One of my favorite sayings is “There are no coincidences.”
And, at least for me, it’s not just a saying, it’s a way of thinking.
The things of this world are interconnected in ways we may never fully be able to understand. Like a well-written symphony, the many parts of what we see in front of us are intertwined with connections we cannot see.
And so, when by chance, certain events occur, whether they be good or bad, they are meant to be. I like to think of it in positive terms, darkness coming to light.
An empty fridge stares back at you, no beer left to console you. Your bed is calling but you can’t hear, you need some more to ease your fear. A bottle of whiskey grabs your attention, maybe this can be your salvation. You open the bottle and pour out a measure, offer up a toast […]
This is taken from Page 52 in the Big Book. It is a list of common bedevilments we experience as alcoholics / addicts. The motivation is to seek “God-sufficiency” over self-sufficiency to be rid of them:
~ We were having trouble with personal relationships
~ We couldn’t control our emotional natures
~ We were a prey to misery and depression
~ We couldn’t make a living
~ We had a feeling of uselessness
~ We were full of fear
~ We were unhappy
~ We couldn’t seem to be of real help to other people
I was at a meeting of friends this morning, when someone in the group used the work “bedevilment.” I’ve probably heard the word used somewhere along the way in my life, but this was the first time I really payed attention to it.
So I decided to do a bit of research to see if my own ideas as to what the word means were on the mark.
Bedevilment is a form of the word “bedevil” and so that is where my research turned:
bedevil
be·dev·il
transitive verb-·iled or -·illed, -·il·ing or -·il·ling
As a verb, it would seem this word is one with a negative connotation. I can think of several things that might bedevil someone, including another person. If you were to have someone constantly bother you, hurling insults your way, I would say that person is bedevilling you. Certainly not someone you would want to spend any time around.
The second definition takes on a much more serious nature, as it would appear that an actual devil can possess you in much the same way. Thoughts of exorcism immediately come to mind when I think of someone possessed by a devil. Certainly, not an experience any of us would seek out.
The third definition seems less harmful. Someone or something that confuses us completely could be said to be guilty of bedevilment. My dog has recently been escaping from the back yard fenced-in area and it’s been a devilment as to how she’s accomplishing this feat.
The final definition would seem to be one of a serious nature. Corruption is rampant in some parts of society today and the one guilty of such acts would be carrying out bedevilment.” One can picture political cartoons in which some public figure is given horns, a pitchfork, and a tail and termed “the devil.”
So there’s the new word for today. I can promise I’ll be using it any time soon, but it’s good to know it’s there, just in case.
I’m relatively new to the whole blogging scene and was reading that adding tags to your writings will increase viewers. I see the right panel and where it says “Tags”, but am unsure if I’m doing it right.
So veteran bloggers, do I have to add a hashtag to the tag as I add it, or not?
I also see on the right panel “Categories”…are these the same thing as “tags”?
Do you have any other suggestions for adding tags to your blog entries?
God irradiates your life with the warmth of His spirit. You must open up like a flower to this divine irradiation. Loosen your hold on earth, its cares, and its worries. Unclasp your hold on material things, relax your grip, and the tide of peace and serenity will flow in. Relinquish every material thing and receive it back again from God. Do not hold on to earth’s treasures so firmly that your hands are too occupied to clasp God’s hands as He holds them out to you in love.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may be open to receive God’s blessing. I pray that I may be willing to relinquish my hold on material things and receive them back from God.
Language of Letting Go…
Patience
How sick and tired we may become of people telling us to be patient or to learn patience. How frustrating it can be to want to finally have something, or to move forward, and then not have that happen. How irritating to have someone tell us to wait while our needs have not been met and were in the midst of anxiety, frustration, and inaction.
Do not confuse the suggestion to be patient with the old rule about not having feelings.
Being patient does not mean we go through the sometimes-grueling process of life and recovery without having feelings! Feel the frustration. Feel the impatience. Get as angry as you need to about not having your needs met. Feel your fear.
Controlling our feelings will not control the process!
We find patience by surrendering to our feelings. Patience cannot be forced. It is a gift, one that closely follows acceptance and gratitude. When we work through our feelings to fully accept who we are and what we have, we will be ready to be and have more.
Today, I will let myself have my feelings while I practice patience.
David Lee 