standing on the shoulders of giants

"Standing on the Shoulders of Giants"  Chuck Gumpert
Acrylic & Mixed Media —48" x 60"

when i have nothing notable to say, or anything i would consider likened to a burning desire to share, i post items from folks i would consider giants in my spiritual world.

i also hear amazing things from people i am getting to know from my meetings.  these are people who "practice the principles (of AA) in all their affairs," all the while recognizing that "[they] are not saints." i have my big book at meetings with me and oftentimes scribble in the margin if someone is saying something worth noting.

one of the quieter members of our homegroup is a guy i refer to as "EF Hutton," based on their old tagline "When EF Hutton talks...people listen."  a while back he said:

Contentment with godliness is great gain.

that must've hit my Godspot because i wrote it in my margin in the chapter "How it Works," p. 63 to be precise.

i was working with one of my treasures last night and we did the Third Step together and began working on her Fourth Step and we shared about his quote.  it hit me again:  if i was content with simply pleasing God and nobody else, i'd be in a really good space. 

we decided we should try to make it an attainable goal :)

another gent i know from the meetings is the most disciplined person i have ever encountered.  he has been sober 29 years and is another EF Hutton in my life.  he talks the talk and walks the walk and is involved in another fellowship that he employs the same discipline.  i find it incredibly admirable.  in a conversation we had the other night, he shared how he was carving away from his schedule (he is an attorney) his distractions at work:  i.e., internet, emails, stopping at the stores he enjoys on his way back from court...and that his productivity has increased 100-fold.  he said he calls a sponsor and commits his food and his day plan every morning and offered to be my "day plan" sponsor.

that would mean no internet during the day, save for work-related items.  no text-messaging the kids to see if they are okay.  no text-messaging or telephone calls from people who aren't related to my boss.  no personal calls whatever, save for an emergency.

(what, are you kidding me???)

i slumped down in the chair, taken aback by the suggestion...but it's been needling me ever since.  cut down on the distractions/increase productivity, be more disciplined. 

(are there quotes for discipline and godliness?  do the two go hand in hand?)

question of the day:  what have the EF Huttons in your life suggested to you that you were at first hesitant to employ, but now can see the benefits of doing so?  would you care to share your thoughts in the comments box?  you never know who you could be helping because someone might consider you their EFH...you simply never know :)

[convince me it is the right thing to do, even though i already know it is...]