Share this with me...........

[toad]

I received this in an email from a fellow AA service worker. It seems to just reach out and touch my heart.........thanks........toad

"AA has taught me that I will have peace of mind
in exact proportion to the peace of mind
I bring into the lives of other people,
and it has taught me the true meaning of the admonition
'happy are ye who know these things and do them.'
For the only problems I have now are those I create
when I break out in a rash of self-will."
©1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 551

THE PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS


Lord, make me a channel of thy peace,


that where there is hatred, I may bring love;


that where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness;


that where there is discord, I may bring harmony;


that where there is error, I may bring truth;


that where there is doubt, I may bring faith;


that where there is despair, I may bring hope;


that where there are shadows, I may bring light;


that where there is sadness, I may bring joy.


Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort than to be comforted;


to understand, than to be understood;


to love, than to be loved.


For it is by self-forgetting that one finds.


It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.


It is by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life.

[BillJ]

The Prayer of St. Francis has been a favorite of mine ever since I found it in Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (pgs 101-102), back in early sobriety. It really speaks to the way I want to live my life.

Then, when my mother passed away last Fall, we found numerous copies of the prayer in her belongings, so we used it on the program for her funeral (along with a picture of her riding on the back of my brother's Virago!).

Thanks for bringing that up, Toad.

[Jazzed_N_AZ]

I always refered to this prayer as the verses prayer. Yanno, understand vs. understood. Love vs. loved. Faith vs. sight. I as well thank you for reminding me of something wonderful

[toad]

I just posted this in the Chrisians in recovery forum in response to someone who was having trouble forgiving others.........share this with me...........toad

There is a story in the book Alcoholics Anonymous, it is the next to the last story, it is called "Freedom From bondage." This story saved my life. In 1998 I had someone sneek up to my house and try and kill me. Of course they did not get the job done and I was terrified as a result. They were arrested, charged, and sentenced. It was a supended sentence and they remained free. I was drinking and using drugs very heavely at the time and had thought about killing this person myself. I was just waiting for the opportunity when my alcoholism took me dragging through another bottom experience of Terror, Bewilderment, Frustration, and Despiar (the hidious Four Horsemen). I decided to once more try going to treatment (7th time) and sober up. I had such anger and resentment toward this person that I knew I could not stay sober this time unless I resolved my problem. The story in the Big Book gave me the solution. It said if you have a resentment you cannot forgive, then to pray for that person for two weeks. Pray for them to have everything that you want for yourself. I hated this guy but wanted to stay sober more. It said to pray for them even when you don't want to. To just say the words even if you don't believe them. I prayed for this guy for two weeks to have peace, serenity, prosperity, health, friends, salvation, and the favor of God. Man I hated doing that, it was hard and I did not even mean the words I was saying. At about ten days I thought this is not working, I still felt the same. Then it happened.........on day fourteen I saw him in a different light. I saw him as a sick man, alcoholic like myself, and out of God's will. Something happened in my heart and I can only explain it as being compassion. I had begun to see him as God saw him. I did not like him, but was experiencing love toward him (expecting not to be loved back in return). I was able to forgive him. Today I know that if I had not been able to forgive him, I probably would have gotten drunk again. I would have been miserable to say the least. He died this year and I found out for sure that God had given me the gift of forgiving others. I did not feel any joy or happiness when he died. As a matter of fact I felt sorrow. Sorrow that he did not receive his healing, his prosperity, or his deliverance from alcohol. I am truly a changed man because of the whole affair. I do not regret the past or wish to shut the door on it, and I see how my experiences can benefit others. God did for me what I could not do for myself................toad

[best]

As Paul Harvey would say... And now for the rest of the story....

St Francis would pray that prayer every day. He was holding a wooden cross in his hands as he would say that prayer. The same wooden cross is located in the church he built. One day he said he herd a word from God as he prayed... "Build My Church."

St Francis was a wealthy man at the time and took all his families money and went to work on building "a" church. His sister went without, as he took all the family funds and put it towards building "a" church.
Later in life as St Francis realized what he had done, he looked to seek forgiveness from his sister and he wrote about the error of his ways.
God said..Build "My" church, not build a church building... though the church building did bring many people in to see the beauty...the message given once people were inside did build God's church (His church is in the hearts of mankind not fancy buildings)
See, when the gathering of God's people leave a building...it is but just a building as God lives in our hearts and as the people leave, they take God with them.

In a sense, St Francis was saying that he became so heavenly bound that he became no earthy good.

When God says...Build My Church... He is saying...carry the message and change lives and hearts.
Took St Francis to do some living before he fully realized that.
Just as we needed to find our way... St Francis also needed to do some learning and from that point on he carried the good news to many till the day he died.

You need to give it way to keep it.

