Powerless

I am powerless over… [anyone else’s problems or their] pain. The most helpful course of action is for me to stay out of the way! ~ Family Groups, Al-Anon. Courage to Change—One Day at a Time in Al‑Anon II (Kindle Locations 4389-4390). Al-Anon Family Groups. 

How can I be helpful for others? 
I can change only myself. 
I could give advice,
but unsolicited means unwelcome.
I’m as powerless over others
as I ever was over myself.
People ask for prayers,
and that’s fine.
I don’t tell God what to do for them
any more than I do for me,
avoiding fixing it with my own ideas
and seeking God’s stamp of approval.
I figure it’s best if it is I
who obeys the orders of Divine Mind
and only in turning it over to God 
do I ever become other than 
powerless in anything.

With Dignity

Today I know that I am more than my troubles. I am a human being with dignity. ~ Family Groups, Al-Anon. Courage to Change—One Day at a Time in Al‑Anon II (Kindle Locations 4250-4251). Al-Anon Family Groups.

Who am I now?
Who was I
when I entered
the rooms of Recovery?
I was living an unmanageable life
powerless over my addiction.
I was miserable, angry
but hiding the anger
for ladies weren't supposedto show anger or jealousy
or misery. No, we were to behave,
to be good girls and the insides
should match but when they didn't,
dob't show it. Keep your chin up,
make the others happy
and plod along. That's who I was.
Who am I now? I'm still powerless,
unable to manage butI have an ally
Greater than I, and with that help
I am now more. I am worthy,
a human being with dignity.
What a difference!

Make It So

Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact. ~William James

The song directs us
to accentuate the positive
and latch on to the affirmative.
The Psalmist tells us to clap our hands
and shout to God with cries of joy
and that weeping may stay for the night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.
John wants to be face to face
so our joy can be complete.
Life is good. You are precious,
loved, and cared for.
Believe life is worth living
and the belief itself,
the joy within you
will make your life a daily delight.

Simple Enough

Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. ~ 1 John 5:21 New Living Translation (NLT)

Paul gave a list in Romans,
things which could possibly
edge out God from hearts.
Death and life seem contenders,
but angels and demons don't make my cut.
Fears for today or my worries about tomorrow...
again, he's grazing in my pastures.
The powers of hell, things in the sky above
or in the earth below...if things include people
they get a maybe. But bigger seductions
for me are fear, that old addiction
that brought me to Recovery,
and codependent relationships,
self-doubt, simple distractions...
can I really say with certainty
these can never separate me from God’s love?
God, save me.  Keep away from me
anything that might take your place in my heart!

It's Okay, God's Here.

Because we fear abandonment, which comes from our misinterpretation that God left us, we cling tightly to our companions. ~ Casey, Karen. Daily Meditations for Practicing The Course (Kindle Locations 3773-3774). Hazelden Publishing.

Could fear of abandonment
come from a misinterpretation
that God left me? That would make sense
since non-perfect parents first
fill the god-role in our lives.
And when they shake our faith
we cling to them, trying to please,
failing too often. We move on from them
to other people, spouses, bosses,
friends, teachers. But they let us down, too.
But that's okay. We wanted them
to be gods, to stand by us, to protect us.
But they're not and never were.
That's okay. God is here.
God loves me no matter what,
stands by me at the ready,
does not interfere but stands ready.
When I make the smallest move toward Him
He's always there, always here with me,
and it's all okay!!

My Higher Power's Hands

In my mind, I picture my Higher Power’s hands. One by one, I place my problems and worries, my joy and my gratitude, into those hands, and finally, I climb in too. ~ Family Groups, Al-Anon. Courage to Change—One Day at a Time in Al‑Anon II (Kindle Locations 4333-4334). Al-Anon Family Groups.

It beats a God box
though those have value.
Putting your concerns, your hopes,
your gratitude, your agitation
not into a decorated oatmeal box
but directly into the hands of God
could not help but create a peaceful heart.
But then to visualize climbing in as well
cannot help but stamp on your heart
the truth of your surrender!

Love Is God

“God Is Love.” For some reason, my mind transposed the words into “Love is God.” ~ Anonymous. A Day at a Time: Daily Reflections for Recovering People (Hazelden Meditations) (Kindle Location 3342). Hazelden Publishing.

Equivalent statements work backwards and forward.
Far be it from me to define mathematics
since I'm illiterate in the language.
But if we're talking grammar,
be, am, is, are, was, were...
with a predicate nominative,
that I can grasp. What???
you may ask. Well,
a predicate nominative (or predicate noun)
is the noun or pronoun after a linking verb.
It renames the subject of the sentence.
The sentence should still make sense
if you switch the predicate nominative and the subject.
Therefore if the Bible is right in saying "God is Love."
the reverse is also true, "Love is God."
And it IS true. Love is God.

