Thank You for this lift.

Dear Mary Alice, thank you very much for this so loving situation which, as you explained clearly, also can be demonstrated in our daily living. Just what I need today.

What lovely thought and lift-off for our day! Thank you Ann K. London

Our Father-Mother God, our all, loves us and takes care of us, we don’t have but to remember this to witness His loving arms guiding us out of danger, just like divine Love takes care of a little fallen bird.

O gentle presence, peace and joy and power;
O Life divine, that owns each waiting hour,
Thou Love that guards the nestling's faltering flight!
Keep Thou my child on upward wing tonight. CS Hymn #207

ESPAÑOL
Nuestro Padre-Madre Dios, nuestro todo, nos ama y nos cuida, solo tenemos que recordar esto para presenciar Sus amados brazos guiándonos fuera de peligro de la misma manera que el Amor divino cuida de un pajarito caido.

Gentil presencia, gozo, paz, poder;
Divina vida, Tuyo todo es.
Amor que al ave su cuidado da,
Conserva de mi niño el progresar.

Thank you for this loving, encouraging lift! We are so blessed.

Dear Mary,

just a couple of weeks ago, I had a very similar experience, which I'm afraid I did not handle as serenely as you did. A robin was sitting on the garden path of my work place one morning as I wanted to put my bicycle away. It did not even move as I stepped over it and pushed my bicycle passed it! I new it was fine, but was slightly worried about the cats maybe abusing the situation, so I wondered what to do. I thought I could pick it up and put it on the garden shed, to 'lift it off the ground' in a way, and put it closer to its natural sphere of action. I nearly succeeded, but then it flew up into the next bush and threw some angry chattering at me from its new position. Quite right! Thinking I, as man, had to do my part to change its predicament (even though I new there was nothing wrong with it), had to help God somehow to do His job. Yet at the time I could not think how I could have done it better. You have just showed me how, thank you very much; and well done, for not even considering touching it physically, like I did!

Have a lovely day, soaring freely,

Beatrix

What a lovely experience Mary Alice - handled prayerfully and healed prayerfully.

Thank you so mch for this reminder it brings to my mind right now another lovely hymn "Everlasting arms of LOVE" (No; 53). The gentleness must have taken away the fear that that little bird must have been feeling. LOVE TO ALL June UK

We can rise no higher than our thought. God is All-in-all. God is good alone and God's right hand grasps thought, cause and effect. ( Miscellaneous Writings, p.364, by Mary Baker Eddy.) Hence the importance of spiritualizing our thoughts, according to the pattern "shewed thee in the mount" (Exodus 25:40.) This is putting on the real man or, as Apostle Paul has it, putting on the new man. A new man, or changed mortal thought, requires a new song. (Col.3, & Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by M.B.E. p.125, & St. John's Revelation:14.)
Thanks for playing the piano, hearing the dogs and seeing the bird.

Thank you, Mary Alice, for “Birds on upward wing … power to realize our potential.” How right for you to have brought into and lifted up that little bird, in your loving consciousness and then to have witnessed "signs following." I understand in this, a call to rise up; to use my God-authorized power; to realize my potential; to heal even the “little bird” situations. “Let us open our affections to the Principle that moves all in harmony, — from the falling of a sparrow to the rolling of a world.” (Miscellaneous Writings, 174) Thanks again, Mary Alice.

Many thanks Mary Alice for this very inspiring lift, "To enable all of us to realize our [full] potential." That same hymn by MBE goes on to read: 'Seeking and finding, with the angels sing:/ "Lo, I am with you alway," — watch and pray.' (Christian Science Hymnal #207).

Thank you Mary Alice for this Lift. This morning I lay in bed, reluctant to get up...settled back into a book I was reading last night. The phone rang, and it was a cheerful friend, prompting me to go to an Art Group Meeting. The weather was fine, which meant I could work, gardening, so I declined, but by crickey, how her invitation had brightened my day and set the stage!! Every day, the birds call us in a similar way I think. No matter what the weather!

I love this daily uplift and what a coIncidence: I heard an angel message this morning whilst walking to my work: I have received a voice and a deep intelligence from God , me being His child and reflection and with it the assurance that I am useful in Gods service. Thank you!

Thank you, Mary Alice, for sharing this beautiful experience. Such an uplifting thought to being our day, the ...Love that guards the nestlings faltering flight...will keep us all on upward wing now and always.

Thank you.

Thank you for this wonderful Lift .

