The Message not the Messenger

Never judge a book by its cover. You may miss the message. In essence always listen when someone speaks in a meeting. Even if you can’t stand the person. Sometimes even more then. Even if you know the person and you think they have no morals and/or principles. Even if they are a chronic relapse. Surprisingly these people can have the most profound messages of all. Just because they don’t seem to follow it or their words smack of hypocrisy. Does not mean the message is not sound. They may be saying what they need to learn. Or they might be saying what they can’t seem to get. Possibly God may be using them to send you a message. Always listen to the message. Not the messenger. I you were dying of thirst, desperately needing some water to quench your thirst and revive you. Would you care about the vessel it came in? Would you throw the life giving substance away if the cup were dirty, or came in a leaf? Also remember that this person may not be who or where you think they should be> However who died and made you God. This person may be an example of what and who you would like to be viewed as or who and what you would not like to be viewed as. Remember everyone has a message. Also remember that you do not live in this persons head/ skin, you do not know their life. There may be reasons not known to you the compels the actions and behaviours they have. Again who are you to judge? Judge not less thee be judged. Remember the part of the Lord’s Prayer “forgive us are trespass’s as we forgive those that have trespassed against us” Also interpreted “judge us as we have judged others”. Also might remember that you are not perfect, and how long ago was it when others regarded you the same way or worse. Remember always “But for the Grace of God”.
Remember God does not create garbage

Time

I know I’ve touched on it before. We’ve gone over allot of stuff here. I don’t expect you all to get it all down and be perfect. Again Acceptance, basically that you will occasionally fall short of the standards you set forth for yourself. That’s ok; you’re right where you are supposed to be. Yes I hated that one too. Some of the things we’ve gone over are actually quite difficult to completely comprehend and accept. Much less be able to put into daily life. This is where time comes in; there is no better teacher than time. You may have gotten the understanding to a degree. Yes a degree, as knowledge is part of understanding. For true understanding will take experience and only time can bring experience. With time and experience will come wisdom and wisdom will give a deeper understanding, or more precisely a knowing. You can have all the text book knowledge and learning that you can get. However you will only have partial understanding and partial knowledge. Time and experience completes the understanding and fulfils the knowledge thus creating wisdom. Without the experience it is only a partial knowledge. There is no way to avoid the aspect of time. With time comes experience and wisdom. There is no shortcut. So be easy on yourself.
Remember God does not create Garbage

Service

We have talked of acceptance. This is all good and helpful. However acceptance is hard to achieve without true faith. The kind of faith spoken about earlier. Now is the time to expand on that faith, in our belief in our God. For True faith in God and a true spiritual path has but one goal. Service. Being 0totally selfless. Only working towards the fulfillment of God’s will for us. Truly spiritual and God driven life has but one goal. Service to God and others. Forgetting oneself. To be a leader of men, one must serve. When those you would lead know that you would not ask of them what you, yourself would not do. They will follow. It is through the grace of God and that we find peace and serenity. It is through the searching of God’s will for us that we become selfless and filled with spirit. It is through service that we lose ourselves and find God as well as true peace and serenity. Life is no longer a bitter taste in thy mouth. But a blessed nectar. With faith this is possible. Faith and service makes the world feel right, it brings the awareness of the divine principle which instils the feeling of unity, purpose and feeling of everything is right with the world and that anything is truly possible. The elation of righteousness,
Remember God does not create garbage

"One Day at a Time" by Father Joseph C. Martin

More Acceptance

There are still other aspects to acceptance. We must also learn to accept the world as it is rather than as we would have it. This is in all aspects from friends, family, society ETC... People and this includes friends, family strangers. Are just people, most are doing the best they can with what they have. Some are just completely selfish and self centered. However whichever they are we have to accept them for who they are. We can’t change them, only they can change themselves and only if they so choose. So it is up to us to either eliminate our inter actions with them. If this cannot not be completely done then limit our interaction, attempt to understand why they act as they do (understanding does not mean we condone the action we just find an understanding to their actions IE: dishonesty in an active addict- we understand the action and where and why it is happening however we do not agree or condone it) We accept the person for who they are and act accordingly.

It is the same with family. Much harder usually because of the emotional entanglement we have. However it is basically the same course of action. It is the same with society as a whole. Let’s face it we live in a pretty dysfunctional society. The only way to change society is to start with the person in the mirror. As we become healthier, hopefully we pass it on. And so forth. Until that time we again have to accept reality as it is rather than what we wish it were. The cold hard fact is reality is just that reality. It will not adjust for us so we must adjust to it. There is no alternative.
Remember the Serenity Prayer;

God grant me the serenity to Accept the things I cannot change
(Other people- basically anything outside myself)
The courage to change the things I can

(Myself and my reaction/actions)

And the wisdom to know the difference

(Prayer and Meditation)

AMEN

Remember God does not create garbage

Acceptance

Acceptance is a big part of being contended in recovery. Or more aptly put Happy, Joyous and Free.
Let’s face it we all want the big fancy cars. The trophy partner. The loving perfect family. The big bank account. In short the whole “white Picket Fence” Dream Life. The fact of the matter is in most cases this is never going to happen. Not the way you dream anyway. However it can be achieved, through acceptance.
Learning to accept “what is” rather than what we would like can make life so much easier and happier. This does not mean that you shouldn’t strive for better. All it means is simple. Learn to be happy with what you do have rather than grumbling over what you don’t. In all reality you are never going to have everything you want. Now don’t despair this is not to say things will never get better. It addresses the way your mind works. We all have wants. There is nothing wrong with attempting to achieve them-ethically. As long as you don’t sell your morals, ethics, principles or values to get them. (Prostitute yourself) The problem comes from our basic thinking once again. Once your want of something is filled there are immediately 10 more wants to replace it. So the sooner you begin to look at the cup as half full rather than half empty. The happier and more contented you will be. This is why there is so much emphasis on a gratitude list, and remembering where you came from. If you keep those in mind it is a lot easier to accept where you are rather than looking at where you aren’t. This is only part of acceptance. We will look at other areas later Digest this part first and put it into your life.
Remember God does not create garbage