Marching Orders

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. ~ 1 Timothy 2:1-2 New Living Translation (NLT)

Pray for mankind. For yourself,
that you be directed in God's will.
Pray for your household and those
once there, now distant.
Pray for the people in the news,
for those hurt and hurting
and for the leaders of the world.
Pray for your friends, for co-workers,
for kith and kin. Pray for those who rile you,
Ask God's blessing for all
but leave details to Him.
Give thanks for all.
If "God bless you" or
"Have a blessed day" feels right,
let your words bless
and in all your days
seek that we can live peaceful,
quiet lives
marked by godliness and dignity.

 

Goodbye, Facade

I had to begin to put away the “lookin’ good” facade in order to share my feelings at meetings. ~ Family Groups, Al-Anon. Courage to Change—One Day at a Time in Al‑Anon II (Kindle Location 4276). Al-Anon Family Groups.

Why do we share at meetings?
Perhaps what we say needs to be heard
by a newcomer, by someone struggling
or just as a new or reinforcing idea
for a longtime member!
Or maybe  it's the answer I need to hear.
Perhaps it's a level of honesty I can reach
only because of the heartfelt sharing of others,
a need to be honest, to change, to recognize the
masquerade I've incorporated into my life.
God, thank you for the format of meetings
you've given us for making miracles!

Risk It!!

Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit. ~ E. E. Cummings

We come to Recovery hopeless...
lacking hope.
We come to Recovery powerless...
without power to address our obvious need.
Our lives arriving in Recovery feel meaningless...
what's the use, anyway?
We come to Recovery emotionless...
unable to deal with the pain
we've thoroughly anesthetized ourselves
to not have to face.
We arrive in the rooms purposeless...
just wanting to hide and disappear.
But we change!!
Suddenly we can risk curiosity, wonder,
spontaneous delight,
or any experience
that reveals the human spirit.
But we're recovering in  Recovery...
Let us not settle for less...any of them!!

Missing My Vices

I don’t have any vices right now. It’s a very uncomfortable place to be. ~ Julie T

Is it possible to miss our vices?
After a while God has taken us up
and removed our defects of character
if they're such they get in the way
of our usefulness to our Creator
or to my fellows...buddies...
acquaintances...people who see me,
know me, are looking to me as an exemplar
of Recovery. And which difficulties
would never be such an impediment?
Would it be Resentment, Anger,
Fear, Cowardice, Self pity,
Self justification, Self importance,
Egotism, Self condemnation, Guilt,
Lying, Evasiveness, Dishonesty?
What about Impatience, Hating,
False pride, Phoniness, Denial,
Jealousy, Envy, Laziness,
Procrastination (my favorite!),
Insincerity, Negative Thinking,
Immoral thinking, Perfectionism,
Intolerance,Criticizing, Loose Talk,
Gossip, Greed? Can I have any vices
that would never stand in the way
of my usefulness to God and my fellows?
I think not! When I don’t have any vices,
it’s a very uncomfortable place to be!

Worthy

Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. ~Hebrews 3:3-4 (NIV)
 God, I offer myself to Thee – to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. ~ Alcoholics Anonymous, Page 63

He’s building.
I’m not even the building, just a tool,
maybe the materials – and but a piece.
What do I make him
when I set the plan,
dictate who he’s to help
and how?
How dare I tell him
what I need,
order his prompt obeisance?
Worthy is the Lamb.
Worthy of respect,
worthy of honor,
worthy of submission.

God, “I offer myself to Thee —
to build with me
and to do with me
as Thou wilt.”*
I believe!

*Alcoholics Anonymous, page 63

Rollins, Barbara. A Cloud of Witnesses -
Two Big Books and Us
(Kindle Locations 473-490).
Eagle Wings Press imprint
of Silver Boomer Books.

Commitment

So commit every part of your life, all that you have and all that you are, to the will and purposes of God. And your life will become that of a fisherman become an apostle, a shepherd become a deliverer . . . all that it was created and called and formed to become, all it was waiting to become . . . from the beginning. ~ Cahn, Jonathan. The Book of Mysteries (p. 278). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

Commitment is the assertive partner
of Surrender, a useful alternative
for those who focus on capitulation,
abdication, failure when encouraged to surrender.
Are the terms equivalent?
It depends on the object of commitment.
Commitment to the will and purpose of God
is the same as being a soldier under
the leadership of God, the Commander,
the Commandant, the Ruler.
Recognize the Superior, take His orders,
do everything you can to
allow His plan to prevail.

