“….faith has done for us what we could not do for ourselves.” BIG BOOK, chapter 5
we will know a new freedom and a new happiness we will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it we will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace we will see how our experience can benefit others that feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear we will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in others self-seeking will slip away our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change fear of people and economic insecurity will leave us we will intuitively know how to handle situations that used to baffle us we will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves
PROMISES OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, BIG BOOK, chapter 6
Are these extravagant promises? We think not! If you are sober today, give yourself and your Higher Power a hand.
If you are sober today, give yourself and your Higher Power a hand.
Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity – STEP 2
Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God. – STEP 3
This is the miracle of restoration. It is not dependent on anything you or I could do to alleviate the addictions which controlled our lives. Yes, we had to talk the walk and then walk the talk, but ultimately the grace of a power greater than us brought us back to sanity, restored us to meaningful lives within families and communities – sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.
God as we understood God is, for many of us, the premise which carries us over the hurdles of previous negative god experiences. No longer do we feel obligated to profess this faith or that in our daily faith walk. Surely, each religious philosophy of the world whether it be Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, etc. has nuggets of truth and wisdom; however, life changes when the God we follow is personal, loving and compassionate not corralled by any particular philosophy. As is human nature, we attempt to describe and define, but usually discover that our minds cannot comprehend the greatness or fathom the depths of that which we call Higher Power.
Whether your God or mine is a who, a what, a where, a when, male, female, genderless, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu or simply the fellowship which supports our sobriety,give this Higher Power a round of applause today for keeping us clean and serene.
Just another traveler on life’s highway hanging out in the slow lane. It’s quiet. It’s peaceful. Beyond the horizon is rest calling my name. Green pastures, still waters, my cup overflows.
(words from the prophet Micah in the Book of Micah 5:2)
“And thou, Bethlehem in the land of Judah……from thee shall come a prince — one who shall be the Shepherd of my people Israel.” Matthew 2: 6 WEYMOUTH BIBLE
“Now after the birth of Jesus, which took place at Bethlehem in Judaea in the reign of King Herod, excitement was produced in Jerusalem by the arrival of certain magi from the east, inquiring,
‘Where is the newly born king of the Jews? For we have seen his Star in the east, and have come here to do him homage.’
When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled , and all Jerusalem with him.” Matthew 2: 1-3 KJV
The shepherds were told of the birth by angels. Coming to the stable to worship from their watch over the flocks in their worn clothing, probably soiled and smelly, they had no gifts to present, nothing to offer other than awe and amazement.
The wise men were guided by a star in the sky to Bethlehem. Learned and scholarly, they traveled probably with a caravan of support staff and supplies. Being kings from the Orient, they were surely well attired and adorned. And they brought valuable gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Which would I be? Shepherd or king? What would I have to offer in the presence of a Lord and Master? What gift could I give to honor His presence in my life? How about you, what could your gift be?
My answer is easy. I am the shepherd who, from the surrounding hillsides, has seen opulence in society but never participated. I am the man who has suffered the condescension of the villagers who believe themselves better than me, more moral than me, more worthy than me. I am a simple man, not so much because I love simplicity, but because I can only afford a simple lifestyle. I do not ride in caravans with jewel-bedecked kings on camels. No, my ride is more akin to that of the adult Jesus – a borrowed donkey. I do not speak to governors for information when I arrive in a strange town. I have to use the tourist center and a google search. Yes, I would be the one sleeping in a barn on a bed of straw because I could not afford a room at the Holiday Inn. I am Joseph. I am Mary. I am all people who put their trust in a Savior, unseen and indescribable, seeking a life of meaningful spiritual experience.
There is great comfort in the story of the shepherds and the wise men. Do you see it, too? God came to the shepherds protecting the flocks on the hillside. They were not seeking God. God sought them to make the announcement. The angels stood round about and proclaimed the good news. The shepherds did not have to travel across a continent, they did not have to follow a star. They did not have riches to bring. No, God came to men who were common, unrefined, and poor announcing the birth of acceptance, equality, compassion, righteousness and tolerance among all mankind in the body of baby Jesus.
