Sitting on the banks of an ocean, a child watched the perfectly serene and glass-like surface for countless ages. Actually, one can't be sure how long the child truly sat there for nothing changed, ever. The constant lighting and temperature and air of perfect stillness. The child never knew a time that he wasn't there watching the same scene and the thought never occurred to him that something would change -- or even that change existed.

Then the unfathomable happened. A small ripple was visible on the surface of the water. What could this be? A new and bewildering sensation began to grow within the child -- curiosity. Questions were forming for the first time in his existence. Not full-fledged questions as you or I would understand them, for he had no language. After some time (again, how long is unknown since time is a measurement between events and this child has only known one event) an idea, or rather a concept was formed.

Touch the surface of the ocean.

The child timidly made contact with the water (event number two). A small ripple similar to the first moved out in all directions. Another new and bewildering sensation started within the child -- excitement.

Time passed. The child, growing in confidence, tried more and more frequent contact with the surface. Then it happened again. A faint ripple that the child did not cause appeared and disappeared as it lost strength when coming to the shore. How could this be?

The child pondered the matter. He realized the ripples that he caused moved away from him, yet, this unknown ripple came toward him. To make sure his own ripples were not simply coming back to him, he tried something new -- he touched the surface twice in short succession, causing two ripples to move outward. Now, if his ripples were simply coming back to him he would see two ripples the same distance apart.

He waited (waiting... this is new).

Some time later faint ripples appeared, coming his way. To the child's great astonishment (great because this is the most astonished he had ever been, if ever at all), there were three ripples. This discovery led the child on to further experiments, discoveries, and ideas. After a long while, one idea building on another, a new concept began to emerge. The child new there was something exciting about this concept, but it had not solidified yet. He couldn't quite grasp it. Curious and motivated, the child continued on for another eon. Then it happened.

"What if there is an other me out there?" This was new -- and no easy concept to come by.

Further eons went by with many experiments and ideas. Patterns developed and another new concept emerged -- communication. Gradually, over time, a communication protocol emerged. The first hints of concepts and ideas began to be exchanged. What was the first idea communicated to the child?

Come into the ocean.

The prompting came again and again. Finally, after many tries, the prodding succeeded. The child chose to wade out into the ocean. The child found that the further he waded out, the more ripples there were coming to him. He also found that his ability to make ripples was greatly increased.

Time went by. The child found many other individuals such as himself through the ripples and waves in the ocean, but only through those ripples and waves. At no point did he or any of the others actually meet. Ideas and concepts grew, developed, and were shared. Not all ideas and concepts were pleasant. Contrasts emerged -- desirable and undesirable, good and bad, light and dark, love and hate, etc.

The child grew and developed. His comprehension and understanding grew. As he grew, so did his view of the ocean. No longer did he perceive ripples and waves, now he began to perceive form and function. He met and saw his companions. Form and function could be manipulated. Tools emerged. But all is perception.

The most important relationship the child had was with the individual that drew him into the ocean. This individual had progressed beyond the child's comprehension. This individual cared for the child and the others he drew in to the ocean. He wanted to help these children progress as he had, and comprehend as he did. He loved them. He became their teacher. He became their master. He became their Father.

Through his mastery of form and structure, and his understanding of where the others were developmentally, the Father knew that his children were ready for the next step in their progress -- bodies of spirit. These bodies presented new opportunities for growth. Once developed and proven, his children were then presented with mortal bodies of flesh. The wonders of these new mortal bodies include form and function that gives the body some autonomous life of its own. A vehicle for the spirit, the complexity of the mortal body presents challenges for the child as well. Each stage of progression provided the individual moral agency, or the ability to exercise his or her free will. Mortality is no different. Through strength of will, the child must now overcome all and become what he is capable of. He must love unconditionally, be faithful, and become a master.

This is where the child now finds himself, an individual embodied in spirit embodied in mortal flesh. The opportunities offered by mortality are difficult and challenge the individual nearly to the breaking point. But for one with limitless potential for progression, these challenges can be overcome. But he is not alone. The loving Father is a loving teacher. He has provided the child with hints and suggestions. He has provided means for the child to overcome his weaknesses. He has provided means for the child to overcome his mistakes. What the child struggles to understand and comprehend at this point is from whence he came and how much he has accomplished. Mortality is but a moment in eternity.

