Thoughts Just For Today

[MajestyJo]

SO NOW I WILL SAY:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I've learned....That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I've learned....That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.

I've learned....That money doesn't buy class.


I've learned....That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I've learned... That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I've learned....That the Lord didn't do it all in one day: What makes me think I can?

I've learned....That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I've learned....That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I've learned...That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I've learned...That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I've learned....That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I've learned....That there's nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on your cheeks.

I've learned...That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I've learned...That life is tough, but I'm tougher.

I've learned...That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I've learned...That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I've learned...That I wish I could have told those I cared about that I love them one more time before they passed away.

I've learned...That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I've learned...That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I've learned...That I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.

I've learned...That when your newly born child holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.

I've learned...That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.

I've learned...That it is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life threatening situation.

I've learned...That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

HAPPY FRIENDSHIP WEEK TO YOU!!!!!! YOU ARE MY FRIEND AND I AM HONORED


Have a Blessed Day and remember, the life you save today might be your own.

Think these came from George Carlin


This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm

[MajestyJo]

Just for you......

A girl asked a guy if he thought she was pretty, He said...no.

She asked him if he would want to be with her forever.... and he said no.

She then asked him if she were to leave would he cry, and once again he replied with a no.


She had heard enough. As she walked away, tears streaming down her face .

The boy grabbed her arm and said.... You're not pretty you're beautiful. I don't want to be with you forever. I NEED to be with you forever. And I wouldn't cry if you walked away... I'd die.

WASN'T THAT A SWEET THOUGHT!

http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/15033089/sn/837586586/name/n_a

[MajestyJo]

The Power of Now - The Daily Guru

My will or divine will?

"It is important not to need what you are calling to you but rather to have a certain detachment about it. Let it be all right if it doesn't come, or if it comes in a different form than what you expect. After you have asked for something, surrender to whatever comes as being appropriate."

-- Sanaya Roman and Duane Packer

"Acceptance says, True, this is my situation at the moment. I'll look unblinkingly at the reality of it. But I'll also open my hands to accept willingly whatever a loving Father sends me."

--Catherine Marshall

"This business of hozho. The way I understand it ... I'll use an example. Terrible drought, crops dead, sheep dying. Spring dried out. No water. The Hopi, or the Christian, maybe the Moslem, they pray for rain. The Navajo has the proper ceremony done to restore himself to harmony with the drought. You see what I mean. The system is designed to recognize what's beyond human power to change, and then to change the human's attitude to be content with the inevitable."

-- in ˜Sacred Clowns" by Tony Hillerman
The power of silence

"Growth takes place in a person by working at a deep inner level in a sustained atmosphere of silence."

-- Dr. Ira Progoff

"Only when one is connected to one's own core is one connected to others... And, for me, the core, the inner spring, can best be refound through solitude."

-- Anne Morrow Lindbergh

"In the sweet territory of silence we touch the mystery. It's the place of reflection and contemplation, and it's the place where we can connect with the deep knowing, to the deep wisdom way."

-- Angeles Arrien

[MajestyJo]

Power

"There are two kinds of men who never amount to much: those who cannot do what they are told, and those who can do nothing else."

-- Cyrus H. Curtis

"Compassion, caring, teaching, loving, and sharing your gifts, talents, and abilities are the gateways to power."

-- Jamie Sams
Need to let go of control?

"The world is not to be put in order; the world is order, incarnate. It is for us to harmonize with this order."

-- Henry Miller

Need to let go of control?

"The world is not to be put in order; the world is order, incarnate. It is for us to harmonize with this order."

-- Henry Miller

Ego believes that it needs to protect us from external dangers. Through control and manipulation, it aims to keep us safe. This need of ego is based in fear.

If we hope to live in love, we must become acquainted with soul. Experiencing soul brings a deep knowing that this is a loving universe. Experiencing soul also builds faith. We learn to trust that we don’t have to run the show. And when we do this, we tap the source of true freedom and joy.

"It is not action or effort that we must surrender; it is self-will, and this is terribly difficult. You must do your best constantly, yet never allow yourself to become involved in whether things work out the way you want."

-- Eknath Easwaran

"True spiritual surrender responsibly opens itself to the unknown."

-- Stephen V. Doughty

[MajestyJo]

Who are you?

Please tell me who you are and what you want. And if you think those are simple questions, keep in mind that most people live their entire lives without arriving at an answer.

-- Gary Zukav

Mysterious and intimidating to contemplate, the human brain is the most complex thing there is and the most difficult task it can undertake is to understand itself.

-- David Noonan

I don't think God cares where we were graduated or what we did for a living. God wants to know who we are. Discovering this is the work of the soul, it is our true life's work.

-- Bernie Siegel

Hope and disappointment

"It's precisely the disappointing stories, which have no proper ending and therefore no proper meaning, that sound true to life."

-- Max Frisch

"Hope is the companion of power, and the mother of success; for who so hopes has within him the gift of miracles."

-- Samuel Smiles

"The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof."

-- Barbara Kingsolver

[MajestyJo]

Learn to let go

To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, remove things every day.

-- Lao Tzu

When guilt rears its ugly head confront it, discuss it and let it go. The past is over. Forgive yourself and move on.

-- Bernie S. Siegel

What is your body telling you?

There are times when we may fool ourselves. There are times when we can fool others. But we can never fool our body. It is the most sensitive barometer of our inner world.

-- Sherrill Sellman

Instead of frittering away your vibrancy with worry or distraction, realize your mind and body are inextricably united. What calms and tones up one, soothes and improves the other.

-- Marsha Sinetar

"When you are saying that you are happy and you are not, there will be a disturbance in your breathing. Your breathing cannot be natural. It is impossible."

-- Osho

"Your body is the ground and metaphor of your life, the expression of your existence. It is your Bible, your encyclopedia, your life story. Everything that happens to you is stored and reflected in your body. In the marriage of flesh and spirit divorce is impossible."