I love this story because that night in Bethlehem means that I, too, can participate in the Kingdom. I qualify for membership. My spiritual poverty, my human depravity, my brokenness in need of healing are qualifiers. The only dues for membership are surrender and unconditional love.
Too high a price, maybe? What’s the alternative? Cold nights sitting on a darkened hillside guarding a flock of smelly sheep? Spending an eternity separated from the graces of a Lord and Savior? It’s my call, yours too. The invitation is there waiting for us to accept.
“Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God.” step 3, ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
Just another traveler on life’s highway hanging out in the slow lane. It’s quiet. It’s peaceful. Beyond the horizon is rest calling my name. Green pastures, still waters, my cup overflows.
Keep It Simple, Stupid
For those of you who are unfamiliar with 12 step recovery programs, this life-changing saying hangs on most meeting room walls. It shares wall space along with “Let Go, Let God”, “Easy Does It”, “One Day at a Time”, and the Serenity Prayer.
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
But, for mortals, especially those of us recovering from addictions, keeping it simple is, well, not all that simple. It took numerous collisions with “self-will run riot” and retractions of my surrender to God to reach any semblance of simplicity in my life.
At the year of my 28th sobriety anniversary, I was plunged into the horrors of bankruptcy in 2009 due largely to the world-wide recession. As small business operators, my partner and I suffered equally the devastation of losing a trucking business of 15 years, the equipment, the accumulated toys, the savings, great credit standing, and my house. More devastating to me, a man 62 years old, was the loss of hope for a financial recovery. I came out of the bankruptcy tired and disillusioned.
“Aha,” said He, my Higher Power. “Maybe now you will learn from me. Why not let me run your life? I am not that difficult to live with.”
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Matthew 11:29
My life changed. Gone were all the concerns about finances and credit ratings and running a business. Gone were the responsibilities of owning a house and a bunch of toys. I slept like a baby at night and found voluminous amounts of time to walk, hike in the woods, jog, read, and enjoy leisure time with friends. I embraced Gandhi’s exhortation to “Live simply so that others may simply live.” And I learned to live life claiming the words of Jesus in the book of Matthew, chapter 11.
I think Jesus would have approved of our modern-day acronym KISS. What do you think?
Just another traveler on life’s highway hanging out in the slow lane. It’s quiet. It’s peaceful. Beyond the horizon is rest calling my name. Green pastures, still waters, my cup overflows.
All of us are driven by a philosophy concerning life. It could be derived from any number of prolific authors, leaders, and statesmen. Quite often our personal life philosophy is a result of theological teachings. The beliefs which I inherited from my forefathers went unchallenged in my younger years because the community in which I lived all abided by the principles of those beliefs. Christianity ruled.
And that would have been just fine if I had not ventured into the world beyond my community and experienced different cultures, different creeds, and different lifestyles. Tribalism was not at the forefront of conversations as it is today, but in retrospect, it was alive and well. Unwittingly, we all were suspicious of those who spoke, looked, thought, and worshipped differently.
Even more devastating to the growth of a young man finding his way in a life apart from the community of his upbringing was the concept of his forefathers’ God. There were numerous new ideas and experiences outside that sheltered life of boyhood and teenaged years. Most of them felt exhilarating and exciting, needed to be embraced and explored.
But, in the recesses of my mind, one dinosaur of theology always tempered the thrills of newly found freedoms.
“If it feels good, it is probably a sin.”
Thankfully, the alcoholism which controlled my life for so many years also brought me to a reckoning with the man I had become. 1) admitted we were powerless over alcohol and that our lives had become unmanageable 2) came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity 3) made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to a God of our understanding.
The key words in step 3 which changed my life dramatically were ‘God of my understanding.” I finally realized that God had given to me at birth a sense of reason and inner understanding with which I was designed to understand this ‘God-thing’. Nobody else could do this for me. It was a personal spiritual journey which became a lifetime endeavor. And finally I was able to embrace a life of wonderful experiences without the sin factor hanging over my head. Today, in my world, the word sin is a negative connotation used by others to control and intimidate when, in my reality, it simply means a temporary state of separation from the God of my understanding.
St. Bonaventure, an Italian medieval Franciscan, scholastic theologian and philosopher was born in 1221 Giovani di Fidanza and died in 1274. He entered the Franciscan order in 1243 and studied at the University of Paris. Marked by an attempt to completely integrate faith and reason, he thought of “Christ as the one true master who offers humans knowledge that begins in faith, is developed through rational understanding, and is perfected by mystical union with God.” St. Bonaventure
“Bonaventure pays little attention to fire and brimstone, sin, merit, justification, or atonement. His vision is positive, mystic, cosmic, intimately relational, and largely concerned with cleaning the lens of our perception and our intention so we can see and enjoy fully!” cac.org
I think I would have enjoyed life as a Franciscan living and studying with Giovani di Fidanza. Hmmmm, maybe I did and simply have not yet realized that previous life. 🙏
Those of us in recovery are famous for our inventory-taking. Step 4 of our 12 step program is all about a fearless, thorough inventory intending to clear out the many years of baggage accumulated in our hearts. Then Step 10 urges us to continue that process of inventorying on a daily basis. This process is a cornerstone of a content and joyous sober life.
Approaching a New Year is a great time to survey the past year recognizing achievements that stand out as highlights. It can also be a time to admit responsibility for the lesser moments when our character defects took center stage and attempted to recreate the chaos of our addictions. The good and the bad, when viewed together, will give us a healthy assessment of our previous year.
“We should make an accurate and really exhaustive survey of our past life as it has affected other people. In many instances we shall find that, thought the harm done others has not been great, we have nevertheless done ourselves considerable emotional damage.” Bill W. AS BILL SEES IT, pg 111
This passage leads to the realization that what I have done is usually of greater significance to my spiritual stability than that of another. Many years ago, in making amends, the person to whom I was apologizing profusely for a perceived unforgivable action responded with, “Really? When was that? I don’t remember it.”
Yes, the great “me” harbored this indiscretion for many years building it into an earth-shaking occurrence which nobody remembered. Therein lies a secret to living clean and serene. My inventorying, my amends, my spiritual program is all about making me more like the Higher Power which governs my life. In the process I will become a messenger calling out to the world’s darkness. When my slate is clean, that message turns into sobriety-driven action.
Happy New Year to all of you. Thanks for traveling with me in 2017 on this highway called life.
I’ve never had a problem with the concept of ‘repentance’. I remember repenting many times at the altar of the toilet. “Oh, Lord, get me through this night and I promise to never drink again.”
Years later, I followed the exhortations of my Christian brothers who recited the verses in the Gospel’s plan of salvation, I knelt at the sanctuary altar, and I called myself ‘born again’. That was simple. I immediately knew that I would spend eternity with them in heaven sitting at the feet of Jesus. Or, at least, I hoped so. Unfortunately, it was a brain job, not a heart job. My character defects were still there, my old self was still there, my heart remained stone cold despite being born again. The promise of a new beginning was not the miracle which I expected that would change me in an instant, in a heartbeat, in a brilliant flash of divine renewal.
After many years of stumbling within my own self-will and pretending to understand renewal, regeneration, and rebirth, I once again found myself at the altar begging my Higher Power, Jesus, to clean up the mess I brought with me to kneel at his feet. “Just as I am, Lord, take me and fix me.”
There were no bursting fireworks, no hallelujahs, no light shows to welcome me; instead there was a simple peace, a knowing that this time I was sincere in my plea and I now had the work of engaging in a new beginning. I had to do the leg work, I had to do the soul-searching, I had to do the inventory of character defects, I had to make the amends necessary to cleaning up my mess. I was finally serious about that decision to turn my will and my life over to the care of God as I understood God. But, I found great comfort knowing without question that God would walk with me every step of the way.
“17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”James 2:17
This verse from the author of James in the New Testament is often quoted in recovery programs to teach us that our sobriety is dependent upon working the 12 steps and extending ourselves to encourage other drunks like us to attain sustained sobriety. Faith is fine and absolutely necessary, but, for a recovering alcoholic, works are equally important.
The same is true when I apply this inwardly to my own soul. I believe that I have always had faith; however, I was never able to follow through with a plan of self-renewal. I was weak and unwilling to give up my favorite character defects. I prayed, bowed, meditated and then prayed some more, but never developed a sustained plan of action. Oh yes, the New Year’s resolutions were always written on paper and the desire to live by them was there on January 1st, but the action to follow through was missing.
Today, I do my best to live by my Higher Power’s plan. As a result life is more than I ever expected, better than I deserve. I am an unworthy Jesus freak who knows that each day is a new beginning underscored by a mindset of repentance.
“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36
The news coming from the ruins in Puerto Rico is not encouraging. Last report which I read says 50 % of the island continues without power, over 200,000 have moved to the mainland. Hurricane Maria not only devastated the resources of the tropical United States territory, she also brought pain and misery to millions of citizens. Whether our government’s response has been appropriate and adequate or an abject failure continues to be debated. However, we do know with certainty that a large segment of humanity, American brothers and sisters, suffer through a long and tedious restoration.
Israel in 722 B.C.E. also suffered a national tragedy with the fall of its Northern Kingdom leading the psalmist to write:
“Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.” Psalm 80:3
Throughout recorded history the world’s peoples have endured unfathomable misery either from natural disasters or man’s depravity. The Israelites of King David’s time, whether praying to God for relief or cursing God for his anger, acknowledged that a power greater than themselves had the capacity to restore or punish. We have that same choice today. Do I pray to God for deliverance or curse God for hardships? Do I honor God for mercy and goodness or blame God for pain and misery?
Therefore, when I say, “Restore me, God; let your face shine, that I may be saved,” I have chosen to embrace the power of a restorative, compassionate, saving God instead of a vindictive, harsh, wrathful God. My choice, my free will, has enabled a power greater than myself to enter Larry’s world and perform the miracles of restoration upon a lost and wretched scrap of humanity rescued from the seas of addiction. Certainly God was waiting in the wings for the opportunity to take center stage, but, Larry had to raise the curtain.
“Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God.” AA, twelve and twelve
It all makes sense. It is a choice; so, why would anyone choose an angry God over a loving God? Ultimately, why would anyone choose to live without the comfort and grace of a Father who is readily available to whomever would ask?
“Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7
When all the arguments are vented, when all the opinions are expressed, when all the chatter is expended, then is when I look at myself questioningly wondering what all that hullabaloo was about. Why was so much energy necessary attempting to prove that my version of all things holy is more accurate than yours? God needs my defense. I have more insight than you do. I am more level-headed, more sincere, more open-minded, more knowledgable, more socially aware than you. I, I, I,….me, me, me. It’s like a broken record from the golden oldies. Only difference today is that the old me does not control my life. It merely stops by to visit sometimes like a recurring bad dream.
The old me shone brilliantly in the delusions of self-importance relating to religion, politics, society, and philosophy. The old me sat high atop that bar stool explaining to whomever was unfortunately sitting nearby the theories of a drunk man trying to make himself feel like he truly mattered in the worldly realm. The old me convinced himself that all the personal problems, the brokenness, the failed relationships, the financial chaos, the self-loathing were the results of friends and family who did not understand me or appreciate me. The old me drank alcoholically because he was a weary and broken vessel in need of a spiritual fix. The old me was ‘self-will run riot’. Then, by the grace of a loving and compassionate Higher Power, the old me found the humility to surrender to a better way, a new way of living.
