Prayer for Today

Prayer for Today

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Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.

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O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life."

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This is the last piece of encouragement on the bookmark that I received from Al-Anon more than twenty years ago. I wonder if Al-Anon still allows this prayer on their literature.

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I love this prayer...it's the truth that carries me each new day.

Just for today

"Just for today I will be unafraid. Especially I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe that as I give to the world, so the world will give to me."

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Okay, I am getting good at enjoying life! The "be here now" approach has helped me. At the moment, I am happy to be transitioning into some very positive changes in the daycare and I am enjoying my husband and the times that I spend with family and friends... I enjoy serving God through the 12-steps programs wherever He leads me. Life is good.

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I have learned that love is a choice, happiness is a choice, just like abstinence is a choice. Things aren't always wonderful. God never promised me a rose garden, but I can look at the single rose that I find (when things are whirling around me) and cherish it.

Just for today

"Just for today I will have a quiet half hour all by myself and relax. During this half hour, sometime, I will try to get a better perspective of my life."

(http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/)

I have learned the importance of spending time in reflection. For me, I pray on my knees for at least a half hour first thing in the morning and then I do a tenth step inventory, which is looking at my day and keeping it free and clean from resentments, anger, self-pity or anything that could hinder God's light from shining through me.

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After that, I meditate on God's Word. Typically I focus on the Scripture, "Be still and know that I am God." I start with that, but then cut in down to "Be still and know that I am.." then "Be still.", then "Be...". I sit with the "Be". If I notice that other thoughts are flooding in, I go back to the original line.

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Sometimes I sit by myself and repeat "Relax/Recover" over and over again before I bring God into my quiet time. It's okay. It prepares me for the next step. It's like dressing up for a date with my husband. I don't need to do that to be with him, but it's fun and makes the time special.

Just for today

"Just for today I will have a program. I may not follow it exactly, but I will have it. I will save myself from two pests: hurry and indecision."

I smiled when I read this "just of today" today. Hurry and indecision were my way-of-life...or compulsively jumping into a decision before prayerfully examining my needs and how the course of action would effect myself or my family.

Today, I make a mindful effort to slow down...to be here now...and prayerfully consider God's will versus my self-centered (co-dependent) thinking.

My "program" is the l2-step way of life, although I attend 90dayOA to stay free from the thoughts of overeating, and I go to a face-to-face and a phone 12-steps for Christians meeting.

Just for today

I am back after taking some time-off to focus on the holidays with my family... I did not take time-off from my program or my abstinence, but I weaned back on my out-reach opportunities. It was a prayerful decision. It was the "right" decision, but I am happy to be back now.

"Just for today I will be agreeable. I will look as well as I can, dress becomingly, keep my voice low, be courteous, criticize not one bit. I won't find fault with anything, nor try to improve or regulate anybody but myself." (from Al-Anon Just for Today)

This is funny timing, because I just did an inventory of the daycare this weekend and need to address some issues today. Constructive criticism in a kind and loving way is necessary at times. I have heard "Say what you mean. but don't say it mean."

I believe this text is referring to unreasonable expectations and scape-goating anger and frustration on others. I am responsible to take care of my side of the street. "God bless them and change me" is my motto. The Scripture about taking the log out of my own eye before taking the speck out of my friend's eye helps me...and I think of what my husband says, "Don't judge somebody until you have walked in their shoes."

The golden rule always applies, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Just for today

"Just for today I will excercise my soul in three ways: I will do somebody a good turn, and not get found out; if anybody knows of it, it will not count. I will do at least two things I don't want to do--just for exercise. I will not show anyone that my feelings are hurt; they may be hurt, but today I will not show it."

Hmmm, I do like to do the first one--doing something for someone without telling anyone. I feel that God sees it and that's all that matters. That one is easy.

I will do a couple of things that I don't want to do... I have been procrastinating on a couple of seemingly unnecessary things that would be nice to get done, so I will do those things today--at least two of them anyway.

I'll have to think about the third one--not showing that my feelings are hurt. I pretty much wear my feelings on my sleeve, so to speak, so my body language tells people if my feelings are hurt. And I'm not really sure if it is the honest thing to do (to not let people know if they hurt me). I'll have to think about that.

I think the "when you....I feel" statements are good. It doesn't say that the person is hurtful or mean, but my impression of what they did may have triggered something in me.

I might have to go with disagreeing with the last goal.

Just for today

"Just for today I will try to strengthen my mind. I will study. I will learn something useful. I will not be a mental loafer. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration."

Funny that this is the "Just for today" for today. I just wrote the "key" on the AWOLforchristians@yahoogroups.com and it was on the character strength of Intellectual--"Quality attention and energy devoted to mental activities (e.g., I devote time to reading and study)." How funny is that?

For me, I study things that interest me--nutrition, daycare and spiritual truths. At times I focus more on one than the other.

Just for today

Just for today I will adjust myself to what is, and not try to adjust everything to my own desires. I will take my "luck" as it comes, and fit myself to it."

This is a good one for me today. I have to "adjust" myself to my present working situation...and even though I don't want to do more work, I feel it is necessary at this time to step in and help....until my lead-teacher comes back from her maternity leave.

I WISH that I could do what I did, but it is what it is.

Just for today, I can even enjoy getting back into the teacher-mode. Happiness is a choice. Yesterday I did "circle-time" and it was fun. The children were actively engaged and told me that I was the best teacher... so that was encouraging.

Today, I can see what needs to be done and ask God for the willingness to let go of my will. I am happy that I have the ability to do the job (as unto the Lord).

JUST FOR TODAY.

Just for Today

"Just for today I will be happy. This assumes to be true what Abraham Lincoln said, that "Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be."


There is a well-known book called, "Love is a choice." I agree. Love is a choice. Happiness is a choice, too... In the long version of the Serenity Prayer, it closes with "...so that I can reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next."

Life is not always in a rose garden, but I can see life through rose-colored glasses, looking at the half-full glass instead of the half-empty, which used to be my auto-pilot (my way of life).

Today, I kiddingly say that I wrote an eleventh commandment, "Thou shalt not dread." It comes from Phil. 2:14, "Do all things without arguing and complaining..."

Just for today, I can be happy... la la la la..."It is well...it is well with my soul..." (anyone know that song?) My "soul" is my emotional/spiritual connectiveness.

Just for today, I am happy. Fundamentally all is well because Jesus loves and protects me.

Just for today (from Al-anon)

In the 12-step way-of-life, I have learned that it is important to do the program just one day at a time. Today, I'll begin a series focusing on a bookmark that I received in Al-Anon. It is a list of "Just for todays"
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"Just for today I will try to live through this day only, and not tackle all my problems at once. I can do something for 12 hours that would appall me if I felt that I had to keep it up for a lifetime."
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This is a good one for me. When I first got abstinent with my food, giving up sugar and flour for the rest of my life would have been way too much for me to handle, BUT "just for today," I could do it.
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"Just for today" I have done it for years now. It is easier (much easier) today, but I still treat each day as if it is my first day of abstinence and the last day on earth...so that I am sure to stay free and clean of resentments, and the people in my life know that I love them...