Gratitude for what's been offered us in our lives softens the harsh attitudes we occasionally harbor. Life presents us with an assortment of blessings; some bring us immediate joy; some invite tears; others foster fear. What we need help in understanding is that all experiences are meant for our good, all bless us in some manner. If we are able to see the big picture, we'd greet all situations, large and small, with a thankful heart.
It's so very easy to wish away our lives, never finding satisfaction with our families, our jobs, and our friends. The more we find fault with life, the more fault we are guaranteed to find. Negative attitudes attract negative experiences; while positive attitudes lighten whatever burden we may be learning from.
The years pass so quickly. Our chances to enjoy life pass quickly too. We can grab what comes our way and be grateful. We are never certain that this experience offered now might not be our last.
Each morning I awake is blessing number one.
Phil said
Aug 8, 2005
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with God, and across the sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonging to God, and the other to me.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me, I look back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that many times along the path of my life, there was only one set of footprints. I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest time in my life. This really bothered me and I questioned God about it.
God, You said that once I decided to follow You, You would walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I do not understand why, in times when I needed You most, You should leave me alone.
Then GOD replied
My precious child, I love you and would never, never leave you wondering during your time of trial and suffering. When you saw only one set of footprints in the sand, it was then that I carried you.
Rick said
Aug 8, 2005
Hey Buddy
footprints in the sand
It hangs on my front porch
My wife's request-- If I should pass make sure footprints in the sand is there too.
Got a little tough yesterday afternoon-- had to come jump on the site.
worked great, got me thru my crap
re--life is short--been thinking alot about this lately
I lost my puppy a while back, one minute how beautiful my 2 dogs are. one half hour --life is short one dog and a dead pup.
My one cat Junior is now missing a few days, I have hope, but I live in the woods, foxes, coyotes, and lots of other animals. My heart says-- I hope your running and playing in heaven.
If by some reason he returns Great!! Right now i'm feeling or thinking how short life can be!!
Lost my dad a year ago, heart attack at age 72, not really old today. Real sudden--Life Is short.
Not doing one thing I planed on doing. Maybe I'm posting like GOD would want mr too??
Been some great threads lately
no time to reread my post hope it's ok
Have a great sober day all of you Rick
Phil said
Aug 8, 2005
As a man, I used to think it was weak to show feelings Rick.
We hid how we felt behind that scripted pride, ego, and maucho stuff. And showed love through material things.
Its good to be able to feel today hu Bud? Its good to be able to show and say how we feel.
I used to think it was a weakness. Well-Bullcrap> Its a strength.
Some days those are feelings of pain--but its ok --it really is.
Our pets become a part of us too. Had a beautiful dog of 10 years run after a cat and get hit by a truck. That dog crawled of a highway with 3 legs and a broken hip, to the front door of the house and whined for help.
As she lay on a table in the vets office--I looked into that dogs eyes, before she got her last needle-she knew and I knew the end had come--but you know the message i got from that moment? Pure love--pure love from her to I, saying thanku for being a part of each others lives.
Yaaa-I know how you feel buddy, and its ok-it really is. Luv yu my freind. Luv yu.
Phil said
Aug 8, 2005
Yu know Rick--your thoughts this morning brought back that pain. That pain that I stuffed inside for 2 years, and never dealt with , and never let go of.
It came to the surface, this morning. I had a choice of stuffing it or dealing with it. I felt that pain--all of it--went to a waterfall closeby and let it out-and let it go.
How much pain in our lives do we just stuff? Shove it down inside-cover it over--avoid it.
Ive had to start digging inside and have had to start bringing pain out in different amounts to the surface over the last few days--looking at it-feeling it-and letting it go.
Every time I do-its a release--a release towards freedom from bondage of self, and a release from yesterday.
Not easy but a must.
That shit and pain can sit there--and it comes out periodically in anger, and other negative crap towards myself and others.
Sooner or later--as an alcoholic, I know that I would drink to ease that pain. The thoughts been there many times. The only thing that has stopped me was fear of consequenses.
12 steps-wanna be free?-gotta do em, and let God continuously do-- what we cannot do for ourselves.
Thanku Rick. You have a good day Bud!!
wantneeda said
Aug 8, 2005
hi there
another one of those days where i can't start a new thread...sigh...so if you don;'t mind i'll add my day here
been doing lots of turning it over the last couple of days...i think back over the last year...where i was..where i am today...i'm a different girl. I was letting some things..ya ok...lets get real here...a relationship... cloud my priorities. I thought if i did what i thought he wanted i'd get what i want. Instead i got what i needed, and today i think...i say..i think...i'm ok with that. My heart hurts but i'll live. I don't have to drink over it. My ego wants me to drink, to take a hiatus from life and my responsibilities, my pain and guilt and shame but my spriit is stronger today, ego ain't gonna win.
