Hi to all of you. I have a little story from my own life in sobriety that I want to share with you guys. To begin with, I should probably tell you that I'd spent all of my past life living in a lot of shame about myself. And, to be honest, I had plenty to be ashamed of. I was no angel. While a large portion of those feelings went away as I worked through Step 9 and completed my amends, I know I still had this niggling feeling that God might not be all that pleased with me. Stuff like that doesn't always just completely go away all at once....or, maybe I wasn't letting go of it. I'm not sure. Nevertheless, one evening God reached into me and healed that small bit of left-over pain, and He used my toddler to do it.
My youngest son, Patrick had drawn and colored one of his many pictures for me, and he climbed up on my lap to give it to me. I held the picture in my hands as he told me all about it and pointed out the most significant highlights. It was a colorful depiction of various family members playing out in the front yard, and I was totally elated with it. Now, I should tell you that, from an artistic perspective, it was far from perfect. The people's heads were oddly out of proportion with strangely colored faces and the grass and trees were a blend of colors I had never seen before. No art dealer would've given you a nickel for it....but, to me it was priceless. Oh...make no mistake...it was full of imperfections. Yet...to me it was absolutely perfect. It was one of the greatest gifts I've ever been given, and I loved it because it came from him.
As Patrick sat there on my lap sharing his picture with me, something amazing happened to me: Like a sudden burst of light inside me, I saw that God was seeing me just exactly like I was seeing Patrick and his imperfect picture. I saw that my imperfections just plain didn't matter to Him. I saw that I'm priceless to Him, and He loves me because I'm His child.
Today...when I pray, I picture myself climbing up on God's lap and He is pleased with me...imperfections and all. Blessings, Mike D.
....the spiritual awakening...not a fantasy at all. Pure reality. "....God can and will if He is sought". Good on you Mike. Happy you got that gift...more to come.
Hmmm - nice :) I have had these moments of clarity and they have heaved me into that 4th dimension also. What a waste to think we know better than God eh?
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Thanks for everything. Peace and Love on your journey.
Great story. I've heard a similar story from the stand point of if you have 1 child or 10 children you wouldn't love any one less or more than the other right? If we are childeren of God, then why would he love me or you less than anyone else?
That helps shape my Higher Power.
Have a blessed day!
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Willingness without action is fantasy!
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.