-- Gabrielle Roth

"If you don't take care of your body, where will you live?"

-- Unknown source

[MajestyJo]

Create happiness right now

"It is our basic right to be a happy person, happy family, and eventually a happy world. That should be our goal."

-- Dalai Lama

" ... we can no longer afford to throw away even one ‘unimportant’ day by not noticing the wonder of it all. We have to be willing to discover and then appreciate the authentic moments of happiness available to all of us every day."

-- Sarah Ban Breathnach

Do you engage in violence?

"There are three kinds of violence: one, through our deeds; two, through our words; and three, through our thoughts. ... The root of all violence is in the world of thoughts, and that is why training the mind is so important."

-- Eknath Easwaran

"The ancestor of every destructive action, every destructive decision, is a negative thought."

-- Eknath Easwaran

"We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far."

-- Swami Vivekananda

From my site The Five As, posted in 2010

[MajestyJo]

A Recipe From Heaven

http://www.positivethoughts.com/friends/heart_rotate_md_wht.gif Mix sugar 'n spice 'n everything nice
With a helping of kindness, sifted twice.

http://www.positivethoughts.com/friends/heart_rotate_md_wht.gif Combine with caring and generous loving
tenderly shape, and warm in the oven

http://www.positivethoughts.com/friends/heart_rotate_md_wht.gif Sprinkle on hugs with wide-open arms,
trim with a smile, for even more charm.

http://www.positivethoughts.com/friends/heart_rotate_md_wht.gif Glaze with joy, and when it's all through,
It'll be one sweet cookie . . .

THAT'S YOU!

http://www.positivethoughts.com/friends/heart_rotate_md_wht.gifLife is sweeter because of you!http://www.positivethoughts.com/friends/heart_rotate_md_wht.gif

[MajestyJo]

Go for what you want

http://angelwinks.net/images/butterfly13.jpg

"Follow your bliss."

-- Joseph Campbell

It’s hard for some of us to believe that the world is served when we seek our own happiness. We’ve been taught that this is selfish.

If we stop to reflect on how we are in the world when we are happy, we can see how this serves. We have more vitality. We’re more loving and generous to others when our own needs are met.

What activities bring you greatest joy? Your unique gift to the world will be found in those pastimes you love the most.

How can you live your joy each day?

"Spiritual growth is not made in reaction against, for all striving against imposed restrictions is imaginary. Spiritual growth is accomplished by inclination toward. We grow like the sunflower, following the light."

-- Joy Houghton

[MajestyJo]

Do you own your life?

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/flora-shamrock/0088.gif

"The meaning of life is to give life meaning."

-- Ken Hudgins

When we own our lives, we accept what we've inherited and the experiences we hold in our memories. We also claim our right to create new conditions if we're not happy with what's come before. We assume responsibility for changing what does not suit us. We acknowledge our own special talents and skills, and truly comprehend our right to enjoy the journey. In short, we embrace the meaning and purpose, the mystery and the beauty of our lives.

Do you feel that you own your life at the moment?

"I think of life itself now as a wonderful play that I've written for myself... and so my purpose is to have the utmost fun playing my part."

-- Shirley MacLaine

"Life is too short to be little."

-- Benjamin Disraeli

"Every man dies, but not every man lives...."

-- Garth Brooks

For many years this was a big issue for me. Then I realized that I had to accept my limitations and my fibromyalgia and just try to be the best me I can be each day. To do what I can do and not wish the world away.

I was the only one who could make it happen. I wouldn't let my pain rule my day. I made some healthy choices and learned to live each day as it came, not look into the past or project into the future. Just live each day as it comes. Some days I can, some days I can't, and that is okay.

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=13769

[MajestyJo]

The Power of Now

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"There are two kinds of men who never amount to much: those who cannot do what they are told, and those who can do nothing else."

-- Cyrus H. Curtis

"Compassion, caring, teaching, loving, and sharing your gifts, talents, and abilities are the gateways to power."

-- Jamie Sams


Need to let go of control?

"The world is not to be put in order; the world is order, incarnate. It is for us to harmonize with this order."

-- Henry Miller

Need to let go of control?

"The world is not to be put in order; the world is order, incarnate. It is for us to harmonize with this order."

-- Henry Miller

Ego believes that it needs to protect us from external dangers. Through control and manipulation, it aims to keep us safe. This need of ego is based in fear.

If we hope to live in love, we must become acquainted with soul. Experiencing soul brings a deep knowing that this is a loving universe. Experiencing soul also builds faith. We learn to trust that we don’t have to run the show. And when we do this, we tap the source of true freedom and joy.

"It is not action or effort that we must surrender; it is self-will, and this is terribly difficult. You must do your best constantly, yet never allow yourself to become involved in whether things work out the way you want."

-- Eknath Easwaran

"True spiritual surrender responsibly opens itself to the unknown."

-- Stephen V. Doughty

From my site JoAnne's Spiritual Journey

[MajestyJo]

Learn to be aware

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRaaZ5k1r1zBDCSW1Yu-7UACSlJPQJaocSPZ6Q1OjjBojRyPhPR0A

"You can live a lifetime and, at the end of it, know more about other people than you know about yourself."

-- Beryl Markham

Who am I? To answer this, we must first learn to become more aware of ourselves. To be aware, we must STOP and PAY ATTENTION! We need to STOP and objectively watch ourselves in action.

We live most of our lives by habit. These habits keep us stuck in patterns that limit our experience of life. Once we detect a pattern we were previously unconscious of, we can choose differently, if we want. With awareness comes choice and with choice, we gain freedom.

"To be authentic is literally to be your own author …, to discover your own native energies and desires, and then to find your own way of acting on them."

