WORTHY THOUGHTS

[MajestyJo]

"USING TRUST AND LOVE - I CHANGE AND GROW INTO HIGHER AND BETTER THINGS."

We are aware that blaming and arguing never helps us and only creates a wider gap between us, and that only understanding, trust and love can help us change and grow.

- Thich Nhat Hanh

Learning to trust myself has been a long and difficult journey for me. Even though I was told many years ago, "If you doubt yourself, you are doubting God!" Yet when the old tapes play, when people project their thoughts and feelings onto me, and I push the play button and give up my power, then I put myself in a place of mistrust, doubt and low self-worth.

Someone can't put me down unless I allow them to, they can't have the power unless I give it up, and today, thanks to the program, I can pause and take and inventory and prioritize my life and redirect my actions.

Today I know that God is love, that all He wants for me is love and goodness, and that my purpose is to carry that message to others.

In the past I was always told, "Who are you to say? Who are you to know? What makes you think..." In today it isn't about what others think, say and do, it is about my recovery. My serenity and sobriety (soundness of mind) is what has to come first.

I have to learn to listen for and trust that voice within. i had to learn to believe that God loved me and that He directed people, places and things into my life to show me a better way of living, so long as I follow that way, I have nothing to fear. I can walk in faith and know and trust that God is with me.

Something I posted on another site in 2004.

Meditation for the Day

Keep as close as you can to the Higher Power. Try to think, act,and live as though you were always in God's presence. Keeping close to a Power greater than yourself is the solution to most of the earth's problems. Try to practice the presence of God in the things you think and do. That is the secret of personal power. It is the thing which influences the lives of others for good. Abide in the Lord and rejoice in His love. Keep close to the Divine Spirit in the universe. Keep God close behind your thoughts.

Prayer for today
I pray that I may keep close to the Mind of God. I pray that I may live with Him in my heart and mind.

This was posted on my site Star Choice in 2009.

It looks like it could be a Daily prayer to practice, rather than a prayer you say just one day.

Posted in 2012

[MajestyJo]

“The word listen
contains the same letters as the word silent.”
Alfred Bandel

“With the gift of listening comes the gift of healing.”
Catherine de Hueck Doherty

“Too often
we underestimate the power of a touch,
a smile, a kind word, a listening ear,
an honest compliment,
or the smallest act of caring,
all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
Leo Buscaglia

[MajestyJo]

FULLY RELIANT ON GOD



Do I rely on Him completely?
Do I trust Him with everything?
Or do I try to carry all the burdens
that each day so often brings.

It's not enough to simply say it.
But can I live it day to day?
Relying fully on the One who loves me.
And the precious words He has to say.

He's waiting there to hear me.
He's watching over me, I know.
Why do I only talk with Him
when I've no where else to go?


Fellowship isn't just believing.
It means allowing Him into my heart.
The light of my salvation
leaves nothing hidden in the dark.

Father, do not let me continue
hiding what I think you cannot see.
For it is because you love me
That you came to set me free.

"Child come out of the darkness.
Take my hand and follow me."
No matter what is in the shadows,
forgiveness and love is what I see.

"Rely upon my love," He says.
"Trust that I have it all in hand."
Do I believe Him? Do I trust Him?
Is He as shifting as the sand?


Are the words He's spoken
lies ... or in faith can I truly live
FULLY RELIANT ON GOD
for it is the only way to Him

- Misty Taggart

[MajestyJo]

Unhealthy boundaries about what we allow ourselves to receive from others will not lead to healthy relationships with others or ourselves.

Melody Beattie

Found a link that about a book I think I should see if I can order from the library.

search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?r=1&ISBN=9780310247456&ourl=Bounda ries%2FHenry%2DCloud

Posted in 2009, should check the library and see if it is still around.

I think I felt that if my son was working there was still hope. Yesterday I took some steps to make changes in my life. I have to give myself permission to make healthy choices for me.

Heard from my son. He made the decision to take the week off and contacted his employer. He said he was okay. I don't think we are on the same page about that, but it is okay.

