Serenity Prayer Paraphrased by Me

Creator of the universe,

give me the state of being calm, peaceful, and tranquil

to receive the material objects, entities, creatures, all objects of mine and others thoughts, all matters and affairs, actions, events, details, aims and objectives

which I do not have the ability, power or skill, don’t know how, don’t have the power or means, don't have the right or qualifications, don't have permission or even the possibility

to make the form, nature, content, future course of anything different from what it is or from what it would be.

And Creator of the Universe,

give me

the quality of mind and spirit to face the difficulties, dangers, and pain regardless of my fears

to make the form, nature, content, future course of entities, objects, creatures, thoughts, matters, affairs, facts, circumstances, actions, deeds, events, aims and objectives different from what they are or from what they would be

if those somethings are within my abilities, power, skillset, means, right, qualifications, permission, and possibilities.

And Creator of the Universe,

give me

along with what I asked previously,

the knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgement as to action

to perceive or understand clearly and with certainty the

unlikeness or dissimilarity between what I cannot change and what I can change.

Amen

Serenity Prayer Part 3

Third part of the Serenity Prayer:

"And wisdom to know the difference."

And is defined as along or together with.

Wisdom is defined as the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgement as to action.
Wise is defined as havin the power of discerning and judging properly as to what is true or right

Know is defined as to perceive or understand as fact or truth; to apprehend clearly and with certainty.

Difference is defined as an instance or point of unlikeness or dissimilarity.

Creator of the Universe,

give me

along with what I asked previously,

the knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgement as to action

to perceive or understand clearly and with certainty the

unlikeness or dissimilarity between what I cannot change and what I can change.

Amen

Namaste

Serenity Prayer Part 2

God, grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change;

Courage to change the things I can;

And wisdom to know the difference.

Courage to change the things I can.

Courage is defined in Dictionary.com as the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery. Synonyms: fearlessness, dauntlessness, intrepidity, pluck, spirit. Courage, bravery, valor, bravado  refer to qualities of spirit and conduct. Courage permits one to face extreme dangers and difficulties without fear.

That definition is OK and agreeable, but somehow, I feel a bit incomplete - because I think that sometimes courage is facing the difficulty, danger, pain, etc., regardless of the fear. "Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear."  ~Ambrose Redmoon. Mark Twain is quoted as saying "Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear."

I have this quote by Mary Anne Radmacher on the wall of my bedroom:  "Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow'."

Change is defined as to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone.
 
Things is defined as material objects without life or consciousness; entities, objects, or creatures that are not or cannot be specifically designated; anything that is or may become an object of thought; matters; affairs; facts, circumstances, or states of affairs; actions, deeds, events, or performances; aims; objectives.


Can is defined as to be able to; have the ability, power, or skill to; to know how to; to have the power or means to; to have the right or qualifications to; may; NOT have permission to; to have the possibility.

My prayer today is:

Creator of the Universe,

give me

the quality of mind and spirit to face the difficulties, dangers, and pain regardless of my fears

to make the form, nature, content, future course of entities, objects, creatures, thoughts, matters, affairs, facts, circumstances, actions, deeds, events, aims and objectives different from what they are or from what they would be

if those somethings are within my abilities, power, skillset, means, right, qualifications, permission, and possibilities.

Amen....

and...

Namaste

Serenity Prayer Part 1

"The key to success is often the ability to adapt."

I am (fast) approaching some very real changes in my life. And as time passes, as the sun sets and the sun rises each day, some of the changes have happened and I get closer and closer to more of the changes. I try really hard to remain present and enjoy each day, but if I am going to be completely honest, I am NOT accomplishing this very well. I am looking back and regretting and questioning and trying to sort "it" all out - and I am looking forward with some amount of fear and dread. What a lousy way to live each day of my life. And I KNOW this. I know it all the way down to the bottom of my heart, but I can't seem to let it all go. I am floundering.

So, because

"Change is the only constant."

And

"You know, by the time you reach my age, you have made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly." ~Ronald Reagan.

Then it really all gets down to this, doesn't it?

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

As I have been writing this - which mean writing, reading, and then deleting and rewriting, I have realized that I am not living any part of the Serenity Prayer these days. In fact, this is the way I have been living my life lately:

God please change all the hearts of all the people that I am trying so desparately to change and can't, change all the things going on that I don't like and don't feel good, change my finances, my kids, my friends, and for heavens sake, fix my love life, and/or if that is not possible, please explain to me what is happening and why you are allowing all this to happen, because it just makes no sense to me. And God if I am the problem, tell me what to do different so I can have what I want, deserve, am supposed to have. Because life is just not supposed to be this way.

Blech, yuck, gag, gag, spit!!!!!!!

So, let's see what the serenity prayer really says:

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change"

God is defined as the one Supreme Being, the creator and ruler of the universe.

Grant is defined as to give or bestow.

Serenity is defined as the state or quality of being serene, calm, or tranquil; sereneness.
Serene is defined as calm, peaceful, or tranquil; unruffled.

Accept is defined as to take or receive and also to undertake the responsibility.

Thing is defined as
1. a material object without life or consciousness.

2. some entity, object, or creature that is not or cannot be specifically designated.

3. anything that is or may become an object of thought.

4. things, matters; affairs.

5. a fact, circumstance, or state of affairs.

6. an action, deed, event, or performance.

7. a particular, respect, or detail.

8. aim; objective.

Cannot is defined as
1. to NOT be able to; have the ability, power, or skill to.

2. to NOT know how to.

3. to NOT have the power or means to.

4. to NOT have the right or qualifications to.

5. may NOT; do NOT have permission to.

6. to NOT have the possibility.

Change is defined as to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone.

So, this is what I have learned about the first step of the Serenity Prayer:

Creator of the universe,

give me the state of being calm, peaceful, and tranquil

to receive the material objects, entities, creatures, all objects of mine and others thought, all matters and affairs, actions, events, details, aims and objectives

which I do not have the ability, power or skill, don’t know how, don’t have the power or means, don't have the right or qualifications, don't have permission or even the possibility

to make the form, nature, content, future course of anything different from what it is or from what it would be.

I believe this is my prayer for this morning.

Namaste