Sometimes I become aware of a tension in my body that surprises me. While reading the paper I will notice my shoulders are tight or I'm clenching my jaw. My life is pretty calm. My kids are ok. Money is tight but not alarmingly so. Where does this tension come from?
I think an awareness of this tension is important on several levels. It is important to pay attention to the messages our bodies are telling us. It is important to think through what is going on not only in our external lives but internally. For me the tension has been there for so long in the way I lived my personal and professional life,it's a way of being for me. And it used to be a trigger, the excuse, for drinking. I knew what would relieve that tension---at least short term. An awareness of that tension and thinking it through remains a major part of my ongoing recovery.
And when the tenseness is there, I say Julian of Norwich's prayer-"All will be well, all will be well."
Can you and I really trust that "All will be well?" Do we have that faith?
Blessings-Penny
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
"Spirited Woman"
I am delighted to share with you that my book "Broken by Addiction, Blessed by God-a woman's path to sustained recovery" has been selected by the "Spirited Women" web site as one of their "Top 12 New Books for Fall 2011." As many of you know, writing a book and finding a publisher are monumental tasks in this day and age. Then there is the whole project of letting people know about the book---as in marketing! Being selected on the Spirited Women website reaches another audience. Hopefully the book will reach some additional women challenged by addiction and give them support and encouragement for their recovery.
The book "Sophia-The Feminine Face of God" written by Karen Speerstra is also featured on Spirited Women this Fall. Karen is a close friend, a prolific, creative writer, a woman who moves beyond her own challenges with energy and enthusiasm to live the life we are called to. Read about her book on the "spirited Women" website also.
I encourage you to visit the "Spirited Women" website and connect with women like yourself-women looking to give and receive support from other courageous women.
Blessings-Penny
The book "Sophia-The Feminine Face of God" written by Karen Speerstra is also featured on Spirited Women this Fall. Karen is a close friend, a prolific, creative writer, a woman who moves beyond her own challenges with energy and enthusiasm to live the life we are called to. Read about her book on the "spirited Women" website also.
I encourage you to visit the "Spirited Women" website and connect with women like yourself-women looking to give and receive support from other courageous women.
Blessings-Penny
Saturday, September 17, 2011
"The road is open"
After 3 weeks of the road to town being totally closed due to horrendous damage from Tropical Storm Irene, the words "the road is open" were shared from neighbor to neighbor with great delight. Smiles and laughter replaced concerns and fears.
Driving into town for the first time since the flooding we are all staggered by the extent of the damage. Whole hillsides are washed away. A once delightful mountain brook is the width of a river-bare on both sides. The total geography of the river road has changed. The work that has been done to create a new road is nothing short of miraculous.
And once again I think of the comparison of the devastation of the flood to the devastation of addiction. Truly for some of us whole parts of our lives are washed away by the consequences of addiction. For some of us the devastation isn't quite so horrendous but the pain of the broken relationships and poor choices remain.
The miracle for all of us is "the road is open." The road to a new life has been built by God's love, God's forgiveness, and the work of many people to build that new road for us.
Do we take the time to acknowledge the devastation and consequences of our addiction--especially when the desire for the drink or the drug returns? Do we use the memory of that pain to make the recovery choices?
Do we thank God and the people who have built the new road for us?
Blessings-Penny
Driving into town for the first time since the flooding we are all staggered by the extent of the damage. Whole hillsides are washed away. A once delightful mountain brook is the width of a river-bare on both sides. The total geography of the river road has changed. The work that has been done to create a new road is nothing short of miraculous.
And once again I think of the comparison of the devastation of the flood to the devastation of addiction. Truly for some of us whole parts of our lives are washed away by the consequences of addiction. For some of us the devastation isn't quite so horrendous but the pain of the broken relationships and poor choices remain.
The miracle for all of us is "the road is open." The road to a new life has been built by God's love, God's forgiveness, and the work of many people to build that new road for us.
Do we take the time to acknowledge the devastation and consequences of our addiction--especially when the desire for the drink or the drug returns? Do we use the memory of that pain to make the recovery choices?
Do we thank God and the people who have built the new road for us?
Blessings-Penny
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
9/11
We watched several hours of news coverage of the commenoration of the 9/11 tragedy-all the horrific pictures from that day and stories of heroes who saved so many lives. I thought alot about the thousands and thousands of people who did escape. They escaped the World Trade Center Towers. They escaped the Pentagon. And they escaped wherever Flt. 93 was headed...the U.S. Capitol or the White House.
How have their lives changed? Do they treasure this new life they have been given?
How has your life changed in this new life of recovery you have been given? Do you treasure the miracle? How?
Blessings-Penny
How have their lives changed? Do they treasure this new life they have been given?
How has your life changed in this new life of recovery you have been given? Do you treasure the miracle? How?
Blessings-Penny
Saturday, September 10, 2011
more on "the power is back on"
Recovery is sustained in daily turning on the light switch. If we don't, the darkness gradually deepens until we feel we are helpless and that life is hopeless.
Why don't we flip on the light switch? Often it is because we trust in our own power. We think we can do this by ourselves. And where has that gotten us? --to that sense of hopelessness.
How do we flip on the light switch? We join in fellowship with others-both self help and spiritual. We pray. Sometimes that prayer is as simple as "I could use some help here!" We read scripture. Look at the Psalms. Talk about places people felt hopeless!