[MajestyJo]

Night Light

Without prayer, I should have been a lunatic long ago.
-Mahatma Gandhi

How can we make our prayers more satisfying and fulfilling? One of the best ways is to see and hear ourselves as we pray, as if we were getting a bird's-eye view of what we look like and how we sound when we pray.

Seeing from above in this objective way gives a good overview of the strength and the meaning of our prayers. Are we whining and fidgeting as we pray? Maybe we aren't really praying but instead are asking to get our way. Do we sound angry, with fISts clenched? Maybe we need to work on letting go first before we pray.

This is how our Higher Power sees and hears us. Our Higher Power know which prayers are serious, meaningful conversations and which are fuled with self-pity, resentment, and anger. Tonight we can hear ourselves pray and learn whether we are truly praying or merely taking time for self-centered feelings.

Before I pray tonight, let me run through the things I want to say. Help me keep self-centered feelings at a minimum and true sharing and communication at a maximum.

This is a spiritual program. Pray to the God of your understanding. If you don't understand God, go on a spiritual quest and He/She/It will be revealed.

[MajestyJo]

Faith isn't anything you can see;
It isn't anything you can touch.
But you can feel it in your heart.
Faith is what keeps you trying
When others would have given up.
It keeps you believing in
The goodness of others
And helps you find it.

Faith is trusting in a power
Greater than yourself
And knowing that whatever happens,
This power will carry you through anything.
It is believing in yourself
And having courage
To stand up for what you believe in.

Faith is
Peace in the midst of a storm,
Determination in the midst
Of adversity,
And safety in the midst of trouble.
For nothing can touch a soul
That is protected by faith.

- Author Unknown

[MajestyJo]

RIGHT ACTIONS

Samuel Thadeus Short

“By learning to contact, listen to, and act upon intuition, we can directly connect to the highest power of the universe and allow it to become our guiding force,” — Shakti Gawain

Right now in the silence of this moment let us be filled with wonderful healing light — as it moves into every cell and atom of our body —— we will be renewed and regenerated in body, mind and soul. We become inspired from within, and guided into perfect right action. We are in effect moving into Oneness with Spirit, or in tune with the vibrations of the universe.

In this way God is our source and supply for everything, actually our constant companion. As we move closer into this Divine relationship we become more whole, more complete and more perfect which is always our nature in the spiritual realm. As a result we think right thoughts received from inner direction which produce right actions in our life and affairs.

The Antesian Road To Enlightenment

antesianroadtoenlightenment-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

EXPANDING CONSCIOUSNESS

THOUGHT FOR TODAY: From another site in 2011,

This is a beautiful concept of what Step Eleven means to me. It doesn't matter what you believe in. When I realized that my Higher Power was a Source rather than a person (Holy Spirit), I was able to 1) Have more trust, 2) Learn to be open more to it, and 3) I became more willing to receive the gift of enlightenment.

Like all things in this program, it takes practice, practice, practice; but more importantly it is daily, and often in the moment. I can make that contact at any given time or place, no matter what is going on in my life.

This is a spiritual program and I had to learn to differentiate the two. I couldn't share and discount others and their beliefs.

[MajestyJo]

Ten Guidelines From God



Effective immediately,
please be aware that there are changes you need
to make in your life. These changes need to be
completed in order that I may fulfill My promises
to you to grant you peace, joy and happiness in
this life. I apologize for any inconvenience,
but after all that I am doing, this seems very
little to ask of you. Please,follow
these 10 guidelines


1. QUIT WORRYING:
Life has dealt you a blow and all you do is sit
and worry. Have you forgotten that I am here
to take all your burdens and carry them for you?
Or do you just enjoy fretting over every little
thing that comes your way?


2. PUT IT ON THE LIST:


Something needs done or taken care of. Put it
on the list. No, not your list. Put it on My
to-do-list. Let Me be the one to take care
of the problem. I can't help you until you turn
it over to Me. And although My to-do-list
is long, I am after all... God. I can take care
of anything you put into My hands. In fact,
if the truth were ever really known, I take
care of a lot of things for you that you never
even realize.


