Brooks changes course

Leslie Cavill Haslam

One day Brooks did one wrong thing after another. Instead of getting dressed when he was supposed to, he played with his toy dinosaurs. That made Mom late for work. He yelled at his sister when she picked up his book. At dinner he fooled around with his food instead of eating it. Mom started to get angry.

By bedtime Brooks was in tears because he'd had such a horrible day. When Mom came to his room to tuck him in and say prayers with him, he asked, "Can you give me some thoughts about God." Brooks and Mom had talked before about how God can help us even if we feel sick or sad. So Mom read this sentence from Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy: "If you believe in and practise wrong knowingly, you can at once change your course and do right."^{Science and Health, p. 253.}

"What does 'change your course' mean?" Brooks wanted to know. Mom said, "If I were driving our car down the road and we were heading for a tree, I would turn the steering wheel so we wouldn't crash. That would change the direction, or course, of the car. When you argue with Meghan or fight with a friend, it feels as if you are going to crash into them. To stop, you can 'change your course and do right.' "

Brooks liked that. He could change his course by changing how he thought and acted. He could choose which thoughts he wanted for his own, and choosing good ones from God would help him.

In his Christian Science Sunday School, Brooks learned that God is all good. What God knows is true. What He knows about His children is what we really are. When we let God's thoughts direct us, we see the right way to act. Then if we need to change our course, we see how to do it.

The talk with Mom helped Brooks feel happier. She gave him a hug and kiss, and they prayed together, being so glad that God is Father-Mother Love.

After that when things started going wrong, Brooks was much better at changing his course. Sometimes he just stopped himself in his tracks and started to do right. One time he knew Mom wasn't feeling well. Still, Brooks asked her to get his breakfast, to help him with the toothpaste, and to pick out his school clothes.

Then he suddenly thought, "Mom is having a hard time today but I'm making things worse for her." So Brooks changed his course. "Would you like me to take out the trash today?" he asked Mom. After supper he even did the dishes. Brooks felt good about that.

Choosing good thoughts and getting on the right course helps Brooks and his family to be happier. One of the Beatitudes that Christ Jesus gave his followers says, "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God,"^{Matt. 5:9.} and that's the way it really is.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

Brooks changes course

JSH Collections

Too many angels to count!

We'd love to hear from you!