Today may my prayers help me realize I cannot control everything. To put the world in order, We must first put the nation in order; To put the nation in order, We must first put the family in order; To put the family in order, We must first set our hearts right.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Courage is very important. Like a muscle, it is strengthened by use. --Ruth Gordon
All of us fear the unfamiliar at times; and it's nothing to be ashamed of to occasionally feel frightened by everyday events. We can still forget that God is always with us and, thus, allow fear to take over.
We're learning in recovery, though, that we can empower ourselves through the magic of belief. Acting as If we feel that extra bit of courage and that we sense God's presence protecting us can dissipate our fears and bring us new confidence. In doing this, we will gradually come to know the inner resources God has given us. The more we acknowledge our courage, the more it becomes a working part of our life.
We often unnecessarily complicate matters by thinking we have to face things by ourselves. We forget that our spiritual program offers us ready relief from the terror of feeling alone. God offers us the strength and courage to meet each challenge. We only have to accept.
I will remember God's presence today and discover the courage to face my fears.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
The Four Absolutes by the Oxford Group, used by early AAs before the Twelve Steps were written
Absolute Honesty Both with ourselves and with others, in word, deed, and thought.
Absolute Unselfishness To be willing, wherever possible, to help others who need our help.
Absolute Love You shall love the Lord with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. And. . . you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Absolute Purity Purity of mind, of body, and of purpose.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
All music is what awakes from you when you are reminded by the instruments. --Walt Whitman
A small group of friends sat in a room around a record player. It was a heavy old thing, with parts that had to be operated by hand and only one speaker - nothing like a modern stereo at all, but more like an antique phonograph. The record - a recording of their favorite music - was old, too, and scratched, its grooves worn smooth as a stone in some places. The tone arm skipped and scratched, and the sound was tinny, hard on the ears.
Most of the friends squirmed in their seats as they listened, and several grumbled that it was impossible to hear the music with such inferior equipment.
But one of the group sat listening, her eyes closed, swaying to the music and humming softly to herself.
"How can you enjoy this?" the others asked.
"Ah," she said with a mysterious smile. "I am listening beyond the recording to the music I know is there!"
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Having loosened our grip on the past, we are free to reach for the future. --Ann D. Clark
Everyday of our lives we think of some situation we wish we had handled differently. Perhaps we left a job we now miss, disciplined a child needlessly, or responded rudely to a friend. Our Fourth Step inventory abundantly details our many regrets, but the past is gone. We can't take back the job or the punishment or the rude responses. However, we can make certain the Tenth Step we do every night is not filled with similar regrets.
Recovery has given us a second chance. Let's not waste this gift by hanging on to what can't be changed. We all know what we don't like about our behavior in the past. That's all we need to remember when we decide how to behave in the present. We won't be ashamed in the future, if we take charge of our present.
Today is a new beginning. Whatever happened in my past need not control what I do with today. Today is mine to be proud of.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Having loosened our grip on the past, we are free to reach for the future. --Ann D. Clark
Everyday of our lives we think of some situation we wish we had handled differently. Perhaps we left a job we now miss, disciplined a child needlessly, or responded rudely to a friend. Our Fourth Step inventory abundantly details our many regrets, but the past is gone. We can't take back the job or the punishment or the rude responses. However, we can make certain the Tenth Step we do every night is not filled with similar regrets.
Recovery has given us a second chance. Let's not waste this gift by hanging on to what can't be changed. We all know what we don't like about our behavior in the past. That's all we need to remember when we decide how to behave in the present. We won't be ashamed in the future, if we take charge of our present.
Today is a new beginning. Whatever happened in my past need not control what I do with today. Today is mine to be proud of.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
"Stomp, Scram, Spit, Cry," a friend said. "Just don't go numb again. Maybe what you're really angry about is that you've been dead longer than Abe Lincoln, and now you're finally coming back to life."
There's a price to pay for passion. We need to feel our emotions.
Action:
Pay attention to how you feel: what you love, dislike, hate, enjoy. Pay attention to what grabs your heart, what interests you. Discover who you are, not who you think you should be.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
There are many ways to be good to ourselves. Here are just a few:
At the beginning of each day, we can think about what we'd like to accomplish. This can be a routine household chore, a professional objective, or a living principle we'd like to work on.
