Heaton's Important Ritual

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In an article about Patricia Heaton (of Everybody Loves Raymond fame) celebrating her three years of sobriety, the writer said:

"The actress told Parade Magazine last year she stopped drinking after it became too important of a ritual for her."

Wow.  What a great line.

It's a simple metric for deciding whether a habit you have developed is unhealthy for you ~ "Has it become too important of a ritual for you?"

Have you slipped into a habit that may have seemed innocent at one time, but has since gained a new level of importance? Maybe it is alcohol, but it could also be food, dangerous living, gambling, or even--ignoring God!

Yes, it is dangerous to develop a habit of living without God.  Like everything else, it can be built on a myriad of excuses, and easily slipped into, but unlike everything else, it not only impacts our present life, but our eternal life as well.

According to Heaton, "You're a little bit at sea, and so you reach for the bottle to dull the uncertainty. I sensed that a bit with myself. . . "

Uncertainty.  Life is full of uncertainty.  How do you handle it?

St. Paul tells us, ". . . always seek what is good [both] for each other and for all.  Rejoice always.  Pray without ceasing." (1 Thes 5:15-17)

Some people claim faith is a crutch, but the truth is, whatever you choose to lean on had better be strong enough to hold you up.  

Clearly, for Heaton, she was lulled into alcohol for that support, but it couldn't provide it, because the truth is, there isn't anything that we can count on more than God.

Janet Cassidy
janetcassidy.blogspot.com