We trust in the promises of God. Check out the Apostle Paul's letter to the Ephesians Chapter 3 Verse 20..."the power that is at work in us."
We flip on the light switch by reminding ourselves daily that His power is at work in us---and having our day and our choices illuminated by His power.
Blessings-Penny
Why don't we flip on the light switch? Often it is because we trust in our own power. We think we can do this by ourselves. And where has that gotten us? --to that sense of hopelessness.
How do we flip on the light switch? We join in fellowship with others-both self help and spiritual. We pray. Sometimes that prayer is as simple as "I could use some help here!" We read scripture. Look at the Psalms. Talk about places people felt hopeless!
We trust in the promises of God. Check out the Apostle Paul's letter to the Ephesians Chapter 3 Verse 20..."the power that is at work in us."
We flip on the light switch by reminding ourselves daily that His power is at work in us---and having our day and our choices illuminated by His power.
Blessings-Penny
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
"the power is back on"
An "ah ha" moment as we continue to deal with the effects of Tropical Storm Irene:
We had been without power for about 48 hours. The frozen and refrigerated food had been placed in the cooler. We had plenty of candles and batteries for the radio. However, being without power creates a sense of anxiety. How long? Do we have enough water? etc.
A neighbor and I happened to be on the main road as the power trucks (from Canada!) were allowed up the emergency lane of the washed out road going to town. When we saw those trucks we were cheering like they were the French Liberation tanks in WWII. In about 2 hours the word spread throughout the neigborhood like wildfire-"the power is on---the power is on!"
A bit later I made a connection with those words and recovery. When we begin to recognize that recovery is a gift from God, "the power is back on." The power of God has been with us all along-even in our addiction. We just never turned on the light switch. We sat there in the darkness as though all was lost, as though we had no power. The power is there-the power to make the recovery choices, the recovery decisions. But we must flip the switch to be open to the flow,to let God's power illuminate our lives.
We know that because He has made us that promise. He has promised to "give us a life more than we can imagine."
Is your "power back on?" How do you know that?
Has your life begun to be "more than you can imagine?" Isn't that wonderful?
Give thanks.
Blessings-Penny
We had been without power for about 48 hours. The frozen and refrigerated food had been placed in the cooler. We had plenty of candles and batteries for the radio. However, being without power creates a sense of anxiety. How long? Do we have enough water? etc.
A neighbor and I happened to be on the main road as the power trucks (from Canada!) were allowed up the emergency lane of the washed out road going to town. When we saw those trucks we were cheering like they were the French Liberation tanks in WWII. In about 2 hours the word spread throughout the neigborhood like wildfire-"the power is on---the power is on!"
A bit later I made a connection with those words and recovery. When we begin to recognize that recovery is a gift from God, "the power is back on." The power of God has been with us all along-even in our addiction. We just never turned on the light switch. We sat there in the darkness as though all was lost, as though we had no power. The power is there-the power to make the recovery choices, the recovery decisions. But we must flip the switch to be open to the flow,to let God's power illuminate our lives.
We know that because He has made us that promise. He has promised to "give us a life more than we can imagine."
Is your "power back on?" How do you know that?
Has your life begun to be "more than you can imagine?" Isn't that wonderful?
Give thanks.
Blessings-Penny
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Irene
We are 5 days post Tropical Storm Irene. We live in Vermont. A picture of the washed out road 500 yards from our house made the front page of the New York Times. We remain "trapped on the mountain." We are safe. Our house and property sustained very little damage. The destruction of homes, properties and roads in our area is monumental.
We have a beautiful babbling brook outside out kitchen window. It comes down the Green Mountains, forms little waterfalls as it crosses our yard, passes under the road and further down the mountain joins with other brooks, creeks and streams. Most days it is a delight to listen to and to watch. Sunday it became a raging river. The culvert that takes it under the road could not handle the amount of water from the torrential rains. There were several anxious hours as we watched it rise. We were helpless and almost afraid to speak out loud about "what if it keeps rising." Finally the storm eased and we watched as the water slowly receded.
In the next blogs I will share some of the simple and incredible human connections that continue to take place. But for now:
What are your thoughts and prayers when faced with potential disasters? Those disasters can be personal or national or natural.
Do you prepare or take a attitude of "oh it won't come this way" or "it won't be as bad as they predict."
In your spiritual life where does God fit in all of it? I feel Him in the grace filled neighbors and friends who show their care for us in all of this.
Blessings-Penny
We have a beautiful babbling brook outside out kitchen window. It comes down the Green Mountains, forms little waterfalls as it crosses our yard, passes under the road and further down the mountain joins with other brooks, creeks and streams. Most days it is a delight to listen to and to watch. Sunday it became a raging river. The culvert that takes it under the road could not handle the amount of water from the torrential rains. There were several anxious hours as we watched it rise. We were helpless and almost afraid to speak out loud about "what if it keeps rising." Finally the storm eased and we watched as the water slowly receded.
In the next blogs I will share some of the simple and incredible human connections that continue to take place. But for now:
What are your thoughts and prayers when faced with potential disasters? Those disasters can be personal or national or natural.
Do you prepare or take a attitude of "oh it won't come this way" or "it won't be as bad as they predict."
In your spiritual life where does God fit in all of it? I feel Him in the grace filled neighbors and friends who show their care for us in all of this.
Blessings-Penny
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