An addendum to my introduction:

A striking event occurred in 1998.

I was operating a front end loader, scooping horse poop out of the horse stalls, and upon returning the loader to the shop, the engine blew up. The cab was filled with fire. I clearly remember asking God, “What is this?”

I knew the answer, “It’s okay, I am more powerful.”

As I moved to try and jump out of a small window, I noticed I was on fire and thought, I’m on fire.

The conviction again reaffirmed itself, It’s okay, I am more powerful.

Once outside the window, I noticed the front end loader’s wheels were still turning and the ground was far away.

It’s okay, I am more powerful.

I jumped, but do not remember crash landing onto the gravel road. I do specifically remember seeing the fire blaze (the loader was ruined) and I prayed that God would not let the fire spread. We lived in a desert, where fire is dreaded. Then it was quiet, and I had an experience similar to what people call near-death. This experience can be related in words, however, words are inadequate to express the impression it left on me. There is no death. God is Life. Nothing can kill God. God is my life.

Someone found me on the side of the road and took me to the Kennewick hospital’s emergency room. I regained consciousness. The emergency room doctor had x-rays taken and discovered a fatally bleeding liver. He went to locate a surgeon to stop the bleeding liver. I felt penetrated by the awareness of God as my life.

Something did need to be done. I did need help and for some reason that old adage “no pain, no gain,” came to mind. I thought, “But, Christ’s healing is painless.” Humanity is reached by the Christ-spirit, ever operating with compassion and wisdom.

Once the surgeon came, he observed the monitors that I was hooked up to and realized I was stabilizing. He watched me seriously for the next 9 hours before determining that the liver surgery was not necessary.

During that time, the surgeon asked me if I wanted pain relievers. I said, No thank you. The third time he asked, I wondered to God, What do you want me to say?

These words came out of my mouth, “I don’t feel pain, I don’t feel unconscious, I feel healing.”

I tangibly felt pain drain from the surgeon, and was humbled. I had been praying for myself, and neglected to see that the people around me, who saw me deformed and helpless, were in anguish just looking at me. That milieu of pain was removed and the healing progressed forward.

Then, the 2^nd degree burns on half of my face became an issue. The nurses washed the gravel out of the burnt skin as gently as they could. The nurses were wonderful.

Within three days, Doug took me home. Doug had to take care of me for about a week. One day, while contemplating the allness of God, I felt and heard my fractured shoulder bone go into place. It healed fine. After three weeks I was snowmobiling and attending to my Christian Science public practice.

I’m still learning from this remarkable experience. In other words, a particular human life experience, even a grandiose experience, does not guarantee special spiritual status. My spiritual growth continues, even though I buck it sometimes.

I marvel and am humbled when I meet people who are on spiritual journeys. Welcome to Everyday Spirituality, I look forward to meeting you.