Great post RubyT ... Yep, ... meetings are certainly at the core of recovery .... and I especially love the 'so-called' 'meeting before the meeting' and the 'meeting after the meeting', LOL ... that's where a lot of 'fellowship' occurs which translates to a lot of healing ...
P.S. It's always been my contention that those who are 'Serious' about recovery soon learn the value of going to meetings early and staying late ... it has been my observation that those who are the 'old timers' are always there 20-30 minutes early and stay 20-30 minutes later than the scheduled meeting times ... it's that 'one-on-one' time we value so much that makes us much more than friends, it's makes us family ...
-- Edited by Pythonpappy on Friday 25th of January 2013 09:23:40 PM
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
My home group was so great today. It was a birthday meeting and I was on the edge of my seat listening to a woman share who was celebrating one year. Funny enough, I cancelled another meeting (sort of related to work) in order to be at this meeting, and I am so glad I did. The woman and I had so many similarities. I also ran into another woman I've seen at a couple of meetings and we set up a coffee date for next week. I hung around after the meeting for the first time and had some chats with folks. It was good.
Pray for those cravings to be removed. People here told me that and I did it even though I had no clue what I was doing - who i was 'doing' it to, and it still worked!
Other than the serenity prayer which I was FORCED to say at the end of meetings because I couldn't look like the stubborn anti-religious person I actually WAS in the beginning - not in a room full of seemingly religious FREAKS - I hadn't said any kind of prayer other than the 5 yr old gimme type!
So it was a very very odd thing for me to now be praying for something so serious, and to have to scramble together something to be praying at. Well, there was no time for that. I just had to pray to have the desire to drink be removed and fast - I couldn't wait around until I knew what I was praying to! Actually, I didn't think I would ever really figure that out - but - I was so sick of being so sick that I was WILLING to do anything, and they said pray so I prayed and prayed out LOUD!
I guess that's when the real step three sunk in - and I had truly made the decision to work this thing - and I did - and I still am - and it works when you work it!!!! Imagine that - what works for millions can work for me too! I thought I was sooooooooooooo special - that it couldn't possibly work for me - I was different, just exactly like the million other thought too... and then the 'ah crap' moment came where I realized thinking that I'm unique in the same way everyone with alcoholism thinks their unique is just one more GLARING evidence of the fact that I have a common disease with a simple solution. Then the 'just do it' whisper came from no where and that was the push I needed to get me here chatting with a lovely lady like yoU : ) Love you Ruby xoxo
-- Edited by justadrunk on Saturday 26th of January 2013 08:46:52 AM
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Thanks for everything. Peace and Love on your journey.
Hey Ya'll, ... that reminds me of something I posted a long time ago that might help RubyT ... maybe not, but here goes:
I was really struggling with all this 'higher power' and praying talk in AA ... My sponsor told me when I went home that night, that I was to get on my knees and pray to God, thanking Him for the day ... I said I wasn't going to do it ... I didn't believe in it or that it would do any good, I hate you, I hate the group, I hate AA, SO, I wasn't going to be a hypocrite ...
He said THAT doesn't make any difference what-so-ever and what I thought did not matter ... He said that it's the ACTION you're taking, that you don't know you're taking, that's going to cause all these things to happen, that you had no idea was going to happen ... and once all the things happen that you had no idea was going to happen, then what you think needs to happen, will never need to happen ... then it's going to happen over there ... I said what's going to happen over there ... He said 'We don't know, but it ALWAYS happens' ... I said well I understood all that for God's sake, heehee ...
He told me God was not going to depend on me for my relationship with Him ... He told me God would take care of that all by Himself ... So re-read pgs. 86 & 87 in the BB and follow the suggestions ... and at some point, it's going to happen ... and you'll be amazed at what changes will come about, in you ...
Pg. 84 "Are these extravagant promises? ... We think not, they are being fulfilled among us ..... sometimes QUICKLY ..... sometimes SLOWLY. They will always materialize if we work for them ..."
Love Ya'll and God Bless,
Pappy
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Aloha Ruby and mahalo for that post and the second on cravings. For me there is nothing so valuable at time than the meeting after the meeting where my life is crowded with people in the program. During those times when the alternative was to be alone with the person I ought not be alone with the "family" saved my sanity and serenity and life. Prayerfully you will come to the point that you will always be were you are meant to be...standing side by side with your HP. (((hugs)))
