Happy, Joyous And Free

Alcohol
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QUOTE
"We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous, and free.  We cannot subscribe to the belief that this life is a vale of tears, though it once was just that for many of us.  But it is clear that we made our own misery.  God didn't do it.  Avoid then, the deliberate manufacture of misery, but if trouble comes, cheerfully capitalize it as an opportunity to demonstrate His omnipotence."  Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 133
Self-pity is my number one offender. That magnifying mind thing that Paul O. talks about (pp 419, 4th Ed.) can be crippling and it's very easy for me to get on my martyrdom jammies and hole up in the house when things don' go my way. I'm learning, however, that in order to be 'happy and usefully whole' I'm most likely going to have to put someone else before myself. And for me that means doing for someone else and not get caught, otherwise my ego and my pride will start convincing me that I was responsible for the outcome.
A new lifestyle grounded in the ever-growing faith in a God-centric way of living gives me the opportunity to live as it life comes, not as I would prefer it. My best ideas got me a seat in AA, but that seat afforded me a level of freedom I can only attribute to the Grace of God. I don't always get it right, but more often than not that growing conscience that I'm not alone in this cold, impersonal world brings me back to my relationship with Him. And the burden of carrying all those self-centered judgements and problems melts away.
I'm not overtly gleeful and carefree today, but I'm no longer chronically depressed and suicidal, either. I've been given a set of tools that enable me to manage how I feel in the face of life, and a relationship with a God of my understanding. I can be free, recognize the source of joy, and even be happy sometimes. :)
That's new, too....
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Good stuff!
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Great post
Thanks for sharing that bit of wisdom and experience.
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I'm not overtly gleeful and carefree today, but I'm no longer chronically depressed and suicidal, either. I've been given a set of tools that enable me to manage how I feel in the face of life, and a relationship with a God of my understanding.

This quote kinda describes me.
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Ironic you stated Page 133-My homegroup we read once a week 4-5 pages in the big book--

-we finished this couple days ago and "We are sure god wants us to be happy Joyous and Free"

Thanks for adding this thread-Is each day perfect? No--but amazed how happy Joyous and Free--compared to where I was 31 days ago amazed.

Thanks SKG

Jeffrey
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