Saying a Grace for Gratitude
Saying a Grace Growing up, a grace we said before a meal was “For that which we are about to receive, make us truly grateful.” Of course, that seemed simple enough when I knew a plate of tasty food followed.
“Who are you to say there is no God?” (AA Big Book, 4th ed., page 56)
Twelve step programs introduced me to the idea that a God might be real. Bible study introduced me to the God who is real, and who had the patience and plan for me to sober up.
Getting Rid Of Baggage
I wanted to get rid of the mental and emotional baggage that kept me from enjoying my drinking. But I had no tools. I really thought I could find an easier softer way to avoid the snares that had caught others
I Needed This Meeting
Oh Boy! I needed this meeting! That’s what I thought as we read the first half of the 12th step at the 12 & 12 meeting. These past few weeks have filled with hard news— not just of the
Celebrating Forty-One Years . . .
Celebrating Celebrating forty-one years with friends at a meeting today — after a two -year hiatus — was just about super. What to say about living forty-one years sober? A close relative gave me a segue. When I told her
Swinging at Curve Balls
How are you at hitting curve balls? (metaphorical or real) That was the topic for at a recent anniversary. The speaker described a serious bout with a mean kind of cancer several years into their recovery. And they did not
Step Seven: Practice What I Say I Believe
Every time I come to it, Step Seven reminds me to practice what I say I believe. Humbly asked God to remove these defects of character. Because I believe what people told me about alcoholism — it is a three-fold
A Different Kind of Prayer Book
My 12 &12 has become a kind of prayer book. It shows me where I’ve disconnected myself from my Power source and suggests ways to return. I realized that at a recent meeting on the Second Step. No, the chapter is
First In-Person Meeting
The Last In-Person Meeting I attended my first in-person meeting since February 21, 2020. Someone there made a serendipitous observation, given all that soon happened. I can’t think my way through trouble; I have to live through trouble and learn to
Celebrating
Celebrating A friend told me of a recorded meeting, celebrating Liz Bailey’s 62nd anniversary. SIXTY-TWO YEARS?! Yep — July 11 was Liz Bailey’s 62nd anniversary — and God willing in August she will be 93 years young! Like all good