Many years ago as I was leaving home on an errand I noticed a bird making quite a fuss just over the header of our garage door. It seems the birds were making their nest just above in the eave of the roofline. A baby bird had fallen down behind this header and the mother bird was attempting to get her baby out. I called animal services but was told they could do nothing to help as they were not supposed to climb ladders. I knew I could do something so I stood by my car and just prayed. I am not sure exactly what I prayed or how long I prayed, I just remember that Love would not let one of its ideas fall out of their high estate. It wasn't too long afterward the mother bird was able to help her baby and get it out from behind the header. When I saw that I got in my car to attend to my errand knowing that all was well. " Love inspires, illumines, designates and leads the way!" as Mrs Eddy tells us. Thank you for this lovely lift!

So beautiful and trusting of Gods ever loving and healing presence and such a demonstration of the truth. Thank you

Loving this message today as I received news of the passing of a friend's father. We are, "brother [and sister] birds that soar and sing..." eternally.

Thank you for this beautiful lift. What a great way to start the day.

I prayed with this same hymn -- "Mother's Evening Prayer" by Mary Baker Eddy -- last night, before I went to sleep. I love its references to the psalm of safety and protection:

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him I will trust. Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisesome pestilence." (Psalm 91)

This hymn and this psalm protect and save us and little birds. God's love is all encompassing.

Thank you, Mary Alice, for these comforting words.

And Mary Alice, the little juvenile would have understood every word! There is one consciousness, and every spiritual idea understands their relationship with God first of all. Even tiny chicks in the egg are prompted to make big efforts to get outside where they can stretch and grow and learn with practice to flutter, and then to fly. Their parents are always close, probably watching you from a nearby tree branch, and urge their little ones to do more each day until they are all ready to fly. Once they fly they never return to the nest. Humans could learn a lot from their "brother birds that soar and sing" while lovingly encouraging their own babies to reach for and hold onto their prize. I heard a fairy wren calling in my patch of forest this morning while hanging out the washing. O joy!
Thank you so much Nate and the team; the BoL and lecturers; and the soaring and singing Lifters!

An additional comment: our "Troy from Barbados" wrote an article titled "How Can a Loss Be a Gain?", published in the February 20, 2012 issue of the Christian Science Sentinel. He recounts how healing words from this hymn, "Mother's Evening Prayer" turned a losing situation around for him.

Wow! I had the same experience last summer in Wisconsin, USA. The only difference was I sang the same hymn as I was not near a piano! And yes, that little bird too flew away. Thank you for the much appreciated "uplift" today! Martha

....and for each child, ever so grand in His widening universe, we may be assured by the follow-on verse to Mrs. Eddy's poetic hymn, that:
"Love is our refuge; only with mine eye/ Can I behold the snare, the pit, the fall:/ His habitation high is here, and nigh,/ His arm encircles me, and mine, and all."

Thank you Mary Alice for this daily lift of divine Love's peace, joy, and power for all seekers of Truth.

Hi Mary Alice,

Thank you for this healing Lift. I have spoken in the past how Mrs. Eddy's Hymn (207) has brought so much healing into my life. I listen to it often.

I know I have mentioned this before but I feed the wild birds. What started out as a few have now turned into more than a hundred of various types, especially pigeons. They now have nests in the trees around the house so in the morning you hear this symphony of harmony which is enhanced when the green parrots come by and visit.

One morning as I was coming back from my jog I happened to look up and see this large flock of birds circling high above the path I was taking home. They circled and circled in a very enticing rhythmic formation; the North East winds blowing gently with the early morning beams of the sun radiating through the soft blue sky gently puffed with clouds.

I immediately thought of God being all around, but I not 'looking up" enough to recognize His presence. All of this beauty was unfolding before me, but I needed to look up to see it. As I kept watch of the birds I realized that this flock of birds was following me home; they were the same birds I fed! They circled and circled and circled until I finally reached home and they all landed on the roof.

I thought about God, encircling me with protection, love and upward lift. I also realized the birds never have to ask me for food, they have it just as God meets our needs without us asking.

Thanks to All!