As our day unfolds, we can engage in an enjoyable diversion or work on a pet project. Often, these activities clear our minds and free us to think more calmly about matters which trouble us.
In the evening, we may want to review the day's events, and our reactions to them, with a friend. Or, we may simply want to sit quietly and allow our thoughts to wander as they will. Keeping a journal at these times is a helpful tool for self-discovery. By recording our reactions and thoughts as they arise, we often get a better perspective on ourselves as well as our experiences.
TODAY I will be good to myself. I will find something I enjoy doing, and I will do it. I will also take time to get to know myself - either by sharing with a trusted friend or by writing my thoughts in a journal.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but really loves you, then you become real. --Margery Wilson
Intimacy with another is a necessary risk if we're to know love. This means loving enough to let someone in on our most hidden parts, daring to share the awful truths about ourselves. When we hold a dreaded memory within, or fail to disclose our darkest secret, we're haunted by the fear that another's love is both conditional and long gone if the truth about us is revealed.
Though seldom remembered, one of the greatest tributes we can give one another is full expression of who we were, who we are, and who we hope to become. During any single moment, we are a composite of feelings, memories, and projections. Our reality is many faceted, and being intimate requires that we enrich each other's lives with the full expression of ourselves.
Being real is courageous; it takes a decision and practice, and it is demanded if we're to know love.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
The crow that mimics a cormorant gets drowned. --Japanese proverb
When we are young we are vulnerable to the images of success that surround us - in sports, in politics, and in our social life. We watch our heroines and heroes perform, and we strive to emulate them. When the cormorant dives from a hundred feet, we'd love to follow.
As we get older, many of us don't manage to find out who we really are because we've been too busy trying to imitate others - in our dress, our way of talking, our business deals, our preferences, and our tastes. We often aped those who were considered "with it" at the time.
It's healthy to have role models, but they should reflect our true, emerging selves, and not be at the other end of the spectrum. As crows, we'd look silly diving from a hundred feet. Our challenge in recovery is to find out who we are and who we can be and go after that with all our energy. There's nothing wrong with being a crow.
I want to strive with all my heart to be myself.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
It is a long baptism into the seas of humankind, my daughter. Better immersion than to live untouched. --Tillie Olsen
We have each had days when we preferred hiding under the covers, avoiding life at all costs. And in times gone by, we did just that, sometimes too frequently. What we didn't always know, and what we still forget on occasion, is that we have a ready and willing Partner who will join us in every pursuit.
The more fully we commit ourselves to one another and to all our experiences, the closer we will come to the very serenity we long for. Serenity accompanies our increasing understanding of life's many mysteries. It's easy to cheat ourselves out of the prizes any day offers us. Fear fosters inertia, leaving us separate, alone, even more afraid. But we have an appointment with life. And our appointment will bring us to the place of full understanding, the place where we'll be certain, forever after, that all is well. And that life is good.
Today's appointments are part of the bigger plan for my life. I will face them, enjoy them, and reap their rewards.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
God give[s] us a mind that can or can't believe, but not even God can make us believe.... You have to believe first before you can pray. --Harriet Arnow
Sometimes it's difficult to focus on our Higher Power after a hard day at work, after an argument with a loved one, after the frustrating experience of a flat tire, long bank line, or after any of the other nuisances that are part of each and every day. "Why me?" we may cry out in frustration. On a day like this, it may be easier to believe that a Power greater than ourselves is out to get us.
But God does not choose sides. We have not been singled out for punishment. God is on our side, if we only choose to open our hearts and believe that.
As we reflect back on the events of the day, we need to remember the times we asked God for help and the times we didn't. And we need to believe first - before we pray tonight - that God is there to help us every minute of every day.
Did I ask my Higher Power for help today, or did I decide to "go it alone"? Which do I choose to do?
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Noted psychiatrist Carl Jung once said, "If one can accept one's sin, one can live with it. If one cannot accept it, one has to suffer the inevitable consequences." We must come to accept our past acts before they will stop causing us pain.
