Practice, Practice, Practice

Ever notice that when you learn a new spiritual law or practice, ample opportunities arise almost instantaneously for you to put that law or practice to the test?  This past weekend, Rev. T gave a great Sunday message – the third in a series – about prosperity.  The primary theme of his talk was the idea that to fulfill a vision, you need to behave as if you are coming from that vision, rather than trying to go to it – meaning you need to act as if the vision has already been fulfilled, rather than acting as if you are trying to reach for something you currently lack.

In her Prosperity Plus program, Mary Manin Morrissey recommends that, when faced with doubt in your ability to achieve a goal, you use the following question to guide your behavior:  “If I believed this was possible, what would I do today?”

This week, I am getting the opportunity to practice acting as if my vision were already fulfilled, even though outer circumstances do not appear to be favorable.  My family and I are planning to go to upstate NY for a camping trip.  This is our summer vacation, and we have been looking forward to spending a few days in the outdoors, without the distraction of computers and electronic devices and televisions and all of those technological things that contribute to the hectic pace of our everyday life. In my attempt to get ready for the trip, I first checked the weather forecast.  For three of the four days of our stay at the campground, there is a good chance of rain.  We will be sleeping in tents, and as much as we love each other, none of us is really keen on the idea of spending three rainy days together in a soggy tent. 

My first inclination, after checking the forecast, was to cancel the trip.  “There is no way,” I thought, “that I am going to go all the way up there and blah, blah, blah. . .” -  you can imagine the rest.  But as I explored my feelings, I discovered that I really was very much looking forward to this little getaway.  Our summer schedule will not allow for us to go away at another time.  And my children were looking forward to fishing and swimming and kayaking and visiting a new place.  As a family, we very much want to go away.  So I’m going to try a new approach.

I’m using Mary Morrissey’s guiding question, “If I believed this trip were going to happen, what would I do today?”  Well, today I would check our air mattresses to be sure there are no leaks.  And tomorrow maybe I would put together a meal plan and a grocery list.  And the next day maybe I would work with my kids to start packing.  And then maybe I would gather up the fishing poles and the tackle box . . . 

I have no idea how this trip is going to work out.  But according to spiritual principle, the “how” is God’s business, not mine.  My job is to be clear about what I desire and to behave as if I already have it.  This is the Law of Mind Action.  Today is Day 129 of my experiment.  I’m committed to mastering this principle.  I will post photos of our fabulous trip when we return to NJ.

~REBECCA