WORTHY THOUGHTS

[MajestyJo]

Love is but the discovery of ourselves in others, and the delight in the recognition. -Alexander Smith

One reason our program has such power to change lives is that it is based on the principle of sharing between people with similar problem and experiences. We are able to help each other when nothing else seems to work because we can identify with one another.We recognize ourselves in each other, making it easier to love one another

God made us all equal. It is hard for us to believe this until we see others who seem so different, but are really just like us. The knowledge that we are essentially alike -that God gave each of us the same feelings, the same inner needs -comforts us and gives us confidence. That's why it's important that we share ourselves by revealing our feelings.

I will share my feelings with others today and delight in the recognition it brings.

In God's Care

PRAYER FOR TODAY: I pray that I may recognize the goodness I see in others. May I acknowledge and affirm the source is reflected from within me.

From The Five As

[MajestyJo]

FINDING ME



Peer quietly inward, attempt now to see

An identity lost, struggling hard to be free

Exploring, soul-searching

Seeking desperately to find

A sense of oneself; of true peace of mind.

Tentatively inching the dark passageways

Of the maze criss-crossing our mind

Slowly breaking down every barrier

That cold fear tempts us to find.

But we all possess that raw courage

The inner strength to find our way out

To catch a glimpse of the shadow

Of the Hero within - No doubt.

So prepare to go on a journey

A path on which discoveries will be

Hold tight to the courage provided

A most enlightening task

FINDING ME!

- Lois Stargratt

from The Five As

[MajestyJo]

One Caring Smile



Everything's gone
wrong today.
No one reacts to
anything you say.

No matter how much
you scream and cry,
the world seems to
be passing you by.

No one seems to notice or care,
that you are trying to be heard
over your despair.

But on one face a
smile shines through,
a smile that knows
and cares about you.

A smile with love to lend,
on a face you recognize
as a friend!

- Author Unknown

[MajestyJo]

Worthy Thoughts

- Anger is a condition in which the tongue works faster than the mind.

- You can't change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying over the future.

- Love... and you shall be loved.

- God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him.

- All people smile in the same language.

- A hug is a great gift, one size fits all. It can be given for any occasion and it's easy to exchange.

- Everyone needs to be loved, especially when they do not deserve it.

- The real measure of a man's wealth is what he has invested in eternity.

- Laughter is God's sunshine.

- Everything has beauty but not everyone sees it.

- It's important for parents to live the same things they teach.

- Thank God for what you have, TRUST GOD for what you need.

- If you fill your heart with regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow, you have no today to be thankful for.

- Happy memories never wear out... Relive them as often as you want.

- Home is the place where we grumble the most, but are often treated the best.

- Man looks at outward appearance but the Lord looks within.

- The choice you make today will usually affect tomorrow.

- Take time to laugh for it is the music of the soul.

- If anyone speaks badly of you, live so none will believe it.

- Patience is the ability to idle your motor, when you feel like stripping your gears.

- Love is strengthened by working through conflicts together.

- The best thing parents can do for their children is to love each other.

- Harsh words break no bones but they do break hearts.

- To get out of a difficulty, one usually must go through it.

- We take for granted the things that we should be giving thanks for.

- Love is the only thing that can be divided, without being diminished.

- Happiness is enhanced by others but does not depend upon others.

- You are richer today if you have laughed, given or forgiven.

- For every minute you are angry with someone, you lose 60 seconds of happiness that you can never get back.

- Do what you can, for who you can, with what you have, and where you are.



"The Mind is like a Parachute, it Doesn't work properly unless FULLY OPEN"

[MajestyJo]

When it seems we have no recourse, we can always pray.

Coming to believe that a Higher Power can help us and relieve us of our worry may take time if we have spent years trying to stop someone's drinking or worrying about how to keep the family together. From others in this program we can learn the steps to take. Becoming willing to pray is the first one.

We'll soon discover that the power of prayer is awesome. Here are six compelling reasons why:
(1) Prayer promises relief when we are anxious.
(2) Prayer connects us with our Higher Power when we feel isolated and full of fear.
(3) Prayer frees our minds from the obsession to plan other people's lives.
(4) Prayer helps us take action when we feel compelled to change the circumstances of our lives. (5) Prayer becomes a wonderful resource to draw on when living through our painful moments.
(6) And prayer gives us the willingness to accept God's solution for every problem that plagues us.

I will utilize prayer today every time I wonder what I should do. You are reading from the book:

A Life of My Own by Karen Casey

[MajestyJo]

SOMETIMES...