-- Warren G. Bennis

"Self-knowledge is the great power by which we comprehend and control our lives."

-- Vernon Howard

*** Awareness is the key to all change. Begin to trust yourself more deeply as you uncover new dimensions of who you are.

Posted on my site The Five As on November 20, 2011

- Higher Awareness (used with permission)

[MajestyJo]

How aware are you? Here is another tip on "getting control" from Higher Awareness.

http://www.angelwinks.net/images/angel160.jpg

The shocking fact is that most of us are unconscious of 80% of what we do, think and say. WE'RE NOT AWARE of our defences, our emotional reactions, our beliefs and deep-seated habits. Of our fears, negative self-talk and judgments.

Why is this so important? Because THESE UNCONSCIOUS FORCES ARE
RUNNING OUR LIVES! When we're not aware, we stay stuck in patterns that limit our ability to enjoy life. In fact, we stay stuck in patterns that cause us pain. Without awareness, we don't know how to think, create, love and reap the bounty of our world.

If you want to gain more control in your life, you will need to cultivate greater awareness. It's the MOST POWERFUL RESOURCE we have to effect change.

To be aware, we must STOP AND PAY ATTENTION. We must pull back our perspective to impartially observe what we are doing, feeling and thinking and what is going on around us. This detachment allows us to recognize our automatic patterns and reactions. And new insights let us break free of our patterns and defences. This allows us to choose something different for ourselves, if we want.

If we are unconscious, our future is created from our past, through patterns in our subconscious. If we are aware and conscious, our future is created anew in each moment.

Do you want to go through life on auto-pilot, letting old tapes dictate how you act? Or do you want to truly live life by clearly seeing the choices before you, and claiming your power to choose what you most want? It's up to you.

"To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe." -- Marilyn vos Savant
=======================================

As I have grown in recovery I have found that there have been stages where I seemed to get a shot of awareness, and I have to look at things, and do something about them. If I don't then I become uncomfortable in my own skin, and I can end up substituting other "things" and start looking for something or someone outside of myself to make me feel better.

For me, my conscious contact with my Higher Power is a connection I can not afford to lose or even slacken even a little bit. My disease is cunning, baffling and powerful and it just seems to be waiting for that moment that it can sneak back into my life. I don't have to physically pick up to have a relapse.

[MajestyJo]

Just trying to breathe through the pain. Sometimes when I get caught up in it, I forget to breathe! It is like I want to be the martyr and hang onto it for some reason. Poor, poor me, pour me another one.

Posted on Five As - 2010

Something the program has taught me, stay in the moment and breathe. Not just through the pain, but the stress, and the things that trigger the stress.

The body does tell you if you listen. Mental and emotional pain can make itself known physically.

Like when my feet and ankles are pain, I ask myself, "Do I need to stop and think about where I am going? Am I on the right rode? Stop don't go there, give this some thought."

A cough can be suppressed anger, resentment, and not able to speak up for what you believe to be your truth. It is a suppressant but can also say, "Shush Up! Don't speak those words. Are you going to hurt someone by not being open minded, patient and tolerant?"

Back ache has a lot to do with anger. Justifiable or unjustified, it isn't healthy, and we need to let go, or change the circumstance that cause our anger.

Listen to your body. I had to learn to give myself permission to do things, because I used my bed for years, I stuffed feelings with food, and picked up a cigarette if I didn't want to feel an emotion.

The body protests when it doesn't get what it needs, be it rest, nourishment (preferably healthy choices), food in healthy amounts and eating on a regular basis. If you don't eat, you bloat and you become fatter. Food for the body, mind and spirit. Put some music on, light some candles, do a meditation, spend time with your God and look for the Good Orderly Direction He has for you. As a result, you will receive the Divine Order Good that you need.

Each day is a new beginning, so have a good one. Give yourself a hug. You deserve it. You are not your disease. You are a child of your God, who love you. Learn to love yourself, even get to like yourself too, that is the hard one.

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/kids-animals/0024.gif

[MajestyJo]

Intimacy - In To Me See!

Intimacy is natural for us. We are designed to be caring, sensitive, and loving toward one another.

Intimacy requires vulnerability.

~ Gary Zukav ~

Because of the abuse in my life, it was hard for me to become vulnerable and let people into my space.

Those little things, inviting people to my home, spending time with someone, be it a meeting, coffee shop, a movie. I had immense walls along with a lot of anger, so it took a long time to remove those bricks. I think I put up glass ones, so people could see, but don't touch.

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/phone-240x320-butterflies/0189.gif

[MajestyJo]

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/flowers/0294.gif

A message every adult should read because children
are watching you and doing as you do, not as you say.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you hang my
first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately
wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a
stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind
to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make my

favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little
things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a
prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always
talk to, and I learned to trust in Him.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make a
meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I
learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you take care
of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have
to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw how you
handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't
feel good, and I learned that I would have to be
responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come
from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things
hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw that you
cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking I learned most of
life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and
productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking I looked at you and
wanted to say,'Thanks for all the things I saw when
you thought I wasn't looking.'

To All THE PEOPLE I KNOW
WHO DO SO MUCH FOR OTHERS,
BUT THINK THAT NO ONE EVER SEES.
LITTLE EYES SEE A LOT .

Each of us (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher, friend)
influences the life of a child.

[MajestyJo]

When I saw this title, I had thoughts in another direction.

We so often forget that our God can see our actions, knows our thoughts, our intent and motives.

Denial can give us selective hearing and sight, can block us from the messages of God. We think because no one knows, we can do what we want to do, act the way we want to, and be less than our God would have us be. I think that is why there are Steps 6 and 7.

Our self-righteousness can fill us up with self-importance, and we have no room left for God. We are so full of the almight "Self" that we don't have time for anyone else, and often looking down on them to make ourselves look good.

