A Color Photo for a Gray Day

Well, I lugged the karaoke machine to the shelter yesterday and there were some singers in the house! How lovely to see their happy faces, eyes closed as they sing their hearts out.  Adorable.  There's something really beautiful about the individual voices as they express themselves.  I'm very humble and grateful to be able to promote this possibility.  This is definitely a GOD thing, imo. LOL

I had the chance to sing "The Rose", a beautiful song honoring a kernel of possibility within us all....Of course, my voice is nothing like the incomparable Bette Midler but we all cheered and had a good time anyway.  What a privilege.  LOL

Some say love it is a river

That drowns the tender reed

Some say love it is a razor

that leaves your soul to bleed

some say love it is a hunger

an end less aching need

I say love it is a flower

and you it's only seed

It's the heart afraid of breaking

that never learns to dance

It's the dream afraid of waking

that never takes the chance

It's the one who won't be taken

who cannot seem to give

and the soul afraid of dyin'

that never learns to live

When the night has been too lonely

and the road has been too long

and you think that love is only

for the lucky and the strong

just remember in the winter

far beneath the bitter snows

lies the seed that with the sun's love

in the spring becomes the rose

Day by Day, "...let me notice how things look on the days I am loving, so that I may have a color photo to look at on gray days."

One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, p.172, "If I am truly willing, I will see them (defects of character) replaced gradually by impulses of a different quality, that I can live with, comfortably free from self-reproach. "  "GOD make me entirely ready for the removal of my faults, that I may receive light on my problems and their true causes."

Courage to Change, p.172, "...I often keep quiet when confronted, instead of speaking my mind.  This might be a legitimate response, except that I don't consciously make the choice.  This is not responding, it's reacting, giving up my self-respect out of fear and out of habit.

     "My best alternative is to admit that I have a problem, accept my reactions, and turn them over to my Higher Power.  I've often heard that courage is fear that has said its prayers.  I must recognize my fear, I must say those prayers, and I must have faith as I wait for healing.

     "...The first step in learning to respond more effectively to others is to learn to respond more effectively to myself.  I can learn to respond with love, caring, and respect for myself, even for those parts of me that experience fear, confusion, and anger.

     Today I'll try to become more aware of alternatives that I haven't yet recognized...'accept the fact that, although I have no control over other people's reactions or thoughts, I can change the way I react.'---a quote from In All Our Affairs".

Hope for Today, p.172, This was about seemingly irreparable parent-child relationships:  "I heard the "magic formula"...to ask myself what talents I received from my parents...passed many of their talents, not just their burdens, on to me.   Realizing this could be a step toward repairing my relationship with them."

Dear Sweet Lord GOD Creator, YOU're so awesome, amazing, wonderful.  Thank YOU for the privilege to be here on this Earth at this time and to be of service.  Lord, please help me to be of maximum service, all to YOUR glory for without YOU I am lost.  Please guide and assist me throughout the day to love, honor and respect myself and brothers and sisters in the Spirit.  As YOU Will.  Love, Carol xoxox