Thank you.

Thank you very much, a great way to enter the day.

Love this daily lift. It was a good reminder this morning - at the beginning of the day - to start watching now. I tweeted it because I know how important it is to WATCH what we are thinking. This message is for everyone, everywhere.

Estar de centinela prestos para protestar contra el materialismo y gritar si es necesario para que se vaya y no perturbe con un sentido errado el desarrollo y el progreso espiritual, he leído que Eddy ha dicho golpee el piso si es necesario para que se vaya, dicho en otras palabras esfuérzate en mantener un estado permanente de espiritualidad que no permitirá que el error se enseñoree en ti, desviando el verdadero sentir que nos aleja de la espiritualidad.
Que dijo Elías: “Gritad en alta voz porque dios es” y esto lo dijo en su intento de hacerles entender que por muy fuerte que el error grite más fuerte gritará la Verdad, sí gritad bien fuerte para acallar la voz del error, siente la presencia divina por sobre el ruido mortal y errado de las voces que permanentemente nos bombardean con dardos de materialidad, cantos de sirenas que hacen perder el rumbo si no nos fortalecemos con la Verdad.
“Si fuera necesario sobresaltar la mente mortal para romper su sueño de sufrimiento, di con vehemencia a tu paciente que tiene que despertar” MBE que concuerda con otros dichos suyos en la necesidad de revelarse y estar alerta contra el error.
Muchas gracias Mary A, es bueno despertar las mañanas con los mensajes del Daily Lift

Thankyou A great new view on "watching"

Many thanks Mary Alice for this great reminder to heed "Christ, the divine voice of good which blesses all humanity." "Undisturbed, our hearts rejoice;/Patient, wait the brighter morrow;/ Faithful, heed the Father's voice." (Christian Science Hymnal #263).

Thank you for that great reminder to watch what comes into our thoughts.

Yes. The sentry chooses who to let in and who to keep out. As Mrs. Eddy says "Watch!". (every thought)
I'm letting this one in. Thanks Mary Alice.

Thank you, Mary Alice, for giving us, at least for me, a new way of "Watching"! I had always thought to "Watch" meant to keep on guard for the bad, evil thoughts and not to let them into my consciousness. Although that is a good idea, I see now that equally important is the idea to become more familiar with Christly thoughts so as to recognize them and let them in. It's kinda like being familiar with the correct dollar bill for the purpose of recognizing the counterfeit dollar bill. Focus on the good and the incorrect thoughts will automatically be detected and deleted! On the Watch for Good today! Much Love!

Thank you, Mary Alice. Your Lift makes me think of my recent wake-up to what is really Reading Room. As an integral part of Church, it is not a physical place of refuge, but a divine state of consciousness. It is the "structure of Truth and Love." It's really, really easy to just look at Reading Room humanly and think, My Reading Room is empty. No one comes to it. It's not in its right place, etc. The only reason it's not in its right place is that we've taken it out of Truth and Love and made it into a human structure. As a divine state of thought, it is within us already. What are we allowing into that spiritual thought-structure? We have to be so very alert to see what is already present and to welcome even more of those Christly thoughts that are continuously present.

Yesterday as I walked along the sidewalk, I noticed a flower with an abundance of purple blooms. It was expressing energy, beauty, right place, abundance of good. I thought, because I live, move, and have my being in Truth and Love, in God, these qualities of thought are everpresent in my experience and thought. Then they are also in the Reading Room, and always have been. God's thoughts cannot be contained in a physical building. Instead God's thoughts and qualities make up the building or structure of Truth and Love. They are my Reading Room - a place of communion with God that is with me wherever I am. I want to protect that spot in thought, and stand guard, as you said.

Thank you!!

This reminds me of something my sister-in-law once shared. She told me that because "the accuser is cast down" she was alert to any blaming or accusation as not coming from God. After hearing that, I became more alert to the subtlest hints of blame in communications as something to be cast out of thought in favor of the reality of man's blameless, harmless, worthy status as the child of God.

In "the secret place of the most high" we are exempt from criticism, accusation, blame.

Thank you Mary Alice! I feel so blessed with the power to be a Sentinel. Love your lectures as you make everything so clear. So happy that these are available on your Daily Lifts.