I was reminded today, a woman I have known for years was in the mall. I said hello to her even though I was with my son, although he wouldn't have paid her any attention, he is not surprised when people come up to me or I go up to someone else. For that reason, he generally walk in front of me or behind me and as he reminded me today, "Mother you are old."

Prior to recovery, I wouldn't have acknowledge the woman. I would have been embarrassed and would have what people would think if they saw me talking to her. She is disabled and has a slight mental challenge. It is such a joy to see her face light up when she sees me. Little does she know, that she warms my heart.

I don't want to ever forget where I came from. I don't ever want to go back there and be that person who is so self-righteous. I think the worst is putting someone else down to make me feel better and worst of all is condescention. I have been on the receiving end far too often, and would never want to walk in the same shoes and lower myself to that level.

Self-righteousness blocks us from the sunshine of the spirit. I am so glad that my God is a forgiving God.

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/insects-butterflies/0169.gif

[MajestyJo]

"Fill Up Your Tank"

“How do we keep our inner fire alive? Two things, at minimum, are needed: an ability to appreciate the positives in our life – and a commitment to action. Every day, it’s important to ask and answer these
questions: ‘What’s good in my life?’ and ‘What needs to be done?’”

-- Nathaniel Branden

I have found there’s a very different quality to my action when it springs from a sense of abundance as opposed to a feeling of being impoverished.

When I sense I’m not good enough or that I don’t have enough, I feel driven to be better and to have more. Whatever I do takes effort – there’s an element of struggle involved. And this makes sense because there’s no fuel – I’m working on an empty tank.

When I’m feeling abundant, I act out of my own inspiration. I’m rich and full and so the energy flows naturally. This action at times feels almost effortless.

It's important to remember that we don't need money to be abundant. All we need is appreciation of all that we have.

“ ...what I focus on in life is what I get. And if I concentrate on how bad I am or how wrong I am or how inadequate I am, if I concentrate on what I can’t do and how there’s not enough time in which to do it,
isn’t that what I get every time? And when I think about how powerful I am, and when I think about what I have left to contribute, and when I think about the difference I can make on this planet, then that’s what I get. You see, I recognize that it’s not what happens to you; it’s what you do about it.”

-- W. Mitchell

*******************************************
These quotes are supplied courtesy of Higher Awareness. They offer inspiring, thought-provoking self development programs to help you clearly
understand how life and natural laws work, whilst enhancing intuition and creating the future you desire.
Click Here For More Information:-

http://www.thedailyguru.com/higherawareness.htm
*******************************************

Love this, generally for me it means action. Going on the computer and sharing does it, listening to music, reading (sometimes depends on the material), picking up the phone, going to a meeting, in the past it was taking a nice relaxing bath, but I can't do that these days, because I can't get in and out of the tub, so my shower it is along with a prayer of cleansing and removing any attachments and issues that are not mine to take on.

Going down to the mall, 95% of the time, I see at least 2 or more people I know, at least 2 people in recovery or use to be in recovery, they both can carry a message to me, one of gratitude.

Meditation is the great of all. Spending time alone with my God and finding that White Light within, and being open to what He has to share with me in today.

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/phone-240x320-dogs/0208.gif

[MajestyJo]

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/phone-240x320-angels/0151.gif

Life is a winding road.
You never know which way to go.
Because when you least expect it,
life will deliver a fork in the road.

You think about it, do your best,
and let God take care of the rest.
With good friends and family,
the choice is clear.
Knowing you're there to guide me,
I have no fear!

Sharing what was shared w/me ~~
source not known!
Try to avoid looking forward or backward
but "Keep Looking Upward"

Keep your face to the sunshine &
you cannot see the shadows!

Helen Keller

[MajestyJo]

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/phone-240x320-angels/0174.gif

Whatever our hands touch-
We leave fingerprints!
On walls, on furniture
On doorknobs, dishes, books.
There's no escape.
As we touch we leave our identity.


Oh God, wherever I go today
Help me leave heartprints!
Heartprints of compassion
Of understanding and love.


Heartprints of kindness
And genuine concern.
May my heart touch a lonely neighbor
Or a runaway daughter
Or an anxious mother
Or perhaps an aged grandfather.


Lord, send me out today
To leave heartprints.
And if someone should say,
"I felt your touch,"
May that one sense YOUR LOVE
Touching through ME.

- Unknown

[dwmoeller]

M Y E D

Motivate
Yourself
Every
Day !

[MajestyJo]

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

Into each life some rain must fall. Some days must be dark and dreary.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Coping with problems and weathering troubled times - is part of life. Those of us who have survived painful experiences have a duty to help younger ones prepare to face bad times by sharing the solutions we found.

When stormy weather comes, we need to feel we are like other people. It's not that misery loves company, but that we don't want to feel we're in this alone.

We will never have perfect living conditions. The only place where every day is a sunny one is in the desert. When pain comes, we can walk through our problems and settle things quickly, rather than prolonging the hurt by battling our way around the obstacles in an effort to avoid them.

What problem can I confront and eliminate today?

Playing the blame game. Pointing finger`s at someone, means that I have three coming back at me. It is important to lower my expectations of others and myself, and raise my level of acceptance.

I was always told, do it right or don`t do it at all, especially if I had fear of failure. If it wasn`t my mom`s way, it wasn`t the right way, and I carried that old take all of my life. It is something my God and I are still working on.


Character is how we act when we think no one is watching.

Walk Softly and Carry A Big Book

When I saw this, I thought of the phrase "Monkey see, Monkey do." How about that other phrase, "Children have big ears."

When I hear about my son's actions in addiction, I generally, I can say occasionally, I take them back to me. I think of the slogan "Let It Begin With Me." I keep thinking it all began with me, when in fact, my son has his own choices.

I don't have to pay for my actions for the rest of my life. I did the best I could for where I was at in that time. That doesn't make them right. It doesn't justify them. It just is, and I had to pray and turn all those feeling over to my Higher Power.

