This and That and Sunshine Too 2/27/14

      Good evening everyone.  I went to bed at 1:30 this morn, rising at 7:20 a.m., working from 8:30 a.m. until the hour met its twin, 8:30 p.m.

      Today, I engaged in conversations about God with those who saw me. The subject was turning our will and lives over
to Him. Step Three in recovery speak.  A scarey idea for most.

     The thing is, we can use the 12 steps of recovery to deal with fear, anxiety, depression, even procrastination and self-rejection.

     What an amazingly invigorating profession I have.  Fun, too.

      I goofed big time---twice---today.  A good thing.  I observed my reaction to them.  I was gentle towards myself, even though my errors threw off my day.  I could not accomplish what was scheduled.  That's fine.  I am not what I do or don't do.

      It's emotionally satisfying, seeing I do not allow the ebbs of life---when the things I like elude my grasp---rob my equanimity.  Yesterday, I was upset.  Rare.  But, you know what?  It is good, getting upset.  It let me know my emotions are not frozen.  I am living life fully.

      This week, I've dealt with insanity from others.  Mixed messages.  Urgent requests followed by no communication when I tried responding to crises.  What does this tell me?  That it is great not relying on irresponsible others for my serenity.

       The day is coming.  Yep, it is.  I'm planning on driving my car 300 miles on Sunday.  That is when I break my abstinence from petroleum.  I have not used my vehicle in two years.  Imagine that.  I've been paying car insurance for the past two months----had to.  It irked me, being forced to, in order to process DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) paperwork.  That circumstance helped me exercise forgiveness towards the state of California.

       Okay, here's the biggie, the juiciest thing I share. Either Paris or Ankara, the capital of Turkey,  I"m planning to make a trip to, later this year.  I working the details.  Paris is better you say?  Not necessarily so for me. There are many reasons, like twenty, why I'd prefer Turkey.   And no, I'm not Turkish.

       Stay tuned. I will fess up my reasons in due time.  That will be my cliffhanger for today.

Gratitudes for Thursday:
1.  I was disciplined. This is a day I do administrative duties.  I was focused. That means I will not be filing until 5:00 a.m. this morning, something I've done the past two weeks.  That's a good thing.
2.  I had vibrant phone calls with four clients today.  They are experiencing progress, overcoming familial legacies and applying healthy alternatives to the worry and bad habits they usually exercise.
3.  During a session with a client, I sat near a window as it rained.  After making a point about yielding to God, and the joy it offers, the rain stopped, just at that instant.  A huge burst of sunshine, that had been hiding behind a shroud of clouds beamed only upon me, while speaking with the client.

      She smiled and noticed the "coincidence," too.  Talking about synchronicity.
4.  I'm so happy I don't stay in my head. It's a dangerous place for me to travel alone.
5.  I've gone through four saddlebags for my bike in nine months. I tore another one last week.  I usually carry thirty-eight pounds of books in them, in addition to the eight pound laptop I place on top of it, bungee-corded down on the rack I have on the back of my bike. Total weight, 20.86 kg.

     Each time I've destroyed a saddlebag, the store where I bought it gives me a new one, free.  Wow!  This pannier costs $145.00.  So, that made my day, along with the sunshine, this morning.
How About You? 
What are your three gratitudes for today?