Editorials

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR when Christians celebrate the holy birth of Jesus. Yet, for many, these days can feel more frenzied than holy.

RECENTLY I FOUND AN INTERESTING, if somewhat skeptical, article on the Internet called "An Epidemic of Gratitude" and subtitled, "Our World is Awash in Gratitude, Most of it Insincere. " (www.

LAW! THE VERY WORD IMPLIES THE POWER of divine Science. Christian Science is spiritual law made practical.

Years Ago in the advertising/marketing business, when the agencies I worked for pitched new accounts, we were charged with discovering the points of difference between our potential client's product and similar ones. Our advertising and marketing plans would highlight those differences, so customers could see why the product we proposed was a better choice.

HOW MANY TIMES HAS SOMEONE ASKED YOU, "Are you happy?" Having faced that question more than a few times, I have learned there's only one legitimate answer, "You bet I am—very happy!" I have been surprised to discover that more than a few people actually want to hear that we are unhappy or dissatisfied in our lives. Perhaps that's because human thinking has been conditioned to accept that unhappiness, depression, and tragedy have as much currency as happiness and joy.

IT DAWNED ON ME A WHILE BACK how much of an oddsmaker the human mind tends to be! Constantly weighing the probabilities and whispering in our ear, it insists, "Come on, how likely do you think that is?" The question may come up in relation to anything from getting through a traffic jam to the expectation of a quick recovery from an illness. Being drawn into the weighing of so-called odds—whether for ourselves or others—is obviously unproductive, but it also betrays something more.

THE VIVID COLORS OF SPRING FLOWERS in the meadows, the majesty of powerful waterfalls, the quiet reflection of the sky on a small pond—just a few of the many ways that nature expresses the beauty, freshness, and continuity of divine Life. They inspire us to expect in our own life the same qualities.

THE WORLD NEEDS HELP. These days the news often seems saturated with images of war, health crises, poverty, environmental fears, ethnic and racial oppression.

"THERE'S SO MUCH OUT THERE to be anxious about," said my early-morning caller. "Every time you turn on the TV there's news of disease.

AS A NATURAL SCIENTIST WHO IS ALSO A CHRISTIAN Scientist, I'm sometimes asked if I believe in creation or evolution. By the term creation, the questioner is generally referring to the idea that man was made of dust by the Lord God of the Bible (Genesis 2) about 6,000 years ago.