3/3/16 "The Newcomer and The Old-Timer" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

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Mar 3, 2016, 5:40:19 PM3/3/16
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Voices In My Head

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*LAUGHTER Is HEALING*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The weekly meeting topic is:
Each month we will share on a step and
spiritual principles of the step.
Since it is March, PLEASE share on the 3rd step
Or if you haven’t done the 3rd step share on
Willingness, Faith and Surrender....

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you MUST join this club in order to
participate otherwise your emails will bounce

to share please visit
or email

A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
This is a SLAMMING, STRONG support group with
a whole lot of EXPERIENCE, LOVE and HOPE that is available to you.
This a message bulletin board meeting, where people post on the
weekly topic. It takes only 1 minute to enter a password and
username. Please go this page on the upper right hand corner and click
the join club link, sign in and go to the left hand side and click
messages to read what others have shared and click on the post link,
now you can share on the topic of the week or whatever you would like.
There is a lot of good experience, strength and hope in here as well
as newcomers who need our support and love, PLEASE stop by,
we will leave the light on in the room and there is coffee in the back :)
Thanks for your participation and support !!!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

March 3 
Today I will stop and ask,
"How important is it?"
When I find myself defending
or trying to prove my point,
I am in the process of
learning to trust my own truth.
When it feels right inside,
I am seeing that is all that I need.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy" 
Check out Ruth's collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and CD's
& some touching inspirational SPIRITLIFTER messages by email
http://www.ruthfishel.com/Books_and_CDs.html
for inspirational messages email

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Newcomer and The Old-Timer

From the first time I drank a drink
I knew there was something different about the way I think
I felt what alcohol did to me
I liked how it made me feel you see
I wanted to escape reality

Hangovers, I had them in the beginning
Until I developed a tolerance which really changed my thinking
I had a need to have this drug called alcohol
Sometimes I blacked out and didn't know what I did
the night before at all Scary thoughts to have
Especially when you come to in a detox surrounded by their staff
My mind a blur
Why was I here?  It seemed absurd
At least at the time
I don't know why
Sucked in by denial was I
In my head alone and I could not hide
Got hospitalized a few times
I'm lucky I didn't die
Or kill somebody else
Who knows how many times I drove drunk and didn't ask for help

I've been to the mental hospitals and prisons too
At this time, no consequence for me was great enough
to stop my addiction, this is true
I had to hit bottom
I had to look at myself and what I had become
Just how low could I succumb?
How low did I have to go to destroy my family
And inflict pain and wrongs on my loved ones you see

Now I come to realize
This is something I cannot hide
My life unmanageable, my spirit powerless
To this I must admit and readily confess
In order to take that First Step
Lucky for me
Someone did a 12th Step you see
And got me to a meeting
Where I discovered I'm not alone
And how to call my sponsor on the telephone

Hear me dear Newcomer
And hear me well
For I, too, have lived through this disease
And continue to pay my spiritual expenses, this I do tell
For my journey has not been an easy one
Like you, one of jails, institutions and strife
Came close to death a few times in my life
Before I had that spiritual awakening
Was the best thing that ever happened to me

Fear not of being unable to drink for the rest of your life
Our daily reprieve will take care of that worry and strife
Stay sober just for today
Be with me in the here and now, ok?
Here is my number, newcomer
When you get thinkin' about drinkin'
Give my number a ringin'
Here is 35 cents for the telephone call
I will be here to help you not slip or fall
In your sobriety
The most important thing to a recovering alcoholic you see
Is working the program and sobriety
For we know if we take that first drink
Death will come to us for we won't be able to stop to think

Eventually you'll learn to work the Steps
You've already took the first by coming here and admitting
your unmanageability and powerlessness
For that I applaud you
You've taken the First Step today by embracing a new attitude
One of gratitude

Listen my dear Newcomer, from an Old-Timer here
I've learned to overcome my fears
Through a loving Higher Power indeed
Who guides me 
In this daily journey through the 12 Steps
I see that you are upset
By the ones you have wronged
And for an amends you long
That will be taken care of when you do Steps 8 & 9
There's a reason, Newcomer, why those steps
are so far down the line
So for right now do First Things First
Keep It Simple and do it One Day At a Time
And in time, your Higher Power will give you a sign

