Awakening the Within - Unity.org

Advent 2010

Awakening the

Christ Spirit Within

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A Message of Support Our ministry is supported primarily by the freewill offerings of friends like you. Your generosity helps make it possible for us to offer this inspirational booklet. Our desire is to make Unity literature available to everyone who wants it, especially those most in need of spiritual encouragement. ©2010 Unity


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Introduction

T

he Christmas story is full of emotional imagery reminding us that Advent is a time to celebrate our awakened Christ consciousness. Rev. Ed Townley explains in his article, “A Metaphysical Interpretation of the Christmas Story” (featured on page 21): Metaphysically what we celebrate each Christmas is … the birth of Christ awareness. What Jesus brought to us was a spark of new light, new possibility—light that shines through the darkness of human confusion and illuminates the spiritual truth of who we are.

In the following pages we honor the sacredness of Christmas with timeless words from Unity authors through the entire Christmas season: Advent, Christmas Day, the Twelve Days of Christmas and Epiphany. In the opening, Rosemary Fillmore Rhea, granddaughter of Unity founders Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, shares her fond memories of holidays at Unity Village. Your Advent journey continues with weekly letters to God, thought-provoking poetry and daily snippets from Unity authors past and present. You will also find a variety of classic Unity Inn recipes for holiday entertaining. We wish you a very merry Christmas and a joyous New Year. We love you, we bless you and we behold the Christ in you.

Your friends in Unity


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Christmas at Unity Farm

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or many children around the world, the Advent season leading up to Christmas is an exciting time of year—with all the family gatherings, lights, the festive ambiance and of course Santa Claus!

Rosemary Fillmore Rhea, granddaughter of Unity founders Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, was born and raised at Unity Village— what was once Unity Farm. Although Rosemary now enjoys the Christmas season with her children and grandchildren, she still exudes the same energy, sparkle and excitement about the holiday season that she did as a child. Enjoy this trip down memory lane—compiled from personal interviews and excerpts from Rosemary’s book, That’s Just How My Spirit Travels: A Memoir—as she shares some of her fondest Unity Village holiday memories. Winter was a time for ice-skating, sledding, warm crackling fires, and of course Christmas—the grandest celebration of all. There were Christmas programs, candlelighting services and the magic of Christmas morning when my brother and I awakened at the crack of dawn to discover what Santa had left for us. My childhood was filled with so much love and joy that it is difficult for me to describe for you the beauty and wonder of that place called Unity Farm. My early Christmases were just as happy and joyous as can be. They weren’t any different than those of any other family at Christmas in different parts of the world, except for those (children) who didn’t have anything, except that we were living out here on a farm. 2


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Our house was the gathering place for family celebrations, and we had wonderful Christmas parties. Nothing pleased my father more than planning holiday dinners. He loved to go to the grocery store to do the buying. When he returned, he would sound his horn and Helen (her father’s housekeeper and dear friend) and I would run down the back stairs to help carry in bag after bag of special delicacies he had found for our holiday dinners. Helen was an unbelievably good cook, and my brother and I would eat so much that we would roll on the floor in distress after our holiday meals. One year the Unity switchboard operator wrote a Christmas play. I don’t remember the name of the play, but it was my first, and darn near my last, theatrical performance. I had one line. I knocked on the door, they opened it and I said, “It is cold and we are hungry. Do you have any soup?” That memory has stayed with me since I was 5 years old! Christmas was always a big thing for those who worked here because they always celebrated it starting with Advent. In the Chapel, which was a farm chapel at the time, they had Christmas and candlelight programs, like they do now, when I was little and when my kids were little too. And they celebrated at the Inn with a special program and lunch.

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The big thing for my brother and I was Santa Claus, and I remember that my Uncle Lowell, even though he was president of the (Unity) School, everyday he walked through the offices of Unity, visiting with the people who were working at their desks. At Christmas, he dressed up as Santa and went around to every department to give them their Christmas bonus checks. He just loved people! I have spent a great deal of my time for the past 15 years in Jamaica and the West Indies. They have one celebration after another, and everyone celebrates Christmas. Christmas can be stressful and such a rush-rush, but everything moves slowly on island time. In that relaxed environment, they seem to enjoy more of life. If we could just take a deep breath and take time to be in the moment, especially with small kids, and enjoy … don’t worry about how to get things wrapped, etc. … we can learn a lot from other people who just enjoy the simple things.

Rosemary Fillmore Rhea is an ordained minister and granddaughter of Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, founders of the Unity movement. Rosemary was founder, director and host of The Daily Word for television and later co-produced The Word from Unity, which appeared on more than a thousand television and radio stations nationwide. She served churches in Delray Beach and New Port Richey in Florida and opened the Unity Myrtle Fillmore Center in Kansas City.