Doing lots of meetings..and good meetings, last night was on step 11. God gave me 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason. Been reading my BB lots. How it works...the more i read the more it sets in. How different stuff jumps off the pages when i need it. Am i grateful?? you betcha! A year ago i had no home, no job, no self respect, my girls had no faith in me what so ever. I ;ve come a long way, i ain't givin' up. Someone out there will never have the little bit of serenity i've known. They'll never know what it's like to live on the other side of the street. I've known hell and had a little taste of freedom. What is my purpose today? To stay clean and sober, and the rest will follow. If i'm sittin and stewin' in the past or concerned about my future how can i possibly make concious contact with my HP today? How can i hear my HP if i'm not listening? So today i'm practicing stillness and being in the moment. There are some things i've been putting off doing because i'm scared of success, tell an addict to do something and 9 times out of ten we ain't gonna do it. I know what i should do...so today i'm not gonna 'should' on myself.
Ya Phil, life is short...but i have today to make the best of.
Open to trust
“When I grip the wheel too tight, I find I lose control.”
-- Steve Rapson
WE SEEK TO CONTROL OUR LIVES WHEN WE DO NOT TRUST, WHEN WE DO NOT LOVE. Our ego, perceiving itself to be vulnerable and insecure, uses control in an effort to protect itself.
At the root of our need to control, we find FEAR. It may be fear of the unknown. Fear of not coping. Fear of loss. Or possibly even fear of looking stupid. And as our efforts to control other people and events invariably fail, our fear increases.
Trust, on the other hand, is a quality of the soul. While control is a tool of the mind, TRUST AND FAITH ARE ASPECTS OF THE HEART. Trust comes with the deep knowing that we are spiritual beings in physical bodies. When we trust enough in life to give up our need to control, we can relax and open to the flow of energy in our lives. This brings peace of mind.
"The only real security in life lies in relishing life's insecurity."
-- M. Scott Peck
If i stay in the moment, i have nothing to fear.
have a great sober 24 and i'll take one for myself
Gratitude for what's been offered us in our lives softens the harsh attitudes we occasionally harbor. Life presents us with an assortment of blessings; some bring us immediate joy; some invite tears; others foster fear. What we need help in understanding is that all experiences are meant for our good, all bless us in some manner. If we are able to see the big picture, we'd greet all situations, large and small, with a thankful heart.
It's so very easy to wish away our lives, never finding satisfaction with our families, our jobs, and our friends. The more we find fault with life, the more fault we are guaranteed to find. Negative attitudes attract negative experiences; while positive attitudes lighten whatever burden we may be learning from.
The years pass so quickly. Our chances to enjoy life pass quickly too. We can grab what comes our way and be grateful. We are never certain that this experience offered now might not be our last.
Each morning I awake is blessing number one.
flashed scenes from my life. For each scene I noticed two sets of
footprints in the sand. One belonging to God, and the other to me.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me, I look back at the
footprints in the sand. I noticed that many times along the path of
my life, there was only one set of footprints. I also noticed that
it happened at the very lowest and saddest time in my life. This
really bothered me and I questioned God about it.
God, You said that once I decided to follow You, You would walk
with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints.
I do not understand why, in times when I needed You most,
You should leave me alone.
Then GOD replied
My precious child,
I love you and would never, never leave you wondering during your
time of trial and suffering. When you saw only one set of
footprints in the sand, it was then that I carried you.
Hey Buddy
footprints in the sand
It hangs on my front porch
My wife's request-- If I should pass make sure footprints in the sand is there too.
Got a little tough yesterday afternoon-- had to come jump on the site.
worked great, got me thru my crap
re--life is short--been thinking alot about this lately
I lost my puppy a while back, one minute how beautiful my 2 dogs are. one half hour --life is short one dog and a dead pup.
My one cat Junior is now missing a few days, I have hope, but I live in the woods, foxes, coyotes, and lots of other animals. My heart says-- I hope your running and playing in heaven.
If by some reason he returns Great!! Right now i'm feeling or thinking how short life can be!!
Lost my dad a year ago, heart attack at age 72, not really old today. Real sudden--Life Is short.
Not doing one thing I planed on doing. Maybe I'm posting like GOD would want mr too??