You'll make new friends too, ones that
embrace the world of recovery
You'll become more outgoing, and you won't need alcohol
to do it, you'll see
And you'll obtain support Hopefully, you'll find a
home group and take on coffee commitments
and other things of the sort
We're out there to help you out
This I know to be true, and do not doubt
We understand your plight, for we have been there
We'll try to help 
Our words are heartfelt
Unlike others, we'll understand
We know what alcohol does to the person in recovery,
this knowledge we have first-hand
Now my dear Newcomer, I must bid you adieu
So remember what I have said to do

Hi.  I'm Amy.  I'm an alcoholic. I have 1 month in the program.
This is a recovery poem I wrote.  It's a bit long...but its pretty good.
In love and service,
Amy

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Don't Use*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

If anyone has any original recovery poetry that they
would like to share with us please copy and paste it into the body
of an email and send it to me, Thanks for your support and contributions.
What I can't do alone, We do together.
In loving service, Scott ~  YOUn...@gmail.com

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Just for Today
March 3                                                       Relapse

"There will be times, however, when we really feel like using.
We want to run, and we feel lousy We need to be reminded of
where we came from and that it will be worse this time. This
is when we need the program the most"   Basic Text, p. 78

If we're contemplating a relapse, we should think our using through
to the bitter ends. For many of us, those ends would include severe
medical problems, imprisonment, or even death. How many of us have
known people who relapsed after many years clean, only to die from
their disease? 

But there is a death that accompanies a return to active addiction
that may be worse than physical death. That is the spiritual death we
experience when we are separated from our Higher Power. If we use,
the spiritual relationship we have nurtured over the years will weaken
and perhaps disappear We will feel truly alone.

There is no doubt that we have periods of darkness in our recovery.
There is only one way we can make it through those troubling times:
with faith. If we believe that our Higher Power is with us, then we
know that all will be well.

No matter how badly we may feel in our recovery, a relapse is never
the answer. Together, we find recovery. If we stay clean, the darkness
will lift and we will find a deeper connection to our Higher Power.

Just for today: I thank my Higher Power for the gift of NA. I
know that relapse is not the way out. Whatever challenges I face,
I will face them with the God of my understanding.

Just For Today Daily Meditation is the property of Narcotics Anonymous ©
1991 by World Service Office Inc.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get Involved In Service*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

If you are enjoying this daily recovery email,
Please pass on 12 Step Soul Food For The Spirit to your online friends,
"We can only keep what we have by giving it away."
If you have received this as a forward
and  would like to subscribe please email
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Food For Thought Meditation

Each Day a New Beginning (Women) Meditation

Touchtones (Men) Meditation

Meditation of the Day

Viking Thought of the Day

Elder's Meditation of the Day

Sober Thought of the Day

Daily Zen

Grapevine Story Today

Daily Motivator

IN THE ROOMS (ITR), is the premier FREE online social network dedicated to the global recovery community for people seeking help, in recovery and their family, friends and allies of recovery worldwide.  Our mission is to augment or enhance traditional 12 step and other recovery programs by offering a place to not only find like minded people but also people who share the same interests, passions and hobbies. Our mantra is the acronym HITCH which is the Help, Inform, Touch, Connect and Heal. 
http://www.intherooms.com/?id=younmenhp

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I'm Part Of The Whole

At once, I became a part -- if only a tiny part -- of a cosmos. . . .
AS BILL SEES IT, p.  225

When I first came to A.A., I decided that "they" were very nice people --
perhaps a little naive, a little too friendly, but basically decent,
earnest people (with whom I had nothing in common).  I saw "them" at
meetings-after all, that was where "they" existed.  I shook hands with
"them" and, when I went out the door, I forgot about "them."
Then one day my Higher Power, whom I did not then believe in, arranged to
create a community project outside of A.A., but one which happened to
involve many A.A. members.  We worked together, I got to know "them" as
people.  I came to admire "them," even to like "them" and, in spite of
myself, to enjoy "them."  "Their" practice of the program in their daily
lives -- not just in talk at meetings -- attracted me and I wanted what
they had.  Suddenly the "they" became "we." I have not had a drink since.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
Daily Reflection In Loving Memory Of Scott Reeves