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Classic Recipes From Unity Inn The Unity Vegetarian Inn (as it was called then) opened to the public in 1906, offering diners hot meals in return for freewill offerings. The menu reflected the Fillmores’ belief that a fruit and vegetable diet was consistent with biblical directives and the best thinking in nutritional science. By the 1920s, Unity Inn was one of the largest vegetarian cafeterias in the world, serving as many as 10,000 meals a week. In the 1950s, Unity School of Christianity and Unity Inn moved from downtown Kansas City, Missouri, to Unity Farm in eastern Jackson County, Missouri—the site of today’s Unity Village. Unity Inn added meat to the menu in the 1960s, but the restaurant honors the heritage of Charles and Myrtle—and the wishes of modern health-conscious diners—by offering daily vegetarian entrées. Here is a classic recipe from one of the Inn’s cookbooks (no longer in print):

Christmas Punch book ©1966, courtesy of

From The Unity Inn Cook

Unity Archives

3 cups sugar 3 cups water 2 qts. ginger ale

2 pts. cranberry juice e 2 1-qt. cans pineapple juic 1 cup lemon juice nal) Red food coloring (optio

Just before ts except ginger ale. Chill. Mix together all ingredien strawberries 12-oz. package of frozen serving, add ginger ale. A give additional e ginger ale is added, to tim the at ed add be y ma color. Serves about 20.

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Faith

Sunday, November 28, 2010 Dear God,

On this first day of Advent, I am mindful of the many promises You fulfill in my life each day. You are with me as peace when I feel there is not enough time, as faith when I am unsure of my path, as strength when I am discouraged. Thank You, God, for always being with me. Today I make a commitment to You and a commit ment to myself. I dedicate myself to growing spiritually, to developing my awareness of Your great and wonderful presence within me. In this sacred season, I will recognize the hope, peace, love and joy of each wonder-filled day. With faith in my heart, I look forward to the most meaningful Christmas season I have yet experienced. Thank You, God, for Your presence of hope within me.

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Monday, November 29, 2010

Candle Power By Richard and Mary-Alice Jafolla Has it ever occurred to you that a candle does not lose any of its power and brilliance by lighting another candle? Its ability to share its brilliance is limited only by the length of time it can stay lit. When Jesus said, “You are the light of the world,” he did so with the knowledge that we have an unlimited source of light—the inner Christ. Like a burning candle, each one of us can touch untold numbers of others with our unique light. We can keep touching and touching many other people with our love and our light, without diminishing our own source in any way. We frequently are unaware when we bring light to another soul. Some simple, casual word or gesture can serve to brighten someone else’s life when we least expect it. No, we never lose even a bit of our light by passing it to another. The Source of your light is unlimited and eternal. When you allow God’s light to shine through you freely and unconditionally, you are truly “the light of the world.”

“Let your light shine before others.”—Matthew 5:16 7


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Tuesday, November 30, 2010

The Secret of a Joyous Christmas Reunion By Martha Smock When families and friends get together, there can be an atmosphere of harmony and peace if even one person in the group knows and understands the power of prayer. You can be that one. Wherever you find yourself, you can radiate a spirit of peace and unity. In any gathering, you can silently bless all who are present; you can know that God’s spirit is in each one. You can be a center of harmony and understanding as you keep your mind stayed on God, and as you keep your attention on the good and true and perfect in all persons. You will find that as you consciously bless the place where you are and the people who are with you with a prayer of love and peace, the atmosphere around you will be filled with peace, and the people around you will be harmonious, congenial and happy.

“Agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”—2 Corinthians 13:11

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Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Where Home Is By Ernest C. Wilson If we truly have the Christmas spirit in our hearts, of course we will be happy wherever we are on December 25. But for most of us, there is no other place in all the world where it is so easy to be happy as it is at home. We may take home for granted most of the year, but at Christmastime we find a new significance in the accustomed blessings and find a new value in them. Suddenly we rediscover that home blessings have been real blessings all the year through. What is the difference at Christmastime? Is it possible that we, too, are different during the Christmas holidays? Can our own deliberate effort to be more considerate, more agreeable, have anything to do with the increased happiness in the home? Why is home happiest at Christmastime? Because then we give most! How may we make it always happy? By always giving!

“Happy are those who live in your house.”—Psalm 84:4

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Thursday, December 2, 2010

There Is Always Tomorrow By Eric Butterworth The giving of Christmas, the joy of Christmas, the peace on earth of Christmas is not just for December 25 and the few days leading up to it. Christmas is for tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. Every day the world is full of people who need the special something that makes Christmas what it is. What is this something? It is something of ourselves. We could coin a thousand names for it— including love—and never really name it. But we know when we have given it. We feel just a bit taller, knowing that we have made another feel a little happier. It is a warm feeling. It’s a feeling of … Christmas! And every day in the year is a good time to feel it—by helping someone else feel it. Soon we will be crossing the threshold into the new year. ... All the peace and joy and love and enrichment of this or any other holiday season are tomorrow. And every day dawns as a new opportunity to begin again.