We must be hurt in order to grow,

We must fail in order to know,

We must lose in order to gain.

Some Lessons are learned best only through pain.

SOMETIMES...

Our vision clears only after our eyes are washed with tears.

We have to be broken, so we can be tender,

We are sick so we can rest and think better on things more important than work or fun,

We are taken for trip near death, so we can assess how we've run.

SOMETIMES...

We have to suffer lack, so we can know God's provision,

We have to feel another's pain, so we can have a sense of mission.

So take heart, if you don't understand today,

Instead of grumbling, ask God what He means to say,

In order to learn you must endure, and learn to see the bigger picture.

In order to grow, you must stand and look beyond the hurt,

Trust in God's loving hand that takes what is Good, and gives what is Best,

And on this blessed thought, rest your anxious heart with all the questions,

God's hand only gives what his loving heart dictates,

SOMETIMES...

The Lord calms the storm,

SOMETIMES...

He lets the storm rage... and calms His child...

Better go through the storm with Him,

Than smooth waters without Him...

Received with thanks from Lady Linda at Inspiration Plus

[MajestyJo]

Ten Reasons to believe In A God Who Allows Suffering...

1. Suffering Comes With The Freedom To Choose.

Loving parents long to protect their children from unnecessary pain.

But wise parents know the danger in over-protection.

They know that the freedom to chose is at the heart of what it means to be human, and that a world without choice would be worse than a world without pain.

Worse yet would be a world populated by people who could make wrong choices without
feeling any pain.

No one is more dangerous than the liar, thief, or killer who doesn't feel the harm he is doing to himself and to others.

~Gen. 2:15-17~


2. Pain Can Warn Us Of Danger.

We hate pain, especially in those we love.

Yet without discomfort, the sick wouldn't go to the Doctor.

Worn-out bodies would get no rest.

Criminals wouldn't fear the law.

Children would laugh at correction.

Without pangs of conscience, the daily dissatisfaction of boredom, or the empty longing for signifigance,

People who are made to find satisfaction in an Eternal Father would settle for far less.

The example of Solomon lured by pleasure and taught by his pain, shows us that even
the wisest among us tend to drift from good and from God until arrested by the resulting pain of their own shortsighted choices.

~Eccl. 1-12; Ps. 78:34-35; Rom. 3:10-18~

3. Suffering Reveals What Is In Our Hearts.

Suffering often occurs at the hand of others.

But it has a way of revealing what is in our own hearts

Capacities for love, mercy, anger, envy, and pride can lie dormant until awakened.

Strength and weaknesses of heart is found not when everything is going our way
but when flames of suffering and temptation test the mettle of our character.

As gold and silver are refined by fire, and as coal needs time and pressure to become a diamond,

The human heart is revealed and developed by enduring the pressure and heat of time
and circumstance.

Strength of character is shown not when all is well with our world but in the presence
of human pain and suffering.

~Job 42:1-17; Rom 5:3-5; James 1:2-5; 1 Peter1:6-8~


4. Suffering Takes Us To The Edge Of Eternity.

If death is the end of everything, then a life filled with suffering isn't fair.

But if the end of this life brings us to the threshold of eternity, then the most fortunate people in the universe are those who discover,through suffering, that this life is not all we have to live for.

Those who find themselves and their eternal God through suffering have not wasted their pain.

They have let their poverty, grief, and hunger drive them to the Lord of Eternity.

They are the ones who will discover to their own unending joy why Jesus said,

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"

~Matt. 5:1-12; Rom. 8:18-19~


5. Pain Loosens Our Grip On This Life.

In time, our work and our opinions are sought less and less.

Our bodies become increasingly worse for the wear.

Gradually they succumb to inevitable obsolescence.

Joints stiffen and ache.
Eyes grow dim.
Digestion slows.
Sleep becomes difficult.

Problems loom larger and larger while options narrow.

Yet, if death is not the end but the threshold of a new day, then the curse of old age
is also a blessing.

Each new pain makes this world less inviting and the next more appealing.

In its own way, pain, paves the way for a graceful departure.

~Eccl. 12:1-4~

6. Suffering Gives Opportunity To Trust God.

The most famous sufferer of all time was a man named Job.

According to the Bible, Job lost his family to war, his wealth to wind and fire, and his health to painful boils.

Through it all, God never told Job why it was happening.

As Job endured the accusations of his friends, heaven seemed silent.