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 3rd

A.A. Thought for the Day

After we've made a surrender, the drink problem
is out of our hands and in the hands of God.  The
thing we have to do is to be sure that we never
reach out and take the problem back into our own
hands.  Leave it in God's hands.  Whenever I'm
tempted to take a drink, I must say to myself: "I
can't do that.  I've made a bargain with God not to
drink.  I know God doesn't want me to drink and so
I won't do it."  At the same time I say a little
prayer to God for the strength needed to keep
the bargain with Him.  Am I going to keep my
bargain with God?

Meditation for the Day

I will try to grow in this new life.  I will think of
spiritual things often and unconsciously I will
grow.  The nearer I get to the new life, the more
I will see my unfitness.  My sense of failure is a
sure sign that I am growing in the new life.  It is
only struggle that hurts.  In sloth---physical,
mental, or spiritual---there is no sense of failure
or discomfort.  With struggle and effort, I am
conscious not of strength but of weakness until I
am really living the new life.  But in the struggle,
I can always rely on the power of God to help me.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may see signs of my growth in the
new life.  I pray that I may always keep trying to grow.

"Twenty-Four Hours A Day" is a © Copyrighted book of
Hazelden Foundation.  No portion of this publication may
be reproduced in any manner without the written
permission of Hazelden.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Today's Thought
MARCH 03

You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Melody Beattie ©

Accepting Ourselves

While driving one day, a womans attention focused on the license plate of
the car ahead. The license read: B WHO UR. How can I? she thought. I dont
know who I am!

Some of us may have felt confused when people encouraged us to be ourselves.
How could we know ourselves, or be who we are, when, for years, many of us
submerged ourselves in the needs of others?

We do have a self. Were discovering more about ourselves daily. Were
learning were deserving of love.

Were learning to accept ourselves, as we are for the present moment - to
accept our feelings, thoughts, flaws, wants, needs, and desires. If our
thoughts or feelings are confused, we accept that too.

To be who we are means we accept our past - our history - exactly as is.

To be ourselves means we are entitled to our opinions and beliefs - for the
present moment and subject to change. We accept our limitations and our
strengths.

To be who we are means we accept our physical selves, as well as our mental,
emotional, and spiritual selves, for now. Being who we are in recovery means
we take that acceptance one step further. We can appreciate our history and
ourselves.

Being whom we are, loving and accepting ourselves, is not a limiting
attitude. Accepting and loving ourselves is how we enable growth and change.

Today, I will be who I am. If Im not yet certain who I am, I will affirm
that I have a right to that exciting discovery.

©1990, Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved. No portion of this
publication may be reproduced in any manner without the written permission
of the publisher.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*You Are A Miracle*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

IN THE ROOMS (ITR), is the premier FREE online social network dedicated to the global recovery community for people seeking help, in recovery and their family, friends and allies of recovery worldwide.  Our mission is to augment or enhance traditional 12 step and other recovery programs by offering a place to not only find like minded people but also people who share the same interests, passions and hobbies. Our mantra is the acronym HITCH which is the Help, Inform, Touch, Connect and Heal. 
http://www.intherooms.com/?id=younmenhp

SpiritHaven and SpiritLifter

Alan Cohen

Marianne Williamson ~ 'Return to Love'

Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

Don Miguel Ruiz ~ 'The Four Agreements'

Oriah ~ 'The Invitation'

Deepak Chopra

Louise Hay ~ 'You Can Heal Your Life'

Spirit Site~ Home for Spirituality excerpts from books

Heal Your Life~ 'You Can'

Of Spirit ~ 'Healing Body Mind and Spirit'

In Light Times ~ 'Concepts for Conscious Living'

Vision Magazine ~ 'Catalyst for Conscious Living'

Transformation Magazine ~ 'Your Resource for Personal Development'

World Forgiveness Alliance

The Association for Global New Thought

A Course In Miracles

Finding Joy

Inspirational movie, about 3 minutes long

Inspirational Spiritual Flash Movies

Meditation Rooms


Native American 10 Commandments

The Secret


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Acceptance, Then What?
by Marie T. Russell

One of the teachings that has been emphasized by many teachers is that of
acceptance. Accepting what is. What exactly does that mean? Does it mean
accepting the way things are? Well, yes it does, but it doesn't stop there.