I had a somewhat similar experience with two little birds who flew into our front window. I went out and they lay on the deck appearing lifeless. I picked them up and sat stroking them gently one on each knee
and singing that same hymn "O gentle presence" and I really felt God's gentle presence. One responded after just a few minutes and flew up and perched on my shoulder. It wasn't going to leave it's mate. I continued singing and telling the other bird how much God loved it as I gently stroked it. It took quite some time before the other bird recovered and they both flew off. Hymn 64 came to mind and my heart was singing "Thought soars enraptured, fetterless and free." These dear little birds were fetterless and free. And I thanked God that I was looking out the window at exactly the right time. His angels were present guiding and protecting. My heart is still singing!

Thank you do much for sharing this lovely experience. One morning I heard a loud thud and went outside to find a beautiful dove who had evidently flown into the patio window. The bird appeared to have a broken wing. I gathered her up and placed her in a small enclosure. Some of these same thought came to me on angel wings. That night I attended the Wednesday testimony meeting. The thought came to me to ask some of the Sunday school students if they wanted to take the bird as their patient to pray for as they were being taught in their SS classes. They were very enthusiastic on Sunday morning in the opening SS activity I was able to share with them that the dove had flown away completely healed.

powerful, simple, demonstrable!...so helpful, thanks.

Dee from Red Oak, Iowa

Wonderful Mary Alice - Ideas on wings - perfect!

Thank you so much for expanding on this beautiful experience and making me look back and cherish more what happened last week. A little bird appeared in my feeder looking very dull and unwell. He just stayed there so I sang some of Mrs. Eddy's hymns and talked to him. Eventually he flew off.

And thank you, Troy (#26), for sharing your meaningful story.

We can't help but go upward when our thought is focused on God and His everpresent goodness, peace and joy and power.

Great lift... thank you so much!

Thank you very much. The thought that God will reveal to us our own God-given abilities to soar is very up-"lift"-ing.

MBE really saw what a Bird represents which inspired her to write C/S Hymn #207. The Bird soaring over and above Mortal Minds craziness, guiding mortals to reach their highest spiritual potential as God's perfect creation.

Thank you! That hymn is perfect for birds and mankind. I've had similar experiences when a few birds have seen the reflected sky in my large windows and hit them. God is so good and loves and cares for all of his creatures.

Thank you Mary Alice for this beautiful message and to the commentators for sharing their lovely demonstrations.

Thank you Mary Alice. I'm so moved and touched by these precious healing stories.AND I too, through the years, have been blessed with similar experiences with birds and other animals. God indeed is OUR refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Thank you, Mary Alice.
Such a dear story. And I loved reading of the other bird stories, too.
I had a similar one, and so grateful that God does keep us all "on upward wing" all the time!

The Troy Barker Sentinel essay is available online at JSH-Online. I just looked at it. It first appeared as a web original on November 14, 2011 and then from the February 20, 2012 Sentinel print issue. He writes; "I remembered the woman in Second Kings who had more oil than she could physically see. She needed renewed spiritual thinking (see II Kings 4:1-7). I, too had to rethink my situation spiritually.
We should cherish ourselves as much as we cherish wildlife, otherwise we are bearing false witness against ourselves.

Thank you for this Joyful thought, and uplift for today.

It was wonderful hearing about how Martha #24, Lori #27, and Gary #28 and Britton #31 healed the little birds and the idea expressed by Margaret Sunshine Coast Australia #22 that "every spiritual idea understands their relationship with God first of all" cut through material thoughts so deeply and clearly to the basic truth.

When you hear about a healing, it's interesting how a particular idea will grab you. For me, Mary Alice, it was how that the little bird was an upward soaring idea, pure and perfect. What a complete spiritualization of matter into thought.

I've had several humming birds hit our bay window and fall onto the walkway below, lying stunned. As I spoke truths to them and talked about God's love, they gently awakened, sat upright for awhile, and then soared up and away. Each time God's pure ideas came to me and each healing was different. With one, I remember getting the idea of Matthew 17:20, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed,you can say to this mountain 'move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible to you." At the time I thought, surely I can have the faith of a small mustard seed. My dog too had alerted me to the bird. And my husband said it was just resting. I remember seeing the bird lift up and soar away in my mind's eye. Soon after it did. The presence of God's tender love and care was all around, making that moment so extremely real.

Thank you so much for the healing message.

Wonderful! This has always been one of my favorite hymns.
Thank you, and a beautiful day to all :-)

This is powerful. And so many of us have had this opportunity to pray for our animal friends.
It is a privilege to pray and expect results.
God is Love.
My next thought is prevention --so our home does not present a hazard for flying birds.
Accidents are unknown to God.
Let this be so clear in my (our) thoughts too,
so we recognize and feel God's Presence, and the power of LIFE right where we are.
Gentle and STRONG.
Nothing weak about Gentle Presence OF SPIRIT!