All the Steps help us do this, but in particular, Steps Four and Five (the inventory Steps) and Steps Eight and Nine (the amends Steps) help. If we attend to these Steps properly, we will no longer regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
Am I coming to accept myself?
Higher Power, help me accept the ways I've behaved in the past - and the ways I behave in the present - that cause me pain, so that in your time I may be freed.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
The block of granite which was an obstacle in the pathway of the weak becomes a stepping-stone in the pathway of the strong. That block of granite is often nothing more than a decision. --Thomas Carlyle
Trails through national parks and forests are often clearly marked and well-maintained. But sometimes a heavy snowmelt or downpour can turn a trickling stream into a tricky obstacle that needs to be navigated in order to continue following the trail.
When this happens, hikers can turn around and postpone their hike until another day. They can attempt to create their own trail by rambling through and possibly destroying delicate forest undergrowth. They can slog through the water, soaking their footgear and creating discomfort for the rest of the hike. Or they can utilize the resources available to them, such as by positioning large rocks as stepping-stones to cross the stream.
How you navigate the trails of your recovery can be seen in similar terms. You must choose how to navigate these trails, both in times when the footling is good and when it is not. Be like the hiker who thinks first about how to handle the challenges, so you can continue safely along your journey.
Today I will make choices that will keep me on the path of recovery.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
It was far easier for me to accept my powerlessness over my addiction than it was for me to accept the notion that some sort of Higher Power could accomplish that which I had been unable to accomplish myself. Simply by seeking help and accepting the fellowship of others similarly afflicted, the craving left me. And I realized that if I was doing what I was powerless alone to do, then surely I was doing so by some Power outside my own and obviously greater.Have I surrendered my life into the hands of God?
Today I Pray
May God erase in me the arrogant pride which keeps me from listening. May my unhealthy dependence on chemicals and my clinging dependence on those near by be transformed into reliance on God. Only in this kind of dependence - reliance - on a Higher Power will I find my own transformation.
Today I Will Remember
I am God-dependent.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Friendships or marriages based on "dire need" or physical security are doomed to fail if each person in the relationship does not grow beyond his or her limited ways of thinking and reacting.
The ideal relationship is one in which each partner strives to grow. It is an ever-expanding commitment, mutually supportive of healthy interdependence. A healthy relationship encourages the seeking of wider mental and spiritual horizons; it is never threatened permanently by them.
TODAY Do I give my loved ones enough room to grow? Do I encourage my friends or mate to do things without me? Am I threatened by change or do I welcome it? Do I have the courage to do things on my own, even if my loved ones do not give me support? Do I have the courage and consideration to share my changes with those I love?
Let the purpose of all marriages and friendships alike be the deepening of the spirit and the enrichment of the soul.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
I am determined to maintain the perpendicular position. --Lucy Stone
Perpendicular lines make right angles; they make possible extensions of both height and breadth. Right angles are weight bearing. We speak of asserting something "squarely," making perpendiculars.
People who speak their minds freely and assert their individuality feel perpendicular; the corners they create, by their points of view, are sturdy and open. Others can use them to build structures on.
It's important to claim the perpendicular, even though we may feel pressured into curved or parallel positions. If we're centered in ourselves, others won't throw us off balance. Each of us needs to find our own center so that we can occupy our own place. Others will recognize us. Together we'll build high and wide.
My remotest ancestors dared to point their spines upright. I'll carry on the project they began.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
How can disappointments be opportunities to grow? When we feel thwarted, frustrated or empty it is difficult - but not impossible - to see the positive side of our pain.
Most disappointments come from a sense of failure when our expectations of ourselves or others are not met. If we can work through our initial response or source of frustration that lies within ourselves, we are taking the right steps toward turning our hurts and fears into growth-filled experiences.
Do we have unrealistic expectations of ourselves or approval of us? Have we sold ourselves short by placing our entire self-worth on our jobs, paychecks, or possessions? Have we accepted negative feelings about ourselves, or do we see ourselves as capable human beings?
TODAY I will probe the sources of my self-esteem. I will seek my happiness within myself, not in other people, places, or things.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
How can disappointments be opportunities to grow? When we feel thwarted, frustrated or empty it is difficult - but not impossible - to see the positive side of our pain.
