Welcome to www.1Miracle.net
This website has been created to inform fellow students of ACIMTM about "Miracle Study" classes in the greater Nashville area.
Select from the options below or select from the menu on the right.
What's New
Workshops by Gene Skaggs, Jr. in September
Do you have trouble understanding The Course in Miracles in everyday life?
Two workshops by Gene Skaggs will help expand your understanding and application of The Course.
"How the World and Body Came into Existence" - September 7, 2003
Click here for more details.
"Changing Special Relationships into Holy Relationships" - September 21, 2003
Click here for more details.
"101 Questions and Answers on the Course" by Gene Skaggs, Jr.
Everyone who has ever picked up the book A Course in Miracles has said, "I have no idea what it's talking about," "Surely I'm not that stupid," "Why didn't they write this in plain English?", or "Isn't there a book I could read first to get me started?" I hear these same questions from the students in my classes. One day while studying the Course a voice directed me to write a book that would answer these questions and many more, especially for students who are new to the Course. I truly feel that this book is inspired and will aid you not only in your understanding of the Course but also in applying the Course's psychological and spiritual concepts to events, feelings and relationships in your life. Click here for more details.
Of Course by Diana Black
Weekly Spiritual Food from Vina Franklin
Miracle Movie Thoughts from Carlene Webb
Class Members in the News
Other Site Features and Your Feedback from Gene Skaggs
List of Miracle Study Groups in Nashville, TN Area
What is the Meaning of Life?
Gene Skaggs
This was a question posed to me recently. A question everyone I am sure has pondered from time to time. I'm sure different thought systmes have different views as to the meaning of life.
I, of course, am going to view the question from a Course perspective. First, I have trouble with the word "meaning." I personally like the word "purpose." Since I'm writing this article, I'm going to change the question from "What is the meaning to life?" to "What is the meaning/purpose of life?" The Course uses words that are interchangeable and I thing "purpose" and "meaning" fit that category. The biggest obstacle one must look at in writing about such an imposing topic is the word "life." I think most people will look at life as what we see, feel, touch, smell and taste. The Course doesn't consider that life. Nothing in our dualistic, perceptual world lives. Anything that has an opposite, anything that will perish or change form in any manner, is void of life.
Life, from a Course perspective, is sprit/thought. This spirit/thought is the only place life emanates from, everything else is a projection/extension of thought. Therefore, anything that will not last forever is not presently alive, nor has it ever lived.
With that in mind, let's get back to the original question. So does something that is eternal have a purpose? Does it have to have a purpose, and if it has a purpose, what is its purpose? Technically speaking, it has no purpose, it just is; it is love and it extends love. But (doesn't there always seem to be a but), given the fact that where we think we are and that being in a body surrounded by other bodies, spirit does have a purpose.
Simply put, spirit's purpose is to have us recognize who we are; have us recognize our oneness with God, everyone, and everything - from a thought/mind perspective. Our ego's purpose is to have us see separation, specialness, lack and needs --- all to be filled or repressed by external means. Every time we seek outside ourselves, we reject who we are as sons and daughters of a loving God.
Every time we ask to see things differently, through forgiveness, and every time we unite our thoughts with God, we are fulfilling our purpose. Every time we see another person's cry for help as our cry for help, we are fulfilling our purpose and, in turn, help all our brothers and sisters accept their rightful inheritance.
Workbook Lesson 62, FORGIVENESS IS MY FUNCTION AS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
"That is why all forgiveness is a gift to yourself.
Your goal is to find out who you are..."
Workbook Lesson 319, I CAME FOR THE SALVATION OF THE WORLD
"What aim but the salvation of the world could You have given me?"
Wishing you nothing but love on your journey to recognizing who you are and recognizing your divine purpose in life.
© 2000 Gene Skaggs
Of Course
Diana Black
Sweet Dreams
Dreams. They are one of the few illusions ego recognizes as being such. Normally things like an alarm clock or pillow are not perceived as illusions. They are "tangible" objects when seen through the eyes of ego.
But dreams, we tell ourselves and often times gladly accept, are supposed to be illusions. Especially nightmares. Those nights we awaken with a start, sitting straight up in bed, our heart pounding and beads of perspiration on our forehead, aren't we grateful that it was just a dream... only an illusion?!
