence; have been guided by the Still Small
Voice; have experienced prayer-directed healing miracles; have had
personal mystical experiences that have changed their lives, for anyone to
say that God isnt real. And that by itself is inspiring.
If we could just accept these mystical, personal, heart-felt
experiences of God as universal truth, then we might reap the fruits of the
Spirit - and live as love, joy and peace. We would eliminate living from
greed, hatred, dishonesty and the need for war because we would accept
one another as brothers and sisters; one family the beloved children of
God.
God Is. And thats enough for me. When I say grace, its simply
because I need to release the sense of joy and appreciation from inside of
me. That loving energy goes on to fill the spaces of doubt and fear that
still exist in errant beliefs of many people. Perhaps we will see a day when
we can all agree on our oneness with God. In the meantime, let us simply
take the words of Rev. Robert Schuller to heart: God loves you, and so
do I.
Thank You, God.
And so it is,
Art & Dottie Holt


[There may be some things said in this lesson that do not resonate with
your Theological beliefs or are in conflict with what you may have been
taught in Sunday School. One of the gifts of being an on-going student is the
exposure to recent historical and scholarly research. Of particular interest to
this lesson is the book by Robert Wright, The Evolution of God, 2009. It is
a substantive read, but worth the diligence it takes to pursue it. Thanks to
Michael Roach, Licensed Unity Teacher and friend from Unity of Naples, for
sending it my way.]
feel that I must make things happen; rather I have come to
realize that I need only to let go and Let God work through me.
God is the source of all good for all people, I am but a physical
tool to bring about that good.
I entrust God with my deepest hopes, my fondest desires,
and my strongest beliefs. For I know that what I give to God, in
Faith and with gratitude, returns in far more perfect ways
than I could possibly have imagined. Divine Order, Wisdom,
and Harmony have become my constant companions. And I
know God Is the Source of all good, everywhere.
"I give Thanks to the Lord with my whole heart." (Psalms
9:1) I turn to god with faith and gratitude.
Thank You, thank you God, for abundance of good that you
have given me, for all the good the you have given each one of
us, for all the good that remains for everyone, everywhere. ...
This day and every day. Now, and forever more.
Amen
I TURN TO GOD WITH FAITH AND GRATITUDE
Surely the Presence of the Lord is here with me now, in
my life and all my affairs. For God is the source of all my good.

I turn to God with Faith and Gratitude. My life is filled with
blessings and goodness, and as I awake to the realization of
God's presence active in my life, I can see all the good that I
experience is God's Good made manifest, as joy and laughter
and wonderful associations with caring, happy people. God is
present in the golden light of the morning sun, or reflected in
the eyes of a friend. God is present in the song of a bird, or
the gleeful noises of children at play. God is present in my
work, with the people I get to share conversations; just as God
is present in the relationships of the people I love, whether
near to me or across the country. In gratitude I experience
the presence of God; my heart is grateful that my Creator is
the source of all my good.
When I give my attention to feelings of gratitude, I can
begin to sense the wonder of God's Presence. And I know I
am in this presence because everywhere I look I see the
abundance of good that God pours forth for me. I am thankful
because I am happy, and I am happy because I am in a state
of Thanksgiving.
Blessings come easily and harmoniously because I am
willing to let God bring about His good through me. I no longer
M E D I T A T I O N
photo by Art Holt





Upward Bound of Unity, Inc.
10870 SW 71st Circle
Ocala, FL 34476
Phone (352) 861 - 5518
Email: UpwardBoundRev@aol.com

Upward Bound Journal
is a Unity publishing ministry based on Biblical teachings and dedicated to
writing and presenting spiritual, inspirational, and metaphysical principles
which empower people to enrich and transform their lives.

For more information about Upward Bound email us at:
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Issue # 49
Upward Bound Journal is of Upward Bound of Unity, Inc. 2010

Member: Association of Unity Churches International, SunCoast Unity Ministers Association, and
affiliated with: Unity Institute and Silent Unity, publishers of Daily Word. Upward Bound of Unity, Inc.
is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3), charitable corporation sustained entirely by your tax deductible gifts.
U P W A R D B O U N D J * O * U * R * N * A * L
WORDS WE LIVE BY

Our thoughts and words create our reality. Let us acknowledge
another word that will impact our lives in wonderful ways. This time
the word is Loving.

The commitment couples make to one another on their wedding
day promises unending love, but it doesnt always turn out to be
equally fulfilled by both partners for the rest of their lives. If it did
the divorce rate would drop to zero. As is often said, the road to hell
is paved with good intentions, and often the good intentions of one
partner or the other melt away as one ego begins to feel that the
other person is getting the better end of the deal. Seeking pleasure
for ones self slowly takes precedent over putting his or her mate first.
In other words, getting love outweighs the unselfish gift of giving
love.

Its not that one person wants to deny love to the other, but
rather begins to fear that he or she is doing all the giving, resulting in
the loss of personal independence, the inability to pursue their own
goals, to manage their own spending, or the loss of a voice in the
major decisions they need to make together.

Loving one another is simply the decision to give without giving
up who and what you are, a commitment to weather together the little
storms everyone faces and to recognize that everything in life changes,
even the nature of our relationships.

Hugh and Gayle Prather said, A funny thing happens when we
are loving. We are acting a little bit like God. Perhaps in so doing
we are better able to understand the unconditional love our Creator is
continuously sending our way. Jesus said it best: Love one another
as I have loved (every one of) you.

And so it is
Rev. Arthur Holt
Unity Minister
Dottie Holt
Licensed Unity
Teacher
(Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC )
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Upward Bound Upward Bound Upward Bound Upward Bound
Journal, Journal, Journal, Journal,

10870 SW 71st Circle,

Ocala, FL 34476


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Photo by Art Holt

Footbridge on the grounds of the Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC - Art Holt photo
Visit our new Upward Bound Journal Web site.

Go to: www.upwardboundjournal.com to see it all. I finally have a web site that I can
manage and update myself.
Past issues from UBJ #20 to present (UBJ #49) are all available in Adobe PDF file format and
just a click away. Read them on your computer screen or save to your hard drive, or print your
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Art Art Art Art