[toad]

Surrender to win...........We can only keep what we have by giving it away.....give it up to gain.............We come into this life with our hands grasping, when we leave this life our hands are open with nothing in them. The only thing we can take with us is what we gave to others. The paradox's of being sober...........it ain't about me.

thanks for the rest of the story...........toad

[toad]

this saying was found inside a cave in France....


Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.

Especially, do not feign affection.

Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.

[recoveringnky]

I LOVE that! I have it printed nicely and it hangs in my bathroom. It hung in my bathroom in our house as I was growing up. As such, I know it by heart!! It was great reading material!! LOL!!! That and the Promises of AA are two of my fav things to read!! Thanks Toad for giving me yet another opportunity to read that today!!

[toad]

Over the past few years I have learned so much from these words as I apply them to my daily life. I can't remember where I stumbled on to this or who wrote it, but I know that it came at a time when I needed it. God is seldom early, but never late. Share this with me...............toad

The most creative power given to the human spirit
is the power to heal the wounds of a past it cannot change.

We do our forgiving alone inside our hearts and
minds; what happens to the people we forgive
depends on them.

The first person to benefit from forgiving
is the one who does it.

Forgiving happens it three stages: we rediscover the
humanity of the person who wronged us; we
surrender our right to get even; and we wish that
person well.

Forgiving is a journey; the deeper the wound,
the longer the journey.

Forgiving does not require us to reunite with the
person who broke our trust.

We do not forgive because we are supposed to;
we forgive when we are ready to be healed.

Waiting for someone to repent before we forgive
is to surrender our future to the person who wronged us.

Forgiving is not a way to avoid pain but to heal the pain.

Forgiving someone who breaks a trust
does not mean that we give him/her their job back.

Forgiving is the only way to be fair to ourselves.

Forgivers are not doormats; to forgive a person is not a
signal that we are willing to put up with what he does.

Forgiving is essential; talking about it is optional.

When we forgive, we set a prisoner free
and discover that the prisoner we set free is us.

When we forgive we walk in stride with the
forgiving God.

(author unknown)

[best]

Originally Posted by toad

The most creative power given to the human spirit
is the power to heal the wounds of a past it cannot change.

I never knew I had such creative power or that it was something to even grasp till I started putting it to use. Amends in action. I never would have found the key to open up such power if not for the Lord transforming my life.

[recoveringnky]

Originally Posted by best

I never knew I had such creative power or that it was something to even grasp till I started putting it to use. Amends in action. I never would have found the key to open up such power if not for the Lord transforming my life.

Same here but also for AA giving me the tools I needed to keep that tranformation going and for showing me how to have an open heart to allow God into it!

[toad]

Share this with me.............toad

"There is no more aloneness, with that awful ache, so deep in the heart of every alcoholic, that nothing, before, could ever reach it. The ache is gone and never need return again. Now there is a sense of belonging, of being wanted and needed and loved. In return for a bottle and a hangover, we have been given the Keys of the Kingdom."

Alcoholics Anonymous, page 276


"There are a lot of people who don't like the weakness that is implied in the word "surrender.". . .
People like to think they are strong characters who can take care of their own destinies.
That is always fictitious thinking. Everybody in this world is some kind of weakling,
and if he thinks he is not, that is the greatest weakness of all."


Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, page 266

[Jazzed_N_AZ]

I went to prison for trafficking in stolen property. I knew the person who sold me the property and believed him when he said they were his tools. I ran into him about 6-7 years later with a speach ready. When he realized who I was, I saw it in his eyes and I forgot every word of my speach. God, no matter how YOU see Him will change you (period) If you let Him in you will see the change.

[toad]

Originally Posted by Jazzed_N_MD

I went to prison for trafficking in stolen property. I knew the person who sold me the property and believed him when he said they were his tools. I ran into him about 6-7 years later with a speach ready. When he realized who I was, I saw it in his eyes and I forgot every word of my speach. God, no matter how YOU see Him will change you (period) If you let Him in you will see the change.

Excelent message, thanks for sharing. I too have been instantly changed when I have seen others as God would see them. Old pride seems to melt away when we are drawn closer to the Fire of God by seeing Him in them...........toad

PS......I decided to move from KC to LA in 1965. I was a year out of high school and had played in a few rock-n-roll bands. A buddy of mine who was a drummer and my best friend made the move with me. We arrived in LA the day the riots broke out in 65'. We got stuck in Hermosa Beach because of the curfews. We moved into a small roach infested hotel a block from the famed jazz night club The Light House. Yusef Latif was there every night. I remember sitting on the sidewalk and listening to his amazing flute solos.......changed how I felt about music. LA soon left two mid-western boys homeless and we headed back to KC. I was into drinking, but everyone out there was talking about the latest rage.......LSD 25. Three years later, and two weeks after I returned from home nam I knew what they were talking about. Too late to go back then.........took me the next 30 years to get sober, one day at a time.