Practice the PAUSE...Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you are about to react harshly and you will avoid doing and saying things you will later regret. ~~~~ Lori Deschene

hotrod · ~*Service Worker*~

ODAT Reading 1-22-2019

JerryF · ~*Service Worker*~

Thanks so much Hotrod for this post which is so true. The slogan "Let go and Let God" was the earliest slogan I grabbed onto and held tight as I grew so weary of the consequences of trying everything my way which never worked to my benefit mind, body, spirit and emotions. The Serenity Prayer and the 3rd step prayer was added soon after and are now a daily practice often over and over.

Now I cannot go it alone because HP refuses to leave me alone. Blessed. ((((hugs)))) aww

Iamhere · ~*Service Worker*~

Good morning Betty & Jerry! Thank you Betty for your service and the daily. Thank you both for your ESH and shares. If I want peace of mind, serenity and any feelings of balance, I have to put my faith in my HP one day at a time, continuously. With sanity restored, I can see clearly how forcing solutions, anticipating outcomes, and fearing the worse case scenario before recovery truly controlled my body, mind and soul.

I am grateful that when life happens, I have a partner to lean on. Through practice, it's become a tool I grab sooner rather than later (or never as before). I do believe my HP wants me and all others to be happy, joyous and free which brings relief when fear creeps in!

Enjoy this day - we've got rain, freezing rain, snow and sleet all in our forecast for today....I am heading out to run errands before things get slick/nasty out. Make it a great one!

Lyne · ~*Service Worker*~

Thanks Betty for the daily and for all above shares. I too now feel I have a partner with HP. Prior to AlAnon I had a spiritual life, but no idea how this would develop through AlAnon. Every morning I speak to God. Ive learned to thank Him for the good, and ask for blessings that are needed in my life. I finally see a little healing starting between my A and my son, something Ive been asking for, for maybe a year or more. I tried forcing a solution, but it only made things worse. With letting go and letting God, there is hope. And I am more at peace,Lyne

PosiesandPuppies · ~*Service Worker*~

Thank you all for your ESH on this topic! Each one of you brings wisdom and insight to my journey of recovery & health.

I had lost my faith. As a result, my "go-to" was like Betty's... I tried to force my way, my solutions. Very rarely did the outcome match my expectation.

I am working on trusting a "Higher Power of my understanding." The funny thing for me is, I have always spoken to God. In nightly prayers, or just in daily conversation. But I never felt like I was being heard... certainly my prayers weren't being answered. So I began to lose faith. However, coming to this program I wanted the peace and serenity that members have...and they all seem to embrace God in some form. But I struggled. So much so, that it was hampering my progress in Program I thought. So I took a members advice and began acting "As If."

I guess I am still acting "AS IF." But I am trying to find my HP, and to trust that She has a good plan for me. Just like my work with perfectionism, this too, is a work in progress! LOL!
So in case you are a newbie, and are struggling with this concept like I did... just act "AS IF" you have faith. As if there is an all-powerful entity watching over you - but allowing you to struggle and make you own way. And when you feel like you are at the receiving end of that proverbial saying, "God doesn't give us more than we can handle," just remember that "This too shall pass."
I am finding that this slogan keeps me from staying in the "pity party of one," and to be open to the possibility that the difficult times may just be necessary for growth.

For those of you with extreme winter weather, please stay safe! Peace out!

mamalioness · ~*Service Worker*~

((((((((((((((((((Betty)))))))))))))))))) thank you for your service and your many years serving this community...I've learned so much from you......

I am with Posiesandpuppies on this one.....I became Agnostic about this g-d of OTHERS understanding, so I sought out my own...it is my higher self, my intuitive self, my program is my HP and the deeeeep inside of me higher self that is my HP...and it is a she because I am a she, and yea, I quit arguing with the g-d of other's understanding and just re-grouped and found my own of MY understanding.....I don't buy into prayer except for the Serenity prayer, and i say my grateful list even if I have for force it..THINK of something to be Gr8ful for....My inner HP is loving and guiding, but not involved in my daily activities...but will guide me and help me raise my vibrations from negative to positive so I will draw good to me from the vast and good universe, the energy source for all things that are good.....andn "this too shall pass" is a good go to for me as well....the only guarantee in life we have is CHANGE...so i can fight it or flow with it....accept it as is, whether I like it or not, and take care of me...I just make the best out of unwanted situations and if I can keep from fighting them, they do pass and things do get better

The material presented here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method to exchange information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal level.

Practice the PAUSE...Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you are about to react harshly and you will avoid doing and saying things you will later regret. ~~~~ Lori Deschene