Acceptance is in a sense acknowledging how things are -- without judgment,
without negativity, without anger and blame. It is an impartial observation:
I see how this is, I acknowledge that this is so. Yet, does it mean that
nothing can change? No. It is said that the only constant is change -- in
other words, everything is always is a state of change, either growing or
disintegrating. There is no such thing as stability, everything is always
moving, changing.

So when we accept things as they are, we are simply noticing them,
acknowledging that they exist. For example, let's say that your house is
dirty. In order to clean it, you first have to accept, acknowledge, admit,
that it is dirty. From that observation, you then decide to clean it (or
not). In order for things to change, one must first accept, or acknowledge
them as they are.

The important part of acceptance is to accept or notice without judgment,
criticism, blame, or anger. We seem to have a tendency to attach emotions to
our observations, as in, My house is dirty, I'm such a slob or I just can't
seem to keep this house clean. It's overwhelming. These statements are
charged with judgment and criticism. Acceptance on the other hand simply
says, The house is dirty. The next step then becomes simply another step in
the observation process, asking what I can do about it -- and then doing it
without having beaten myself up about it.

Yet, so many times, we get angry when we notice behaviors that we have, or
that others have. Noticing in itself is impartial -- we simply notice, we
are aware of something. But the next step is the one that gets us in
trouble -- the part where we attach a judgment to the observation. We look
at something and then get into criticizing it, blaming someone, heaping
anger upon it. Then we get caught up in focusing on "the problem" and
noticing all the things we don't like about it, everything that is "wrong
with it".

Acceptance, or non-judgment, on the other hand also notices these things but
without the added charge of anger, blame, self-righteousness, etc.
Acceptance sees what is, and then goes on to ask if there is anything that
can be done. If the answer is yes, then we can move forward. The choice in
direction or attitude comes immediately after noticing something -- that's
when we have a choice. We can launch into criticism, anger, etc., or we can
say, I can do something about this.

To go back to the example of the dirty house. Once I observe that the house
is dirty, I can choose the self-recriminating path (bad girl, blaming
someone else, etc.) or I can say, what can I do about it now? Maybe I can
only do a very small step now -- like deciding that I will pick up one thing
now and put it away, I can make a decision to do that each time I walk
through the room, or I can "make an appointment" with myself to clean it up
after work, or I can stop and clean it up now. Whatever the decision is
irrelevant. The important thing is to make a decision to move forward and
change the situation -- a decision that is not based on blame, criticism,
anger, blame, etc.

First I accept the fact that the house is dirty -- after all if I don't
accept that fact, then I get caught up in either pretending it is clean, or
simply trying to ignore it. We do this a lot with other situations in our
life. We ignore (or criticize) things that we really need to accept (or be
aware of), so that we can then go on and make a change. If we are unhappy in
our job, we first need to accept that (acknowledge it), then we can ask
ourselves what we can do about it. If we feel stressed, we first must notice
the stress, and then we can see what has to be done. If we are ill, we must
first accept that this is a fact, and then make choices as to what we can do
to become well again.

Without self-examination, or self-observation, we do not see the way out.
Yet, many times, we are afraid to look closely, because we fear that there
is no solution. Yet, there is always a solution, there is always an
alternative. If at first the solution or alternative that appears before you
seems undoable, then you have choices. You can keep looking for another
alternative, you can examine the one that you see and decide which part is
workable and which part is not, or of course, you can choose to do nothing
about it at the moment. That is what is called free will.