When God finally did speak, He did not reveal that His archenemy Satan had challenged
Job's motives for serving God.

Neither did the Lord apologize for allowing Satan to test Job's devotion to God.

Instead, God talked about mountain goats giving birth, young lions on the hunt, and ravens in the nest.

He sited the behavior of the ostrich the strength of the ox, and the stride of the horse.

He cited the wonders of the heavens,

The marvels of the sea, and the cycle of the seasons.

Job was left to conclude that if God had the power and wisdom to create this physical universe;

There was reason to trust the same God in times of suffering.

~Job 1-42~

7. God Suffers With Us In Our Suffering.

No one has suffered more than our Father in heaven.

No one has paid more dearly for the allowance of sin into the world.

No one has so continuously grieved over the pain of a race gone bad.

No one has suffered like the One who paid for our sins in the crucified body of His own Son.

No one has suffered more than the One who, when He stretched out His arms and died,
showed us how much He loved us.

It is this God who, is drawing us to Himself, asks us to trust Him when we are suffering
and when our own loved ones cry out in our presence.

~ 1 Peter 2:21; 3:18; 4:1~

8. God's Comfort Is Greater Than Our Suffering.

The apostle Paul pleaded with the Lord to take away an unidentified source of suffering.

But the Lord declined saying, "My grace is sufficient for you,

My strength is made perfect in your weakness."

"Therefore," said Paul, "most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distress, for Christ's sake.

For when I am weak, then I am strong"

(2 Cor. 12:9-10).

Paul learned that he would rather be with Christ in suffering than without Christ in good health and pleasant circumstances.

9. In Times Of Crisis, We Find One Another.

No one would chose pain and suffering.

But when there is no choice, there remains some consolation.

Natural disasters and times of crisis have a way of bringing us together.

Hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, riots, illnesses, and accidents all have a way of bringing us
to our senses.

Suddenly we remember our own mortality and that people are more important than things.

We remember that we do need one another and that, above all, WE NEED GOD.

Each time we discover God's comfort in our own suffering, our capacity to help others
is increased.

This is what the apostle Paul had in mind when he wrote, "Blessed be to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God"

~ 2 Cor. 1:3-4~

10. God Can Turn Suffering Around For Our Good.

This truth is best seen in the many examples of the Bible.

Through Job's suffering we see a man, who not only came to a deeper understanding of God but who also became a source of encouragement for people in every generation to follow.

Through rejection, betrayal, enslavement, and wrong imprisonment of a man named Joseph, we see someone who eventually was able to say to those who had hurt him, "You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good"

~Gen. 50:20~

When everything in us screams at the heavens for allowing suffering, we have reason to look at the eternal outcome and joy of Jesus who in His own suffering on an executioner's cross cried, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

~Matt. 27:46~

You're Not Alone If the unfairness and suffering of life leaves you unconvinced that a God in heaven cares for you, But consider again suffering of the One called by the prophet Isaiah, "a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief"

~Isaiah 53:3~

Think about His slashed back, His bloodied forehead, His nail ripped hands and feet,
His pierced side, His agony in the Garden, and His pathetic cry of abandonment.

Consider Christ's claim that He was suffering not for His sins, but OURS.

To give us the freedom to choose, He lets us suffer.
But He Himself bore the ultimate penalty and pain for all our sins.

~ 2 Cor 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24~

When you do see the reason for His suffering, keep in mind that the Bible says
Christ died to pay the price for our sins, and that those who believe in their heart that
God has raised Him from the dead will be saved.

~ Romans 10:9-10~

The forgiveness and eternal life Christ offers is not a reward for effort but a gift to all
who, in light of the evidence, put their trust in Him.

This was taken from a RBC Ministries pamplet called "10 Reasons To Believe In A God Who Allows Suffering"


[image]

Received with thanks from my friend Carey.

The following was an additional comment from him with regard to the article above :

By and large this essay was good and thoughtful presenting many worthy arguments even though I personally don't agree with the classical "atonement" theory.

God might be dismayed with we errant creatures, but paying for sins through someone else's (even a God) suffering does not balance the scales of justice but adds on another wrong.

My personal thought was that God allowed His Son to pay the price, He gave us the gift of forgiveness, why can't we give it to ourselves. Many times we add to our own pain by lack of acceptance and by our fear of letting go, we make ourselves into the martyr and the victim when the price has already been paid.

[MajestyJo]

INNER PEACE



How would you rate your level of "Inner Peace"?
Enough to stay calm in a den of lions?
Enough to get through a good day?
Enough for the next five minutes,
so long as everybody leaves you alone?

