I submitted my first attempt at chairing on-line this morning. After going round and round about what the topic ought to be, I finally settled on growth through powerlessness. The idea came from one of my favorite Al-Anon books, Having Had a Spiritual Awakening....

"The more I feel my smallness and powerlessness, the more I grow in opportunity."

This book has a thought provoking question after each reading. The question for this particular reading is:

"What trials have I used as opportunities to grow?"

Hopefully some in the group will feel moved to share. Otherwise, I'll feel like I screwed that up. (one just popped up on my screen- I have instant messenger. Yeah!) I asked for help in doing the Tuesday Focus on CAL as I am the chair this month. A newcomer stepped forward as did a few who aren't so new. If this newcomer is willing to do the four Tuesdays this month, I won't have to trouble the others. At least she expressed a willingness.

I had many bouts of powerlessness in 2007. It's all right here in this blog. I still wish I'd saved those entries that I erased. There's no getting those back. But I feel grateful to have had this venue to write in. So often it is hard to find anyone to listen without giving advice.

If any of you reading this would care to comment on the topic, feel free to. I won't publish it if you express that I keep it to myself.

After mass today I'll be taking my mother to the hospital. She's being admitted for outpatient surgery tomorrow. I'm hoping I have enough gas in my truck to get from point A to point B. I'm taking tomorrow off so that I'll be available to interpret for the mom and to transport her home.

I've got homework to work on today and tomorrow. I've got lesson plans to write and work to do for Wednesday's RCIA class. I've put these things off long enough. Procrastination. That used to be a foreign thing to me. I always had to be right up on top of things and perfect. My, how times have changed.

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Well, let's see. I've had 7 volunteer to help me with Tuesday's Focus on CAL. The newcomer among these just sent me an e-mail and believes it will be fun. That is very encouraging. I don't know if she will do it all four Tuesdays this month or if she will just do it this week. It doesn't matter. She's willing.

Two people have shared with the group and I've gotten three messages in an aside. One was from a newcomer looking for a sponsor. He's in need of a male sponsor. I asked the trusted servant coordinator if she'd post the list of sponsors again.

When I got to church Mr. Brown handed me a bulletin like he always does and the deacon quietly informed me that the joke I sent him was on the back. I never expected him to do such a thing. I just knew he collected jokes and sent him one- one friend to another. Thelma's name made the prayer list in the bulletin as well.

Mom panicked and called the church for a ride to the hospital because she couldn't remember when I was going to pick her up. We got there in plenty of time considering that the doctor had not put her on the list. There was a shortage of nurses and no beds. They had to make room for her. I left after the nurse showed up to go check on my brother.

Since I've been home I've completed a unit and a lesson plan. I've e-mailed them to the principal. I've completed most of my evaluation forms and called that parent about Friday's M-Team meeting. I've also fielded two Al-Anon phone calls. One from Thelma and the other from Nefertiti.

I did not go to a meeting tonight because I felt like I'd already had one with my on-line group. I did send a flyer to two of Marian's sons and I asked them to announce our upcoming fund raiser as we need support and encouragement. I certainly do not expect either of them to do anything with it but it was worth a shot. The speaker is from Huntsville as is son # 3. It would be good if folks from her area came to support her. Son #2 most likely will ignore my e-mail and adopt a blase attitude. He never attends anything Al-Anon. I think he's afraid he'll catch what we've got. LOL He might be correct in his fear and then again... I'm not so sure that he isn't sicker than I am. Perhaps I should throw down a gauntlet and see what happens.