(c) By: Sharon Slaton Howell
Carved platypus sits atop bookcase
Made from rare Tasmanian wood
By our dear Aussie friend --
WWII veteran of the Pacific campaign,
Devoted husband and father,
Generous friend to many,
And a follower of Jesus Christ.
What "puts me on another plane"
He used to say to us, is poetry
On eternal themes;
Reading, writing, and encouraging
Others to pursue this joyful
And heavenly occupation.
I feel he is writing still,
Life made even more fruitful
By that unseen felt Presence
So many poets know.
This poem refers to Paul Jones of whom a close friend and I were speaking this week. It's from one of my books, "And Angels Smile".
But what has prompted me to share this, and do this blog post this morning is gratitude for the religion Paul and I and my friend have been fortunate enough to practice--Christian Science. I recall two memorable things this Australian told me along the lines of the help he got during the war years. He was engaged in jungle warfare in the Solomon Islands and said what brought him through ferocious fighting was realizing that he was one with God, that he and God were not two, but one and that one was God.
This is brought out in something Mary Baker Eddy writes in her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, page 18: "Jesus of Nazareth taught and demonstrated man's oneness with the Father, and for this we owe him endless homage."
Paul also told us of an outstanding healing he had when he returned from the fighting. Recurrent malaria was a challenge. He was dramatically healed with the help of a dedicated Christian Science practitioner in the Melbourne, Australia branch church. This instance of Christ-healing, along with those which thousands of others have experienced through the years, validate what Christian Science claims: that a practical knowledge of the truths underlying the Master's healing works gets results.