“Glory to God in the highest.”—Luke 2:14 10


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Friday, December 3, 2010

Claiming Faith By Gail Dobert People make New Year’s resolutions by the score at the beginning of each new calendar year, but it often seems we run out of steam before the spring flowers break through. Why? Don’t we have enough faith to accomplish our goals and resolutions? When putting Faith into action, we follow Jesus’ example as he called forth Peter, his first disciple, who represents Faith. Peter seemed weak and inconsistent in his Faith until Jesus taught him how to direct and use it. Charles Fillmore, in his book The Twelve Powers of Man, explains it like this: “Peter began to walk on the water in spiritual faith, but when he saw the effects of the wind he was afraid and began to sink. Then the I AM (Jesus) gave its hand of spiritual power, the wind ceased, and there was no longer any doubt of faith’s ability to rise above the negative consciousness.” You, too, can turn within and pray, if only for a moment, to regain your ability to rise above negative thoughts and outward appearances. In prayer and meditation you can tap into that place within you that knows Spirit flows in the direction of your dreams.

“A new heart I will give you.”—Ezekiel 36:26

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Christmas Soup From Unity Inn Cookbook ©1923, courtesy of Unity Archives 1 cup spinach

3 cups milk

3 tbsp. butter

2 red pimentos

4 tbsp. flour

nutmeg

¼ tsp. salt Melt butter and add flour, salt and milk. Stir constantly till it boils, and add spinach, finely chopped, and pimentos, cut in small pieces. Grate a little nutmeg over each bowl of soup.

Corn Bread

rtesy of Unity Archives

From Unity Inn Cookbook ©1923, cou

1 tsp. salt 1 ½ cups cornmeal

2 eggs (slightly beaten) 2 ¼ cups whole milk

1 ½ cups flour 3 tsp. baking powder

1 tbsp. sugar ¼ cup shortening

the following order: milk, sugar, Mix ingredients by adding to eggs, in der. Melt shortening in pan in which salt, cornmeal, flour and baking pow ing into bread mixture. Pour mixture bread is to be cooked. Pour shorten utes, or until brown. into pan and bake at 450° for 20 min

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Saturday, December 4, 2010

What Do I Wish You? By Winifred Brand What do I wish for Christmas? A long ago, faraway night when a star hovered over a stable and bathed a sweet newborn with light … What do I wish you for Christmas? The wonder of Wise Men who found a King with no crown and no castle, and the humblest of creatures around … a father, protective and watchful, a mother with love in her eyes, and shepherds who whispered of angels and songs coming out of the skies. What do I wish you for Christmas? That its miracle never depart, and the love that was born in a stable find a permanent home in your heart.

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Peace

Sunday, December 5, 2010 Dear God, In the depths of my soul lives a sense of peace that nothing can disturb. You are my inner source of comfort and strength that calms me as I prepare for Christmas and anticipate the coming year. Your peace is my peace. You are my assurance of security and serenity. Your light and Your love are revealed in my words and actions and Your presence is an instrument of harmony that blesses everyone I meet. I know that peace is possible in every circumstance. Thank You for peace in my heart. Thank You for peace among my family, among community members, among nations and among all humanity. Thank You, God, for peace.

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Monday, December 6, 2010

Christmas in the Heart By Francis J. Gable Where do you intend to spend Christmas? The answer is simple: in the heart. Christmas found birth in the heart, for the Christ Spirit always comes into expression through the symbol of humility that is the manger of the heart. In this secret place is the haven where we may celebrate the holiday properly. Our very souls are renewed and made whole as we settle into this haven and give ourselves over to contemplation of the beauty of the Christ Spirit. In this inner realm, we consciously seek the true gifts of the Christmas season—peace and goodwill to all. The heart is a roomy place. It is a restful place, a joyful place where cheer and good fellowship find free expression. It may be entered with quietness and ease, merely by turning the whole thought and attention to the very spirit of the holiday. Let’s spend Christmas in the heart.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” —Matthew 6:21

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Tuesday, December 7, 2010

What If There Were No Christmas? By James Dillet Freeman What if we walked down the streets and there were no decorations or lights or we never heard “Merry Christmas!”? What if there was no tale of a star and angels and Wise Men and a virgin birth in a stable—what if there were none of these? What if there were no Christmas? Christmas is our affirmation that though the cold winds may chill our bodies and the short days darken our world, they will not chill our spirits nor darken our lives. If our world grows winter gray, we will paint it Christmas bright. There will be wonder tales and delight in telling them. There will be the generous desire to share our good with others. There will be the urge to set a candle—in our windows and in our minds—and watch it cast its little light across the fleeing darkness. So there will always be a Christmas, for it celebrates the deepest and dearest impulses of the human spirit, all that is warm and bright and generous. This year let us celebrate it joyously.

“They lift up their voices, they sing for joy.”—Isaiah 24:14

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The Spirit of Christmas Is in the Air By Frances W. Foulks The spirit of Christmas is in the air! Men, women and children everywhere are feeling a touch of the Christmas spirit. Whoever tunes in to the spirit of Christmas and sends forth its message of peace and goodwill again receives the message from those who also have been open to receive it. So it becomes a universal spirit constantly giving forth from one to another that which is uplifting, inspiring and joy-giving. The spirit of Christmas is in the air! Have you become receptive to it? It is being broadcast from the hearts of those who have caught its message of life, love, peace and joy. It is being broadcast to everyone. We hear it in the voices of people as they speak more kindly and more joyously. There is a lilt to the voices we hear as we pass along the street, as if a heart song were being released. The spirit of Christmas is in the air!

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” —Galatians 5:22

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Wake Up, World! It’s Christmas! By Jeanne Allen Let’s embark on an inner journey. Let’s allow childhood memories to come alive once more, for they may hold a very special key to our Christmas of today. Like most children, we were awake long before anyone else in the house on Christmas morning. We longed to shake the world awake, to shout from the rooftops: “Wake up, world! It’s Christmas!” It is possible for us to stir ourselves more completely awake, to participate more willingly in all the glorious happenings of this season. How? We discover the true meaning of Christmas when we simply let it bring to us both its expected joys and happy surprises. Let us participate with childlike enthusiasm and feel free to take delight in even the smallest detail of this most special of holidays. Let the child in us experience renewed excitement and energy. Let the adult in us experience the true meaning and message of the birth of Jesus. Let us enjoy it now and lend our voices to the choir of angels now singing throughout the earth: “Wake up, world! It’s Christmas!”

“Let the nations be glad and sing for joy.”—Psalm 67:4

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Be a Star By Martha Smock At Christmastime, we think of stars and lights and candles; we think of the birth of light into the world. This is a time when Christ is born anew in us, emerges from the wings of our waiting consciousness, comes center stage and shines as a star. This is “the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations … Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:26-27). To realize this is to find the answer to our search for meaning and purpose in life. To know that Christ in us is our hope of glory is to know that our desire to be more, to express more, is not a vain dream but a spiritual intention. With this awareness, the Christ is born again in our hearts and takes the starring role in our lives. The Christ is light; we are to express the Christ light, to let it shine through us. Christmas is a time of light. Let us light the candle of faith; let us be a star of light in our world, a star in someone’s sky.

“Teach me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.” —Psalm 143:8

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Christmas Day and Christmas Night By James Dillet Freeman Christmas to some is Christmas day, And gifts and gaiety Of children shouting in surprise Around a tinseled tree. Christmas to some is Christmas night, And in the dark a star, And in the mind thoughts calm and still As snow and starlight are. Christmas is more than a snow-starred day, More than a snow-hushed night; It is man’s spirit taking joy In prayer and candlelight, In laughter, beauty, love and life; Cleansed of the yearlong plod Of care, the stable of man’s heart Becomes the house of God.

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A Metaphysical Interpretation of the Christmas Story By Rev. Ed Townley

Fra Angelico, Annunciation

There are actually two different Christmas stories (not counting popular later add-ons like the Little Drummer Boy, Santa and Rudolph). Matthew and Luke differ in significant ways in their versions of the birth of Jesus. Matthew traces Jesus’ roots back to Abraham to emphasize his role as the Jewish Messiah. Luke traces him all the way back to Adam, to emphasize the universal importance of his life and message. Matthew says the birth was in Bethlehem because that’s where Mary and Joseph lived. He has them fleeing from Bethlehem to Egypt to escape Herod, then later returning and deciding to live in Nazareth because it was a safer distance from Jerusalem. Luke says they lived in Nazareth, went to Bethlehem for a census (although there is no Roman record of a census taken at that time) and were forced to stay in a manger. Luke has the shepherds. Matthew has the Wise Men. The point is neither author was intending anything like an accurate, historical description of an event. Neither was deliberately fudging facts. They were both—in their own ways and for their own readerships—telling the “spiritual truth” about an event of tremendous significance—an event whose importance could never be expressed or understood with a simple recitation of human facts. … We intuitively know that the story is really being told at a deeper level. 21


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The Story So what is the story about, metaphysically? Some say it’s about the birth of the Christ, but that’s not possible. The Christ is the Light and Love of God, present in each of us. It is our true spiritual identity, the creative Power of God seeking to express through us. It is, therefore, as eternal as God—it can’t be born. What can be born, however, is our awareness of our true Christ nature. And what can be—and is—reborn every Christmas is our personal surrender, allowing more of the Christ to begin to express through us. We can believe—or not—that Mary was a mortal virgin; it really doesn’t matter. It is metaphysically true that the birth of Christ awareness is always a Virgin Birth. Its source is never the tangible world around us; our willingness is embraced and implanted by divine awareness. …

The Christ Within So metaphysically what we celebrate each Christmas is not the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, and not the birth of the Christ, but the birth of Christ awareness. What Jesus brought to us was a spark of new light, new possibility—light that shines through the darkness of human confusion and illuminates the spiritual truth of who we are. And it doesn’t just happen once. Every Christmas is a new birth—a new opportunity for each of us to give birth to more of the light—and to commit ourselves to nurturing that light, trusting it, believing in its Presence within us, sending it forth with every choice we make to bring more of itself into expression—to create more, and more again, of the new consciousness with which each of us is miraculously pregnant—the consciousness Jesus describes as “the kingdom of heaven.” 22


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California Mock

Turkey

Archives , courtesy of Unity ge 1 tsp. powdered sa 2 tsp. salt 4 eggs

okbook ©1923 From Unity Inn Co

ts 2 cups chopped nu umbs cr d 2 cups dry brea 2 cups milk 1 tbsp. nut butter ), r (dissolved in milk bs, milk, nut butte um cr , ts nu a in er s th Mix toge 15 minute beaten eggs. Bake llwe in r sti st, La and sage and salt. ry or any tart jelly hot with loganber e rv se d an , en ov brisk brown gravy.