Most disappointments come from a sense of failure when our expectations of ourselves or others are not met. If we can work through our initial response or source of frustration that lies within ourselves, we are taking the right steps toward turning our hurts and fears into growth-filled experiences.
Do we have unrealistic expectations of ourselves or approval of us? Have we sold ourselves short by placing our entire self-worth on our jobs, paychecks, or possessions? Have we accepted negative feelings about ourselves, or do we see ourselves as capable human beings?
TODAY I will probe the sources of my self-esteem. I will seek my happiness within myself, not in other people, places, or things.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
We can only live now, this moment. We cannot erase the mistakes we made yesterday or bring back the good times we had. We cannot know what tomorrow will require of us, nor can we ensure future security and happiness. Now is what we have, and now is everything.
We can follow our plan now. We can abstain this moment. We can deal with the problems, which confront us today, as best we can, trusting God to guide us. We can be in touch with our Higher Power only in the present.
As we focus on the present moment, we live it deeper, and we derive a satisfaction that we did not know when we were regretting the past and worrying about the future. Whatever happens, now is all I can manage and all I need.
I am grateful for this present moment.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand. -- Thomas Carlyle
"Five years down the road," says Jack, "I want to have a new job, an intimate relationship, and a bigger house. I want to be earning more money and feel better about myself." What nice dreams! But what is Jack doing for himself now?
"My relationship is not going well," sighs Sarah. "This isn't the first time I've been told I have the same character defects. Someday I really want to make changes and be in a warm, supportive relationship. Then I'll be happy." But how can Sarah expect to have a wonderful relationship if she doesn't begin her work now?
"My family is so messed up," declares Leslie, a parent. "No one communicates. If we had a bigger house we wouldn't argue so much or be so disorganized. When Bill and I start making good money, we can look for that dream house." But when will Bill and Leslie work on the family problems they're having now?
I can begin to see what lies clearly at hand - not a dream or goal years away from now. All I have is right now. TonightI can build my future foundations by working on me.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Love, and love alone, is capable of giving thee a happier life. --Ludwig van Beethoven
We are making a response to life's every waking moment; our attitudes formulate the tenor of our responses. When the sun warms our bodies and the flowers tease our nostrils, it may be easy to love everyone and smile. When we have a negative attitude, we may snarl and all too quickly criticize innocent bystanders, as well as friends and family. All we need is to make a simple decision to look with love as far as our eyes can see.
When our hearts are God-centered and filled with love and laughter, we'll find no experience too difficult to handle. No problem will evade its solution for long.
An attitude of love promises us gratitude in abundance. We'll never doubt that all is well when love is at our center.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
. . . (the king) can deprive them of the benefit of sun and rain, . . . and they are at the same time pelted from above with great stones, . . . while the roofs of their houses are beaten to pieces. --Jonathan Swift
How do we punish those momentarily gone wrong? Do we try hurting with words - jab them in the heart with some spear-shaped phrases, slap them in the face with an insult or two? Maybe we like to poison them with a strong dose of silence. Have we tried to make them feel bad by making them feel sorry for us? Do we remind them daily that what went wrong with our lives is really all their fault?
We must remember that we are the rulers of our own lives only, and this knowledge gives us the power to punish only ourselves. It also gives us control over our lives, so that others' actions need not wrong us, and we need not punish.
Have I been punishing someone?
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
You had better live your best and act your best and think your best today, for today is the sure preparation for tomorrow and all the other tomorrows that follow. --Harriet Martineau
The word "sanity" is derived from the Latin word sanitas, which means "health." In our group, we think of health as wholeness of mind, body, and spirit.
One way to achieve health and wholeness is by living one day at a time. To do this successfully, we need to realize we cannot undo a single act we performed or unsay any harsh words spoken in the past. No matter how much we may regret or re-feel yesterday's painful experiences, there is nothing we can do to change what happened. The past is forever beyond our control.
The same thing is true of the future. No matter how much we may worry and fret over it, very few of us can predict what tomorrow will bring. We can only prepare for a hope-filled future by living fully and confidently today.