Great Lift! Love the simplicity and clarity of this.
Thank you.
Norm

Thank you, Mary Alice. It is a perfect guide to uplift one through each day!!!

"Stand porter at the door of thought. Admitting only such conclusions as you wish realized in bodily results, you will control yourself harmoniously." S&H 392:24. I never thought of being a sentry as well as a porter. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thanks! A great reminder to companion your Sentry topic is Mary Baker Eddy's statement in S&H 392 : 24 - "Stand porter at the door of thought .Admitting only such conclusions as you wish realized in bodily results, you will control yourself harmoniously." If you circle the active verbs on page 392; master,overcome, rebuke, cast out, affirmation, held fast, reverse, Stand, control, exclude; you have powerful tools for keeping out the unwanted guests & letting in those welcome guests! [same is true of page 393].

Thanks Mary Alice! Love the idea to watch for the welcome guest, the Christ. Then we are equiped to detect the false and bar it from our consciousness. To be a good gardener, you have to know your plants well in order to weed properly the look-alikes invading the beds.

I liked this dailylift also. thank you. It reverses my normal way of being on watch for inner dark foreboding to get into a new habit of listening for the God {good} messages always there.
timely message for me today as I tend to tensely shut off in fear, of the other shoe falling sort of expectationl It occurs to me that this kind of state would close out the true and faithful voice that I needl thanik you very much. I look so forward each day to the dailylift

At regular intervals sentries have a "changing of the guard."
Our changing of the guard can be looking at circumstances from a higher and clearer perspective. And this spiritual viewpoint helps "enrich the affections of all mankind."

Your lift is like a pep talk to me this morning. Today is a day of choosing between fasting or feasting. Fasting from the unkind, unwanted suggestions that storm the door of consciousness for entry and feasting on the banquet Christ has already prepared for us. I'll take feasting, thank you; but I'll still keep watch!!

Thank you! "Hospitality to good" is one of my favorite paragraphs in S&H.
A good reminder to stay alert.

Choose wisely, discerning the right.

Many years ago when I was working as a groom for a top rider at a horse show, a fellow competitor came to my boss in a rush and asked what the course of jumps was since she had run out of time to check the posted chart. My boss pointed out jumps 1-2-3 etc. The rider was immediately called into the ring to perform and after jumping the first jump, whistles blew because she was "off course" and she was eliminated. My boss turned to me and said "never ask a competitor for the course plan".

I was shocked that my “good” boss had this capability. But, her point was never forgotten. Example: physical senses. Generally they give us useful help… reading the Bible, listening to inspired Lifts. Then on some occasion, they lie through their teeth about God and His divine order for man and we are a little shocked that whistles blow us “off course”. We must turn to THE official course plan.

The sentry of spiritual understanding and Christ influence helps us discern the guests to be believed....keeping us on course.

Your lifts are great Mary Alice!

Thank you, I've been so busy keeping out the bad, I've been forgetting to let in the good!

Thank you, Mary Alice. A strong reminder that we're not just guarding thought from error, but watching for the Christ - expecting and welcoming. I appreciated #3 Kate tweeting this message, #9 Bev's comparisons, #10 Ginny's prayer for reading rooms - good for church, too - and #11 In Progress. It's always great to have specific doable ways to "watch" and correct thought. Yeah, blame indicates another cause other than God; Good...we can be hypnotized by trying to figure out error and delay welcoming in the healing Christ. Thank you, everyone, for another daily spark to my prayers.

Love that "Halt who goes there?" Thank you!

Thank you Mary Alice, this Lift not only asks the question but it also gives the answer! There have been many times when I have wanted to ask God what I should do, and then answered my own question with "I know what He will say: He will say, "Love them!"" I remember times when it seemed impossible to do this, but keeping my own thoughts out of the way to allow God to lead the way with calm and loving thoughts, it always turned out well for everyone
Thank you Nate and the team; the Board of Lectureship and the lecturers; and the Daily Lift commenters..

