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.
Good morning MIP. Today's reading discusses Step Three - Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. The author suggests that this Power, for them, is a presence that loves as is, accepts with compassion on bad days as well as good days. Once we accept alcoholism in another has affected our lives, we need the benevolent influence of a power untouched by the disease. When we decide to turn our will and lives over to such a force, we become receptive to guidance; we become willing to accept the care of a Power greater than self.
WE continue to have a will to exercise and a life to live yet we do so bathed in a light of love and understanding.
Reminder: When I open my heart to a Power that fills me with love and acceptance, I can begin to extend those qualities to others. I may not do it perfectly or even consistently, but I can recognize my progress one day at a time.
Quote: "God's gifts put man's best dreams to shame." from Elizabeth Barrett Browning
It is the imperfectly perfect human in me that creates most of my struggles and discontent. It is my own family of origin, religious upbringing, life experiences, etc. that shaped my will, ego, esteem (or lack of), etc. What I know today and just for today is that at any point in my life when I am feeling negative energy, resentment, disappointment, fear, frustration, etc. -- I have returned to trying to assert my will and my ego back into my life.
At no point in this program has the literature suggested a relationship between religion and a spiritual program/existence. Yet, simply because of the word God, I resisted. When I actually stopped imposing my way, my will and my ego, and just practiced this program as suggested vs. 'my way', things made much more sense.
Al-Anon suggests we can and need belief in a power greater than self. Al-Anon is inclusive whether you arrive with a faith basis or not. Nobody is excluded based on belief or lack of. Simply put, for me, this disease is larger than life and my own experience proves to me I can not battle it alone.
I arrived feeling very broken, lonely and defeated. Today, I feel more happy and whole than any point in my life. This is not because I've been doing this longer or better than any other; simply put, I decided to quit fighting everything and everyone, including this disease and the diseased. Each day, I reaffirm my trust in a power greater than I, and then practice unconditional acceptance and love, while trying to be a part of the solution and of service to self and others.
Happy Saturday MIP. Make it a great day! I'm off to get some adulting done and then golfing this afternoon. Find and keep your joy, whatever that looks like for you...
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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
Thanks IAH for your service and wonderful ESH. I tried to exert my will over my A for years. What a waste of time and energy that was. I came to alanon to learn how to fix the A. NOPE. The notions of focusing on myself and relying on an HP all were foreign ideas I resisted, but not for long. Putting my time and energy into myself, and having a belief that a power greater than myself can help, all are working to be healed and released from the burdens of alcoholism. I too, with many stressors before me, feel the best I have ever felt in all my years. Grateful member.
I turn to my HP every single day for guidance. I then ask that I am able to receive that guidance.
I do receive guidance when I stay open and aware. I wish I would just receive a pamphlet ,written instructions or something way more clear and obvious,that would be so much easier.
Instead though,I assume my HP is at work when I stumble upon quotes that stand out to me, songs that pop in my head, the ESH here, etc.,subtle things like that.
Yesterday I read this quote: "When you start taking care of yourself you start feeling better, you start looking better and you even start attracting better. It always starts with you so take real good care of yourself."
IAH:--thank you for your great post and all the people who shared above me, great stuff. I have been really tested of late with unemployment expiring, been tested greatly but I am working step three and making myself know that my higher power has got me covered and all these kind people stepping up to help me in whatever capacity they can, its wonderful and its a clear statement that there is a loving higher power and that he does care for me and he does want me to work the first three steps not just out of obedience but from my heart and you know? I am.
I am becoming less and less fearful and more excepting and more willing to cast my burdens onto my higher power within me and I say thank you I go free now to have the financial stability or whatever it is that I am needing that is over my head or doors not opening for me I just cast the burden onto my higher power And I give thanks for the prayer already answered and let me tell you its not easy for a control freak and a fear-based person like myself to do but I know I have to and the old saying fake it until you make it is really true because step three has been the most difficult step for me and the second most difficult steps were steps number one and steps number two.
At first I had to start out with willingness and when the ego and the fear and the control freak kicks in, I have to say I am willing I am willing and just keep at it fears and all. And it is helping me and it is working. Perhaps I will always have trust issues especially in a power that I cannot see, I will probably always struggle with trust and needing to be in control and being so fear-based because of the horrible upbringing I had to endure where I literally had to detach from my own body and feelings in order to survive and I was betrayed over and over and over by people who were supposed to love and protect me so I probably will have it tough working the first three steps but I see how necessary they are if I am to grow. So I carry on with my slips and my slides and I just keep on and tell myself one day at a time and sometimes one hour at a time. I do believe that my HP can work with willingness because I have seen it in my life.
Thanks for this very needed to see by me, share and of course your ESH is always something I get something good out of.
Today, no gym, doing chores and just hanging out at the house and doing my gratitude list. When I do my grateful list, HP gives me more to be grateful for and in doing so I get to share more with safe others. You take care and thanks for your service