TODAY is all I have. Let me make the most of it.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
You had better live your best and act your best and think your best today, for today is the sure preparation for tomorrow and all the other tomorrows that follow. --Harriet Martineau
The word "sanity" is derived from the Latin word sanitas, which means "health." In our group, we think of health as wholeness of mind, body, and spirit.
One way to achieve health and wholeness is by living one day at a time. To do this successfully, we need to realize we cannot undo a single act we performed or unsay any harsh words spoken in the past. No matter how much we may regret or re-feel yesterday's painful experiences, there is nothing we can do to change what happened. The past is forever beyond our control.
The same thing is true of the future. No matter how much we may worry and fret over it, very few of us can predict what tomorrow will bring. We can only prepare for a hope-filled future by living fully and confidently today.
TODAY is all I have. Let me make the most of it.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
In a very real sense, we are imprisoned by our inability or unwillingness to reach out for help to a Power greater than ourselves. But in time, we pray to be relieved of the bondage of self, so that we can better do God's will. In the words of Ramakrishna, "The sun and moon are not mirrored in cloudy waters, thus the Almighty cannot be mirrored in a heart that is obsessed by the idea of 'me and mine.'" Have I set myself free from the prison of self-will and pride which I myself have built? Have I accepted freedom?
Today I Pray
May the word freedom take on new meanings for me, not just "freedom from" my addiction, but "freedom to" overcome it. Not just freedom from the slavery of self-will, but freedom to hear and carry out the will of God.
Today I Will Remember
Freedom from means freedom to.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
I have the pleasure of working with an older gentleman. A man in his mid 70s who refuses to retire and works hand in hand next to me in a hard labor job. He always says he doesn't stop because he won't be able to start again. The other day I said "Joe whatta you worried about...." he looked at me with a stern face and it was like the sea parted - he said
"My days of worrying are over"
I thought wow, to move with that incredible resolve looks very freeing. Maybe I should carry that. So I am here giving it away so I can keep it.
WOW Vision, ... I'm closing in on the big 65 ... and this hits me right between the eyes cause he expresses the feeling I was blessed with when I finished the 12 steps ...
I still sometimes feel sorry about waste'n so many years/money on drink'n rather than show'n love and support for my friends and family ... but the past is 'the past', so I do my best today and if granted a tomorrow, I'll be grateful ...
Pappy
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the act. --William James
Step Two speaks of believing. For many years, we had given up believing in ourselves, in a Higher Power, and in others. Now our program tells us to believe in love. We are lovable, and we can love others without hurting them.
Of course, believing is an important part of recovery. To believe means to put aside our doubts. To believe means to have hope. Believing makes the road a little smoother. So, believing lets the healing happen a little faster.
All of this is how we get ready to let in the care of our Higher Power.
Prayer for the Day
I pray for the courage to believe. I'll not let doubt into my heart. I can recover. I can give myself totally to this simple program.
Action for the Day
I'll list four times doubt got in my way. And I'll think of what I can do to not let that happen again.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
I have to laugh at the times Ive knocked myself out over a tough spot only to find out afterwards there was an easier way through. --Robert Franklin Leslie
We receive messages throughout the day that tell us ways of doing things. The door to the store says, Pull. The red light tells us not to drive through the intersection. The cereal box says, Lift tab and open. Our car's gas gauge tells us empty. With these messages, we are given the guidance on which to base our decisions.
We can choose not to pull the door. Then well spend a lot of time and energy pushing until we finally read the sign. All that effort expended, just because we couldnt stop to get some guidance!
The Twelve Steps offer guidance for an easier way through life. We dont have to knock ourselves out over these Steps; all we have to do is follow the direction they give us.
How can I use the Steps to make my life easier?
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Not in my wildest dreams could I have imagined the rewards that would be mine when I first contemplated turning my life and will over to the care of God, as I understand God. Now I can rejoice in the blessing of my own recovery, as well as the recoveries of countless others who have found hope and a new way of life in the Program. After all the years of waste and terror, I realize today that God has always been on my side and at my side. Isn't my clearer understanding of God's will one of the best things that has happened to me?