Copyright: Chattrawutt Hanjukkam 

The Challenge of Being Praised

Fire tests the purity of silver and gold,
    but a person is tested by being praised. ~ Proverbs 27:21 New Living Translation 

In Biblical times precious metals melted
in a crucible as impurities
were skimmed, the gold 24-carat pure.
Heat and stress on the metal
improved quality.
Is praise, heaped on a person
and dealt with without swelled ego
and arrogance, testing
your mettle to show you have
the heart to follow through
when the going gets tough?

Apprehend the Field

Apprehend the field. ~ Cahn, Jonathan. The Book of Mysteries (p. 276). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

It's not just a law enforcement term!
The second meaning is to understand
or perceive. Synonyms include
appreciate, recognize, discern, perceive,
make out, take in, realize, grasp, understand,
comprehend. So how is a field apprehended?
The field in question is in Jesus' parable,
a priceless treasure in a field.
Knowing the location a man liquidated
his assets and with every cent to his name
acquired the field. He apprehended the field,
grasped the meaning, understood.
Since the treasure is our greatest desire,
utopia, the Kingdom of Heaven,
We, too, must apprehend the field
whether what we want most is release from addiction,
peace on earth, serenity, or eternal life,
put it all on the line and apprehend the field!

Now, Here

But looked at differently, “nowhere” becomes “now here.”...Sometimes, when we’re convinced we are the problem, we discover we were the solution all along. ~ Anonymous. Today's Gift: Daily Meditations for Families (Hazelden Meditation Series) (Kindle Locations 3258-3260). Hazelden Publishing.

Nowhere is a term of no answers,
of giving up, of can't, of won't,
of despair. But change your thinking.
Believe there's a Power in charge,
that your life no longer is unmanageable.
Believe you can. Believe all things are possible.
Believe you deserve the good. Can you see
with different eyes, with confidence
that nowhere does it say nowhere.
Can you now see now here?
Can you believe in possibilities?

Grace and Peace Be with You!

Note: Never before have we used a poem not written by OAStepper or Barbara Rollins. This Thanksgiving poem is quoted from Psalm 115:14-18 New Living Translation (NLT)

May the Lord richly bless
    both you and your children.
May you be blessed by the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.
The heavens belong to the Lord,
    but he has given the earth to all humanity.
The dead cannot sing praises to the Lord,
    for they have gone into the silence of the grave.
But we can praise the Lord
    both now and forever!

Praise the Lord!

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The Test

Fire tests the purity of silver and gold,
    but a person is tested by being praised. ~ Proverbs 27:21 NLT

Why would being praised test a person?
It's a common problem with Recovery people...
or was, before the "recovering."
We believed in a society ranked by elevation.
Is my pedestal higher than yours?
Who's step on the ladder ranks better?
In that kind of world, where elevation
needs to outclass others makes praise received
a pearl of exceptional value.
We Recovery people are living auspicious lives,
blessed not to be tested by praise
but to recognize our equality in value.

Strength or Weakness

Only the weak are cruel. Gentleness can only be expected from the strong. ~ Leo Buscaglia

Most of us in Recovery were weak people,
unable to manage our lives, without a hint
of power to conquer our cravings,
our addictions whether to comfort foods,
to alcohol, to drugs, to gambling, to sex,
to exercise...we were weak, powerless
cruel to all who got between us and oblivion.
But we found our answer
as we surrendered our weakness,
found a Power Who Could and in that Power
found strength in reserve, superfluous
to the Power and, claiming that trait
as our own, we found sufficient love,
ample release from the trauma of despair
to become gentle, to live Love and Power.

Copyright : Inara Prusakova 

Meeting Makers Make It

Meetings are places to recognize and celebrate those who have conquered addiction for one day, one year, or decades. Seeing others who have overcome their addiction can inspire you and provide proof that sobriety is possible. ~ Dean, Amy E. Morning Light: A Book of Meditations to Begin Your Day (Kindle Locations 4166-4168). Hazelden Publishing.

Thursday is Thanksgiving.
Family, food, relatives seldom seen,
perhaps bringing with them
resentment, jealousy, ancient issues.
Thursday is Thanksgiving.
Have you planned for abstinence?
Are you ready for the emotions
waiting to surge? What have you done
to prepare for an abstinent day?
Can you bring a dish you enjoy
and can eat thoughtfully?
Have you talked to your sponsor?
Can you step away and call a program friend
if the need arises? Don't get busy
and go deprived of meetings.
Is there one on Thursday that will meet?
There are Marathon telephone meetings,
online meetings, and face-to-face meetings
earlier in the week or on Thursday.
With good reason "they"say,
"Meeting makers make it.
Will you make a meeting this week?