You may need a good case of inner peace,
a disease that could leave you stress-free
and contented for years to come.
A chiropractor named Jeff Rockwell
composed a list he calls
"Symptoms of Inner Peace."
You may have already caught this disease!
See how many of these symptoms you exhibit:

1.
A tendency to think and act
spontaneously rather than from
fears based on past experiences.

2.
An unmistakable ability
to enjoy each moment.

3.
A loss of interest in judging self.

4.
A loss of interest in judging others.

5.
A loss of interest in conflict.

6.
A loss of interest in interpreting
the actions of others.

7.
A loss of ability to worry
(this is a serious symptom).

8.
Frequent,
overwhelming episodes of appreciation.

9.
Contented feelings of connectedness
with others and nature.

10.
Frequent attacks of smiling
through the eyes of the heart.

11.
Increasing susceptibility to love
extended by others as well as
the uncontrollable urge to extend it.

12.
An increasing tendency
to let things happen.

Inner peace is a communicable disease
that could possibly infect
your home or workplace.
You may already be showing signs of it
and quite possibly be passing it along to others!

Rockwell warns:
"If you have all or even most
of the above symptoms,
please be advised that your condition
of PEACE may be so far advanced
as to not be treatable."

Have you caught it?

[MajestyJo]

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....one old love she can imagine going back to and one who reminds her how far she has come...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....something perfect to wear if the employer or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a youth she's content to leave behind...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....one friend who always makes her laugh and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal that will make her guests feel honored..

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a feeling of control over her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

....how to fall in love without losing herself...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

....how to quit a job
....break up with a lover

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
....one old love she can imagine going back to and one who reminds her how far she has come...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....something perfect to wear if the employer or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a youth she's content to leave behind...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....one friend who always makes her laugh and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal that will make her guests feel honored...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a feeling of control over her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

....how to fall in love without losing herself...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

....how to quit a job
....break up with a lover
....and confront a friend without ruining the friendship
....and how to change a tyre!!!!!!!

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

....when to try harder and when to walk away...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

....that she can't change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

....that her childhood may not have been perfect but it 's over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

.... what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

.... how to live alone even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

.... whom she can trust, whom she can't, and why she shouldn't take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

.... where to go be it to her best friend's kitchen table or a charming inn in the woods when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

.... what she can and can't accomplish in a day, a month and a year...

[MajestyJo]

“Reminding ourselves that we have decided to go to any lengths to find a spiritual experience, we ask that we be given strength and direction to do the right thing, no matter what the personal consequences may be.”

Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 79.

Over the years I have heard several people say, what is a spiritual experience and awakening. For me, it was me being able to do something that I was unable to do by and for myself before recovery.

Things like setting boundaries, being able to say no, not right now, when I have the times, not in the moment. The ability to allow someone to be themselves, and me not having to tell them the errors of their way and to allow the person to just be. To respect myself and know that I deserve recovery and that I did not have to be subject to abuse, to play the roles of martyr, victim, rescuer or any other “lie” that someone wanted me to live for ‘their’ sake.

The realization that I was the problem, not the substance. That I just used the substance to escape my reality and to escape me. That is wasn’t just alcohol and drugs, I had used sex, relationships, food, work, TV, books, etc. all to not have to look at me and the world around me.

The realization that when I took away that substance, their was a void within me and it would continue to be if I did not fill it up with spiritual concepts and living. The getting out of self and helping another still suffering addict. T

To care and share with another the unconditional love and the Fellowship of the Spirit which can be found in the rooms of Recovery. The awareness that although I am sick, that through the God of my understanding, I can heal and become the type of person He would have me be and live in faith instead of fear today.

There never seem to be an end to a day, I used to fill up my day. Today there are not enough hours. I must always be grateful for “busy” but I must never be too busy to share with others how I got ‘busy’ today. Please share with me your spiritual experiences and awareness so that those who are new can have hope, and have a desire to continue on this journey of freedom we call recovery.

We cannot choose happiness for ourselves or for another; we can’t tell where that will lie. We can only choose whether we will indulge ourselves in that precious moment, or whether we will renounce ourselves in the present moment, for the sake of obeying the Divine voice within us, for the sake of being true to all the motives that sanctify our lives. I know this belief is hard; it has slipped from me again and again; but I have felt that if I let it go forever, I should have no light through the darkness of this life. I pray that I will one day come completely out of the dark and into the light. I should start by getting out of my own way. I can’t. He can. Think I’ll let Him. Just for today, Lord, protect me from myself. Thanks for letting me share.