Unity Cider and Apple Salad From The Unity Inn Cookbook ©1966, courtesy of Unity Archives 1 pkg. lemon gelatin 2 cups hot cider 1 cup diced unpeeled apple

¼ cup diced celery ½ cup nuts (chopped fine) 2 tbsp. diced pimento

Dissolve gelatin in hot cider. Let cool until partly set, then add other ingredients. Chill until set.

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Love

Sunday, December 12, 2010 Dear God, The moments I spend in prayer with You inspire me to be a living expression of Your love in the world. The deep desire of my heart is to express Your love in all my thoughts and interactions. I pray that Your love within me will be an invitation for others to grow in the awareness of Your love within themselves. Wherever I look, I see Your love being expressed through welcoming wreaths hung on doors, colorful packages carefully wrapped for friends and loved ones, Christmas carols sung by smiling choirs, and friends and family gathering to celebrate this season of love. Thank You for the assurance that I am never alone, that Your love is always available, always within me, always supportive, always comforting, always reassuring. Thank You, God, for Your love.

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The Christmas of Your Life By William Earle Cameron The Christmas anthology is probably the greatest gathering of traditions, customs and stories of any event in human history. It draws together thousands of years of history and harmoniously integrates the customs, folklore, hopes, longings, spiritual aspirations and religious beliefs of many people from many nations. It is a story that truly belongs to all humankind. But it is also a personal story—the drama of the birth of the Christ in us. All the ideas of the Christmas story have individual application in you right now. Christmas has the power, the spiritual power, to quicken these deep things of the Christ in you. The real celebration of Christmas is always an inner experience that occurs in you in which the Christ is born in your consciousness. The Christ Spirit is literally born into your awareness and becomes a vital part of your humanity. May Christmas happen to you this year as never before! May you be guided to that potentiality of Spirit that is waiting to be born in you! May this be the Christmas of your life!

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.”—Romans 15:13

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The Sparkling Spirit By Martha Smock Christmas is a time of light; it is a time when even the plainest house takes on a little glory. A simple wreath in a window proclaims a holiday. A Christmas tree twinkling with lights is an enchanting sight to children and grown-ups alike. We decorate our rooms with greenery and glowing candles, and we enter into a sparkling spirit of Christmas. Christmas is surely a time of light; the Christmas story glows with light—the star shines, the heavens are radiant and the world is bright with welcome for the Christ child at Bethlehem. Like Christmas shining at the end of the long year, so the light of faith shines at the end of the long journey toward it. It does not matter how you have come, nor how slow your journey toward light and understanding has seemed, the light of Christ is shining steadily in you, through you and for you. It shines like the Christmas of your life; it proclaims the presence of God; it sings songs of rejoicing because of the birth of the Christ in your midst.

“The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.”—John 1:9

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Christmas By Eric Butterworth Whatever may be your perception of the greatest story ever told, one thing is certain: It is the story of the greatest gift ever given. … It is important to keep centered in the conviction that the kingdom of God is within you. The health you seek is within you. The substance that is the root of the prosperity you seek is within you. The love that you hunger for is within you. The golden road to receiving is in the kingdom of giving. There is a new world awaiting you, a new level of life open to you, and a new experience of the dynamism of Truth that you have been experiencing.

“Christ in you, the hope of glory.”—Colossians 1:27

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The Spirit of Christmas By Billie Freeman This is a month of delights and duties. And every duty becomes a delight as we put the joy of the Lord into it. There are plans to be made, shopping to be done; there are many things that demand our attention this festive season. But we can enjoy them all, if we remember the reason for it all, Christmas! When we shop, we can be poised, calm, thoughtful, polite—this is part of the spirit of Christmas. When we address cards or wrap packages, we can give a blessing. Giving a blessing, pouring out love, this is part of the spirit of Christmas. As we prepare our homes for guests, let us prepare our hearts for the most important Guest. Then how easy it will be to clean, decorate and bring cheer into our homes. In all we have to do, let us remember the spirit of Christmas. Then we can do all with joy and in love.

“And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 4:7

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Christmas: The Power to Awaken the Child By David Patterson Many have tried their hands at expressing the meaning of Christmas. A child teaches us the meaning of Christmas because a child reveals to us the essence of a loving embrace. The little arms that hug us are the unbounded vessels of God’s love—never judging, totally trusting and all-forgiving. The babe lying in the manger is a sign of such love. It is the love that is God—both human and divine—embodied at once in the son of man and in the Son of God. The Babe tells us that we love God by loving our children as they love us, with all our hearts, all our souls and all our strength. And the Babe shows us that to love our neighbor is to love the child within.

