Car pools, addiction awareness and just keep swimming.

I'm just going to give a brief testimony of what's been going on in my so called, Hawaii hectic life. This month , I've been adjusting to a new schedule.  Since I've lost my in -home nanny (aka stay at home full time dad and husband) who's decided to abandon us, the kids and I,  for a much more exciting life to become Hawaii's finest,   most of the home duties have been left to this working mom.   Honestly, I couldn't be prouder of him.   He's half way through academy and on his way to becoming what he's been called to do.  And now I really know what it was like for my parents who both worked and especially my mom who did the same thing, working full time, while still providing for her kids, cooking breakfast and dinner every day,  while keeping us and the whole  house clean.  They just don't make 'em like they used to.  Whatever my apprehensions may be, I welcome this new season with open arms.  I  cherish the brief time I get to spend with my boys on that car ride in the morning and again in the afternoon getting to know them.
I 'm grateful to God that I get to do this AND owe it all to Him to be able to do it sober.

Less than 2 weeks until we launch Celebrate Recovery (CR) at our Freedom Church.   As my youngest used to say when he was four years old before going to Disneyland,  'I so excited!'
A year ago I went to the CR leadership training. AND over a year ago before that was when my pastor first approached me with the idea.   Its all about the journey and God's timing is so good.

And since my life is not stimulating enough, I'm going to embark on another open ocean swim at the Duke's Waikiki ocean fest.   This time not as long and that should be it for this year for open ocean swimming. I'm going to concentrate more on my running...  Well,  as much as I can do for a mom who has to wake up at Oh dark thirty to get the kids to the bus that takes them to their new private school a few towns away.
Oh well It will have to be just enough to keep the chocolate chip cookies from going to my hips.
I was hoping to do my first triathlon this year, starting out as a sprint at the first 'Race Koolina' event, but guess what?  Triathlon bikes are expen$ive!   Oh sure, I can probably do it if I really scrounge up some pennies and I was recently tempted to buy one. I  even went down to the bike shop and got fitted to a bike, but with everything going on right now, saving up for house, sending kids to private school,   I had to practice something we in recovery have a hard time learning--delayed gratification.  It was tough walking out of that bike shop empty handed,  but I felt proud for listening to the Holy Spirit and doing the right thing.

What is God teaching me in all this?  To trust the process  and not my own ability. 

Speaking of process, I've also been working on my personal testimony which is a cathartic experience to say the least.
In researching the web, getting ready for the Celebrate Recovery launch, I've come across some interesting articles and comments about addiction and there still seems to be some confusion about the subject.  Addiction is marked with a social stigma  especially for those that don't understand it.  Heck, I'm barely starting to understand it myself, so I can see how confusing it can be.  What exactly is addiction?  What causes a person to abuse a drug repeatedly despite the negative impacts it has on their life?  Is it a mental disorder?   A disease? personality disorder, or moral issue?  

Well since I am a doctor AND a grateful believer of Jesus Christ, allow me to give you both points of view.   The doctor in me says it is in fact a medical disease that is recognized as a psychiatric disorder in the DSM IV-the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders.   And like most diseases, it requires treatment, regular follow up and check ups.  Science will tell you that there is not only a genetic predisposition to a person becoming an addict,  but  environmental factors and that individual's ability to cope with those environmental factors play a role as well.   So you see, already it can get complicated. 

However, the child of God in me relies on another resource that surpasses any medical manual--the Bible.   Our genetic predisposition comes from the fall of Adam.  Since then, we all have a sinful nature inside of us.  Addiction is only a symptom of that ongoing underlying disease--that is sin.
And yes, there are many environmental factors that play a role such as our upbringing, our experiences, and our coping skills.   So there you have it, my short explanation and brief course in addiction studies.  Not all of us our addicts, but we all have our struggles,  hurts, and hang ups  that keep us separated from God.
Once we accept this,  and put our faith and trust in Jesus to restore us, we can find true freedom.  A way you can do this is through programs like Celebrate Recovery based on biblical principles.  So you can see how, I so excited!  Stay tuned and thank you for reading this month's edition of 
-Hopeful girl ,Sober for 2 years and one month, hopeful believer for another day more.