Commentary on ACIM Lesson 343

© 2010 Rev. David Seacord

(no cell signal out in the toolies where I camped last night... hence, a delayed peaceful delivery.... :-)

Sometimes motels are not the only thing that 'leave something to be desired'.... as the world around us rarely fulfills our projections, we have many opportunities to practice peace, while at the same time, releasing expectations.

I was ruminating today while tuning about my love of 'wandering'. I saw that on the spiritual level one of the strongest attractive aspects of wandering was that a person seldom knows 'what is going to happen next'. That is the adventure of it... being present to the unknown, and seeing things freshly. And of course, that is the opposite of what most of us normally experience....normal being that we are usually completely filled up with ideas of what is going to happen (called 'our plans, or goals'), or what should happen, etc.

I am usually in the same boat. Yet here, out on this circuit of piano servicing, I am having many wonderful chances to practice releasing the 'shoulda's, coulda's, woulda's, what ifa's, why nota's, etc.' It is ultimately all about letting go of 'our/my' plans, and the willing acceptance of 'the divine plan'. (How do you know it's the divine plan? Because it is happening.)

In my case, I make my plan for a projected schedule.... how many tunings I will get done each day, which towns I will stay in, how many days to do the contract, all that.... But I forget what always happens--- which is, of course, coming upon the piano(s) that has repair needs (besides tuning) that may take anywhere from a few minutes (not a problem) to (God, please not now... it will blow my plans completely) a few hours or more. And when it does, there is always an internal conversation to be had, and it always covers that same bases: mainly, having integrity and doing complete work because I gave my Word. And my Word IS who I AM.

So today, after having my agenda rearranged several times, I had a little breakthrough. I got that it would be a lot easier if I just took the whole thing 'one step at a time'. (No, it's not the first time I've gotten this...). And right with that, I experienced that I was suddenly 'a wanderer' again.... meaning, I was back in the adventure. Ok God, I give up the plan....you just deliver it to me, one moment at a time. I'll focus on just enjoying it.

So, that been the deal that we have going. So far it's been fun. Have a taste yourself... see what you think... :-)

Namaste,

David

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Lesson 343

I am not asked to make a sacrifice
To find the mercy and the peace of God.

The end of suffering can not be loss. The gift of everything can be but gain. You only give. You never take away. And You created me to be like You, so sacrifice becomes impossible for me as well as You. I, too, must give. And so all things are given unto me forever and forever. As I was created I remain. Your Son can make no sacrifice, for he must be complete, having the function of completing You. I am complete because I am Your Son. I cannot lose, for I can only give, and everything is mine eternally.

The mercy and the peace of God are free. Salvation has no cost. It is a gift that must be freely given and received. And it is this that we would learn today.