Not only my feelings but my son. His recovery could not come from me. The best amend I can make to him is stay clean and sober myself and show him by my walk not my talk.

I need to take responsibility for my part. I had to learn not to take on his anger and projections.

A good example is the liquor I hid in a tall gold tupperware glass to drink when my dad and my ex-husband passed out. I either forgot it or figured I would save it for later, but my son found my stash and drank it. I didn't know that until many years AFTER I got into recovery. He made the decision to drink it. I certainly didn't want him to drink it or did I tell him to. He could have a beer but not my rye!

It took a long time for me to look at myself and take responsibility for my own actions. I was too busy looking at my dad, husband and son. They had the problem, they were drunks. I could handle my booze. In today I know I was the functioning alcoholic whose addiction to pills (dried up alcohol) escalated, until they stopped working for me, and I needed more. More no longer worked, and I even had guilt about my guilt.

They had their disease, but so did I, in fact I have heard that people in Al-Anon and Nar-Anon are sicker than the alcoholic and addict.

I told myself that I had to drink because I couldn`t stand to be around them sober. What a cop out! The reality was, my husband quit for 6 months and I couldn`t, but that is okay, because I didn`t have the problem. It would ease my guilt by looking at others, comparing, and wearing that blanket of denial that wouldn`t allow me to look at myself.

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[MajestyJo]

Getting Out Of Your Own Way

Each day in our lives, we hope and pray for a better day,
that things should improve in one area or another.
But all too often, all we do is hope and pray.
That is not enough --
We have to think, act and speak differently.
If we don't change how we think, speak and act,
we are bound to repeat the same problems or
mistakes that gives us a situation we want changed.

So how do we change things?

The hardest part of change is thinking differently.
You have to challenge your own assumptions,
including most delicately, the sense of who you are.
You may not be who you really think you are.

Never forget, we judge others by their actions,
but we judge ourselves by our intentions.
Yes, you meant to help someone with a project,
you intended to give charity, you were planning on
inviting your friends over for dinner, but if you didn't do it,
in their minds you had no intention, and you are judged
as such. So start correcting this error.

If you intend to do something - DO IT.
Don't procrastinate, don't delay.
Stop making excuses.
You want to improve yourself, get out of your own way.

Now find someone you completely trust,
who has your interest at heart
and who can give you constructive criticism.
It is often better for a friend to be this person
than a spouse.
And tell the person to try to remove personal bias
(of how you may have hurt them or been inconsiderate).
It has to be coming from a place of true concern for you.

Start with one area.
Don't take on your whole life at one time.
What you may realize is that you may not
be perceived the way you perceive yourself.
So work on correcting the in-balance -
and you will immediately feel more content and
balanced inside...

You that you can start changing your life for the better
by starting to Think, Act and Speak differently!

By: R. Barker

This is why I say the Third Step Prayer and follow it with the Seven Step Prayer.

Step Three: Many of us said to our Maker, as we understood Him: "God, I offer myself to Thee-to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do thy will always."

It has been my practice to add, "Thy will, not Mine, be done. Amen!"

Seventh Step Prayer: My Creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in the way of my usefulness to you and my fellows. Grant me strength, as I go out from here, to do your bidding. Amen.

From Big Book - p. 76

The difference between a demand and a simple request is plain to anyone. The Seventh Step is where we make the change in our attitude which permits us, with humility as our guide, to move out from ourselves toward others and toward God. The whole emphasis of Step Seven is on humility. It is really saying to us that we now ought to be willing to try humility in seeking the removal of our other shortcomings just as we did when we admitted that we were powerless over alcohol, and came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. If that degree of humility could enable us to find the grace by which such a deadly obsession could be banished, then there must be hope of the same result respecting any other problem we could possibly have.

I need to get out of the way, so my God can work through me, instead of having to go around me.

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[MajestyJo]

Humility, not humiliation as so many people think it means. It is about saying, "I don't know and being willing to learn." It isn't about feeling shame and failure because you don't know. You can't know what you have never been taught. I have had some great teacher put in my path. When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. My thoughts are not original, they came through others, they are what I have been given, and I pass them on with the hope that it will help others as it helped me. It is also my perception and my interruptation of what I heard, so it is my thoughts and my truth. When I do my prayer and meditation, I ask for an open mind, clarity of thought, new perception and awareness.

I was told to obtain true humility, you had to remain teachable. When I think I know it all, I know nothing. I pray that I never get to a stage in my recovery, that I think that I need to teach instead of being open to be taught or given new insight.

Every time a newcomer comes into the rooms of recovery, they teach me: 1) It isn't any better out there. 2) This disease is still cunning, baffling and powerful. 3) That all I have is today, daily reprieve for this 24 hours. 4) That I am only an arms length away from my first drink and that all I have in defense is my spiritual condition. 5) to be grateful, not only saying it but by showing it.

Step Seven says, "Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings." When I fall short of who I believe my God would have me be in today, I take things to Him, knowing that of myself, I do not have the power to change. Like when I was drinking, I could stop but I couldn't stay stopped. It was only when I went to AA, that I found that I didn't have to drink, one day at a time.

I no longer have to act out in my disease. I can take those thoughts and actions to my Higher Power. When I go to Him and ask for help, I know that I am empowered to do what I need to do for myself, just for today. I am not the power, I am not the center of my Universe, and I am not the be all, know all, to everyone else and playing God with their life and my own.

Something I posted on another site.

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[MajestyJo]

DAILY OM

Reflection for the Day

"It is the privilege of wisdom to listen," Oliver Wendell Holmes once wrote. If I try as hard as I can to cultivate the art of listening - uncritically and without making premature judgments - chances are great that I'll progress more rapidly in my recovery. If I try as hard as I can to listen to the feelings and thoughts expressed - rather than to the "speaker" - I may be blessed with an unexpectedly helpful idea. The essential quality of good listening is humility. Does a holier-than-thou attitude sometimes close my mind to the shared suggestions of others?