Been some great threads lately
no time to reread my post hope it's ok
Have a great sober day all of you Rick
As a man, I used to think it was weak to show feelings Rick.
We hid how we felt behind that scripted pride, ego, and maucho stuff. And showed love through material things.
Its good to be able to feel today hu Bud? Its good to be able to show and say how we feel.
I used to think it was a weakness. Well-Bullcrap> Its a strength.
Some days those are feelings of pain--but its ok --it really is.
Our pets become a part of us too. Had a beautiful dog of 10 years run after a cat and get hit by a truck. That dog crawled of a highway with 3 legs and a broken hip, to the front door of the house and whined for help.
As she lay on a table in the vets office--I looked into that dogs eyes, before she got her last needle-she knew and I knew the end had come--but you know the message i got from that moment? Pure love--pure love from her to I, saying thanku for being a part of each others lives.
Yaaa-I know how you feel buddy, and its ok-it really is. Luv yu my freind. Luv yu.
Yu know Rick--your thoughts this morning brought back that pain. That pain that I stuffed inside for 2 years, and never dealt with , and never let go of.
It came to the surface, this morning. I had a choice of stuffing it or dealing with it. I felt that pain--all of it--went to a waterfall closeby and let it out-and let it go.
How much pain in our lives do we just stuff? Shove it down inside-cover it over--avoid it.
Ive had to start digging inside and have had to start bringing pain out in different amounts to the surface over the last few days--looking at it-feeling it-and letting it go.
Every time I do-its a release--a release towards freedom from bondage of self, and a release from yesterday.
Not easy but a must.
That shit and pain can sit there--and it comes out periodically in anger, and other negative crap towards myself and others.
Sooner or later--as an alcoholic, I know that I would drink to ease that pain. The thoughts been there many times. The only thing that has stopped me was fear of consequenses.
12 steps-wanna be free?-gotta do em, and let God continuously do-- what we cannot do for ourselves.
Thanku Rick. You have a good day Bud!!
hi there
another one of those days where i can't start a new thread...sigh...so if you don;'t mind i'll add my day here
been doing lots of turning it over the last couple of days...i think back over the last year...where i was..where i am today...i'm a different girl. I was letting some things..ya ok...lets get real here...a relationship... cloud my priorities. I thought if i did what i thought he wanted i'd get what i want. Instead i got what i needed, and today i think...i say..i think...i'm ok with that. My heart hurts but i'll live. I don't have to drink over it. My ego wants me to drink, to take a hiatus from life and my responsibilities, my pain and guilt and shame but my spriit is stronger today, ego ain't gonna win.
Doing lots of meetings..and good meetings, last night was on step 11. God gave me 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason. Been reading my BB lots. How it works...the more i read the more it sets in. How different stuff jumps off the pages when i need it. Am i grateful?? you betcha! A year ago i had no home, no job, no self respect, my girls had no faith in me what so ever. I ;ve come a long way, i ain't givin' up. Someone out there will never have the little bit of serenity i've known. They'll never know what it's like to live on the other side of the street. I've known hell and had a little taste of freedom. What is my purpose today? To stay clean and sober, and the rest will follow. If i'm sittin and stewin' in the past or concerned about my future how can i possibly make concious contact with my HP today? How can i hear my HP if i'm not listening? So today i'm practicing stillness and being in the moment. There are some things i've been putting off doing because i'm scared of success, tell an addict to do something and 9 times out of ten we ain't gonna do it. I know what i should do...so today i'm not gonna 'should' on myself.
Ya Phil, life is short...but i have today to make the best of.
Open to trust
“When I grip the wheel too tight, I find I lose control.”
-- Steve Rapson
WE SEEK TO CONTROL OUR LIVES WHEN WE DO NOT TRUST, WHEN WE DO NOT LOVE. Our ego, perceiving itself to be vulnerable and insecure, uses control in an effort to protect itself.
At the root of our need to control, we find FEAR. It may be fear of the unknown. Fear of not coping. Fear of loss. Or possibly even fear of looking stupid. And as our efforts to control other people and events invariably fail, our fear increases.
Trust, on the other hand, is a quality of the soul. While control is a tool of the mind, TRUST AND FAITH ARE ASPECTS OF THE HEART. Trust comes with the deep knowing that we are spiritual beings in physical bodies. When we trust enough in life to give up our need to control, we can relax and open to the flow of energy in our lives. This brings peace of mind.
"The only real security in life lies in relishing life's insecurity."
-- M. Scott Peck
If i stay in the moment, i have nothing to fear.
have a great sober 24 and i'll take one for myself
hugs, Wendy