Celebrating Life, Faith and This Special Day ...... 6/21/15

        Loved the day.
       
        I was loved in the process.  Still amazed, the oppor-tunities for personal growth that continue every day.  Church was fabulous.  Deep-ly encouraged by what I heard about
faith. Like:

"Real faith believes what God says rather than our circum-stances. Real faith is active, not passive.  Faith comes by hearing. You cannot believe what you do not know."  

       Faith requires time with God, away from the hubbub of urban living.  When I struggle, I was re-minded this morning, "It is not a weakness of will, but a weakness of faith."  If my life doesn't demonstrate faith I need to reconsider, asking myself, is mine real?  Mine is strong, hardy, practiced and deeply established over several decades, since I was fourteen.

       I enjoy the fruit, every day, of an enormous, loving, vibrant connection with God.  He guides me and is my shield in times of trouble.  It is the result of an intimate relationship with a gracious, patient, gentle God.  It helps being acutely aware of His, not my will for my life.  This is Step 11 in Recovery.

"Through prayer and meditation we try to increase our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will and the power to carry it out."                                                        Step Eleven

       Interspersed with all that makes today Father's Day, I was touched, moved, thrilled and happy.  No, not because the focus was on me.  I was invigorated by the multiple deposits placed in my love bank.  Many greetings were received from friends and clients, not to mention time spent with my sons.

       Something else made my soul soar, a sweet conversation with someone spiritual.  Not with someone phoney, self-righteously spiritual.  I connected with someone who loves God, who has a heart for Him.  Someone who spoke my language.  A rare occurrence.  It is uplifting---inspiring.

       My day was balanced. The dessert of the day was how it ended.  Having fun from 7:00 to 10:30 p.m. With friends, we played Pit.  I won't tell you who won, just barely.

Gratitudes: 
1.  For healing.  Experiencing God's love throughout today. Nothing is more restorative than that.
2.  For time with family. With them, I enjoyed adventure, humor and fun, along with joy and laughter.
3.  For being inspired at church today.  I liked the stretching of my awareness about faith. I was thankful for the clarity of what was taught, and its practicality.
4.  For the conversation I had with someone who is growing spiritually. For the honesty and openness shared. I value this person's presence and transparency about life and this individual's relationship with God.
5.  For the fifteen people who wished me Happy Father's Day, today. Wow.
6. For the thrill, when waking up every day.  It is fabulous making my life count, helping others. I love contributing to this world through service.   My work causes me to grow, which I love.
7.  For the laughter and craziness we enjoyed tonight!  It's tremendous, celebrating life and relaxing, too.