DRINKING ALCOHOL TAUGHT ME HOW TO FLY
THEN IT TOOK AWAY THE SKY

Saturday, May 9, 2009

SUNDAY...IS GOD CALLING?



HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY TO ALL MOTHERS,
ESPECIALLY BROKEN-HEARTED ONES.
I CRY WITH YOU TODAY.

When I came into Alcoholics Anonymous, one of the early miracles--aside from sobriety--of which I became aware was being given the "unauthorized" book, Hazelden's "24 Hours a Day". Mary called me aside one night and handed this to me in June 1974. (Three years later she died drunk.) The format included then, as now, a thought, a meditation, and a prayer. I have read it daily, through today (over 35 years).

Ten years after, in 1984, a sister-in-law gave me a book "God Calling", by A.J. Russell, a retelling of Two Listeners, girls in England to whom God 'talked' every day. No matter, the meditation in our "24 Hours A Day" book is nearly always taken from the daily offering in God Calling.

I kept wondering--for ten MORE years--when reading one or the other, "Where have I heard that before?" -grin! Finally I realized, one was borrowing from the other. These two books, both of them "non-Conference-Approved", have been a huge part of my spiritual program in sobriety. The following is GOD CALLING entry for May 9.....it befits a Mother's Day blog.

HARMONY WITHIN

Follow My Guidance. Be afraid to venture on your own as a child fears to leave its mother's side. Doubt of your own wisdom, and reliance on Mine, will teach you humility.

Humility is not the belittling of the self. It is forgetting the self. Nay more, forgetting the self, because you are remembering Me.

You must not expect to live in a world where all is harmony. You must not expect to live where others are in unbroken accord with you. It is your task to maintain your own heart peace in adverse circumstances. Harmony is always yours when you strain your ear to catch Heaven's music.

Doubt always your own power or wisdom to put things right, ask Me to right all as you leave it to Me, and go on your way loving and laughing. I am wisdom. Only My wisdom can rightly decide anything - settle any problem. So rely on Me. All is well.

Remember, bloggers, LOVE is the bottom line--and love, like so many others--is an 'action' word.

In LOVE and Service,
Sincerely,
Steve E

A special link HERE to the writings of "Pat--A Child Lost", a blog written in 2004. It is neither humorous nor happy, but sad (and lengthy!) but I felt it worthy to be promulgated in this fashion. OK, Peeps? Thank you for understanding!


9 comments:

Shadow said...

thank you. have fun today spoiling the 'mother'...

Just Be Real said...

Enjoy you day Stevie! Thank you for posting dear one. Blessings as always!

Jess Mistress of Mischief said...

My first sponsor gave me God calling when we first met, it is a daily joy now to continue to get just the thought and idea I need for the day...

I love that book!

Mary Christine said...

I have both of these and use neither anymore.

Hootin' Anni said...

Steve, you're inspirational to us all here in blogland.

Sage Ravenwood said...

Thank you dear friend. WE all came to be in a place of life and choices because a mother gave birth. (Hugs)Indigo

Unknown said...

Thanks Steve. Here's an idea I sure need to let sink in: "You must not expect to live where others are in unbroken accord with you." That's the one that's hard for me. One day at a time.

Ed G. said...

I can relate...
I worry over my advancing senility...
I can foresee a day soon when I will be able to have a daily meditation book with the same article printed 365 times...

I enjoyed your post...

Syd said...

Thanks for sharing these. I have read them and enjoy going to the Hazelden site where they offer the 24 hours a day book for each day on line.