DO WHAT YOU CAN LIVE WITH SHOULD BE AN AL-ANON SLOGAN!

 

From Linda Clare’s book, PRAYERS FOR PARENTS of PRODIGALS, this one prayer is worth the price of the book, and I think of it often. It helps me be more compassionate. “Help me remember, that you accept me just as I am and that, even if my prodigal is far away, squandering her life, you don’t reject her either. TO YOU, MY CHILD IS MUCH MORE THAN THE LAST BAD THING THEY DID.”

 

How many of us want to be remembered for the last bad thing we did? Or that horrible thing we did, years ago, that comes back to haunt us, when the enemy taunts us? We all have pasts and we all have regrets, I’d venture. Help me to not focus on the negative but on ANY small, positive thing I see.

 

Help me to see that everyone hurts. Some people because of OCD or anxiety overthink and have a hard time letting go of hurts done to them. It might seem minor or logical to me, but to them, as they dwell too long, it gets bigger and feels unforgiveable. As humans we just do the best we can, or as I like to say, try just to do the next best thing.

 

The other quote I feel especially for mothers is one I’m borrowing from a wise man in Al-anon. It’s not a slogan but I feel it should be. “DO WHAT YOU CAN LIVE WITH.” (John H.) That has gotten me through many a hard decision. Life continues to be hard on some levels and what I can live with willingly and kindly on some days I can’t on others. But that’s okay. I know the Lord can do in a minute what would take me years on my own. He is the God of the impossible. As in Luke 1:37 “Nothing is impossible with God.” The Passion Translation reads this way: “Not one promise from God is empty of power. Nothing is impossible with God!” He can tenderize the most hard-hearted person and make a complete change that is unbelievable, perhaps even unconceivable yet not for our God. I await that day.