The Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
--Reinhold Niebuhr
http://www.cptryon.org/prayer/special/serenity.html
*******************************
I knew the first verse to this prayer from being around my dad and A.A. in my youth. At one point in time I carried a laminated card around in my wallet but removed it when I went into the Air Force in 1984
During the Gulf War (1990 and 91) I recited the serenity prayer from memory before getting out of the rack/cot/bunk/bed (call it what you will) in the morning. It kept me moving when I was halfway around the world and away from my family. What do I think I got out of this prayer? The ability to know when to pick my battles and the clearness of mind to know when I couldn't change my situation no matter what I did or didn't do. Trust me on this, when the Military stuffs a set of orders in your hands and tells you to GO...there isn't much you can do about it. You GO.
That is a pretty big thing to uphold on a daily basis. What did that 15 years and 9 months and 1 week of Military service from 24 May 1984 till 1 Feb 2000 leave me with? A case of nerves so bad that I have IBS something awful. A mind that is in a high, hyper state of awareness some days and no ability to slow it down (that part has slowed up a bit in the years ). Believe me when I say I'm not griping at all. This is the hand I was dealt. This is the wall I must sometimes climb and this is the private battle I fight that no one goes along with me. (Randi might have a better idea than most but the storms between my ears are truly my own) It also left me with the knowledge that given the chance, I have the ability to reach inside my mental self very deeply, tamp down everything else and pull up vast sums of calm if the need arises and the ability to make a decision from my own mind with little help from anyone else.... and you wouldn't think a computer network tech would need that kind of ability but when you see a computer on a remote network that could damage the WHOLE computer network you keep running from day to day, the ability to TURN OFF THAT branch of the network to save the rest of the network isn't easy to do but, as Spock said "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" (I have always said while working on computer and networks that our REAL job is to keep the phone from ringing and believe me when you shut off a branch of a network without their knowledge, the phone RINGS like crazy!)
We can all reach inside ourselves. We might not think we can but we all have this ability
David Allen Coe has a song called "If that ain't country" and the lyrics can be a bit "colorful" (offensive) but one verse sums it up for me.
Both my Grandfather's were in the Army and my Dad and all but one of his brothers were in the Army or the Air Force. (one of my uncles was told he was 4F during WWII and he told me the story of coming out of the Military induction center in Knoxville, years ago and someone on the steps called him a "4F son of a bitch"...and my uncle proceeded to whip him right there! Diabetes made him 4F and it wasn't due to lack of want that he didn't go)
The serenity prayer still wonders around in the back of my mind and quietly reminds me of the wisdom to know the difference between what I can and can't control or change...
J.
![A restored photo of my Dad! Restored by my friend, @[1517900214:2048:Gail Buckner Strong], who graduated from Holston High School in 1967.](https://scontent-b-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1/223802_1976399448246_5213203_n.jpg "A restored photo of my Dad! Restored by my friend, @[1517900214:2048:Gail Buckner Strong], who graduated from Holston High School in 1967.")
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
--Reinhold Niebuhr
http://www.cptryon.org/prayer/special/serenity.html
*******************************
I knew the first verse to this prayer from being around my dad and A.A. in my youth. At one point in time I carried a laminated card around in my wallet but removed it when I went into the Air Force in 1984
During the Gulf War (1990 and 91) I recited the serenity prayer from memory before getting out of the rack/cot/bunk/bed (call it what you will) in the morning. It kept me moving when I was halfway around the world and away from my family. What do I think I got out of this prayer? The ability to know when to pick my battles and the clearness of mind to know when I couldn't change my situation no matter what I did or didn't do. Trust me on this, when the Military stuffs a set of orders in your hands and tells you to GO...there isn't much you can do about it. You GO.
The Airman's CreedThe current version of the Airman's Creed came out after I left the Air Force but you get the idea.
I am an American Airman.
I am a Warrior.
I have answered my nation's call.
I am an American Airman.
My mission is to fly, fight, and win.
I am faithful to a proud heritage,a tradition of honor,and a legacy of valor.
I am an American Airman,Guardian of freedom and justice,
My nation's sword and shield,Its sentry and avenger.
I defend my country with my life.
I am an American Airman:
Wingman, Leader, Warrior.
I will never leave an Airman behind.
I will never falter,and I will not fail.
That is a pretty big thing to uphold on a daily basis. What did that 15 years and 9 months and 1 week of Military service from 24 May 1984 till 1 Feb 2000 leave me with? A case of nerves so bad that I have IBS something awful. A mind that is in a high, hyper state of awareness some days and no ability to slow it down (that part has slowed up a bit in the years ). Believe me when I say I'm not griping at all. This is the hand I was dealt. This is the wall I must sometimes climb and this is the private battle I fight that no one goes along with me. (Randi might have a better idea than most but the storms between my ears are truly my own) It also left me with the knowledge that given the chance, I have the ability to reach inside my mental self very deeply, tamp down everything else and pull up vast sums of calm if the need arises and the ability to make a decision from my own mind with little help from anyone else.... and you wouldn't think a computer network tech would need that kind of ability but when you see a computer on a remote network that could damage the WHOLE computer network you keep running from day to day, the ability to TURN OFF THAT branch of the network to save the rest of the network isn't easy to do but, as Spock said "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" (I have always said while working on computer and networks that our REAL job is to keep the phone from ringing and believe me when you shut off a branch of a network without their knowledge, the phone RINGS like crazy!)
We can all reach inside ourselves. We might not think we can but we all have this ability
David Allen Coe has a song called "If that ain't country" and the lyrics can be a bit "colorful" (offensive) but one verse sums it up for me.
HE WAS VETERAN-PROUD, TRIED AND TRUEWas it worth all I, and others, had to give? I would have to say YES. (Thankfully I didn't have to kill anyone along the way!)
HE'D FOUGHT TILL HIS HEART WAS BLACK AND BLUE
DIDN'T KNOW HOW HE'D MADE IT THROUGH
THE HARD TIMES
HE BOUGHT OUR HOUSE ON THE G.I. BILL
BUT IT WASN'T WORTH ALL HE HAD TO KILL
TO GIT IT
Both my Grandfather's were in the Army and my Dad and all but one of his brothers were in the Army or the Air Force. (one of my uncles was told he was 4F during WWII and he told me the story of coming out of the Military induction center in Knoxville, years ago and someone on the steps called him a "4F son of a bitch"...and my uncle proceeded to whip him right there! Diabetes made him 4F and it wasn't due to lack of want that he didn't go)
The serenity prayer still wonders around in the back of my mind and quietly reminds me of the wisdom to know the difference between what I can and can't control or change...
J.
A restored photo of my Dad! Restored by my friend, Gail Buckner Strong, who graduated from Holston High School in 1967.
One of the "not so fun days" during the gulf war, late 1990 or early 1991
Christopher and I in uniform, This photo was taken in the early 1990's
One tired dog....
Dogs sacking out on the bed 10/30/2010
Sophie playing Queen of the mountain at the top of the bonus room steps
The Princess
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