Many of those in mortality with the child have succumb to selfishness or hatred, fear and ignorance, and being subject to the will of the flesh rather than the will of the spirit. Searching for relief from suffering many have mistakenly sought to reverse all progress made and swim back to the shore from whence they came. Many view themselves as mortal flesh rather than what they truly are, thus find themselves ruled by their animal instincts and genetic predispositions.

Each child must answer, "Who am I?" and "What is my purpose?" How would you answer? Do you generate and control the ripples and waves of the ocean of cause and effect, or do they rule you?

Tags: Intelligence Will Agency Potential Growth

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Joy is the reward. Joy is the purpose for existence. Joy is light. Joy is glory.

True joy can endure. Joy originating from the fleeting rewards of the impermanent is illusion - it has no substance and will not sustain. What principles are true, permanent, and result in a lasting reward, true joy?

Love, Faith, and Mastery.

What is love? Love is the desire that the recipient obtain joy. Love is inclusive. Love is concern. Love is unconditional. Love is limitless. Love can increase and has no bounds. Love includes that which is without and that which is within. Love is balanced and harmonious -- love for God, others, and self are of equal importance. The exclusion of one leads to the exclusion of all. To truly love God is to love your fellow and your self. To truly love your self is to love God and your fellow. To truly love your fellow is to love God and your self.

What is faith? Faith is power. Faith is understanding. Faith is comprehension. Faith is learning. Faith is intellectual. Faith is spiritual. Faith is science. Faith can increase and has no bounds. Faith is belief, hope, and action. Faith without action is dead. Faith without hope is dead. Faith without belief is dead. Belief is the vision, the object of one's desired understanding. Belief is theory. A belief may be deduced, theorized, hypothesized, alluded to, hinted at, taught, or learned. But belief is nothing of itself. Hope is the motivator. Hope strengthens belief so that it becomes a little more solid. Belief and hope do not enlighten. The true teacher is experience. Belief is the compass, hope is the motivation, and action is the teacher. Lessons refine belief and strengthen or weaken hope -- both of which direct future action. The faithful is one that follows this path and continually searches after truths. A true student teaches -- the faithful will testify of that which he has learned to others. Such testimony is a seed, a seed that may germinate within the recipient leading to belief, then hope, then action.

What is mastery? Mastery is the liberation of the free agent of the shackles of predetermination. Mastery is control. Mastery is complete freedom to choose. Mastery can increase and has no bounds. Mastery is purpose, wisdom, and discipline. Purpose is reason. Purpose is desire. Purpose is passion. Wisdom instructs. Wisdom shows the way. Discipline is practice. Discipline is the exercise of will. Together, one may master body, mind, and spirit.

Love, faith, and mastery are interconnected -- elements of one are influenced by or comprised of the others.

Growth and progression. As in mathematics where counting may increment in perpetuity, so may joy. Ever-increasing joy comes from ever-increasing love, faith, and mastery.

Just as one may achieve greater joy than the next, and another greater still, God is who and what we may become for He has already done so. He will continue to increase in joy and will forever be more than we, but due to the love that is part of his joyous nature, He has provided the opportunity for us to increase in joy as well. He instructs. He loves. He has, does, and will provide. Through Him comes joy because joy is what He wants for us and for Himself.

Tags: Joy Love Faith Belief Hope Works Mastery Discipline Purpose Wisdom Progress

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Why do we face the same trials, obstacles, situations, or temptations day after day, month after month, and year after year?

Consider the illustration above... Some may follow path 'A', where events in life repeat endlessly. But I suggest that those who so choose can follow path 'B', where events in life do repeat, but such repetition provides opportunity for growth, and such growth moves one further and further in another dimension. With each pass, the opportunities for growth are different and present exactly what the individual needs. "When the student is ready the teacher will appear." The student may discover the lesson from within the infinite opportunities offered by the situation -- all that is required is an open and understanding heart. Progressive discovery can only come through progressive understanding, and vice versa.

The pessimist will retort, "not again." The optimist will ask, "what more can I learn?"

Tags: Opportunity Trials Temptations

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