3. TRUST ME:

Once you've given your burdens to Me,
quit trying to take them back. Trust in
Me. Have the faith that I will take care of
all your needs, your problems and your trials.
Problems with the kids? Put them on My list.
Problem with finances? Put it on My list.
Problems with your emotional roller coaster?
For My sake, put it on My list. I want to
help you. All you have to do is ask.


4. LEAVE IT ALONE:

Don't wake up one morning and say,
"Well, I'm feeling much stronger now, I think
I can handle it from here." Why do you think
you are feeling stronger now? It's simple.
You gave Me your burdens and I'm taking
care of them. I also renew your strength
and cover you in my peace. Don't you
know that if I give you these problems back,
you will be right back where you started?
Leave them with Me and forget about
them. Just let Me do my job.


5. TALK TO ME:

I want you to forget a lot of things.
Forget what was making you crazy.
Forget the worry and the fretting because
you know I'm in control. But there's one
thing I pray you never forget. Please, don't
forget to talk to Me - often I love you!
I want to hear your voice. I want you to
include Me in on the things going on in your life.
I want to hear you talk about your friends
and family. Prayer is simply you having
a conversation with Me. I want to be your
dearest friend.


6. HAVE FAITH:

I see a lot of things from up here that you
can't see from where you are. Have faith in
Me that I know what I'm doing. Trust Me;
you wouldn't want the view from My eyes.
I will continue to care for you, watch over you,
and meet your needs. You only have to trust Me.
Although I have a much bigger task than you,
it seems as if you have so much trouble just
doing your simple part. How hard can trust be?


7. SHARE:

You were taught to share when you were
only two years old. When did you forget?
That rule still applies. Share with those who are
less fortunate than you. Share your joy with
those who need encouragement. Share your
laughter with those who haven't heard any in
such a long time. Share your tears with those
who have forgotten how to cry. Share your faith
with those who have none.


8. BE PATIENT:

I managed to fix it so in just one lifetime
you could have so many diverse experiences.
You grow from a child to an adult, have children,
change jobs many times, learn many trades,
travel to so many places, meet thousands
of people, and experience so much. How can
you be so impatient then when it takes Me
a little longer than you expect to handle
something on My to-do-list? Trust in My
timing, for My timing is perfect. Just
because I created the entire universe in
only six days, everyone thinks I should
always rush, rush, rush.


9. BE KIND:

Be kind to others, for I love them just
as much as I love you. They may not dress
like you, or talk like you, or live the same way
you do, but I still love you all. Please try
to get along, for My sake. I created each
of you different in some way. It would be
too boring if you were all identical.
Please, know I love each of your differences.


10. LOVE YOURSELF:

As much as I love you, how can you not
love yourself? You were created by me for
one reason only -- to be loved, and to love
in return. I am a God of Love. Love Me.
Love your neighbors. But also love yourself.
It makes My heart ache when I see you
so angry with yourself when things go
wrong. You are very precious to me.
Don't ever forget......

A rerun but worth a re-read.

[MajestyJo]

Affirm yourself, you are worthy of recovery. You are not your disease. You are a child of God. As I was told in early days of recovery, "God doesn't make no junk!"

[MajestyJo]

Why Think Positive?



When things go wrong, remember:

It's not WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU that matters most.
It's how YOU THINK ABOUT what happens to you .

Example:

Let's say that you are at the airport, waiting to catch a flight, and the airline tells you, "Sorry! Mechanical trouble. You won't be leaving for three hours!"

You get very angry. You tell yourself: "This is terrible! This is a disaster!"

While you remain stressed, things will get worse!
People will trip over you, spill coffee in your lap and lose your baggage.

When you fight life, life always wins!

Then finally you cool down.

You tell yourself: "There's nothing I can do about it. I am probably where I am meant to be. I'll make the most of it."

Suddenly, everything changes!

From nowhere an old friend appears, or you make a new friend, or you stumble on a fresh opportunity - and life begins to support you.

Once we change our thoughts about "a bad situation",
we can take advantage of it.

You already know this!

Life's great opportunities mostly arrive disguised as misfortune and disaster.

Example:

Imagine two women, Mary and Jane.

Both get divorced.

