God Works With Joy

From Oct 12th, Around the Year with Emmett Fox:

"Don't pray or meditate as a duty. Realize that prayer is a visit with God and should be joyous.

Neither must you pursue your secular activities as necessities to be gotten over, that you may return to your prayer. In the light of Truth, there are no secular activities.

You must have regular recreation or you will become stale. Recreation, also, is to be enjoyed-as an expression of God-and not as a task to prepare yourself to pray better. An understanding joy in living is the highest prayer of all.

...in thy presence is fullness of joy.....(Psalm 16:11)"

If you ever have a chance to see Carrie Fischer's "Wishful Drinking" go. She is in Boston until October 26th and I went with a few girls from the program last night. I cannot even describe how much fun we had. Carrie was hysterical in only the way that a 52 yr old daughter of celebrities and a star in her own right who is also an alcoholic,& addict (which she says is like saying you are from Boston and Massachusetts) who suffers from bipolar disease, has had ECT therapy and was forced to wear this hairsyle can be.

I woke up this morning with a terrible headache which I can only attribute to laughing so hard. It started with our 11th step mediation meeting when my friend called me a smart ass and continued until we were wandering around the North End of Boston at midnight trying to find the pastry shop laughing at the silliest things. At least three of us were. One of my friends was more like Debbie Downer and I must admit that it got on my nerves a bit. From the penny pinching as we paid tabs and parking to her straight faced response as she was asked if she was enjoying the show: Oh yes she is very funny..in pure deadpan. Because she has become a friend I think I understand where she is coming from and can empathize but itis hard to include her when she's sort of a joykill. But yet again...here is the reading from Daily Reflections to remind me of how I must handle situations such as these.

"Being fairminded and tolerant is a goal toward which I must work daily. I ask God, as I understand Him, to help me to be loving and tolerant to my loved ones and to those with whom I am in close contact. I ask for guidance to curb my speech when I am agitated, and I take a moment to reflect on the emotional upheaval my words may cause, not only to someone else, but also to myself. Prayer, meditation and inventories are the key to sound thinking and postive action for me."

I am grateful I didn't express some of my agitation in words but I am afraid it may have reflected in my face at times though I tried hard not to let it. But I think a few exchanged glances may have been perceived and a cause of hurt feelings. And that I do not want to be responsible for. So I will probably need to make an amends to this person. But maybe she just needs more of these experiences in fellowship with other women to let the joy come out. At least that is what I will pray for.

Anyway, it was a blast, so if you can, do something joyful today. Make sure you laugh.