How lovely that the little bird was sitting outside YOUR door when he needed reassurance. And you took the time to reassure that all was well. Really beautiful! Thank you for sharing!

I love this daily lift! Thank you Mary Alice Rose!

Oh how I look forward every morning to the Daily Lifts!!! So inspiring, so enlightening, so educational!! I have friends all over the world teaching me~~ I'm flying high in knowledge!!!
Thank you. Love to all!!!!!

Thank you! Lovely lift!

Thank you for this winged lift! Pun intended!

The idea of our innate, reflected POWER to do what God has lovingly willed for us--is a great treatment for the economy and our individual ability to participate fully in life and to fulfill our purpose. We are not helpless and forgotten by our Father, Mother--any more than this sweet bird was.

When I've considered the story in Acts 3 of Peter and John passing by the lame man begging for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple--I've wondered, what if Peter had had some spare change in his pocket he could have tossed to the man? ("Silver and gold have I none...") Would a charitable act of giving money have been Peter's highest sense of God's will for this crippled man--after all he had witnessed first-hand of the loving works of the Master, Christ Jesus? No, Peter knew God's will, Love's will, was for this man to be free and strong--to able to provide for himself and to participate fully in life. God's will was not for this man to be bed-ridden and unable to be productive and fulfilled.

I've loved wondering if Peter did, in fact, have a little cash--but was unwilling to do so little for this man. He did a mighty work in proving that lameness/deformity from birth had no power to resist the Truth. All the people at the temple that day--and all who read the gospels--have witnessed and can rejoice in a perfect proof of the "Peace and joy and power" of God which keeps us on upward wing!

Thanks again for the inspiration

Thank you for such a beautiful healing . A perfect example. Claire

I must add my thanks and delight in this Lift and all the comments. Thank you. I, too, am grateful daily for the Lifts and this inspiring community.

That's as sweet as they come! Thank you, Mary Alice. As you shared the story, I couldn't help but feel as loved as that little bird was. I'll carry that Love with me today.

Beautiful lift; thank you Mary Alice!!

So sweet and inspiring, including all Lifters!

I've had a number of bird experiences.

A hummingbird had built her nest in a flowering shrub just outside the window. One day a large lizard was climbing up the shrub with his eye on the nest. I turned away to pray and affirmed that this was God's kingdom and everything was in its right place and undisturbed. When I turned back to the scene, the lizard had mistakenly gone out on the branch just below the nest and found it too slight for his weight. He fell and scurried off. The eggs in the nest were safe.

Thank you for this proof of the healing effect of prayer.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mary Alice, for a sweet testimony, and lifting us on upward wing. As I listened, I thought of Solomon's glimpse of Truth, which Christian Science pointed out to me. "As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come." (Prov. 26:2). Sickness, frailty, inability, ignorance, failure, sin, poverty, & more, linger from the Adam dream of man & all creation being made of matter, and subject to it, with all kinds of wrong because 2 people sinned when the ever-present God is supposed to be absent, and that lord god didn't know what was going on. Problems stem from belief a lord god gave a supposed man the ability to be tempted, and to act on his own (see Daily Lift 9-14-12, by Lindsey Taylor), to have weak character (which imaged a weak Gen.2 & 3 god, not our Gen.1 only God and Creator.). That lord god didn't own the hour while he was away. Our God does own every next hour for tiny birds learning to fly, and for each of us, with whatever we need to do. Each God owned waiting hour comes continuously with His peace, His joy, and His power for us to have, know, and use. In the time a tune can be played or sung, we can begin, continue progressively, or complete whatever we need to do. By substituting "day" for "night' & "tonight" in Mrs. Eddy's poem in CS Hymn #'s 207-212, it's a perfect morning treatment prayer to sing like a bird! #6 Beatrix, Thanks, you loved, it worked! Thanks to so many who made this a testimony meeting!

I like your Daily Lift because I like birds!

Mary Alice, how darling. I pictured the little bird recognizing the fact that it was being loved as you were declaring the truth and only the truth. We too are all loved. And we are more precious to God then a little bird. Thanks you so much.

Beautiful and special--thank you!

Such tender ministering to a bird which has much greater implications to all of us. Thank you for this inspiring Lift.

