Topic of the Week, words beginning with "F"

[MajestyJo]

F is for Faith. A faith that works, a faith that gave me hope. The program worked for others, and I had faith it would work for me too.

This is quoted in AA's Big Book.

Matthew 17:20
He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. "

I was very fragmented, and through working the 12 Step programs, I became whole.

[MajestyJo]

F is for Faith. Face everything and recovery. I posted this on another site. It was through my faith in the program and my God, that I didn't relapse.

Rumours! Don't listen to them, don't feed into them, don't repeat them, go to the source and verify them.

Gossip almost drove me out of the rooms of recovery. Jealousy and envy were almost the death of me. I had to come to a decision to face it, ignore it, let it go. I let it go because I could make things right with my God, and He knew me and helped me to find myself.

Just because I was 50+ and looked 40+, was one of the guys, and was honest and open and shared accordingly, they trusted me. I wasn't looking for a relationship, the last thing on my mind, it took me seven years in recovery to take a risk and get into one.

My service sponsor said, after I had moved to a new apartment, "Did you put a mat beside your bed to muffle the sound of the men, jumping in and out of it." I was really hurt and called her on it. She said, "I was only kidding, it was just a joke." I said, "You had to think it in order to say it." I let her go as my sponsor, and yet later years, she called me (something she said she never did, and in the end, I was sponsoring her until her death. It was really sad that someone who have over 20 years sober could say something like that. I had five years of sobriety.

She said, "You are always surrounded by men." I said, "That is because I am not threatening, and they see me as a friend, someone who they can be with and be themselves. Can't see guys in their 20s and 30s, having romantic thoughts about someone who is 50-70 years of age.

She wasn't the only one. As they said in the Women's Group that I belonged to, "We are not in competition." I joined the Women's group because I didn't like women and had to learn to get along with them and accept them. I was angry at men and din't have much use for them. I had to have a change in attitude. I use to say, "If I have to look down on a man, I LOOK DOWN ON A MAN." Recovery is a change of thinking and practicing the principles of the program. Principles before personalities, just glad that I didn't have to walk in their shoes.

Sorry, this is so long, guess it needed to be said.

[MajestyJo]

F is for Forgive. Forgive others and yourself. If God forgives, why should you not forgive too.

To forgive as a gift to you. If you can't forgive, pray for the other person, and pray that they receive health, happiness, and everything that you would like for yourself. Don't pray like I did, I prayed that they would get everything that they deserved.

Another thing that I had to pray for, the willingness to be willing to forgive.

[MajestyJo]

F is for First. First things first, what is a priority. My priority is my sobreity. Sobriety isn''t just for alcoholics, it cover addicts too. I was told it meant soundness of mind.

Without me, I have nothing. I can't be there for others. I didn't know what to do to take care of me. I was told, do what you do to others for yourself.

Give yourself a hug, be your own best friend.

[MajestyJo]

F is for Find. Find what works for you. You can always replace it and make a refund, and long as you throw it away after you found it and decide to relapse.

Find the goodness in all situations, things are not all negative and/or positive.

[MajestyJo]

F is for Fix. Fix yourself, focus on your life instead of running away and caretaking and judging others.

Recovery isn't a quick fix, it is a process. We aren't the solution. The solution is spiritual, and it isn't my job to play God with my life and that of others.

[ifnotforgrace]

F is for Focus

Focus on the solution rather than the problem