The most expensive item in your life!

          When you review your budget to decide how much you can spend and where you will need to spend your budget, take a little time to think about the really expensive and largest item – worry. You may not be able to see it but you sure as heck can feel it. Worry interferes with your sleep, your relationships, your physical health and, oh yeah, your mental stability. This bad boy is really expensive!

          And oh how easy it is to ignore. Have another cup of coffee and just keep moving. So what if your migraines get worse? So what if your partner is always complaining and you never actually look at his or her issue. Just smoke that extra cigarette, regular or ‘E’ and keep moving. So what if your credit cards are starting to max out? Just keep moving and somehow it will all work out. Hah!

          Fear, another word for worry, is one of those nasty offspring of the ego. The other two are guilt and anger. A Course in Miracles reminds us that we can walk through those clouds of fear and Jesus’ hand will both figurately and literally be there to guide us into the light of release on the other side. So why wait? Stop moving and reach out for our Elder Brother.

          If you would like a little extra encouragement try one of Jesus’ Little Lamb fables that speaks to the frightened child within us all.

(You can find this fable and the rest in “Little Lamb’s Big Book”, the Miracle Course for children, in the left column)

“Through the Mist”:

          “Little Lamb, Little Lamb. Help me. I am alone and frightened. Little Lamb, please help me.” Little Lamb heard the call for help and drifted into the dream. He would come and he would help his brother in need.

            Raccoon huddled close to the ground. His little body shook and shook with fear. All around him swirled a dark mist. All around him were dark angry looking clouds.

          Little Lamb appeared at Raccoon’s side. “I am so alone and afraid,” Raccoon told Little Lamb.

          “What are you afraid of?” asked Little Lamb.

          “Don’t you see? All around are dark clouds. All around the mist is so dark I cannot see through it. When I look closely at the mist I see things,” said Raccoon shaking more and more as he looked around him.

          “What things do you think you see in the mist?” asked Little Lamb.

          “I see all the things I am afraid of. When I look in the mist I see myself

getting hurt. I see myself alone with no one to love me. I am so afraid. What shall I do?” And Raccoon looked up at Little Lamb and his eyes filled with fear and unhappiness. Little Lamb’s heart went out to his friend. He knew just what he must do to help Raccoon.

“Do you have faith in my love for you?” Little Lamb asked Raccoon.

          “Yes I do,” said Raccoon.

          “Do you want to leave these misty nightmares behind you and walk into the light?” asked Little Lamb.

          “Yes, I do,” said Raccoon hopefully.

          “Then walk with me but a little way. Walk with me through the mists of the dream for that is what you see. Your nightmares are not real. They are only reflections of your fears in the mist around you. Just as a mirror will reflect your frowning face, so also will the mists around you reflect your fearful thoughts. Follow me and see how unreal your fears are.” And Little Lamb began to walk forward through the dark clouds.

          Raccoon wanted to believe Little Lamb for he knew Little Lamb loved him. And so he gathered up his courage and followed Little Lamb into the dark clouds.

          As they walked side by side the mist began to part. All the frightening nightmares Raccoon saw in the mist began to disappear.

          “Look!” cried Raccoon. And through the mist Raccoon could see the shining light. The closer they came to the light, the less mist there was until soon they walked together into the bright, loving light. All the mist was gone and all the frightening nightmares with it.        

          Raccoon looked up into the shining light. God’s warm love surrounded him. Fear was gone and only happiness and peace remained in his heart.

          Raccoon looked at Little Lamb and said with surprise, “My nightmares weren’t real were they? As soon as I saw the light and followed it the mist began to disappear. Now I can see where I really am. I am in God’s world and I was here all the time. I just didn’t see it.”

          Little Lamb smiled, “Yes Raccoon. Just as the warmth of the sun makes the morning mist disappear, so too will the warmth of God’s love make your misty nightmares disappear.”

          As Little Lamb and Raccoon stood together surrounded by the light of God’s love they could hear God’s Voice in them and around them saying,” Welcome. I have been waiting for you to awake. Come and be at peace in the real world of love and happiness.”