Thanks, Mary Alice. "Halt! Who goes there???" Love it. Reminds me of the "knock-knock" game we used to play in Sunday School. "Knock-knock. I'm a thought that says, '(fill in the blank).' Am I a good thought or a bad thought? (take a moment to determine) So, do you let me in? Or, keep me out?" Thanks, again.

Thank you Mary Alice for the explanation of a sentry's duties and for explaining how we can effectively apply it to our thoughts. Also, thank you to number eleven for sharing the thought about casting out accusation, blame and criticism. I am grateful for the lift.

Thank you so much, Mary Alice! This builds wonderfully on yesterday's lift to always be looking for and recognizing God's goodness expressed. I love this take on "Watch" and will continue to work with it until it is a habit.

This lift reminds me of a time early in my study when I was dismayed to find someone close to me expressing a lot of resentment, which was causing a lot of discord. My prayers revealed the surprising fact that I was also reflecting that resentment back!! Recognizing the intruder in my own thought was the key to the freedom and healing.
Thanks also to those commenting, especially #10 Ginny, and In Progress #11.

This Lift is so excellent, complimented by the wonderful responses. So many thanks to all.

Excellent, Mary Rose, and also No. 10 ! Right on! Thank you for this lift, and thanks to all the people on the Lift team!

I needed this reminder today, thank you! I love the idea that we are watching for good.

" And we solemnly promise to WATCH (caps added), and pray for
that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to
do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and
to be merciful, just, and pure."
Sixth Tenet of Christian Science. Science and Health p. 496

And on the cover of our weekly periodical "The Christian Science Sentinel" we see "WHAT I SAY UNTO YOU I SAY UNTO ALL, WATCH" -- Jesus.

Good reminder, Mary Alice, to stay alert. and keep our spiritual eyes open...24/7!

On the front cover of
[the second I entitled Sentinel, intended to hold
guard over Truth, Life, and Love;]

I will now try to be an alert sentry. Allowing good admission into my daily thoughts. Thank you for this clear message, simple and easy to remember. Hugs of peace. c

.What a helpful thought and so needed. Thank you for this important reminder.

Thank you . This is a wonderful way to start each day by "Watching your thoughts" and looking for the good not the troublesome ones.

Than ls sooo much!!

Thanks. As the lesson this week shows, the only way we can ever be possibly deceived is through self-deception. No power exists apart from All-in-all. We must therefore act that way, whether we are at home or at work.

Thank you Mary Alice!
And MM said, glad to be a Sentinel -- that's a sentry too! Watching!

Mary Alice, what a great lift! It seems those "bad guys"(thoughts) have been getting past the sentry alot recently and I've been frustrated, feeling helpless, and just plain angry about what seem to be "injustices" in my life. Its time to allow the healing, uplifting ideas in! Really appreciate all the lifters and their comments. A bright today and tomorrow to all!

Thanks. That idea to know the truth so thoroughly that it automatically rejects anything unlike it was very helpful in my prayers to be a better sentry.

Thank you. A great message to start my day.

Wonderful Lift! Thank you, Mary Alice.
I would like to comment on #11's contribution today. I read somewhere that a Christian Science nurse was on a case and the thought that "There is no one and nothing to blame" came to her. She said that this truth has very been very helpful to her nursing cases and had contributed to healing. (Maybe someone else read this and knows where to find it.)

Thanks to all the other helpful commentors, too!

Thanks Mary for wonderful lift for explaining the role of sentry to allow only Christ like good thoughts which definitely benefit us & keeping a check on evil thoughts. Thanks again.

Thanks, Mary Rose. I loved the call of the sentry - Halt! Who goes there? as a reminder that we need to be constantly on watch to perceive and then separate welcome from unwelcome guests from entry into our consciousness. And thanks for the reminder that we always watch for only the good, that which is Christly, and that will automatically expose what doesn't belong. Great job everyone.

