I read this last night. It is long but you can Google it to find it. I was given it one night in an AA meeting along time ago. I don't remember reading it then but I still had it all these years later. God knew I needed to read it last night and so there I found it tucked away between articles I saved from 9/11 and the OK bombing. Funny how it was tucked away between two disasters. Kind of like my life. When I am in the middle of emotional disasters and forget to pray, forget who I really am, I do not remember the truth. I am God's child. I am God's miracle. I belong to God. That is when and why I have made so many decisions that were not God centered. But God sent me the message last night. I sat down and read it like a love letter. I am willing and ready for what I need to do to get back focused into the miracles in life. I want to see them. I want to be aware of the beauty of life. Sobriety is so wonderful, we are so blessed, whether we have one day or one year or 10 years. We have the chance at new life, new experiences and ne love. The love that God gave us to feel for ourself and others. The awareness that God loves us and we can love back.
To this day, to this moment. I pray we all feel it, the beauty, the miracle of it all.
Okay, Phil- just for you I'm going to dictate a couple of John Laroquette's funnier ones with both of my index fingers working in chorus:
Applauding an alcoholic for drinking is like giving a cowboy with hemmeroids a trophy for not riding his horse.
On how he feels god feels about his alcohlism (keeping in mind that he was raised a catholic and is agnostic):
So this gambling addict is at the end of his string and he doesn't know what to do- so he gets down on his knees and prays: "God- I don't know what to do. I'm losing everything and I owe some people $20000 and I only have $5000 and they're going to break my legs. Please god give me guidance."
A loud voice comes from the sky that tells him, "Go to Vegas."
The guy looks around incredulously and asks, "What?"
"Go to vegas."
So the guy scrounges up some money and buys a greyhound ticket to vegas. He rides the bus there and steps off onto the strip and looks around.
"Go to Ceasers."
The man scratches his head and asks, "Really?"
"Go to Ceasers."
So the gambling addict walks down to Ceasers and walks in the door and looks around, and the voice says, "Go to the Blackjack table."
The man walks over to the blackjack table and the voice says, "Bet it all."
The man puts all $5000 down on the table and gets two cards- a ten and a two. The dealer has 19 and the voice says, "Take a hit."
The man takes a hit and gets a 5. He is pretty nervous about loosing his $5000 but the voice says, "Take a hit." He takes a hit and gets a two. He's ecstatic because now it's a push and he can get his money back but the voice again says, "Take a hit." He looks to the sky incredulously and asks, "What?!! It's a push!!!" and the voice just says, "Take a hit."
The man takes a hit and gets another two, which gives him 21.
The voice from the sky just mutters, " I don't f*#king believe it!"
and lastly- me on myself, waiting around a few years hoping I'd somehow get sober:
A guy named Joe finds himself in dire trouble. His business has gone bust and he's in serious financial trouble. He's so desperate he decides to ask God for help. He begins to pray... `God, please help me. I`ve lost my business and if I don't get some money, I`m going to lose my house as well. Please let me win the lottery.
Lottery night comes and somebody else wins it.
Joe again prays... `God, please let me win the lottery! I`ve lost my business, my house and I`m going to lose my car as well.`
Lotto night comes and Joe still has no luck.
Once again, he prays... `My God, why have you forsaken me? I`ve lost my business, my house and my car. My wife and children are starving. I don't often ask you for help and I have always been a good servant to you. PLEASE just let me win the lottery this one time so I can get my life back in order.`
Suddenly there is a blinding flash of light as the heavens open and Joe is confronted by the voice of God Himself: `Joe, meet Me halfway on this. Buy a ticket.`
Dunno why I can't cut and paste into this platform so well- it always tangles up my stuff. Anyhow- hope one of these made you laugh. Aloha- Toby
Way!, I saw him tell his story at a speaker's meeting in Palos Verdes for nearly 2 hours. afterwards he hung out for another 2 hours talking with some of us. This was around the time he had that sitcom about sobriety. He was very cool like I hear Jay Leno is when he rides his bikes out to the "Rock Store"
Are you boys risking anyone's anonymity here? I'm sure he probably makes light of his story for fun & material so maybe tis public knowledge? Forgive me for stepping in & asking x
Ps. Get me ~ Almost forgot my manners! A Big Warm Wecome to you, Bella. I hope you settle here & find lots to add to your sobriety. I've enjoyed your posts & biography. Keep coming back. Share wth you soon, Danielle x
-- Edited by Sobrietyspell at 20:24, 2007-10-30
__________________
Progress not perfection.. & Practice makes Progress!
Nah. Every time he speaks first thing he does is out himself and explain that he does so on purpose. He also has a stand-up routine based almost completely on his experience with addiction. He's probably about the least anonymous AAer there ever was.
Are you boys risking anyone's anonymity here? I'm sure he probably makes light of his story for fun & material so maybe tis public knowledge? Forgive me for stepping in & asking x
Ps. Get me ~ Almost forgot my manners! A Big Warm Wecome to you, Bella. I hope you settle here & find lots to add to your sobriety. I've enjoyed your posts & biography. Keep coming back. Share wth you soon, Danielle x
-- Edited by Sobrietyspell at 20:24, 2007-10-30
Sspell, he had a tv sitcom about AA people that actually made it thru a few seasons.
Thought he might well have. Seems the type to have a lark about it though I'm not really familiar with him. Maybe I can find some of those shows on the internet? I'll have a look see anyhoo. Thanks you two, Danielle :)
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Progress not perfection.. & Practice makes Progress!
John Larroquette speaking at Vancouver, Tahoe and Laguna Beach. I think the Tahoe one is a convention and he is pretty outspoken and brash. I wouldn't say it's my favorite, but it was a pretty good one IMHO.