The other night I dreamed that I had forgotten I was signed up for a college course for credit. I became aware of it when I was handed three test pages on a subject I knew nothing about. As the instructor passed out the exam, he whispered the first answer to me, which was some significant year. What I heard was "altenth." I struggled and struggled to make sense of what he had said, knowing I couldn't ask him to repeat it. I was so upset with myself because I figured that was the only answer I could have gotten right, and there I had messed that up! However, after much distress, I felt relieved later in the dream when I realized that it was the first test of the semester and I could drop the class and get part of my money back.
The next morning I drawn to the section in ACIM&#reg; titled At Home In God (T 182). There I read, "Would you bother to reconcile what happened in conflicting dreams, or would you dismiss both together if you discovered that reality is in accord with neither?" (T 182:3)
Even during my "sleeping" dream within my "waking" dream, I was trying to find an acceptable solution. I was not willing to let my dream leave me in a place of embarrassment and failure. Therefore when I awoke I thought myself less fearful because I had produced what I thought was a good outcome for a bad situation. Yet I had only substituted one fear for another, one dream for another, neither of which was necessary or real.
"Could it be some dreams are kept, and others wakened from? The choice is not between which dreams to keep, but only if you want to live in dreams or to awaken from them... Fear is the material of dreams, from which they all are made... The thin disguise of pleasure and joy in which they may be wrapped but slightly veils the heavy lump of fear that is their core." (T 612:1.4)
Ah, but we are promised that, "The core of dreams the Holy Spirit gives is never one of fear (T 613:5.3)... Because He loves the dreamer, not the dream, each dream becomes an offering of love." (T 613:6.6)
Sweet dreams...
© 2001 Diana Black
Weekly Spiritual Food
Vina Franklin
Today, Happinesss is Yours
"I left prison more informed than when I went in. And the more informed you are, the less arrogant and aggressive you are."
--Nelson Mandela
"The light in you is what the universe longs to behold. This is the way salvation works. As you step back, the light in you steps forward and encompasses the world."
"Who walks with me? This question should be asked a thousand times a day, till certainty has ended doubting and established peace. God speaks for you in answering your question with these words: I walk with you in perfect holiness. I light the world."
--A Course In Miracles
Right where you stand does the Truth exist. It doesn't get better, no need to wait for the future to be happy. Today, happiness is yours but for the taking.
Sending you the light of my love,
Vina
Click here to read previous issues of Vina's Spiritual Food
Miracle Movie Thoughts
We have recently added a new area to the site -- Miracle Movie Thoughts. Thanks to Carlene Webb for her writing talent and miracle movie thoughts. If you've seen a good movie lately, please drop us an Email at
telling us why you liked it.
Click here to read Miracle Movie Thoughts
Class Members in the News
Opinion: Breast cancer message never tires
by Vina Franklin
On Sunday, October 29, the Williamson A.M. section of "The Tennessean" included a wonderful article written by our own Vina Franklin who says, "Your health is a gift and never to be taken for granted. It is far easier to prevent a disease than to eradicate one."
Click here to read the entire article.
When words collide in the workplace
Mary Rau-Foster's seminar business and website, www.workplaceissues.com was highlighted in the October 25 issue of the Williamson A.M. section of "The Tennessean".
Click here to read the entire article.
Other Site Features
One of the features of this site is Inspired writings by teachers and fellow students of the Course. Anyone can write an article/inspired writing and Email it to
.
Please realize that articles may be edited, abbreviated, or not posted, as appropriate, to be consistent with the teachings of the Course.
We encourage everyone to offer suggestions, comments, or other tips that will help us create a website that is useful to you and other "seekers of Truth" in the Nashville area. Please Email your ideas to
.
Gene Skaggs
Miracle Study Groups in Nashville, TN Area
| Day/Time | Teacher | Location |
| Sunday 10:00am to 11:00am |
Gene Skaggs |
First Church Unity 5125 Franklin Road Nashville, TN Click here for map. Click here for First Church Unity's website. |
| Tuesday 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm |
Gene Skaggs |
First Church Unity 5125 Franklin Road Nashville, TN Click here for map. Click here for First Church Unity's website. |
| Thursday 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm |
Frank Ellis |
House of Bliss 816 19th Ave South Nashville, TN Click here for map. |
*Disclaimer: A Course in Miracles® (ISBN 0-9606388-2-2) is copyrighted by the Foundation for A Course in Miracles®, 1275 Tennanah Lake Rd., Roscoe, NY, 12776- 5905, and published by Penguin Books USA.
The ideas and viewpoints presented in these 1Miracle.net web pages reflect the understanding, interpretation, and experience of the authors and do not necessarily express the views of those who hold the copyright of the A Course in Miracles®.