Excellent analogy which requires constant practice.Sometimes difficult to maintain;however "practice makes perfect"

Merci

Our leader saw CStists as the sentries of old, she warned us to be alert and “Watch and guard your own thoughts against evil suggestions and against malicious mental malpractice, wholly disloyal to the teachings of Christian Science” MY 130:2
She saw the importance of guarding our thoughts to “see whether they lead you to God and into harmony with His true followers. Guard and strengthen your own citadel more strongly” MY 213:20
She warned us “be a law to yourselves that mental malpractice cannot harm you either when asleep or when awake” S&H 442:30
And clarifies: “Mental malpractice is a bland denial of Truth, and is the antipode of CS” Mis. 31:2
ESPAÑOL
Nuestra guía vio los Científicos Cristianos como centinelas de antaño, nos advirtió que estemos alerta, dijo, "Vigilad y guardad vuestros propios pensamientos contra las sugestiones del mal y contra la mala práctica mental maliciosa, totalmente desleal a las enseñanzas de la CC" Miscelánea 130:2
Ella vio la importancia de cuidar nuestros pensamientos "Vigilad vuestros pensamientos, y ved si ellos os conducen hacia Dios y hacia la armonía con Sus verdaderos seguidores. Guardad y fortaleced vuestra propia ciudadela más fuertemente." Miscelánea 213:22
Nos avisó “Científicos Cristianos, sed una ley para con vosotros mismos que la malapráctica mental no puede dañaros, ni dormidos ni despiertos CyS 442:30
Y aclaró: " La malapráctica mental es una blanda negativa a la Verdad, y es el antípoda de la Ciencia Cristiana. Mis. 31:2

Thanks Mary Rose, you've put this important idea in such an accessible way. I love your quote from
Eddy to become more familiar with good than with evil. Thanks.

Thank you Mary Alice.

Thank you, Mary Rose and much appreciation for all comments, especially # 49 from Elena, who sums it up!l

I love the positive approach to guarding - focusing on the good & true. The more light of truth we let in leaves no room for darkness.

When Mary Baker Eddy discovered Christian Science, she thought it would be immediately and universally accepted but of course that wasn't the case. She felt that Christian Science was both a religious and scientific discovery. Before the First Church of Christ Science better known as The Mother Church was established, she taught the rules of C/S to others. I myself felt that the name of her discovery Christian (noting the religious aspect) and Science (noting the scientific aspect) Reflected how people would view her discovery.

A Bible verse says: "I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness." Psalm 84:10. I think we could substitute the word "sentry" for "doorkeeper." This is the first time I've submitted two comments to a LIFT, but it's really been fun and inspiring to think about this one. Thanks, Mary Alice!

Having served on active duty in the USMC, and stood guard duty numerous occasions, I wanted to add that after challenging someone with "Halt, who goes there?" the challenged person would identify themselves to the sentry and then be told, "Advance to be recognized." Once the challenged person advanced and was recognized, they would then be asked for the password to complete the process. I like to think of this process spiritually as you pointed out as well. When we voice the "Advanced to be recognized" challenge, we can know that only spiritual ideas, or angel thoughts, will be accepted by us for inclusion in our thoughts. Nice to know we can challenge and screen out the negative thoughts right up front and not accept the material lies into our life. Thanks for your great lift!

Thanks Mary Alice. I will be more alert to "welcome only ideas that benefit our house." I will add that to my list of ways to fulfill the requirement in the Manual of the Mother Church that each member "defend himself daily against aggressive mental suggestion" page 42.

Listening to this by phone, I looked up and my PC page had many news articles to click on, headlines hinting at the content. You brought out an important direction Mrs. Eddy gave us to look to, when she said we should become more familiar with good than with evil. I've not concentrated on looking for good in the many negative, even fearsome news stories. Simply dismissing reading the stories because of too much error involved, is in itself, being familiar with evil. I'd not seen that before. While I don't plan on chasing down evils to "clean up the news media act", Many stories are necessary for being an informed world, country and local community citizen. So with this Lift as inspiration, I can metaphysically edit the news and headlines, to expect results, even from those I never meet. I can search and find more good in any news event, and pray to know more good can be found in the masses that either need or just want to know the news. I already can list enlightenment, wishing for a sense of justice, and more. Now I see that with these, God won't feed them the wrong stuff. Good is already grabbing my attention! Thank you, Mary Alice, for not only a Lift to use for every part of my life, but especially to use when so much evil takes the stage of thought, and often deliberately so, in order to gain customer attention, and even to create controversy in many situations. #10 Ginny, #11 In Progress, #23 Nancy, & #28 Nela, Thanks. To All today, special thanks!!!!