Mary says, "I've failed. My life is over."

Jane says, "My life has just begun!"

Who will blossom?

In a nutshell:

Every "disaster" in your life is not so much a disaster, as a situation waiting for you to change your mind about it.

[MajestyJo]

NOW THAT'S GOD!



LIKE THE SAYING, "THAT'S NOT ODD, THAT'S GOD!"

http://www.passionup.com/mp/blank/bl...8064d5e26&mp=1

[MajestyJo]

MountainWings A MountainWings Moment #2066 Wings Over The Mountains of Life
-------------------------------------------------

Hurt
=====

Dear MountainWings,

This story changed my life and I thought maybe it could change
others too, so I'm sharing it with you.

This story was told to me by my sister, whom it happened to.

She was really upset because she hadn't seen or spoken to her best friend Jim in a couple of weeks. Finally he shows up at her door and commands her to get dressed and go riding with him. So she finally does.

As they were riding, they passed a garden full of flowers.

Jim says "Do you see those flowers?"

"Yes," she says.

"Do you think that when someone steps on those flowers that they lie there and feel sorry for themselves?" Jim asks.

"No."

"No, they immediately start to mend their wounds so they can
heal, and grow strong and healthy!"

They ride a little further and Jim points up in a tree,
"You see those squirrels up there?

Do you think that when people shoot at them they go hide
forever?"

"No," she says.

About that time the ocean comes into sight.

Jim says "You see that ocean out there?

Do you think that when there's a hurricane out there that the
ocean doesn't go back out because it's afraid to face the
storm?"

"No," she says.

"Then, why have you stopped living because you have been hurt?"

That story really hit me like a ton of bricks!
The worst part was the fact that Jim died a short time later.
And that's when she realized how much precious time she wasted.


Why have you stopped living because you have been hurt?


~A MountainWings Original~

[MajestyJo]

Worthy Thoughts

- Anger is a condition in which the tongue works faster than the mind.

- You can't change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying over the future.

- Love... and you shall be loved.

- God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him.

- All people smile in the same language.

- A hug is a great gift, one size fits all. It can be given for any occasion and it's easy to exchange.

- Everyone needs to be loved, especially when they do not deserve it.

- The real measure of a man's wealth is what he has invested in eternity.

- Laughter is God's sunshine.

- Everything has beauty but not everyone sees it.

- It's important for parents to live the same things they teach.

- Thank God for what you have, TRUST GOD for what you need.

- If you fill your heart with regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow, you have no today to be thankful for.

- Happy memories never wear out... Relive them as often as you want.

- Home is the place where we grumble the most, but are often treated the best.

- Man looks at outward appearance but the Lord looks within.

- The choice you make today will usually affect tomorrow.

- Take time to laugh for it is the music of the soul.

- If anyone speaks badly of you, live so none will believe it.

- Patience is the ability to idle your motor, when you feel like stripping your gears.

- Love is strengthened by working through conflicts together.

- The best thing parents can do for their children is to love each other.

- Harsh words break no bones but they do break hearts.

- To get out of a difficulty, one usually must go through it.

- We take for granted the things that we should be giving thanks for.

- Love is the only thing that can be divided, without being diminished.

- Happiness is enhanced by others but does not depend upon others.

- You are richer today if you have laughed, given or forgiven.

- For every minute you are angry with someone, you lose 60 seconds of happiness that you can never get back.

- Do what you can, for who you can, with what you have, and where you are.


"The Mind is like a Parachute, it Doesn't work properly unless FULLY OPEN"

- source unknown, could have been here!

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time.

You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight with your best friend. You'll blame a new love for things an old one did. You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love.

So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

Don't be afraid that your life will end, Be afraid that it will never begin.

~anonymous~

[MajestyJo]

The Problem or The Laundry List

The problem: We seem to have several characteristics
in common as a result of having been brought up in a
dysfunctional family system.
We became isolated and afraid of people and authority figures.

We became approval seekers and lost our identity
in the process.

We are frightened by angry people and any
personal criticism.

We either become alcoholics, marry them or both,
or find another compulsive personality such as a
workaholic to fulfill our abandonment needs.

