Friday, 5/8/09 - "THE BOX - SHATTERED"

(Bill Wilson's meeting room)

Every Friday, compose a short story of 55 words -
no more, no less. if you want to join in the
fun and games and give it a try...post your story
and report to the boss G-Man!

"THE BOX - SHATTERED"

She glances at her watch. It's three hours since they talked and now she and Lucy are in a room filled with laughing, smiling people who seem to glow just like Lucy.

What is happening?

She doesn't know, but she feels lighter, freer.

The room then becomes silent. She hears, "God grant me the serenity..."

Prayer Girl
____________________________

Note: The following was LAST WEEK'S "55 Flash Fiction Friday":

"THE BOX - IV"

They had met sitting at adjacent tables. She averted her eyes, then sneaked peeks at this stranger who fairly glowed.

The lady smiled at her with a smile that lit up the cafe and said softly, "Hi, I'm Lucy. We both seem to be alone. Want to talk?"

She hesitated and then cautiously replied, "Okay!"

Thursday, 5/7/09 - "INNOCENCE"

"INNOCENCE"

Where has your precious presence gone?
Where gone that simple innocence so pure?
It's gone and vanished with the ticking of the clock
Into a far and distant place - another time

Gone and lost - that fit - camaraderie we knew
A sweetest blend of pairing, sharing, caring
That was a very gift from God Himself
Where does it dwell? Where has it gone?

We were like special sister ships
With engines thrumming a perfect tune
Beating rhythmically as one
In the waters of our lives - it's gone

We were like ships set out from home
In perfect sync - with matching beats
Whose engines' ceased - and now we drift
Apart, alone, that loving link - it's lost

The innocence I knew is gone
It's crumbled into dust, blown on the wind
Dispersed and carried on the air
I pray with fervor, God, that it return

Prayer Girl

(Photo credit: Coy by Jennifer Alder)

Wednesday, 5/6/09 - "FEED ME, FEED ME!"

"FEED ME, FEED ME!"

When I woke up this morning, I asked God to feed me - to fill me up with His healing and loving spirit. He did. He fed me - mind, body, and spirit.

I put my feet in gear and my scooter in motion and went to an Al-Anon meeting. The topic was forgiveness. There is such healing in the act of forgiving. There was a lot of discussion and people were in all kinds of different places...some were at the place where they are not able to forgive (yet) because they believe it is the same as condoning the wrongs done to them. Others were just beginning to discover the good that comes from forgiving.

For myself, I have come to recognize that not forgiving is a poison that seeps through my whole self, an acid that burns into and destroys my soul. I understand today that most, if not all, of the people I have forgiven were sick, not bad people. When I do not forgive, I hurt only myself. I am willing to do whatever it takes to forgive. This meeting fed my spirit.

I forced myself to return to the gym today and complete my exercise routine. I tried to eat in a healthy manner. I even took a short nap. All these activities fed my body.

I spent time reading blogs, thinking about them, and commenting as well as writing this one. I listened to several sponsees describe problems they were having and tried to provide some support and guidance. These things fed my mind.

Tonight I can say I was fed - I feel well-nourished, satisfied, balanced, and at one with myself, my God, and my fellow man.

It feels wonderful to be in this "good space" at this moment.

I share it with you,
Prayer Girl

Tuesday, 5/6/09 - "RESTED"

(Me! Yesterday!)

"RESTED"

Even when I'm having fun, I can run totally out of steam. That's what happened yesterday.....not even enough heat to blog. When I run out - it is often mentally as well as physically.

Our weekend had my body and my mind on overdrive. My attention was caught from the first Alcoholics Anonymous speaker, Sister Rose, and Al-Anon speaker, Sister Maurice both from Bronx, NY, and my focus remained intent on the speakers right to the end of the weekend when we heard Sandy Beach from Tampa, Florida - there was practically no wandering of the mind. That is intense.

So, yesterday, I wanted to just stay in bed, but it was volunteer day at the hospital so I was up and out to visit patients. Yesterday's theme was "STRANGE". Normally the sheets I am given with patient names on them have stars next to names of people requesting a pastoral care assistant visit. The request can come from them, a family member, or hospital staff. Yesterday, no stars. The lady in charge was overwhelmed with work and didn't have time to prepare the list that way and handed it to me without those markings.

My first visit was to the ER. Last week I spoke briefly with every single person there. Yesterday, the charge nurse was no where to be found, the other nurses were either not around or told me a patient shouldn't be seen or that they were off somewhere for tests. Bottom line - I didn't see one person there. That felt odd.

I planned to visit patients who had been in the hospital 1, 2, and 3 days - new arrivals. I met two people who I will not soon forget. One was a lovely lady who had surgery the day before and woke up to be told that they had found so much cancer in her colon that they just closed her up. I think she may have been one of the people who had requested a visit and I am so glad I came to her room. Our visit was a blessing - certainly for me and I believe for her as well. She asked questions about Hospice - very aware that she is facing death now. She was not afraid of dying, but had much concern for her son. She told me about herself and I felt moved to share the story of my healing touch with her. She lingers in my mind.

