The following is an exercise that only requires your journal, a pen, your scriptures and a little bit of time. I had my Young Women ponder and write about these questions during a quiet hour at camp one year. I wanted the girls and their leaders to feel as though we were sitting on the couch in my ... Read More
The “Sick Coat” – Maintaining What We Have Obtained – Steps 10-12
If you grew up with me and happened to have the flue, a fever, the measles, the mumps, or an earache you were given some very special attention in the form of two items of clothing. First, the earache hat, a little homemade flannel bonnet mom placed on our heads if we were suffering the pain of an ... Read More
“Be-aware” of Dog! – Step 11 Personal Revelation
Here we go again! A knock at the door and our little dog Snitzel rips down the hall as fast as his little dachshund legs can maneuver, barking ferociously. Baby’s been asleep for thirty minutes but he’s absolutely awake now. How can one little puppy create such a disturbance? Part of me wants to ... Read More
“That’s Not On My Schedule!” – Step 3 and Step 11
This week my daughter shared the following conversation that took place between her and her 5-year-old, Maddie: "Maddie, it’s time to go outside and play" "That's not in my SCHEDULE Mom" "What schedule?" "Well you said the other day that it was good to have a schedule of what you do each day, so ... Read More
How Effective Is Your Self-Talk? – Step 11
In the world of popular psychology there has been much talk about “Self Talk.” It is generally advised that we keep the conversation that goes on in our heads positive. I find single-handedly holding down a “Positive Mental Attitude” to be a big order. In recovery I am learning to replace “self ... Read More
A Lesson From the Wood Shed – “Doing the Next Right Thing”
My dad was raised in a charming little lumber town in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Nearly everyone in town worked for the lumber company which consisted of a lumber mill and a box factory. My Grandpa ran the warehouse. The main street of the town was lined with small, wooden, bungalow type houses. ... Read More
Sledding with Sammy – Surprise! – Step 3 & 11
Sledding down the hill at the elementary school park with the “Grands” might be the extent of my winter games as a Grandma, but there is something potentially youthful and energizing about being the willing grandma of a three year old. This is for those of you who wish there was Christmas snow on ... Read More
“______ ! The Herald Angels Sing” – Step 11 – Personal Revelation
Ethan, at age five, had his own version of the traditional Christmas Carol, “Hark, The Herald Angles Sing.” I find his rendition instructive any time of year. As he could not relate in any way to the word “Hark,” he filled in with a word that rhymed and also made perfect sense to him. Ethan simply ... Read More