This morning I got out of bed at sunrise and went to the club and finished the playscape project. I felt good about myself for getting this done.

I didn't pay close enough attention to the time and I was late getting back to the house even though my wife called to remind me. She was pretty pissed off. This was selfish of me.

I was home the rest of the day until 6:00 pm with my kids and my nephew as my wife had a job. At times I was resentful that my wife took on this sleepover of my 6 year old nephew when she wasn't here. Due to my discomfort with tending children I was less than attentive and short tempered with him at times. When I saw this happening I remembered back when I was a kid and I spent the night at my uncle's house with his family. I remembered my uncle being less than attentive and short tempered and unloving with me. I remembered feeling unwelcome in his home. I don't know if it was real or perceived but I do know that like my nephew I came from a less disciplined and orderly home and was a less disciplined child than his children. I understand him now and I understand my nephew. I tried to amend this selfishness with my nephew but I should have done it sooner.

This evening I got to go to a meeting. I got to bring the topic. I read the paragraph on page 62 about the root of our troubles, selfishness. I read and spoke about how selfishness is at the root of all my unmanageable feelings. I spoke about how unmanageability is related to the first drink. Someone came in late to our meeting and spoke of their troubles and was seeking help with their unmanageable feelings from someone at the church. The person didn't know it was a 12 step meeting. The person drank again after 51 years sober. It was no coincidence.

Lately I have been thinking about what the difference is between the Christian faith and other faiths. The main thing that I see is the redemption of the Cross. Jesus put our redemption above His comfort. When I translate this to my walk of faith it becomes added power to have patience, tolerance, and forgiveness for others. Other faiths are inspired by the spiritual and God and offer much great moral wisdom, but they lack this added power to solve the problem of sin.

Thanks be to God for this day clean and sober.