Hi Everyone, 

While I am sure I could go into a rant about a few things going on in my life, I have to refrain simply because I set the stage for much of it to unfold.

Surrender and Acceptance has been my strong hold this past few months.  

Okay, The good stuff first.  I finally quite smoking!!  No patches, e-vipor cigs, no gum,... just put them down with the help of Chantix and today I have been without a cigarette for 35 days!  To me this is a huge thing!  I smoked upwards to 1.5 packs a day for at least 30 years or longer.  I do suck on dummy lollie pops, several a day, but hey comparatively, they don't come close to matching the number of cigs I was smoking.  So, I am extremely excited and just well, jazzed that what looked like a another mountain in my journey of life, has been conquered. 

This week, on the 21st of December, I will be celebrating 25 years of continuous sobriety in AA!  25 YEARS!!  I remember when putting together 25 days seemed like an impossible mission to accomplish!  Now I have been sober longer, than all the years I drank, and sober almost 1/2 my life!  Now, that der is cool, I don't care who ya are!  LOL

Just day before yesterday I was contacted by the Director of a non profit org that wants to hire me back as a Case Manager.  I have worked for them before.  He wanted to get my resume before the Board of Directors meeting for review next week, for a position on a 6 month tenure! I am really jazzed about this opportunity.  In this position I get to not only work with the families to determine their needs, and dynamics that came into play to create those needs, I also get to work with community churches, government agencies and other non profits, in a way that helps create bridges between them so it's a unified effort to assist and provide immediate, adequate and vital services to the homeless family.  For me this is great timing because for the 4 months of holidays and winter season, my pressure washing and painting business really takes a hit because people just don't do any exterior work on their houses during this time.  So, I will be able to earn some decent money and get through the winter without as much struggle as I have for the past several years.

Now, here is what I'm not so sure how to list, as good or bad, negative or positive, but it doesn't feel like it belongs on the "good stuff" list yet.  LOL

On Dec 6th, I turned 56 yrs old.  Kinda struggling that I really am that old, my age is not matching my spirit and my mind, well its mildly retarded and immature so it needs to be reminded how to act like an adult from time to time.  Any ways, I guess, I have somehow ignored that time was moving and with it I was aging, and now it is like... "Hello, ol' boy, might want to get one of those "I'VE FALLEN AND CAN'T GET UP BUTTONS!"  lol  Well, of course its not really like that, but my brain likes to tease me on a regular basis.  

Next and last... I broke it off with my live-in girlfriend, who just celebrated a year of sobriety.  I can't say it was a one sided break up, because she wasn't in any obvious opposition to it either.  She moved in with her sponsor's, sponsor and seems to be a good arrangement for her.  Seems we just couldn't get on the same page in so many important areas.  And between our history and the 1st year sobriety stuff going on with her, it just seemed we were at odds with each other, more than either was comfortable with any more.  

So, in a one month period, I turned into a 56 yr old, non smoker, alkie that hasn't drank in 25 yrs, still valued in the job market, and single again! And at one point in time, not one of these things was on my list of things to do.  Funny how life unfolds.

Geez, I sometimes think the God of my understanding puts me to work on specific assignments, but when there isn't one He needs me for at the moment, He just uses me for entertainment purposes only!  hehehe

Life is good, life is simple... but it sure isn't easy sometimes!

Love and miss ya'll bunches.

John