Giving Thanks To God – To the Spirit of The Wampanoag

The local Wampanoag here on the Peninsula of Doom are the same people who sat down with my own ancestors and in thanks joined in brotherly and harmonious action. This legend, story, account, fairy tale – call it whatever you want — in commemoration we look back at the first Thanksgiving feast – a holiday so decreed by Abraham Lincoln.

As you can probably imagine, being a member of a fellowship for alcoholics on a lump of land that has a good population of Wampanoag I might have occasion to run into one of them now and then – and again. Yes, I know a few. Those boys sure can drink! Just ask one. But sober and spiritual Native Americans can tell of a long long practiced concept of spirituality.

By now many of us realize than the headless, farm fattened, salt injected and factorized Tom Turkeys that have never seen so much as a human hand full of Purina Turkey Chow – that we stuff, with bread, onion, and thyme were not really part of the main fare in those days. It just wasn’t on the menu. We are after all talking almost five hundred years ago. What is likely is that instead of carved Perdue turkey breast and starch thickened giblet gravy these folks supped upon local wild eel, clams, oysters, mussels, lobster and venison with squash and boiled pumpkin.

YUMMOH! I can hear Rachel Ray right now.

But no volcanic islands of whipped potato erupting with hot flows of yellow buttered gravy-lava. Cranberry dressing? Nope. No sugar yet. Pumpkin or apple pie? Uh, no. No pie crust or ovens in which to bake them.

So who gives a flying fig? Giving thanks to God is still giving thanks to God and the Wampanoag Indians locally here can tell you a thing or two about giving thanks too. They can also tell of a history, tradition and spiritual connection in true humility, the kind that escapes us so easily.

” It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels. We are headed for trouble if we do . . . . ” (84:1)

You see to these people giving thanks to God is not something to do once a year – or even once in a great while. To Wampanoag, giving thanks to the God is an ongoing spiritual experience that is part of each and every hour of each day. To them the material world around and the spiritual world were interwoven and inseparable. Throughout each day as events unfolded they thanked the spirits.

If the sun shone strongly against the autumn frost to warm the chilled hunter – he took pause to thank the appropriate spirit. If his arrow hit and felled a deer he paused to thank the spirits of . . . oh don’t know . . . . . .the deer hunting spirit I guess. The point is that his thanks was continual throughout the day reminding the grateful to not take egotistical credit for the events unfolding. If the deer was hit – it was the spirits that granted it. If the weather was favorable, it was the spiritual that caused it. If the fire was lit against a cold, damp wind it was with the help and permission of the spirits.

This is very AA, is it not? It embraces daily and genuine gratitude in the practice of Step Ten – in acknowledging our flaws that come about in selfishness, fear, dishonesty and resentment. We have been freed from these in our past which had been blocking us from the Sunlight of the Spirit and each moment in living is a chance to keep the channels clear in the present. In the today.

Learning to daily spot, admit, and correct these flaws which are motives in each thought or act that appears to be wrong, is the essence of character building and good living.

“An honest regret for harms done, a genuine gratitude for blessings received, and a willingness to try to better things tomorrow will be the permanent assets we shall seek.” (12&12)

Today being Thanksgiving, we can call to mind all of the things for which we can be grateful. That would be in a universal, very American tradition of the holiday. But why can’t we also proactive this principle in all our affairs – like the Wampnoag – without whom there would be no such holiday.

Dear God: I want to thank you faletinmebemicelfagain.
.
Peace,

Danny S

A Free Dose Of Gratitude

Friends do I have your attention? GOOD.

Did you say you wanted more promises? You say the ninth step Promises are too far down the line to wait for? You say you need some concrete evidence that all this Step work is going to be worth YOUR PRECIOUS time.?

Well fear not friends because the co-authors of the Big Book have got you covered. For a limited time, and a limited time only,* they have got some promises for you right now, – right in Step Three.

Just look at these Promises in Step Three:

1) Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program. (On men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves). (58:1)

2) The result was nil until we let go absolutely. (From
trying to hold on to our old ideas) (58:3)

3) Without help it is too much for us. (On letting
go completely) (59:0)

4) But there is One who has all power-that One is God. (59:0)

5) Half measures availed us nothing. (59:1)

6) No one among us has been able to maintain anything
like perfect adherence to these principles. (60:1)

7) We were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives. (60:2)

8) Probably no human power could have relieved our
alcoholism. (60:2)

9) God could and would if He were sought. (60:2)

10) Any life run on self-will can hardly be a success. (60:4)

11) On that basis we are almost always in collision
with something or somebody, even though our motives
are good. (By running life on self-will) (60:4)

12) That, we think, is the root of our troubles. (On
Selfishness-self-centeredness) (62:1)

13) Our troubles, we think, are basically of our own
making. (62:2)

14) Above everything, we alcoholics must be rid of
this selfishness. We must, or it kills us! (62:2)

15) God makes that possible.(Getting rid of selfishness)(62:2)

16) There often seems no way of entirely getting rid of
self without His aid. (62:2)

17) Neither could we reduce our self-centeredness much
by wishing or trying on our own power. (62:2)

18) We had to have God’s help. (On reducing
self-centeredness much) (62:2)

19) We had to quit playing God. It didn’t work (62:3)

But that’s not all friends!

Take step three TODAY - before midnight tonight – and receive a free, that’s right – A FREE dose of gratitude. (I strongly suggest you do so on your knees – with your sponsor and use the Third Step prayer.)

Now you don’t have to wait till Step 9 for some amazement in your life. With step three you can start amazing your friends and amazing your family too, starting today.* Don’t let the slogan spouting, ten meeting a week going, jug plugging, not just not drinking today – easy does it, middle-of-the-road solutions based fellowshippers dissuade you!

Operators are standing by.**

Peace,

Danny S

* Offer expires if Step 4 is not begun immediately.

** Operators are sponsors who have experienced these same promises by having turned THEIR lives and wills over the care of God. Use of Light bulbs, doorknobs and other earthly objects will invalidate this offer. Offer void where prohibited by dishonesty.