We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it. At the end of your life you will be asked to give an account for all of the pleasures God allowed you, but you refused to enjoy. I’ll never forget the first time I saw that quote, tucked into […]
Step 10: We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it. Following the news, I was reminded once again of something Dr. James Hollis mentioned in a class at the Jung Center several years ago. It was a wisdom that struck home with me, a commentary on our […]
Step 10: We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it. One of the major doctrines of my religious tradition is the doctrine of “Once saved, always saved.” Frankly, I have seen that doctrine misinterpreted for my entire life to mean, “I can live any way I want to […]
“How do you keep hope alive these days?” the questioner asked. “It looks to me like everything is going to hell in a handbasket.” The question sounded like a challenge. It wasn’t friendly curiosity, and it was full of cynicism. I felt like I was on trial. I couldn’t decide if she was shaming me […]
Choose Life! I have set before you today life and death, blessing and cursing…..therefore, choose life. Deuteronomy 30:19 If I had to choose a motto that I heard from childhood and have lived by and quoted for my entire life, it would be “Watch extremes”. My […]
Step 9: Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. “And now it is time for you to make amends to yourself,” my Twelve Step sponsor said, but I didn’t have a clue what she meant. After all, I had been brought up in a […]
Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. I have worked the Twelve Steps for most of my adult life because I am a codependent. An on-going, recovering codependent. There are specific spiritual practices I follow, all of which are intended to nurture my soul. […]
In the space of less than 24 hours last week, I had two experiences with the effects of this Covid 19 virus that have given me much to ponder. First, I encountered an angry man in my dentist’s office who was flaunting his freedom by not wearing a mask and by roaming around among the […]
Humanly speaking, despair is presumptuous.* Several years ago, I a conference on hope at the Texas Medical Center in Houston. Sponsored by what was then the Institute of Religion, the topic of hope and its importance were addressed by a priest, a pastoral counselor, a minister. a [physician, a nurse and various professionals in the […]
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that is within you. — 1 Peter: 3:15b “I feel so much better since I gave up hope.” Startled, I almost shuddered at those words spoken by a friend and accompanied by a bitter laugh. I […]