Addictions

We had a powerful presentation last Sunday at church with participants from an Addiction Recovery program that my Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints runs patterned after AA-American Alcoholic's 12 step program. Focused on addictions of any kind including: pornography, alcohol, tobacco, gambling, co-dependency, eating disorders, etc., it's amazing what they are accomplishing. We have 30 groups in just our local community open to people of all faiths. It is free and administered by volunteer missionary couples. They meet weekly and study a workbook which is used for journal entries and tracking their progress.

Three individuals from this program spoke at our church meeting and shared how the program had helped them. One young man with a terminal illness had turned to drugs to help him feel better. A couple had struggled-the man with alcoholism and the wife with codependency and depression. The point was made that we ALL have addictions of some kind or weaknesses that get in our way. The booklet is available FREE online or can be ordered if you want a physical copy. The push is on to offer this free program throughout the world to help others cope with addictions. We all have family members or friends who suffer from an addiction. Check it out.

President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught: “Addiction has the capacity to disconnect the human will and nullify moral agency. It can rob one of the power to decide.” "Revelation in a Changing World," Ensign, Nov. 1989, 14

Sunrises and Sunsets

There is a difference between sunrises and sunsets.

Mornings are full of promises and possibilities.

Evenings are time to reflect back on the beauties

of the day-things accomplished, lessons learned.

Our lives are full of sunrises filled with anticipation,

expectations and dreams that may be fulfilled.

Only in sunsets do we find the time to reflect,

see the slow growth made from overcoming challenges.

Giving thanks for difficult times, we find strength

to endure each day with its pleasures and burdens.

Beginning and endings are both beautiful,

the birth of a new child and the passing of loved ones.

The cycle contines and renews its promises as

God watches over us with never ending patience.

Another generation is eager to view their sunrises,

unaware that sunsets will come too in time.

This is a slide show I made for a class I taught today on

www.slide.com using the two photos above+two more. Amazing.

Family Proclamation

One of my nieces Jocelyn is dedicating her blog this month to the Family Proclamation issued by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the MORMONS.) It's the 10th anniversary of the proclamation which was published not just for members but for the entire world to clarify our standing on issues that surround families today. Click HERE to read it in its entirety. Certainly we can all admit that the family is under attack in our modern world.

I firmly believe that families are the GLUE THAT HOLDS OUR SOCIETY TOGETHER. We each have a family that guided our development. Unfortunately not all parents were the best, but they did help us to be born and have an opportunity to live here on earth. We all have a family legacy whether or not it was positive depends on the individuals involved. Hopefully it was loving and nurturing. Family can be a soft place to fall and a legacy of good examples to follow. If not, hopefully you are becoming that to your family and friends.

In my own family, my grandparents were all wonderful loving supportive pillars for me. I knew they loved and cared for me. My paternal grandparents were babysitters for me after my father's sudden accidental death in a plane crash when I was only 5 years old. My mom had to go to work, but they were there to watch over and love me. Grandpa became my father substitute. Later we would live with my widowed maternal grandmother. I still remember her hugs and laughter as she listened and nurtured me through my early childhood.

The other night I had a dream about her and was able to tell her of my appreciation for all she did for me. For the example she was and is to me of carrying on despite the circumstances life hands you. She was a widow at age 30 with 5 dependent children-the youngest only 4 months old. Then my own widowed mother continued grandma's example as she raised me alone and worked to support us. I have a LEGACY of strong women and caring extended family members that make me who I am today. Tell us about your family.