by W. Bindley-Center Point, TX
1..2..3..4..5..6..7, All good children go to Heaven is an even more appropriate rhyme these days!
1. Our family, centered on true love, pledges to establish the Kingdom of God on earth and in Heaven, the original ideal of creation, by restoring the original homeland.
True Parents, in giving us this new family pledge, are asking us to restore all that was lost to God in the first seven days (periods) of the creation.
If we look at each one in turn we are restoring the true value to each number.
Where did the original homeland begin? In the heart of God. We are pledging that we will realize that ideal and make God's dream come true. Isn't that what we all desire, too, to see our hopes and dreams come true? What more wonderful pledge to make than to determine before and above all else to heal our Heavenly Parents' shattered heart?
2. Our family, centered on true love, pledges to perfect the way of filial sons and daughters in the family, patriots in the nation, saints in the world, and holy sons and daughters in the cosmos, by dedicating ourselves to God and True parents and by becoming a central family that represents the cosmos.
This is basically the restoration of the first blessing, unity of mind and body and the restoration of the number "2". Once we have decided in our hearts to mend God's broken heart, then we need to figure out how to set about doing it. As with Adam and Noah and now with us, we are with this Family Pledge receiving God's blessing, and this time we have all the knowledge we need to embody and reproduce and multiply it. We have to create ourselves. This means changing our thoughts, because our thoughts determine who we are and ultimately our destiny. Before we can accomplish on a larger scale, we must be master of our own territory-our bodies. How can we rule over anything if we don't have dominion over ourselves? This can only happen by taking charge, then taking full responsibility for everything. That means no complaints, no blaming of others, no judging, no expecting everyone else to change, no resentment, no feeling victimized, passed over, ill-treated, etc., etc., etc.
Accept fully everything, every situation, every relationship and see it as it truly is: a lesson in s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g your heart to love more. Check your reaction to what is being said to you by those around you, family, spouse, children, teachers, parents, coworkers, leaders. Everyone has a message for you if you are willing to receive it, to expect and look for it. Check your reaction (your heart) when you have to wait in line and you have an appointment to make, or you are stopped for speeding for the third time that month, or you snapped at the children again for no apparent reason. CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS! When niggling ones enter your mind, dismiss them-just tell them that they do not belong to you, and watch them go.
Does this sound like "mission impossible"? Of course, it is if you try to go it alone. You are not alone, however; not only are you not alone, but you have your own cheering section egging you on all the time. Check in to base, don't drift along in space. Center yourself each morning (and night); offer yourself completely to God through someone else. Or else, ask Him to give someone an experience through you; then, relax and watch and see what happens. Just like fundraising: it may come early on or in the last moment of the day, but come it will. Your days will become exciting as you play this game-the game of Life. You will become an expert at spotting the clues left by spirit world-the ladders and the snakes. Eventually, you will begin to see the moves ahead of you: then you will be captain of your own ship.
3. Our family, centered on true love, pledges to perfect the Four Great Realms of Heart, the Three Great Kingships and the Realm of the Royal Family.
Once you have control over your thoughts, you have control over your body. Then you can begin to expand your territory as you will have learned that by sending out good thoughts, these will have created a good atmosphere, good vibrations, good environment and a good home base. People will naturally be drawn to such a safe place. They will seek you out for help, guidance and counseling; your sphere of influence will widen.
4. Our family, centered on true love, pledges to fully realize the world of freedom, peace, unification and happiness by creating one great family on the cosmic level, which is God's ideal of creation.
Number 4 is the restoration of the third blessing. Once your home has become a haven of peace and a place of welcome for all, then other families will want to know what you know, do what you do, be as you are. So the ideal community is born.
5. Our family, centered on true love, pledges to strive daily for greater development toward the unity between the spiritual world (subject) and the physical world (object).
As we have restored ourselves through re-creating our thoughts, the restoration of our harmonized selves occurs. We become the resonator between the two worlds, the true microcosm of the cosmos. We will be sound of mind and body. We have no further need to be attached to addictions of any kind whether of spirit or of body. As we are in tune, we will not only hear the sound of creation, but will be the conductor and arranger, also.
6. Our family, centered on true love, pledges to become an ideal family that multiplies God's blessings to our surroundings, by being the family that represents God and True Parents and that can mobilize heavenly fortune.
This is the restoration of the number 6, the number of creation: the number stolen from God, lost by Adam and lost by Eve, the 666 taken by Satan. Now we can claim our rightful inheritance, all that has been lost, hidden, held back from us, will be freely given.
7. Our family, centered on true love, pledges to fully realize a world of shimjung culture that is connected to the original blood lineage.
"On the seventh day, God rested...."
As the world of heart (shimjung) is fully realized, as God sees His own children, grandchildren, great-, great-great-, great-great-great- grandchildren, and so on, and can walk and talk freely with them, imagine the energy, the joy, the laughter, the singing and dancing, the happiness being generated: what a world!
We absolutely can do it-only by changing our thoughts, by thinking only good, isn't that powerful, isn't it awesome? So watch it-someone is thinking about you. Make sure they are thinking something good about you by making sure you have thought something good about them first.