The important part of any decision we make is to accept the choice we are
making, and realize that we can always make a different choice later on. For
example, let's say that we are dealing with an addiction (either substance
abuse, relationship addiction, behavior or habit, etc.). First we
acknowledge (accept) that there is an addiction. Then we ask ourselves if we
want to change this behavior. If the answer is yes, then we go from there.
If the answer is no, then we need to accept the choice we have made -- which
doesn't mean we can't make a different choice later. We always have another
chance to make another decision.

There are many things in the world that we can look at and judge and
criticize and seek to lay blame. However, where does that get us? Simply
deeper in the mire of judgment, negativity, and anger. If we apply the
concept of acceptance to "the outside world", we accept what is -- in other
words we notice it, we become aware of it without getting all worked up
about it. We notice the corruption in business, in government, in human
behavior. We notice the problems in our educational system. We notice that
the environment has been polluted, and damaged. We notice these things
without getting into a rage about them. We accept that these things are
currently a reality.

However, accepting that they are a reality, doesn't mean lying down and
"taking it". In other words, seeing that "something is" doesn't mean that we
can't change it. Once we notice these things (whether in ourselves or in the
outside world), the next step is to ask ourselves what we can do about it.
There is always something we can do -- usually there are many things we can
do. This is where our choices lay -- we can see the ways things are and
ignore them; we can see the way things are and get angry and rant and rave
and do nothing constructive; or we can see the way things are and choose to
make a difference.

The only way our world will change (our personal interior world and the
world outside) is for us to take action, in whichever way we feel
appropriate. However, it behooves us to realize that acting from acceptance
means letting go of the energies of anger, blame, criticism, revenge,
self-pity, etc. We can much more efficiently affect change by doing so with
an impartial energy -- one that seeks to improve, to heal, to "make
better" -- rather than one that want to prove the "other behavior" wrong.

Whether we focus on cleaning our living room, or the planet itself, we will
get much better results if we do so from love instead of anger and
impatience. We can decide to make a difference because we want to live in
harmony, beauty, and peace. We can decide to make changes in our lives
because we desire to live in a more harmonious and loving environment. We
can decide to make a difference in the world because we have a vision of a
better world.

We first accept that changes are needed, then we take the steps to create
those changes. It is our life, it is our energy, it is our world. We can
choose to live in heaven on earth, or in hell on earth. It is our choice
because we decide which direction we go from here. each and every moment of
our day. If not us, then who?

About The Author
Marie T. Russell is the publisher of InnerSelf Magazine and The Natural
Yellow Pages. She produced a weekly South Florida radio broadcast, Inner
Power, from 1992-1995 which focused on themes such as self-esteem, personal
growth, and well-being. Her articles focus on transformation and
reconnecting with our own inner source of joy and creativity. Marie can be
reached at ma...@innerself.com with personal comments and feedback, or to be
placed on a mailing list to be advised when her book becomes available.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Intimacy
by Marianne Williamson

"Fear of intimacy is a fear of death.  In a world where we
have been taught to  believe that the bolstering of our
individual power is the greatest good, it is difficult to feel
that a melting of the walls surround us is something to be
desired.  In some ways, we are right.  Intimacy DOES melt
the walls; it DOES mean the surrender of our heretofore
completely independent mode of operation; and it DOES
decrease the freedom we have to stand forth in the world
as a lone and individual force.  What it does not do, however,
is decrease our personal power.  Surrender to love increases
personal power for it expands who we are.   Until we understand
this, we are afraid to surrender to love, for we are afraid to
die to who we were.  We may loathe who we are, yet we still
resist the chance to become someone new.  It is only when we
are ready to embrace the possibility that we might be tomorrow
who we were not today that true intimacy becomes attractive.
If all you want to do is remain who and what you are now, then
by all means don't fall in love.

Once you're a solid and strong individual, the next highest
step is to surrender it all.  What is truly ours can't be taken
away.  Surrender to love doesn't weaken us but strengthens us.
Intimacy doesn't build a bridge to another person, but rather
eradicates the illusion that there ever was a gap.  Intimacy is
a higher power, for it is the joining of two souls, and there God is.
That is why intimacy is sacred and why it is such an important
and significant task.  God heals the world two by two.