Mary Alice -- just listened for the 2nd time today -- thanks so much for the lovely ideas and your experience with the little bird. Enjoyed reading the comments of others, too. These Daily Lifts most certainly do LIFT -- they are well-named. Thanks again and much love to you and family!

B.J.

As I read this gentle Daily Lift, I thought of the fact that God's presence is everywhere, in Afghanistan, in Libya, or any part of the world where the human eye sees a "snare, a pit a fall" Even where danger seems to be, His arm encircles me and mine and all. And the Love that guards the nestling's faltering flight holds police and civilians safe. All must be kept on upward wing tonight and in all time.
Priscilla in Portland

Thank you Mary Alice Rose for giving another venue for inspiration. Keeping thought uplifted has been difficult lately with an out of town trip I am involved in. Bible lesson, then "bam boom", daily lift, then "bam boom" , church then " bam boom", prayer then "bam boom", kneeling then ...bam boom. I felt like I was running out of ways to keep on top of the stuff coming at me. I forgot Panio playing, singing, gratitude list making.

I am a child of God's, not a yo-yo.

Such a sweet experience with one of God's dear little ones. I was moved this morning after listening to today's lift to forward it to one of my daughters, who attended the C. S. Sunday School into teenage years. She didn't stay with the church as an adult, but the fundamental teachings have never left her.
She emailed me tonight to say thanks for sharing the Lift with her and that "she remembers the hymn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" What a joy for a mother to hear after so many years. Thanks again for sharing your experience with all of us.

Just as God cares for the bird in this situation, so He cares for His child (my child in the hymn), on 'upward wing' - through life's moments. Lovely analogy!

Thank you for the Lift, and for the Lifter's comments, I love reading them all…thank you Nela, that's a favorite quote of mine from Misc Writ, p 174! …and thank you JD for your bird story, I enjoyed all the love expressed…

thank you Mary for this lift. THIS REMINDED ME YEARS AGO ONe sunday morning before going to church, as I WAS HAVING MY TEA, I SAW A BIRD CRUSH INTO MY WINDOW GLAS AND SAW HIM DROP ON THE GROUND,AND I CAN HEAR HIM CRYING BUT I DECLARED THAT God's creation can never be hurt because God is love ,perfect and harmonous. SO I PICKDED HIM UP AND PUT HIM IN A BOX WHILE I GO TO CHURCH.CAME BACK HOME PEEP THROUGH THE BOX AND RELEASE HIM AND THERE HE FLEW THEN PERCHED ON A TREE AND I SAID God loves you and I LOVE YOU TOO.NEVER SAW THIS BIRD AGAIN. BUT SENT HIM AWAY WITH LOVE.
I

Thank you for this daily lift.
It coincided on the very same day that space ship Endeavour flew directly over my house (relatively), on it's way to it's new home in Los Angeles CA. Both my husband and I watched as it flew east to west over Las Cruces, New Mexico after stopping for fuel in El Paso, Texas. But just as the supporting jet flew low and slow, a local neighborhood hawk lifted up from his spot and soared on the jet streams left by the jets' wings, that vortex of air that spirals back as the wings cut through the air.
How that sight lifted my heart and made it sing for the passage of the Endeavour which represented for me a period of space exploration ending, and a new one beginning.

Thanks you for reminding me how important it is to acknowledge through diligent prayer, God's power, OUR power, so that we can confidently face whatever seems to retard or check our upward winged flight. The acknowledgement of this power truly does bring the gently presence of peace and joy into our experience, and most importantly...healing. Wishing everyone a soaring, power-full, day today.

Thank you for a brilliant lift.

Miss Rose, I'm so grateful for this proper stewardship of His creation..!

Thank you, Mary Alice! I have had birds come to our porch seeming unable to fly;

I've always been able to help, and one bird "billed" my hand! They know Love.

Thank you, Mary Alice! I too have had similar experiences, but one in particular really moved me. In the winter, on a very cold clear day, a small bird hit our large window. I heard the thud and soon realized that it was listless. After some time of declaring its perfection and wholeness, I decided to go outside. I gently lifted it up with some paper towel for warmth, and held it on my lap. I stroked its back while singing the same hymn, and after a while placed it in one of my potted plants where it was more protected from the bitter wind. Its little friend stayed nearby on the railing encouraging it from start to finish. Within a few hours I looked again, and it had flown away. I was filled with such gratitude to be reminded that all God's creature - big or small- are protected and healed under His mighty wing.

Thanks so much!