Another lady was in the hospital because her implanted defibrillator had shocked her so hard that she had a seizure and pitched forward onto her face, breaking her jaw. I entered her room to visit her roommate, a new patient, but she wasn't there. This lady said she recognized me from church. We also had a conversation that blessed me and I hope her.

I would normally go work out at the gym after volunteering. I was only there once last week, but I was just too tired to go. Instead I went and picked up our kitty from being boarded over the weekend, went home, slept for two hours, and the rest of the day I looked like the little squirrel above.

Today, I'm off to an Al-Anon meeting and then I swear I'm going back to the gym. Once I get out of that routine, it is very difficult to get back into it again. But today I will - I promise myself.

Prayer Girl

Monday, 5/4/09 - "A VERY SHORT BLOG"

(AIM FOR GREATER HEIGHTS)

"A VERY SHORT BLOG"

"Home again, home again, jiggity-jog!"

We're back home after our wonderful, intense, spiritual, beautiful weekend. I am tired from the pace of the jam-packed event filled conference and the trip home, but I am so very happy and renewed.

I have returned with a belief that with God's help and guidance I will be able to "AIM FOR GREATER HEIGHTS"! I do not know what those "greater heights" will look like, but I believe they are there. I also believe they are attainable if I leave all the planning and execution to God and don't try to push Him aside and take over myself.

I also return with a desire to recommit myself to making time to be in "the silence" regularly, for it is there that I hear Him best.

This blog is truly a very short one,
but hopefully, sweet as well,
Prayer Girl

Sunday, 5/3/09 - "LIFTED OUT"

"LIFTED OUT"

One of the speakers at the AA Woodstock weekend I have been attending was a woman who spent 15 years in a convent as a nun and was excommunicated. She is over 30 years sober. She spoke on the fear and sex part of the 4th step. She used examples from her life. She described a transforming moment at the end of her drinking that ushered her into the beginning of sobriety.

She had, with a great deal of agonizing, come to a decision to end her own life. She had lived with the disease of alcoholism and all its consequences for most of her life and the obsession and compulsion to drink were always strong. She was in the process of deciding the method she would use to end her life when suddenly, in an instant in time, God intervened. He reached into her body and soul, grabbed hold of and 'lifted out' the obsession and compulsion to drink. She told the audience she had no idea how or why this happened, but 32 years later, it has never returned to her.

This same type of experience happened to me...a stunning miracle in my life and an example of how God can create new and powerful possibilities. I had been sober nearly 3 months in Alcoholics Anonymous hanging on by a thread, the obsession and compulsion never very far from me.

On the 4th of July, 1985 I drank again which set in motion once more that overwhelming necessity to drink. I drank that night and all the next day till I passed out sometime on July 5th.

When I awoke the morning of July 6th, God had reached into the depths of my body and soul, grabbed every trace of the obsession and compulsion to drink and 'lifted it out'. I do not know how He did this or why, but it happened. It has never returned - not for an instant. The thought of taking a drink has never entered my mind since that moment.

Since that day, I have been on a journey of spiritual awakening in Alcoholics Anonymous and anywhere else God chooses to make Himself known to me, reveal something of Himself to me.

Forever grateful,
Prayer Girl

Saturday, 5/2/09 - "IT DOESN'T GET MUCH BETTER THAN THIS!"

(The view from my little beach chair)

"IT DOESN'T GET MUCH
BETTER THAN THIS!"

Non-stop quality Alcoholics Anonymous speakers, one right after another....it doesn't get much better than this!

Being with hubby and friends in an oceanside location, gorgeous weather, comfortable accommodations...it doesn't get much better than this!

Being reminded of what I believe - that God gave me the precious gift of sobriety and I took hold of that gift firmly and have not let go, no matter what...it doesn't get much better than this!

Spending 2 1/2 hours listening to a speaker talk about the AA traditions and loving and agreeing with every minute of that talk...it doesn't get much better than this!

Hearing that the steps lead us to service and knowing that the more I give away, the more I keep and then receive even more. This fills me with gratitude, hope, and love...it doesn't get much better than this!

Making myself take time to go sit for an hour on the beach listening to the waves crash onto the shore, watching the rows of foaming curling waves, feeling the breeze blow all around me and ruffle my beach umbrella, feeling the presence of God....it doesn't get much better than this!

Using this alone time surrounded by the majesty of the sea and sand and air, the sights, sounds, and smells, and allowing God's spirit to flow in and rejuvenate my spirit...it doesn't get much better than this!

Having these moments sitting under my umbrella on the sand to write this blog to friends I have developed though we've never met...yet...it doesn't get much better than this!

Signing off from Cocoa Beach...it doesn't get much better than this,

Prayer Girl