Intimacy without surrender is not intimacy, for what we
surrender is the armor that keeps us separate.  Often we feel
we are ready for intimacy when in fact we are not.  The ego can
be very clever in hiding from our own eyes, much less someone
else's, the many and varied games we play in our efforts to dodge
love.  to the ego, true love of another is death, for the ego is our
belief in separation.  When the ego has been our partner for so
long, it's somewhat difficult to give it up.  We feel foolish when we
are out from under its cover.  What we ultimately learn, of course,
is that we are foolish when we are not.

Intimacy is a very high-level activity.  The immature can grow
strong, the immature can love, but only the mature can surrender."

A Prayer

Dear God...
Please show me how to love.
Teach me how to extend my light into the life of another.
Remove the barriers to my soul,
the walls which stand in front of my heart,
my commitment to aloneness,
my resistance to joining.
I do not seek love, dear God, for I know it is all around me.
I seek instead the healing of my resistances to it,
the strengthening of my spirit;
That I might learn to love, to love well, to love fully, to love deeply.
When my true love calls, dear Lord,
please keep my ears open.
Let me not shut down.
Let me not forsake him/her.
Let me always remember that his/her call to love him/her
is my call to love You.
Thank You very much.
Amen.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Things Are Not Always Black or White

  When I was in elementary school, I got into a major
argument with a boy in my class.  I have forgotten what the
argument was about, but I have never forgotten the lesson I
learned that day.

  I was convinced that "I" was right and "he" was wrong -
and he was just as convinced that "I" was wrong and "he" was
right.  The teacher decided to teach us a very important
lesson.  She brought us up to the front of the class and
placed him on one side of her desk and me on the other.  In
the middle of her desk was a large, round object.  I could
clearly see that it was black.  She asked the boy what color
the object was.  "White," he answered.

  I couldn't believe he said the object was white, when
it was obviously black!  Another argument started between my
classmate and me, this time about the color of the object.

  The teacher told me to go stand where the boy was
standing and told him to come stand where I had been.    We
changed places, and now she asked me what the color of the
object was.  I had to answer, "White."  It was an object
with two differently colored sides, and from his viewpoint
it was white.    Only from my side was it black.

  My teacher taught me a very important lesson that day:
You must stand in the other person's shoes and look at the
situation through their eyes in order to truly understand
their perspective.

by Judie Paxton from Chicken Soup for the Kid's Soul
Copyright 1998 by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Patty
Hansen and Irene Dunlap

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Blessings 

When you find yourself  holding something
you've wanted for a very long time
That is a  Blessing

When your mornings kiss you
with enthusiastic  expectations
That is a Blessing

When a dream comes around
for  a second and even third time
That's a yearning from deep within
The  Universe speaks in multiplicity:
Loudly whispering its gifts onto your  path

Giving sight to your blind denials
Only wishing you to  see
Yearnings for the Blessings they can be

Love
Stella 

©2004 Stella Raymonde Savoie  Johnson

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Freedom

Our life experiences,
whether we admit them or not,
are our foundation.
We must see, understand, and accept
our imperfections that lie at our very core.
To do so changes the "Why me?",
into the "What can I do now?".
For it is in accepting what is beyond our control,
we give up the endless struggle;
Surrendering to our inability to change our yesterdays,
and our powerlessness to control our tomorrow's.
Living instead for today's moments of rapture,
and seemingly endless sorrows,
Because it is in this balance we find The Freedom:
The Freedom from:
our secret fears that make us feel weak,
The Freedom from:
our secret desires that horrify us,
and The Freedom from:
our all-consuming active addictions.
Ultimately this freedom gives us the power
to forgive ourselves;
Bringing us to our knees,
when we finally allowed ourselves,
to have faith in our Higher Power.
Letting him take care of our fears and defenses;
Finally hearing our truths:
I am willing,
I am special,
I am loved,
I am me!