Today I Pray

May my Higher Power keep me from being "holier-than-thou" with anyone whose manner or language or opposite point of view or apparent lack of knowledge turns me off to what they are saying. May I be listening always for the voice of God, which can be heard through the speech of any one of us.

Today I Will Remember

Hear the speech, not the speaker.

You are reading from the book:

A Day at a Time (Softcover) by Anonymous - Jan. 26, 2009

When I am open to listening for the good orderly direction in my life, then I become aware of those special gifts that are there, that prior to recovery I wouldn't have even noticed, let alone know they were even there for the taking.

Humility for me, is being able to listen to other ideas other than my own. Doesn't mean I will always agree with them, but it is about being open to receiving the message and not shutting down when it comes to something I don't totally believe in.

Humiliation kept me from allowing myself to become vulnerable. Humility allows me to be vulnerable and open to new things.

[MajestyJo]

Sober Acronyms

AA = Absolute Abstinence
AA = Altered Attitudes
AA = Attitude Adjustment
AA = Adventurers Anonymous

ABC's = Acceptance, Belief, Change
ABC's = Ashtrays, Broom, Coffee
ABC's = Ashtrays, Broom, Chairs

ACTION = Any Change Toward Improving One's Nature

ALCOHOLICS = A Life Centered On Helping Others Live In Complete Sobriety
ANONYMOUS = Actions Not Our Names Yield Maintenance Of Unity and Service

ASK = Ass-Saving Kit

BAR = Beware Alcohol, Run - BAR = Beware Alcoholic Ruin

BIG BOOK = Believing In God Beats Our Old Knowledge

DEAD = Drinking Ends All Dreams

DENIAL = Don't Even Notice I Am Lying

DETACH = Don't Even Think About Changing Him/Her

DUES = Desperately Using Everything but Sobriety

EGO = Edging God Out

FAILURE = Fearful, Arrogant, Insecure, Lonely, Uncertain, Resentful, Empty

FAITH = Fear Ain't In This House

FEAR = Failure Expected And Received
FEAR = False Evidence Appearing Real
FEAR = False Expectations Appearing Real
FEAR = Fear Expressed Allows Relief
FEAR = Feelings Every Alcoholic Rejects
FEAR = Fighting Ego Against Reality
FEAR = Forget Everything and Run
FEAR = Face Everything and Recover
FEAR = Frantic Efforts to Appear Recovered

FINE = Faithful, Involved, knowledgeable and Experienced
FINE = Feeling Insecure, Numb and Empty
FINE = Frantic, Insane, Nuts and Egotistical
FINE = Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional
FINE = Frustrated, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional

GAYS = Go Ask Your Sponsor

GIFT = God Is Forever There

GOD = Good Orderly Direction
GOD = Group of Drunks

GUT = God's Undeniable Truths

HALT = Honestly, Actively, Lovingly Tolerant
HALT = Hope, Acceptance, Love and Tolerance
HALT = Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired
HALT = Horny, Arrogant, Lazy and Tragic


HALTS FEAR = Hope, Acceptance, Love and Tolerance Stops Forgetting that Everything's All Right

HELP = His Ever Loving Presence
HELP = Her Ever Loving Presence
HELP = Hope, Encouragement, Love and Patience

HOPE = Happy Our Program Exists
HOPE = Hearing Other Peoples' Experience
HOPE = Hang On Peace Exists
HOW = Honesty, Open-mindedness, Willingness
HOW = Honest, Open-minded and Willing

ISM = I, Self, Me
ISM = Incredibly Short Memory
ISM = I Sabotage Myself
ISM = I Sponsor Myself

KISS = Keep It Simple, Stupid
KISS = Keeping It Simple, Spiritually

MMM = Meetings, Meditation and Masturbation (recommended for the first year)

NUTS = Not Using The Steps

OUR = Openly Using Recovery

PACE = Positive Attitudes Change Everything

PAID = Pitiful And Incomprehensible Demoralization

PMS = Poor Me Syndrome
PMS = Pour More Scotch

PROGRAM = People Relying on God Relaying a Message

RELATIONSHIP = Real Exciting Love Affair Turns Into Outrageous Nightmare, Sobriety Hangs In Peril

RID = Restless, Irritable and Discontented

SLIP = Sobriety Loses Its Priority

SOB = Sober Old Bag
SOB = Sober Old Bastard
SOB = Sober Old Biker
SOB = Sober Old *****

SOBER = Son Of A *****, Everything's Real

SPONSOR = Sober Person Offering Newcomers Suggestions On Recovery

STEPS = Solutions To Every Problem in Sobriety
STEPS = Solutions To Every Problem, Sober

STOP = Sicker Than Other People

TIME = Things I Must Earn

WILLING = When I Live Life, I Need God

YET = You're Eligible Too

[dwmoeller]

Thanks for sharing this Jo. I liked the Sober Acronyms. I copied it and printed it out for my Sobriety Notebook. I'm also going to share it with my alcoholic friend in Iowa.

[MajestyJo]

Have had a big spiritual awakening the past week! God keeps bringing me to it, and FINALLY, I woke up and saw the Light go on!

Question:

Why am I here? How come I am in a bachelor apartment? Why haven't I had a phone for nine days and a computer for 10 weeks? Oh woe is me!

Answer:

Because...
You can't say no!
If you shut everyone out and don't make room for them in your space, then they can't come in and try to control and take over YOUR space.
Boyfriends can't get comfortable in your space instead of making space for themselves.
My son can't come home to mother because there is no couch or bed to sleep on.

If you make the space small enough, there is only room for you.

Sounds like my disease talking don't you think?