“A little child shall lead them.”—Isaiah 11:6

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Christmas Gumdrop Cake From The Unity Inn Cookbook ©1966, courtesy of Unity Archives 2 lbs. gumdrops, cut into small pieces

1 tsp. cinnamon

(do not use black gumdrops)

1 tsp. cloves

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 lb. white raisins

4 cups sifted flour

1 cup butter

2 cups nuts

2 beaten eggs

1 tsp. soda (dissolved in

1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce 1 tsp. hot water) Cream sugar and butter. Add beaten eggs. Sift all dry ingredients together. Sprinkle a little of the flour mixture over nuts, gumdrops and raisins. Add flour alternatively with applesauce. Add soda and water last. Bake in tube pan or 2 large loaf cake pans. Bake about 2 hours at 325°. Ice with favorite icing.

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Christmas Within an Inner Silence By Elizabeth Searle Lamb Beyond celebration of gift and carol, candlelighting and “Merry Christmas!” there is another ritual of season when I turn within to the still center of my own being, celebrating

within the shape of silence the star radiance the birth love the peace angel and let vibrations flow out from that center’s energy to bless, to heal, to give the gift of radiant love.

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Joy

Sunday, December 19, 2010 Dear God, I feel joy in the moments I spend with You in quiet prayer and contemplation. These moments fill my mind with peace, my heart with love and my body with strength. What a blessing it is to know You and to experience Your presence within and around me this Christmas season. This is a time of joy and love, of caring and compassion, of opening my mind and heart, my very soul to You, God. I am an open channel of Your love, overflowing with joy and overcome with awe. In these past few weeks, I have felt Your presence gently guiding me and helping me do what I needed to do. I have felt Your love that embraces me and those I care about, and I have felt Your peace filling my life and blessing the world, uniting all people as one. My heart overflows with joy for Your presence in my life, dear God.

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Giving By J. Sig Paulson The real value of a gift is not determined by how much you pay for it, but by what you invest of yourself in it. A relatively inexpensive gift that has been blessed by your love and thoughtfulness will bring joy and lasting inspiration to the one who receives it. Always give imaginatively, lovingly, freely, enthusiastically—whether your gift be a word, a smile, an act or a Christmas package. It is better not to give at all than to give with a sense of burden or with the hope of gain. True giving is spontaneous, like the overflow of a spring or fountain. Stir up the spirit of love and joy within you—so that you cannot help but give. Then give in the happy realization that every gift, whether to God or to a person, has something of you in it— the best of you—your love, joy, appreciation, thoughtfulness and strength. Give with no strings attached, and you will receive in the same manner.

“To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.”—Revelation 21:6

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Good Receivers Are Needed Too! By Martha Smock How we love to give! But what if there was no one to receive our gift? Givers are needed. Receivers are needed too! If we have wondered how we could add to the joy of Christmas, keep the spirit of Christmas alive, this may be our cue to be a good receiver. Actually, good receivers are few and far between. Accept your good—it sounds easy but it is not always easy to do. Christmas is a time of giving and receiving. Let us give in a spirit of love, but let us also receive in a spirit of love. What we give is not important, nor is what we receive. But to give with love, to receive with love is important. Be a good receiver at Christmas of all the outpouring of love and joy that the season holds. Be a good receiver this Christmas of all the gifts of the Christ that are poured out upon you—health, joy, freedom, peace, supply, happiness.

“Give, and it will given to you. … for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”—Luke 6:38

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In the Cradle of Your Heart By Richard and Mary-Alice Jafolla The story is simple. There is Joseph, the carpenter, and Mary, his betrothed, who was about to deliver her baby—one she had been told was to be a holy child. After a long and tedious journey on a dusty road, the couple tried in vain to obtain a room in a local inn. But there was simply no place to stay. With every innkeeper they asked, the answer was the same: “No room.” The weary couple finally found rest among the simple beasts in a lowly stable. The friendly animals allowed the birth of the Christ child to take place. Their gentle peace provided a perfect setting for the Holy One to be brought forth. In each of us there dwells a “Christ child”—a perfect part of us. The Christ in you awaits the gentle peace through which it makes itself known. Know that in the Bethlehem of your soul a star is shining, leading the way to the Christ within you. Like the gentle animals attending the holy birth, let us open wide the doors of our hearts so the Christ can come forth in peace, love and absolute joy.

“Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.” —Luke 2:19 35


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The Gift of Christ By Mary Rowe In our eternal search for Truth, we find happiness at Christmas. A great tenderness within reaches out and enfolds everyone we meet and think about. We long to love more, give more and forgive more. This wonderful feeling is our own spiritual nature stirring within us. The baby Jesus is a living symbol of the Christ Spirit born to each of us. In the story of Jesus, we watch the Babe grow into a man of strength, love and wisdom—one who was able to judge righteously, heal the sick and love all people. Jesus told us we can do all that he did. If we believe him and listen to the small stirring within us, our spiritual nature will grow in strength, love and power. We, too, will radiate the peace and goodwill that we associate with this wonderful time of year. We join in prayer and praise for the Christ Babe born to us this Christmastide. It will be a wonderful time, for we are growing in love, understanding, peace and joy together.