An Addict

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

We ask for help and help is given.
Often we do not recognize that other people's alcoholism,
sexual betrayals, chronic illnesses, and
alienation behavior are really cries for help.
But, unquestionably, God recognizes every plea,
no matter what form it takes,
and He finds some way to give us
as much help as we are willing to receive at that time.
Gerald G. Jampolsky, MD, Teach Only Love

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Controlling is self-defeating.
It doesn't work. 
By overextending ourselves to make something happen,
we may actually be stopping it from happening.
Melody Beattie

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

There are times we will be tempted
to make other people "them"
according to the color of their skin,
their education, their economic background--
whatever your training is that keeps you in separation.

Don't wait for the world to change in order for you to change.
Refrain from gossip.
Hold good thoughts for others.
Try even after you fail.
Bring reconciliation in places of separation.
Mary Manin Morrissey

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I can't be found in myself;
I discover myself in others.
That much is clear.
And I suspect that I also love and care for myself in others.
Hugh Prather

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

What I have in my life is a gift from God,
and who I become is my gift back to Him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

We are stronger together
than we are alone.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The ego does not forgive,
The spirit forgives.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The mind can not serve two masters.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

NA is not a sentence, it is a reprieve.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Take A Moment To GIVE (NO COST)*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

FREE Click to GIVE @ to STOP Violence Against Women
FREE Click to GIVE Rice
FREE Click to GIVE @ the STOP HIV SiteFREE Click to GIVE @ the Hunger SiteFREE Click to GIVE @ the Breast Cancer SiteFREE Click to GIVE @ the Rain Forest SiteFREE Click to GIVE @ the Animal Rescue SiteFREE Click to GIVE @ the Children in Need
FREE Click to GIVE @ to Save Our Oceans

Track Your Impact in GIVING

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

IN THE ROOMS (ITR), is the premier FREE online social network dedicated to the global recovery community for people seeking help, in recovery and their family, friends and allies of recovery worldwide.  Our mission is to augment or enhance traditional 12 step and other recovery programs by offering a place to not only find like minded people but also people who share the same interests, passions and hobbies. Our mantra is the acronym HITCH which is the Help, Inform, Touch, Connect and Heal. 
http://www.intherooms.com/?id=younmenhp

Adult Children of Alcoholics

Al-Anon/Alateen 

Alcoholics Anonymous

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps

Clutterer’s Anonymous

Cocaine Anonymous World Services

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page

Crystal Meth Anonymous

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…

Depressed Anonymous

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program

Eating Disorders Anonymous

Emotions Anonymous 

Families Anonymous 

Food Addicts

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page

Hepatitis C Anonymous

HIV Anonymous

Internet and Tech Addiction Anonymous

Marijuana Anonymous

Methadone Anonymous

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage

Nar-Anon is a family support group

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page

On Line Gamers Anonymous

Overeaters Anonymous

Parents Anonymous

Recovering Couples Anonymous

Sexaholics Anonymous

Sex Addicts Anonymous

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous

Shoplifters Anonymous

Spenders Anonymous 

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous

Workaholics Anonymous

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Created in 1997 , "12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit" is intended to give readers , inspiring and thoughtful messages. To help fulfill our primary purpose which is to carry the message to the alcoholic/addict who still suffers. A spiritual adventure, a journey inwards this has a vision of opening and touching, each and everyone, with the Loving Power and Presence of the Spirit within." We invite you to share the writings by forwarding today's message to others. Share "12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit" with friends and loved ones: Please keep passing this along to online recovery friends  "We can only keep what we have by giving it away." 

12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing. Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server that yahoo groups and google groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions, "What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to me you can email me at
YOUn...@gmail.com

Anyone can subscribe to this free daily  e-zine by sending an Email message to me and write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words are included: 

To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to the group that you belong to
or
YOUn...@gmail.com and write unsubscribe in the subject line or go to the website and unsubscribe


By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this. So far we reaching over 17,000 recovering people in 66 countries including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China , Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.

Even if your country is listed please email me, and let me know where you are from

When we hug we pray,
Stay in the Light, 
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ cleandate 10/27/88
YOUn...@gmail.com
    

       ==  ==      "we are each of us angels 
  <^\()/\()/^>       with but one wing,  
      \/  \/  \/       and can only fly by 
       /  \/  \        embracing each other"
       `""``""`

Scott’s Daily Blog
http://intherooms.com/younmenhp

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