[MajestyJo]

MY FRIEND



As I travel down life's highway,
I know my Lord's always there,
And I know I can rely upon
His tender loving care,

For He knows all of the byways
that I'm likely to explore
So He watches over me
because He's been that way before.

And when my road seems all uphill
and shadows gather round,
His understanding presence is
a blessing so profound.

I know that when I seek Him and
on Him my problems place,
He turns each stumbling-block
into a stepping-stone of faith.

If I follow His directions,
on the Lighted Path I'll stay,
And I'll reach my destination in the most straightforward way,

For He will not see me burdened
with a weight I cannot bear,
With His help I can stand straight and tall,
because His strength I share.

To me, each day's a beginning,
and a chance for me to show
Just how much I love and trust Him,
how much closer we can grow.

Just imagine, the Creator of the earth,
moon, stars and sun
Is my Friend and, to Him,
my soul is a very special one.

For I know He really loves me,
with a love that has no end,
And for comfort and enrichment
I can truly recommend

The assurance that He gives me,
and the hope that my heart feels,
As my strength grows stronger
with each truth His faithfulness reveals.

There's no limit to His Loving,
to His Patience, to His Power,
As He teaches me and guides me,
day by day and hour by hour.

So, if miracles are missing from your life,
don't muddle through,
Please, just call Him, He will hear you.
My friend could be your Friend too!

Jacqueline Ramm (c)

Brought To You By smilesr4u

[MajestyJo]

When life seems empty, cold and drab
As it can often be,
then that's the time to take a break
And take the time to see
The silver lining behind each cloud
The bright dawning of each day
To recognize, to realize - that
There is a better way.

A way to change; a way to grow
To have courage; to believe
That we are given choices
And with guidance will receive
A pre-determined road map
From which a journey can begin
To ease the ever present doubt
To feel there's hope again.

So believe that we are special and unique in every way
that each and every one of us are
God's greatest miracles at play
And instead of living in the past and
Hiding behind protective masks
Take steps to turn our lives around
Be positive and pray
And before too long and with God's help
We'll find, there is a better way.

A better way to look at life; clearly and with pride
To take ownership for what we do; to allow the world inside
To share and care; to do and to say
These precious words, day by day

I believe in freedom; I believe in me
The serenity prayer is my guide to see
That with courage and acceptance; commitment and prayer
THERE IS A BETTER WAY.

By Lois Stargratt

[MajestyJo]

A.S.A.P.

Normally known as "As soon as possible."

Like this version better: Always say a prayer.

A cartoon version

http://www.funnies.com/asap.htm

[MajestyJo]

Change

"I find it fascinating that most people plan their vacations with better care than they plan their lives. Perhaps that is because escape is easier than change."

-- Jim Rohn

"Slowness to change usually means fear of the new."

-- Philip Crosby

“Just as the tumultuous chaos of a thunderstorm brings a nurturing rain that allows life to flourish, so too in human affairs times of advancement are preceded by times of disorder. Success comes to those who can weather the storm.”

-- I Ching No. 3

“If you want things to be different, perhaps the answer is to become different yourself.”

-- Norman Vincent Peale

Courtesy of Higher Awareness

Change, for me that is how recovery works. If I am not willing to change, things will remain the same.

To change, I need to be aware of myself and my surroundings. I need to admit to myself, to my God and others, the nature of my dis-ease. I need to accept what is in the moment, knowing that it is subject to change. I don't have to like it to acceptance, but I can't take meaningful action, without finding the acceptance. In order to take action, I often have to change my attitude. Other times, I need to change my attitude so I can take action. If I think I can, I won't. If I think I can, I will.

[MajestyJo]

my son use to say he doesn't identify with me any more, but now that he has been in treatment he knows where I am coming from, but still doesn't like it. He says, Don't preach your AA stuff at me.

All we can do is be the beacon and the light that hopefully one day they will choose to follow.

I often think that my God is sitting over my shoulder saying, "Tsk! Tsk! Here we go again, she didn't listen, and didn't get the message the first time. In today, it doesn't take so long for the light to go on.


It is getting better, my selective hearing and tunnel vision aren't so plugged and blurred now as they use to be. At least the vision ranges has a wider field and my mind isn't as closed. As they say, progress not perfection, some days are better than others.

Nothing changes if nothing changes.