“Happy are your people! … who continually … hear your wisdom!”—2 Chronicles 9:7

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The Christ Is Born By Mary L. Kupferle This week as you picture in your mind’s eye the birth of the Christ child, let your heart sing a song of rejoicing for the Christ that is born in you! Let this time of the heralding songs of angels be for you a time of personal rejoicing, a divine awareness of something that is great and good and wonderful arising anew from within you. This week our hearts rejoice in the birth of Jesus, for it tells us that the story of the Christ child born in Bethlehem is the story of the Christ born within every person. Listen to the echo of the words: “I am bringing you good news of great joy.” Realize this is your own message direct from God to you. Let these glad, good tidings swell into a song of thanksgiving as you awaken to the truth that the Christ is born, born not only in Jesus of Nazareth, but in you today. You are born the beloved of God, worthy of all earth’s rejoicing. Glory to God in the highest, for the Christ is born in you!

Georges de La Tour, Adoration of the Shepherds

“Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them.”—Luke 2:9

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Christmas Day, Saturday, December 25, 2010

Christmas Is for You By William Clough

“To you is born this day ...” That is the message of Christmas, the “good news of great joy for all the people.” Christmas is the day Christ is born in your consciousness. It may be any day of the year, any moment of the day. The instant you feel and know the Christ within—that is Christmas. The glory and wonder of Christmas is timelessness. There is no past tense in its message, only the eternal present. Christmas is now, and it is forever.

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Christmas is a time for joy, but not for only the joyous. It is a time of hope, but not only for the hopeful. It is a time of serenity, but not only for souls at peace. Christmas is God’s gift of love to you, whoever, wherever you are. You do not have to go anywhere. You do not have to have possessions or status. You do not need to look beyond where you are now. Say simply and trustingly: God is with me now. God’s love is enfolding me. Christ is born in me. Christmas is for me.

“I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior.”—Luke 2:10-11

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Welcome

to the Twelve Days of Christmas! This time between Christmas Day and Epiphany, January 6, is a wonderful time to reflect on your spiritual nature and celebrate who you are as a child of God. To assist you in this process, we have chosen to focus on the Twelve Powers—gifts of God—within. As you read the message for each day, take time to reflect on the word for the day and to open your mind and heart to a greater awareness of this power within you. As you do, you will be building your awareness of your spiritual power, and you will discover new avenues in which to express your God-given gifts.

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c The First Day of Christmas Sunday, December 26, 2010

Faith

1

“For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”—Matthew 17:20 On this first day of Christmas, my mind turns to faith and trust. I trust in God’s perfect plan for me. I have faith that my life will be one of peace and happiness as I put God first in all things. Trusting that God’s will for me is good, I let go and let God guide me to my highest good. In faith I start a new life, I make new decisions, and I establish new goals. In faith I step out and do the things that I feel I need to do. In faith I expect miracles as I abide by God’s perfect laws. I stand firm in my faith in God and in God’s goodness for me.

c The Second Day of Christmas Monday, December 27, 2010

Strength

2

“God is the strength of my heart.”—Psalm 73:26 I feel the strength of Spirit within me, and I rejoice. I know that I am able to stand firm for all that is good and true. Though circumstances around me may cause my world to tremble at times, I feel safe and secure in my haven of peace—God within me, the strength of my heart. 41


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God is my source of help at all times. I am strong because God within sustains and supports me at all times. I give thanks, knowing that nothing can disturb me or cause me to waver as I keep myself in the presence of God. I am centered in the power and presence of God within, and each day I grow stronger.

c The Third Day of Christmas Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Discernment

3

“Teach me wisdom in my secret heart.”—Psalm 51:6 Today I look to God for the gift of discernment. I know that with God’s guidance, I can distinguish what is good and true in each situation. With the gift of discernment comes spiritual insight. As I become more attuned to this insight, I discern when I should speak and when I should remain silent. I am guided to the right action in every situation I encounter. With my intention to listen for guidance, to discern what is mine to do, and to use good judgment, I know that I will be a blessing and attract wonderful blessings into my life. I gratefully use my gift of discernment to know what is mine to do.

