That's not odd, that's God!

[caressa]

I think God's job is to keep the planets from hitting each other, He's busy enough with that. I don't think He takes a lot of time wondering if I'm going to have a parking space at the meeting. - John L.

- Alkiespeaks

The title is what I thought, when I read today's quote. I was a co-sponsor to a guy who took people to meetings. When he came close to my place, he would say, "Okay, now is the time for you to say a prayer that I get a parking place." There was 2 hour parking in front of my building. Just as he said the words, we pulled up to the stop light and a car pulled out, and a space was available.

He would say, if I go to a meeting, I can be sure of two things. That I will get a parking place and I will stay sober for the next 24 hours.

It is those special little things that happen in life that I try to remember to say "Thank You."

[caressa]

The holidays are a time of gratitude for me. Grateful for my sobriety, grateful for the gifts of recovery and the tools that I can use to stay clean and sober.

I look at those `That`s not odd, that`s God!` moments and try to remember to say thank you. They show me that my God is working in my life.

When we stay clean and sober over the holidays, that is not odd, that is God. The normal thing for an alcoholic to do is drink. For me, prescription drugs were like dried up alcohol, I had the same symptoms, more black outs with them that I had with alcohol.

It is my God working in my life, doing for me, something I couldn`t do for myself.

[schell08]

thanks Caressa , I appreciate you passing on the positive, and the joy of recovery to all of us! The whole Holiday season really overwelms me....not that I have a desire to drink or use, I allow myself to become full of worry, stress...my bipolar symptoms get very bad around this time...I do a lot of recovery calls and sponsor calls, meetings (and I tend to feel like not leaving the house!) Isolation sets in, self-centeredness , criticism and judgement of others...to make me feel better about myself...never works, only depresses me more...go figure...here is where the tools of our program work when we take just a moment away from self , say a prayer and do Gods will...today I believe Gods' will is for me to be sober and clean, no longer run from my feelings but recognize that I am human and its okay to feel, okay to cry, okay to be the real me. I am still learning to feel and started several months ago to pray for guidance to be aware of what is inside of me, and not simply react, but take a pause to feel, be aware, write it down so it is real to me, and let it go...it is only a feeling not a death sentence! May you all have peace in today, Schell

[caressa]

Thank you for sharing. It sounds like you are doing the do things. It isn't always easy, especially when we are in the midst of things. When I get enlightenment and new awareness, I find that my God is working in my life.

I like the saying, "Just because you have a feeling, doesn't mean you have to act on it." Also, feel the feelings and do it anyway and my personal favorite and a new one to me, "Just because you get a thought, it doesn't mean it is yours. It could be your Higher Power's or it could be something projected onto you by someone else.

Peace on your journey, when we go within and connect to our Higher Power, we can find the calm within the storm.

[majestyjo]

Don't explain away those miracles in your li ft email,. Give credit to where it is due MN. Your Higher Power is on the job