We live life from the viewpoint of victims and are
attracted by that weakness in our love, friendships,
and career relationships.

We have and overdeveloped sense of responsibility
and it is easier for us to be concerned with others
rather than ourselves; this enables us not to look too
closely at our faults or our responsibility to ourselves.

We get guilt feeling when we stand up for ourselves
and instead give in to others.

We become addicted to excitement.

We confuse love and pity and tend to "love" people
we can "pity" and rescue.

We have stuffed our feelings from our traumatic
childhoods and have lost the ability to feel or express
our feelings because it hurts so much. This includes
our good feelings such as joy and happiness. Our
being out of touch with our feelings is one of our
basic denials.

We judge ourselves harshly and have a very low
sense of self-esteem.

We are dependent personalities who are terrified
of abandonment and will do anything to hold on to a
relationship in order not to experience painful
abandonment feelings. We received this from living
with sick people who were never there emotionally
for us.

Alcoholism is a family disease and we took on the
characteristics of that disease even though we did
not pick up the drink.

We became reactors rather than actors.

Adult children of alcoholics guess at what normal is.

We have difficulty having fun.

We take ourselves too seriously.

We have difficulty with intimate relationships.

We constantly seek approval and affirmation.

We usually feel different from other people.

We are either super responsible or super
irresponsible.

We are extremely loyal even in the face of
evidence that the loyalty is undeserved.

We tend to lock ourselves into a course of action
without giving serious consideration to alternative
behavior or possible consequences. This impulsivity
leads to confusion, self-loathing, and loss of control
over our environment. As a result, more energy is
spent cleaning up the mess than would have been
spent had the alternatives and consequences been
examined in the first place.

We think we have more problems with sexuality
than the general population.

We tend to look for immediate as opposed to
deferred gratification.

We are overly sensitive.

THIS IS A DESCRIPTION, NOT AN INDICTMENT!

Source: Tony A. authored the original Laundry List.
It later was adopted as "The Problem" (c) 1984 by the ACA World Service Organization in Torrance California. The above is an expanded version, origin unknown.

Think this is posted elsewhere, but always good to be reminded.

[MajestyJo]

Styles of Distorted Thinking
Filtering: You take the negative details and magnify them while filtering out all positive aspects of the situation.

Polarized Thinking: Things are black or white, good or bad. You have to be perfect or you are a failure. There is no middle ground.

Over Generalization: You come to a general conclusion based on a single incident or other piece of evidence. If something bad happens once, you expect it to happen over and over again.

Mind Reading: Without their saying so, you know what people are feeling and why they act the way they do. In particular, you are able to tell how people are feeling about you.

Catastrophizing: You expect a disaster. You notice or hear about a problem and start, "What if's?" What if a tragedy strikes? What if it happens to you?

Personalization: You think everything people do or say is some kind of a reaction to you. You also compare yourself to others, trying to determine who's smarter, better looking, etc.

Control Fallacies: You feel externally controlled, you see yourself as helpless, a victim of fate. The fallacy of internal control makes you feel responsible for the pain or happiness of everyone around you.

Fallacy of Fairness: You feel resentful because you think you know what's fair but are sure that other people won't agree with you.

Blaming: You hold others responsible for your pain, or else you blame yourself for every problem or reversal.

Shoulds: You have a list of ironclad rules about how you and other people should act or feel. People who break these rules anger you and you feel guilty if you violate them yourself.

Emotional Reasoning: You believe that what you feel must be true automatically. If you feel stupid or boring, then you must be stupid or boring.

Fallacy of Change: You expect that others will change to suit you if you just pressure or cajole them enough. You need to change people because your hopes and happiness seems to depend on them.

Global Labeling: You generalize one or two qualities into a negative judgment. When you make a mistake, instead of describing your error, you say: "I'm a loser." If someone irritates you, you label them, "He's a louse."

Being Right: You are continually on trial to prove your opinions and actions are correct.

Heaven's Reward: You expect all of your sacrifices and self-denial to pay off, as if there were someone keeping score.

by Adult Children Anonymous