Acceptance.

Drew and I lost a dear friend recently to a drug overdose. My husband wrote an amazing eulogy to be read at his memorial service. I am not sharing what he wrote out of respect for him and his friend, but I do want to share some inspirational messages Drew included at the end.

 

“I have compiled some of the inspirational messages that have moved me throughout my troubles and lifted me up when I felt like my burden was too heavy to go on with life. I encourage you to take what you like and leave what you don’t but remember to love yourself and to love each other. Life is precious.”

Inspirational messages

“And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation—some fact of my life —unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in God’s world by mistake. Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless I accept life completely on life’s terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes.

Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” He forgot to mention that I was the chief critic. I was always able to see the flaw in every person, every situation. And I was always glad to point it out, because I knew you wanted perfection, just as I did. A.A. and acceptance have taught me that there is a bit of good in the worst of us and a bit of bad in the best of us; that we are all children of God and we each have a right to be here. When I complain about me or about you, I am complaining about God’s handiwork. I am saying that I know better than God.”

– From page 417 of The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous:

 

50 Lessons I have learned from my life – by Drew (Inspired by the below list)

1. Acceptance is the answer to all of my problems today
2. Fear = Absence of Faith
3. Smallest Deed better than greatest intention
4. What people remember about you is the way you make them feel
5. Success is knowing God’s will and doing it
6. Ask self before making decision if would be okay doing this every day for rest of life
7. “Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible”
8. Where God guides he provides
9. Attitude is everything
10. Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today
11. Be selfless when it comes to family
12. Attitude and effort is all you have control of in life
13. Expectation – reality = contentment
14. Stress is choice of reaction to situation
15. Treat each day like new day. Compartmentalize. (24 hour rule)
16. All man created in image of God.
17. Be self compassionate
18. “living the dream” – believe
19. “Every man thinks his burden is the heaviest”
20. Always be cool. ABC of life
21. Failure to plan is a plan to fail
22. Maintain positive attitude with positive thoughts
23. Nothing ventured, nothing gained
24. The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious
25. Secret to success is being resilient
26. Secret to being happy is being happy with what you have
27. Avoid self-pity
28. Vision necessary to have success
29. Bit of evil in all of us so need to ensure it is contained
30. You make your own reality
31. Don’t act or think superior. Don’t judge.
32. Remember history so as not to repeat it
33. Treat body as a temple
34. Avoid complacency
35. Always maintain a healthy sense of humor
36. The time is now
37. Never let yourself or someone else tell you you can’t do something
38. We are all equal and deserve to be loved
39. Respect people’s differences
40. We are all works in progress
41. Today is all we have
42. Don’t be afraid to be wrong
43. Maintain an open mind
44. Having hobbies and other healthy outlets are key in life
45. It is better to try then to be afraid of failing
46. Healthy relationships are key to life
47. Always count your blessings and give thanks
48. Never give up
49. Key in life is not let things get stale, to mix things up
50. Harmony between body, mind, and spirit is key to life

50 Lessons from God Never Blinks by Regina Brett

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

• When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
• Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
• It’s OK to let your children see you cry.
• Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
• If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.
• Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks.
• Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.
• You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
• A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.
• It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
• When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
• Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
• Overprepare, then go with the flow.
• Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
• The most important sex organ is the brain.
• No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
• Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”
• Always choose life.
• Forgive everyone everything.
• What other people think of you is none of your business.
• Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
• However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
• Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
• Believe in miracles.
• God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.
• Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
• Growing old beats the alternative – dying young.
• Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
• Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.
• Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
• If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
• Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
• Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
• All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
• Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
• The best is yet to come.
• No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
• Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
• If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
• Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift..

Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.

After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.

This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You’d walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.”

He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.”

– by Mary Stevenson