Wrote this in August 25th, 2005 on another site.

We need to make our homes and personal space safe. I still have problems with my son, thinking that he has a right to whatever is mine, is his, just because it is there. What is mine is his. It is my job as a mother to always be there, whether it is want, need, or just because.

It is a part of his disease. He says I don`t understand him. He doesn`t realize that I can see my disease reflected in him, and I am just grateful that I don`t have to act out in my dis-ease in today.

It isn`t about drinking and drugging in today, it is my emotional sobriety and the stinking thinking behind my addiction.

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[dwmoeller]

Perfection is not attainable. But if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence. - Vince Lombardi.

[MajestyJo]

Like this. In Al-Anon, it says our primary spiritual aim. As you say, "We can aim for perfection, and often we fall short and beat ourselves up." Perfection isn't a recovery tool, it is part of my disease. Know that our expectations need to be lowered, so our goals are reachable. Good is obtained through my God, it is not my works but His Will be done.

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[MajestyJo]

LIVE LIFE FULLY

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"Time is life. It is irreversible and irreplaceable. To waste your time is to waste your life, but to master your time is to master your life and make the most of it."
-- Alan Lakein

Refuse to feel USED by life! Make full use of it instead.

To do this, we initially need to take control of the time of our lives. Time management is life management, from the inside out. It's an INSIDE job. You already have everything you need. You have the power to create a life of meaning, fulfillment and joy.

Your challenge is to find what works for you! Review the literature but make your own decisions. To do this, you'll need to:

Get to know yourself -- your desires and passions, rhythms, styles, challenges, needs and habits.

Be aware that you always have choice. Claim your independence and power to choose what is right for your life, moment by moment.

"Until you value yourself, you will not value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it."
-- M. Scott Peck

[MajestyJo]

MAKING LIFE OUR OWN

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"Life is not lost by dying;a life is lost minute by minute, day by dragging day, in all the thousand small uncaring ways."
-- Stephen Vincent Benet

What's needed for a new relationship with time and life?

Intention -- Get really clear about what you want.

Desire -- How much do you want something new for yourself? Know your motivation. Desire brings the energy for change.

Belief and/or willingness to trust you can have what you want. If belief is lacking, can you believe in the possibility that you can find a new way of living?

Perseverance, discipline -- It takes time and effort to change attitudes and habits. We can't expect a new life overnight.

Acceptance, both of what's happening now and of who we are. Until we honestly and openly accept our present situation, we cannot change it.

A willingness to try something new.

"It is so easy to waste our lives: our days, our hours, our minutes. ... It is so easy to exist instead of live. Unless you know there is a clock ticking. So many of us changed our lives when we heard a biological clock and decided to have kids. But that sound is a murmur compared to the tolling of mortality."
-- Anna Quindlen

[MajestyJo]

GROWING OURSELVES

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"The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving."
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes

We are all on a life-long journey. It is a search for who we are and why we are here. It is a journey that expands our consciousness.

There is an urge within each of us to move forward in life. It is an urge to become more whole, to find more meaning, and eventually to help others. It is human nature to strive for a sense of well-being.

We all go through the same growth cycles, though our experiences may appear entirely different. By understanding the process of personal and spiritual growth, we can work more effectively with the process, instead of fighting and resisting it.

"We can learn to be the catalysts for our own change."
-- Sarah Ban Breathnach

[MajestyJo]

CHANGING CONSCIOUSNESS

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Why should we care about raising our consciousness? When we set an intention to change and grow, we begin a journey in which we move from coping, to learning and finally, to the enjoyment of living.

Here are some of the shifts we move through:

From dependence on the clock, to charting a direction, to moment-to-moment guidance from intuition.

From doing things right, to doing the right things, to being your true self.

From lack of self discipline to having personal willpower to being completely willing to express our essence.

From being out of control, to being in control, to trusting and letting go of the need to control.

With each step, we experience greater freedom, fulfillment and joy. Worth going for, don't you think?

"Every human has four endowments - self awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom... The power to choose, to respond, to change."
-- Stephen R. Covey

*** Awareness is the key to all change. Begin to trust yourself more deeply as you uncover new dimensions of who you are.

[MajestyJo]

GOING FOR GUILT-FREE PLAY

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"There is no pleasure in having nothing to do. The fun is in having lots to do and not doing it."
-- Mary Little

When you're tempted with a promise of pleasure, does guilt promptly spoil it for you?

For many of us, the work ethic still rules supreme. It keeps our life out of balance and our health at risk. There will always be lots of work to do. We can't wait for it to go away to enjoy ourselves.

Today, we invite you to become aware of your attitude towards rest, relaxation, pleasure and fun. When you give yourself a break, do you carry guilt through it? Deep down, do you believe that you don't deserve to have a good time, that you haven't earned a holiday? If you do discover these thoughts, send them packing.

"Guilt is the source of sorrows, the avenging fiend that follows us behind with whips and stings."
-- Nicholas Rowe

*** Step by step, progressively learn basic meditation methods to relax, concentrate, focus, reflect, contemplate and illuminate.

[MajestyJo]

AWARENESS THROUGH LOVE AND FEAR

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"There is nothing holier in this life of ours than the first consciousness of love -- the first fluttering of its silken wings -- the first rising sound and breath of that wind which is so soon to sweep through the soul, to purify or to destroy."
-- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Our inner journey takes us through the following stages relative to love and fear:

UNCONSCIOUS LOVE: When we are born, we exist as pure love but we are not conscious of our love.
UNCONSCIOUS FEAR: Our souls have set the stage for our evolution. As we grow, unconscious fears arise in our personalities that draw experiences to us that wound us.
CONSCIOUS FEAR: Our wounds bring pain and suffering that enable us to become conscious of our fears.
CONSCIOUS LOVE: When we've suffered enough pain, we are motivated to move through our fears to consciously experience the love that supports all.
"Love is but the discovery of ourselves in others, and the delight in the recognition."
-- Alexander Smith

Our process is clear. First 'know yourself' - your personality and direction in life. Then 'create a plan'. Next 'heal yourself and what holds you back. Then you can expand and 'grow yourself'. Are you ready to commit to changing your life for the better?