How comforting!!

When I familiarize myself with good, the plentiness of good, that good itself keeps the evil out.

At today's testimony meeting in church, a man told how two masked men had come into his bakery and threatened his wife with a knife. He was in a back room and heard his wife scream. He went into the sales room and what happened was done through the power of Christ: He shouted at them: "Out, out!" and they were perplexed and went out without doing harm or stealing the earnings.

Thank you Mary Alice. We really had to help our little kitty, understand that it was Good to spiritually progress forward to an demonstration of eternal Life. And that Love was always with her. Her home was spiritual. Yes, my little kitty, is the best sentry.

Sunday, God told me, "it is not about kitty...it is about me"....that healing thought..which is really the first commandment reworded...helped her see...stop focusing on the material body...think about God and His Love. She was then able to express freedom and be with God...in His everlasting arms of Love.

So grateful to see all God's ideas..learn this concept of Goodness...to watch thoughts and be at peace with God's plan of progression.

Thank you Mary Alice. I always get something out of the Daily Lifts. The practical ideas by the responders help me watch or guard thought.

Good advice that recalls Shakespearean plays to me!

I love the clarity of this message for I had never thought of the term "watch" in that regard before. It makes perfect sense so thank you for sharing.

Mary Alice - Great Original perspective on "watching our thoughts" - love the proactive (e.g., looking for good) vs reactive (blocking bad) stance. Now on to put it into practice.

Mary Alice, most grateful for the idea of welcoming in only wanted guests. Also so grateful to every one who elaborated this idea so simply and deeply. What I can add perhaps that is to live by this idea is the best way to go but if you have already unwelcome guests in your house the as some of readers mentioned, again we need to know what is good in our garden before casting (or rooting up) all unwanted thoughts out Though this process sometimes takes time humanly but the harvest is bountiful! Thank you..

Thank you, Mary. This helps me with my overnight shift here in the gatehouse.

very inspiring ... thank you Mary

This is such an important thought--to "be so familiar with the wanted guests" that it helps us recognize and turn away unwated thoughts. Very helpful! Thank you!

What a glorious message. So freeing, Mary and Lifters.

I was teaching "Stand porter at the door of thought. (Science and Health pg 392 line 24)" to a teen incarcerated in maximum detention. I was contemplating how to explain "porter," when he said, "Yes! Be your own bouncer!" Not what I had in mind, but such a clear thought for him. After our discussion regarding the application of this truth, he advanced rapidly.

Many thanks, Mary Alice, for a fresh view of the idea of being a sentry, or porter. I really needed this! It is all too easy for me to get so focused on challenging or denying the bad, that I forget to recognize and affirm the good. All of the comments have been most helpful as well. I especially appreciated Ginny #10's thoughts on the Reading Room; In Progress #11 and Melanie #45 on recognizing that there is no one and nothing to blame (I hadn't seen the quote about the accuser being cast down in quite that light before); J.S. #58 on handling the challenge of negativity in the news; and #69's delightful "Be your own bouncer."

A phrase that occurred to me from the Christian Science Hymnal is this: "Then all of Truth you must approve and only know the real." (Hymn #5) Sounds almost like a job description for the sentry (or, as Bev #9 mentioned, for the counterfeit bill checker).

So much food for thought (and action!) today. Thanks to all.

I love the Sentry thought. It reminds me, as one who watches, to "Mark the Perfect Man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace" as Psalms 37:37 has it. I have to keep reminding the Sentry in me to Mark the Perfect Man, as opposed to the human view, of people I observe, particularly when I observe disappointing behavior in myself and others.

YES!!! Thank you!!!

Thank you that's brilliant. As I find myself becoming increasingly companioned and in relationship with God, 'dwelling in the secret place of the most High', I do indeed find that I am SO much more conscious of unwanted, negative thoughts before they have a chance to take any hold. It's so much brighter 'in here' that a dark spot suddenly appearing is so easily seen and alerted to. Your wonderful lft is both very uplifting, helpful and confirming of this Truth.
Thanks again.
Love Mandi

Thank you so much Mary for the interestig and helpful lift.