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c The Fourth Day of Christmas Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Love

4

“Beloved, let us love one another.”—1 John 4:7 On this fourth day of Christmas, I feel the power of divine love within. I feel my own sense of worth. I am a child of God and very special. I treat myself with love and gentleness, for I am nurturing the Christ within. I am truly a temple of the living God. As I look at my friends and family and at the people I meet each day, I think of them as temples of God, even though they may not be aware of this truth. They, too, are expressions of God—expressions of divine love. Love is the power that awakens my spiritual nature. Love is the food of Spirit that is so necessary to the growing awareness of the Christ within. Today I express the love of the Christ within me.

c The Fifth Day of Christmas Thursday, December 30, 2010

Power

5

“May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power.”—Colossians 1:11 As a child of God, I am united with a divine source of unlimited power that I can use to fulfill my deepest dreams. With this marvelous God-given power, I can accomplish great things. How wonderful it is to know that I can live a life without limitation! 43


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Each day as I turn to God, I more fully awaken to the infinite source of power within. As I give expression to this power, I positively affect my life and the lives of those around me. By channeling this divine power into loving and compassionate action, I can help inspire and uplift the world. I am open to the full expression of God’s power within me.

c The Sixth Day of Christmas Friday, December 31, 2010

Imagination

6

“In him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible.”—Colossians 1:16 The power of imagination is a wonderful tool. When I use my imagination wisely, I am able to see good where no apparent good may be visible. On this sixth day of Christmas, I call upon my power of imagination. I see possibilities of good everywhere I look. I form images of myself doing the things I have longed to do. I see myself as the person that I want to be. Through the power of imagination, I can bring the good I envision into my reality. I look for and expect a blessing for myself and my life, even when I’m facing a challenge. I see good in all people, and I imagine the world as a place of abundance, wholeness and peace. With gratitude, I use the power of imagination to live an abundant life.

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c The Seventh Day of Christmas Saturday, January 1, 2011

Understanding

7

“The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask what I should give you.’ And Solomon said, ‘… Give your servant therefore an understanding mind.’”—1 Kings 3:5-6, 9 The Christ within me understands that which I alone can never understand. The Christ within me sees past hostility, fear or anger, sees past what appears unjust. The Christ within me knows that there is absolute justice, knows that God’s law of order is always at work. Today I will see with the eyes of the Christ. I will go about my day with clarity of mind and peace in my soul. I have the power of understanding to guide me and to assure me that all is well in my world. The Christ within me knows beyond reason, sees beyond doubt or fear to the good in every situation. I use the power of understanding, and my world is filled with peace and faith.

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c The Eighth Day of Christmas Sunday, January 2, 2011

Will

8

“For it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” —Philippians 2:13 God’s will for me is always good. There are times when I am tempted to follow my own path. I may forget that God’s will is always for the best. On this, the eighth day of Christmas, I set an intention to do the will of God. I look forward to each new day of the coming year with the knowledge that God’s will for me is good. I place all my concerns and my dreams in God’s loving care. I release any thought of lack or limitation, knowing that God’s good will for me is to achieve the good desires of my heart. I consecrate and dedicate myself to the will of God.

c The Ninth Day of Christmas Monday, January 3, 2011

Order

9

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”—Ecclesiastes 3:1 Divine order is the first law of the universe. Though I may not always see it, divine order exists at all times in my life and in the world.

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8

9

Today I take time to contemplate this unfailing law of God and to keep it uppermost in mind as I put my life in perspective. Trusting in divine order, I know that the events in my life are taking place in the right ways at the right time. I exercise patience as I anticipate the blessing that is coming to me now. I begin this new year, confident that God is in charge and all is well. I center myself in the presence of God, knowing that I can meet each day with peace of mind, strength of spirit, and faith of heart. I am one with divine order, and I recognize order in every circumstance.

c The Tenth Day of Christmas Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Zeal

10

“Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit.” —Romans 12:11 There is a divine energy radiating through me today, and I give thanks for it. This energy flows through me and helps me accomplish all that is mine to do. I express zeal and enthusiasm as I greet my neighbors, as I take on new tasks, and as I pray. With an energized spirit, I am positive and cheerful—I can make even the most mundane chore into an activity that is exciting and adventurous. The power of zeal opens the way to wondrous blessings, for it is the pure activity of Spirit at work. I approach each day with zeal and enthusiasm, and my life is filled with blessings. 47


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c The Eleventh Day of Christmas Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Elimination

11

“You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”—John 8:32 This new year, I will make a point of releasing negativity from my life. I let go of anything that would keep me from expressing my true spiritual nature. Just as weeds can choke out a tender seedling, negative thoughts, words and feelings can keep me from expressing the Christ spirit within. From this time on, I will nourish the divine spirit within me. I gladly release the false, the selfish and the negative. I will make every effort to keep my thoughts positive and constructive. I am a child of God, created in love, as an expression of goodness. I gratefully accept joy and goodness into my life today. I release old habits and ways of thinking and joyously accept my good.

c The Twelfth Day of Christmas Thursday, January 6, 2011

Life “The Spirit gives life.”—2 Corinthians 3:6

12

On this, the 12th day of Christmas, I am in awe of the power of life within me. Each day of this new year I will think about the true source of the life force that flows through me. God is the source of life, and this life renews me cell by cell. The spiritual energy that I have from this unfailing source within is my true strength. It is what gives me purpose and meaning. It leads me to freedom and happiness, knowledge and growth. I give thanks for life—good, free, joyous, growing and eternal! 48


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