The big green jalopy

Amantha Thayer Holcomb

When we bought my new bike I could hardly wait to ride it. It was a two-wheeler. There were no training wheels to hold me up.

My dad and I went to a parking lot so he could teach me to ride. I was really happy because right away I could ride the bike.

On one side of the parking lot there was a banged-up old green jalopy. It had wrinkled fenders and a bent bumper. I rode close to the car and banged into it. My bike and I fell down. It didn't hurt the car, but it sure didn't feel good to me.

My dad helped me up, and I began riding again around the parking lot. When I got near the big green car again, I felt I was being pulled toward it. I ran into it again. It happened a third time too. Then my dad said we ought to talk about God and Christian Science.

He told me there wasn't any power in the car to pull me toward it. He said that was the way error works, making us believe it's a power outside ourselves. Actually, only our fear makes us think something has power over us. He called the error animal magnetism, but he said it didn't have any power to act like a magnet.

We talked some more about God being Love and about His power. It wasn't until then that I realized what my fear was. I told my dad I was afraid I couldn't stop. We both laughed. Then we practiced stopping by backpedaling, until I knew how to make the bike stop.

Then I got on my bike and rode right past that big old green car. Error, or animal magnetism, couldn't make me bang into it anymore, because I wasn't afraid.

Later that evening my dad and I were talking about this. He said it was a good lesson for me to learn now. He read these sentences to me from Science and Health on page 102 where Mrs. Eddy uses the Bible name "Spirit" for God and says: "There is but one real attraction, that of Spirit. The pointing of the needle to the pole symbolizes this all-embracing power or the attraction of God, divine Mind."

It made me feel good to know that only God has the power to control my actions. I don't have to be afraid of any of error's "big green jalopies."

[Healing experiences in Sentinel articles for children as well as adults are carefully verified.]

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Testimony of Healing

There was a time when I greatly feared for my life because of...

January 15, 1979

Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit