Monday 12/1 - MY BRAIN IS LIKE A ......

"MY BRAIN IS LIKE A ......"

Often, I've heard people say all kinds of things about the way our minds are and how they work.

My brain is like a sieve - it leaks........
We hear what we need to get and stay sober going to lots of meetings. When we don't go often enough, what we have heard leaks out.

My brain is like a steel trap.......
"Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely." (Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 58) My old ideas were locked in my brain in a trap of steel.

My brain is like a committee room.....
... a committee room in which no one is agreeing, everyone arguing. With continued sobriety, the committee quiets down and eventually one voice emerges to bring harmony and that voice is God.

My brain is like a merry-go-round....
... of alcoholism - a dizzying life - nauseating, actually! Once I jumped off the merry-go-round for good, that is when sanity and real sobriety began.

My brain is mush......
Arriving at the door of AA, my brain was pickled - it was mush. Thankfully, as I was restored to sanity, the mush became solid and eventually rational.

My brain deceives......
Alcoholism is a disease that tells me I don't have a disease. I would often rather believe a lie than admit the truth.

My brain is like a blackboard.....
Alcohol erased everything from my mind. Alcoholics Anonymous tells me what needs to be written on that blackboard - - 100 times each:
I will not drink.
I will go to meetings.
I will not gossip.
I will pay attention in meetings.

My brain is broken......
Alcohol broke our brains. God, through the program of Alcoholics Anonymous, restores them to health.

Prayer Girl

(Photo Credits due:

• The Wolfson brain imaging centre at Addenbrooke's hospital, Cambridge, where the scan was done.
  
  
• MRIcro software, which was the inspiration for the javascript viewer above, and was used to produce the 2D images.)

Sunday 11/30 - IN EVERY AGE

"IN EVERY AGE"

Beautiful, haunting words and melody are what captured my heart and soul today as I sat in church singing the words to "In Every Age".
Here they are:

Refrain:
In every age, O God, you have been our refuge.
In every age, O God, you have been our hope.

Long before the mountains came to be
and the land and sea and stars of the night,
through the endless seasons of all time,
you have always been, you will always be.

Destiny is cast, and at your silent word
we return to dust and scatter to the wind.
A thousand years are like a single moment gone,
as the light that fades at the end of day.

Teach us to make use of the time we have.
Teach us to be patient even as we wait.
Teach us to embrace our every joy and pain.
To sleep peacefully, and to rise up strong.

_____________________________
Some thoughts about these words: I feel the power and majesty in this song that God possesses - capable of relieving the hopeless condition of mind and body that is the state of an alcoholic, the power to arrest the progression of this fatal disease, and to totally transform a person's life. God's power heals all manner of hopeless conditions.

God is our refuge in times of trouble and always a beacon of hope leading us up out of the pit of despair, into the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous, through the steps, and into an ever growing awareness of our relationship with Him.

God has always been and always will be. That thought is full of faith and hope. God does not change, but He can bring about change in us. Here is the mystery of time again. (A thousand years are like a single moment gone, as the light fades at the end of day.) When I want things to go faster, they always seem to drag. When I want time to slow down, that's when it really seems to speed up - - - - a mystery!

This song is like a prayer - asking to be taught to use our time wisely, be patient as we wait for change, learn to live with the joy and pain of life, and to be given peace and strength. This song makes a great prayer and meditation..............
something to spend time in the silence with.

May you all sleep peacefully tonight and rise up strong to enjoy the new day....SOBER!

Prayer Girl

Saturday, 11/29 - PEANUTS OR PRIZES?

"PEANUTS OR PRIZES?"

What's this little guy got in his wagon? Peanuts? Prizes? I'm saying his wagon is full of spiritual prizes - slogans, sayings, and life-saving ideas for sobriety. He's looking them over, taking out what he needs and storing the rest for another day.

What exactly is in there?

• easy does it
• first things first
• live and let live
• but for the grace of God
• think...think...think
• one day at a time
• let go and let God
• this too shall pass
• expect miracles
• I can't...He can...I think I'll let Him (steps 1,2,3)
• if it works, don't fix it
• stick with the winners
• sobriety is a journey....not a destination
• to thine own self be true
• I came, I came to, I came to believe (steps 1,2,3)
• live in the NOW
• if God seems far away, who moved?
• turn it over
• we are only as sick as our secrets
• be part of the solution, not the problem
• sponsors - have one, use one, be one
• keep an open mind
• willingness is the key
• more will be revealed
• don't leave before the miracle happens
• practice an attitude of gratitude
• God is never late
• it takes time
• where you go, there you are
• stay sober for yourself
• what goes around, comes around
• change is a process, not an event
• call your sponsor before, not after, you take the first drink
• its the first drink that gets you drunk
• before engaging the mouth, put the mind in gear
• trying to pray is praying
• EGO - edging God out
• principles before personalities
• HALT - don't get too hungry, angry, lonely, tired
• RULE 62 - don't take yourself so darn seriously!!
• You are not alone
  
• "Don't die on Third'' (Step!)

(Photo credit: Pat Abbott)

Friday 11/28 - STILL THANKFUL

"STILL THANKFUL"

Tis the day after Thanksgiving and guess what.....I'm still overflowing with thankfulness.

Here are more things I am very thankful for today:

• After being really "keyed-up" Thanksgiving Eve and sleeping very little, I slept like the proverbial "rock" last night (Thanksgiving night) and woke up feeling "great"
• Having the pleasure and joy of spending the entire day with hubby
  
• A safe trip up to and back from Tampa
• Family and friends
  
• My soon-to-be daughter-in-law being an excellent cook - mashed potatoes with all kinds of cheese in and on them as well as delicious Italian stuffing - just to name a few
• The fact that my daughter created a superb butternut squash soup (Emeril recipe) with tarragon drizzle - wow - that was "out of this world" good
  
• My son being a master in the kitchen - both as a terrific cook as well as master planner - getting everything out at the perfect time - amazing
• My daughter's boyfriend being with us AND his Dad who I had never met
  
• My blogging readership - totally amazing to me
• Feeling calm and peaceful inside
• Being able to ride my scooter to the gym where I can hopefully work off a little of what I put on yesterday
• My strawberry pie turning out the way I wanted it to
• Sponsees who listen and learn and grow
• Having something to share with them that has been so freely given to me
• Prayer and answered prayer

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving day and that they will enjoy today.

Prayer Girl

(Photo: The beautifully set and decorated tables we sat down to for our Thanksgiving feast.)

Thursday, 11/27 - SMILE & HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

"SMILE & HAPPY THANKSGIVING"

Before I begin my blog about smiling, I want to say something about Thanksgiving. For many Thanksgiving will be a wonderful day full of love and happiness. For many others, Thanksgiving will be a time of feelings of sadness and loss.

I wish everyone blessings on this day. Perhaps you've guessed from some of my poems that I believe "time" is a mystery.

For those who are enjoying the day, I hope you savor every second of every minute of your celebration.

For those who are hoping this day will just end quickly, I say that each day is but a blink of the eye in the mind of God. The day will start, end, and a new day will dawn.

God understands and blesses all. I send my love and prayers.
___________________

"SMILE - IT'S THE SECOND-BEST THING
YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR LIPS!"
(Stopped at the red light, smile is what I did
when I saw this bumper sticker
on the car in front of me.)

Thinking about this blog while in the shower, I had one thought right after another. My soul tends to be on the more serious side. It's lighter side needs more attention - needs more smiles.

A corollary bumper sticker came to mind:
"Laughter - It's the second-best thing
you can do with your lungs!"
Smiling, laughter - they are all great medicine and uplifting for the spirit.

At times it is hard to express emotions so sometimes I rent a sad movie and allow the tears to flow if sadness is on my heart. If it is laughter I need, I will watch a comedy or read something funny. Holidays can be a difficult time. If "down" is the feeling of the day, maybe a funny movie will help.

Someone recently blogged about things that make her smile.
Since a smile is the second-best way to use my lips,
these are some things that make me smile:

• A funny movie

• Children laughing

• Seeing the "Smile" bumper sticker

• Having hubby say, "Let's eat out tonight."

• Syd's blog - "the biscuit timer"

• Seeing the light of understanding "switch on" in the eyes of a sponsee

• The light of understanding hitting me

• The beauty of the "Living Christmas Tree" that steveroni plays violin for every Christmas

• Smiles on the faces of my 'roni, my children, and those they love

• A crisp, clear day with the smell of woodsmoke in the air

Photo: http://www.myadorablesmile.com/ (Title:Carson)

Wednesday, 11/26 - "ETERNITY"

"ETERNITY"

(FIRST - a short P.S. to yesterday's blog.)

P.S. #1 - Upon first getting sober, I had only one basket. It was the alcoholic basket and it was full of drinking, recovering from being drunk, drinking again, recovering, etc. etc. with a whole lot of fear, remorse, and guilt sprinkled in.
P.S. #2 - The eggs in that one basket were all "putrefying"

Now - on to a hopefully lighter, happier, more spiritual/philosophical note.
Another poem.


ETERNITY
The eons of time cascade by
The centuries pass in parade
The years step one into one
And why do I feel entwined?

The months with their seasons spring forth
Into weeks with their days marching forth
Leading irresistibly onward
To everywhere - nowhere at all

And the hours sweep endlessly by
Ticked off by the seconds so brief
And between are the flickers of eye blinks
Into nothing and nothing at all

Yet in that bare blink of the lid
Mirrored there in its' translucent skin
Arrayed out are the eons of time
And I know that I "am" so entwined
Prayer Girl

(Photo: Twin Spiral Galaxies - Space.com Image of the Day)

Tuesday, 11/25 - ARE ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET?

"ARE ALL YOUR EGGS
IN ONE BASKET?"

In early sobriety I was full of fears. There was fear of drinking again, fear of divorce, of being a single parent, of being responsible (for the first time ever) for the finances. There was also loads of fear about the future. There was fear of the "empty nest" knowing that the day would soon come when both the children would be gone, fear of "being alone".

An old adage came to mind -
learned from my mother:

"DON'T PUT ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET!"

I was very emotionally, mentally, and spiritually unbalanced in early sobriety. There was a desperate need for "balance" in life. One way of achieving balance is to begin putting energy, thought and time into different types of activities and interests - to open the box life had become and move out into the greater world of possibilities.

These are some of the different kinds of baskets that I identified and began to fill:

Family Basket - Working on repairing family relationship wounds where possible, developing and maintaining healthy and satisfying relationships

Basket of Sobriety - AA meetings, sponsorship, working the Alcoholics Anonymous steps, service such as speaking, leading meetings, group service positions

Basket of Spirituality - Developing spirituality - attending church, reading spiritual literature, discussing spirituality with others

Friends Basket - Maintaining friendships that were healthy and developing new friendships

Work basket - Finding satisfying and meaningful work, developing a career, expanding work skills

Hobbies and Leisure Time Basket - Exploring activities and finding interesting and pleasurable arts and crafts, dancing, cooking, reading, writing

Physical Activity Basket - Walking, using exercise equipment, using a personal trainer, swimming, bike riding

It took many, many years to identify the different baskets that would make life full and satisfying. It took commitment, willingness, and self-pushing, and being pushed by others to stay motivated to develop these different baskets and to keep putting eggs in each. The greatest motivator was "fear". As the years have gone by the motivation has changed from doing this out of fear to doing this because it brings a satisfying and full life.

I try to monitor myself from time to time to make sure I'm not getting lopsided. Do I have too many eggs in one basket? Am I reducing the number in another basket or excluding a basket altogether?

Since choosing to write about this, I realize it's time to do a spot check of these areas of my life. How healthy is my balance these days? Good question!