Today I Pray
May I be thankful for the blessed contrast between the way my life used to be (Part I) and the way it is now (Part II). In Part I, I was the practicing addict, adrift among my fears and delusions. In Part II, I am the recovering addict, rediscovering my emotions, accepting my responsibilities, and learning what the real world has to offer. Without the contrast, I could never feel the joy I know today or sense the peaceful nearness of my Higher Power.
Today I Will Remember
I am grateful for such contrast.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
I wonder why love is so often equated with joy when it is everything else as well: devastation, balm, obsession, granting and receiving excessive value, and losing it again. --Florida Scott Maxwell
In our quiet moments we dream of the gifts that accompany being loved and imagine ourselves as always filled with laughter, a glowing warmth, a serene perspective. But how short sighted our vision. Love promises us growth as well, and growth may mean a loved one's choice to depart for a time, or a struggle for agreement about future directions. Tears and fears are commonplace when we enter the realm of love.
Let's not forget that all experiences, even the dreaded ones, are meant for our good. We are never given more than we can handle, and we will be given a balanced set of circumstances. A measure of joy will follow a period of sadness. As experience has shown, quick on the heels of the fear of loss is the realization that in the spiritual realm we're secure and all is well.
How grateful we might become that love offers us so much to grow on.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
WILL POWER = Our WILL-ingness to use a Higher POWER. --Anonymous
One of the greatest decisions any of us ever made concerned our Third Step. This decision seemed to go against everything we wanted to do. We all know so well that every time we tried to manage our own lives, we produced misery and heartache. Human beings seem created to fight the decision to give up control. Yet this decision in Step Three, very hard for us to make, was one of the greatest decisions we ever made.
When we did our Third Step, we merely embraced the truth. When we decided to let God be God, we were able to participate in the plan. Whenever we let go and let God, we become a player on a team that will always win.
What I knew in the past was mostly failure; the decision to let God's will become mine continues to make sense.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
There are times when the "poor me" mood strikes us all. We complain that things are not better. We bemoan our sorry lot in life. We condemn ourselves and others for not meeting our expectations.
What can we do when these destructive emotions engulf us? First, we can realize that our "self-pity" is often the result of comparing ourselves with others or to some unrealistic standard of perfection that we think we "should" have reached and have not.
What we need to do at times like these is take a fresh look at ourselves and our circumstances. We must evaluate ourselves in relation to ourselves, and avoid comparisons with others.
When we view our progress honestly and clearly, in comparison to our own past performances and our own present conditions, we get a better perspective on the strides we have made. Seeing our growth, we can patiently bear our current frustrations because we have overcome our previous struggles and disillusionments.
Today I am in competition with no one. I shall seek to better myself by growing beyond where I am. I will be patient with myself and take small steps. I will not expect perfection overnight.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
I can read these until i'm blue in the face and foaming out the mouth and none of it will stick. But the second i am going thru a hardship, and i come across one of these, it means the world and it's always exactly what i needed to read to get my ass in gear.
Timing is crucial (to get) and to stay sober. I believe we sober up exactly when we were supposed to. Some can call it the stars were in the right places and things just happened but the fact remains there are forces at play that are much more stronger than we can ever be.
Great post Vision, ... what you said is exactly what I need ... cause very few things 'stick' with me also ... so I need to be constantly reminded where my thoughts 'ought to be', LOL ... but the thing is, they come at the right time and under the most important circumstances ... thanks for your post, it's what keeps me do'n them ...
Love ya and God Bless, Pappy
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Miracles are instantaneous. They cannot be summoned, but come of themselves, usually at unlikely moments to those who least expect them. -- Katherine Anne Porter
Nobody can force us to be in recovery or twist our arm to make us work our program. There might have been times when we wanted someone to, especially in the beginning, but those times pass. The longer we live in recovery, the more committed we become. We can be grateful that we've stayed with it One Day at a Time. Through times of joy and sadness, through slips, tears, struggling with difficult problems and during moments of peaceful fellowship with new friends, we can truly say that recovery is never boring.
Many of us came to the program because we had no place else to go. Through the mystery of our choices and God's grace, time goes by and we change. It is then we realize that the promises of recovery are coming true. As the Big Book states, the promises of recovery are being "fulfilled among us -- sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them."
My gratitude and joy for the miracle of recovery are boundless.
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