“Made a decision to turn my will and my life over to the care of God as I understood God.” Alcoholics Anonymous – step 3
“I tell you the truth, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again.” John 3:3
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
Jesus went to his cross a broken and weary man having surrendered to the will of his Father. The ultimate reality of his sacrifice is that I also must sacrifice, have the willingness to be crucified to the ways of this world in order to realize a new existence resting in the truth of the One who assumed my weariness and my burdens. My life today is not measured by worldly victories. I don’t need to win the arguments anymore because I know that I am a simple messenger carrying the greatest, most important message to mankind.
Working with a new guy in the fellowship is a privilege never to be taken lightly. I have been blessed many times with this challenge sometimes successfully, other times not so successfully. Having pulled back in recent years from a rigorous association with Alcoholics Anonymous and focusing on a church affiliation, I was somewhat cautious about once again extending myself to a young, homeless man who chose me to help him. In retrospect I know that it was God leading this broken man to me. In all the times of reaching out to another alcoholic, it was I who received the blessing and it was I who stayed sober regardless of what my newbie did.
I am not a young man full of energy these days. My afternoon naps are important to me and bedtime seems to crawl upon me earlier in the evening. Habits and routine have made life more manageable. Therefore, adjusting my schedule to meet the needs of someone who believes I can guide him through the craziness of early sobriety does not come easy. I still remember the powerful healing days of early AA fellowship, meeting new friends, giving up old friends, doing 90 meetings in 90 days, and forging a life which before was unimaginable. But then that voice from within said, “Larry, it’s time to refresh yourself in Alcoholics Anonymous, to recommit to the program. Do 90 in 90.”
“Oh no,” was my first response. ” I don’t have the time.”
“Really? I gave your life back to you when you were a basket case. I sat up with you when you spent nights in sheer terror afraid you were going crazy. I brought you through the valley of the shadows. And you don’t have time?”
My Higher Power settled that argument without further dispute. Now, you all need to understand that although patience is a virtue, it is not always readily available. Sometimes, especially for an old man, it is in short supply. My new protégé is someone I have known for several years who recently suffered reversals in life which, hopefully, brought him to his ‘bottom’. And because we have been friends, the conversation is usually free-flowing and lively. Sometimes it gets out of hand. As most of you know, I am still a broken vessel needing a lot of healing and mending. My mouth still opens before the brain is engaged and, as happened a few days ago, words which were not of a spiritual nature flowed freely. Ouch!
After a few solitary hours in my private attitude adjusting cubicle, I offered a sincere apology, a hug, and a promise to count to 10 before offering my lame – brain diatribes. It is once again “well with my soul” and peaceful in my household. But, that’s the beauty of sober living. We can be honest, we can argue, we can disagree, we can yell and then promptly make amends.
It’s the yelling part that concerns me because that was a strong feature of my active alcoholism. Just flying off the handle over stupid stuff, being irrational and abrasive is not who the sober Larry wants to be. Wisdom gleaned from the literature of AA and Christian scriptures warns me of the consequences of a mouth which spews indiscriminately. I believe during the next few months of readjusting my life to the needs of someone who is reaching out, I will need these readings more often.
“Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?” James 3:10-12
“He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.” Proverbs 13:3
“A fool’s lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.” Proverbs 18:6
“If we were to live, we had to be free of anger. The grouch and the sudden rage were not for us. Anger is the dubious luxury of normal men, but not for us alcoholics. It is poison.” Bill Wilson AS BILL SEES IT pg 5
yourself and your Higher Power a hand.
inventorying on a daily basis. This process is a cornerstone of a content and joyous sober life.
turns into sobriety-driven action.
expected, better than I deserve. I am an unworthy Jesus freak who knows that each day is a new beginning underscored by a mindset of repentance.
lpb quest - the twilight dance 