[MajestyJo]

Time passes.
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.

Jobs come and go.
Love waxes and wanes.
Men don't do what they're supposed to do.

Hearts break.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors.
Careers end.

BUT.........

Sisters are there,
No matter how much time and how
Many miles are between you.
A girl friend is never farther away
Than needing her can reach.

When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you
Have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life
Will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on,
Praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on
Your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the
Valleys' end.

Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk
Beside you...Or come in and carry you out.
Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters,

Daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers,
Grandmothers , aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended
Family, all bless our life!

The world wouldn't be the same without women, and
Neither would I. When we began this adventure called
Womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or
Sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we
Would need each other.
Every day, we need each other still.

Pass this on
To all the women who help make your life meaningful.
I just did.
Short and very sweet:
There are more than twenty angels in this world.
Ten are peacefully sleeping on clouds.
Nine are playing.
And one is reading her email at this moment.

Someone you love will surprise you.

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[MajestyJo]

My drug of choice is more....

More of what you are having, more of what I am having, and more of anything else that comes my way.

Anything that takes me out of self.

Anything that takes me out of the reality of the moment.

Anything that takes away the responsibility of coping with today.

Anything that takes away the feeling of being alone with me.

Anything that takes away my feelings,

Anything that is in front of me.

I am glad that the anything that is in front of me is the program of recovery and the Twelve Steps which allow me to walk this road clean and sober today.

http://www.angelwinks.net/images/angel226.jpg

[MajestyJo]

When I came into recovery, I was told "We don't do this forever. We do it one day at a time." When we project into tomorrow worrying about staying clean and sober, we lose out on today.

When I stay in today, I have one day's feelings, one day's thoughts, one day's denials, one day's events and situations.

If I look at the whole picture, I get overwhelmed. Some days it is simply staying in the moment. I had a sponsor who told me for her it was three seconds because she was prone to seizures.

For me it has been doing what ever it takes to stay clean and sober, just for today. I can't, God (group of drunks) can, and just for today I choose to let Him/Her show me the way to sobriety (soundness of mind).

I was told that Christmas was just another 24 hours. I was told not to look at it and overwhelm myself but to treat it just like another day. It was really important to have a support network. Several times over the last few years I made a point of being at my home group on Christmas Day or any other holiday. At first it was for me, then I had to give back and was there for others, and then I found out it was for both of us!

I went from my family Christmas dinner to the Area Social Club. I felt more like using when I was with family. It was safer for me to be around recovery people. I was warned to watch my glass and not leave it unguarded. Friends may mean well but often they are in denial about their own disease and will sabotage you. I always smelled my drink before I tasted it to make sure I had picked up the right glass. I had to be aware of fruit cake, cookies and candy that had alcohol in them. I found that flavoured coffees were a big trigger. That was because I use to have a whiskey bottle sitting beside the coffee pot. I found that Vanilla was a big trigger, the smell and the taste.

Have a safe and sober holiday.

I think I posted this elsewhere but can`t remember where. Posted on another site in 2009

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[MajestyJo]

Snow Flakes,the kind you don't have to shovel. We had snow flurries today.

Many hours were spent as a child cutting out paper snowflakes and pasting them to the windows to decorate for the holidays.

http://www.papersnowflakes.com/instructions

http://www.highhopes.com/snowflakes.html

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This is the time of year when we think back to the very first Christmas, when the Three Wise Men; Gaspar, Balthazar and Herb, went to see the baby Jesus and, according to the Book of Matthew, "presented unto Him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh."

These are simple words, but if we analyze them carefully, we discover an important, yet often overlooked, theological fact: There is no mention of wrapping paper.

If there had been wrapping paper, Matthew would have said so: "And lo, the gifts were inside 600 square cubits of paper. And the paper was festooned with pictures of Frosty the Snowman. And Joseph was going to throweth it away, but Mary saideth unto him, she saideth, 'Holdeth it!
That is nice paper! Saveth it for next year!' And Joseph did rolleth his eyeballs. "

But these words do not appear in the Bible, which means that the very first Christmas gifts were NOT wrapped. This is because the people giving those gifts had two important characteristics: 1. They were wise. 2. They were men.

Men are not big gift wrappers. Men do not understand the point of putting paper on a gift just so somebody else can tear it off. This is not just my opinion: This is a scientific fact based on a statistical survey of two guys I know.

One is Rob, who said the only time he ever wraps a gift is "if it's such a poor gift that I don't want to be there when the person opens it."

The other is Gene, who told me he does wrap gifts, but as a matter of principle never takes more than 15 seconds per gift. "No one ever had to wonder which presents daddy wrapped at Christmas," Gene said. "They were the ones that looked like enormous spitballs."

I also wrap gifts, but because of some defect in my motor skills, I can never completely wrap them. I can take a gift the size of a deck of cards and put it the exact center of a piece of wrapping paper the size of a regulation volleyball court, but when I am done folding and taping, you can still see a sector of the gift peeking out. (Sometimes I camouflage this sector with a marking pen.)

If I had been an ancient Egyptian in the field of mummies, the lower half of the Pharaoh's body would be covered only by Scotch tape.

On the other hand, if you give my wife a 12-inch square of wrapping paper, she can wrap a C-130 cargo plane. My wife, like many women, actually likes wrapping things. If she gives you a gift that requires batteries, she wraps the batteries separately, which to me is very close to being a symptom of mental illness. If it were possible, my wife would wrap each individual volt.

My point is that gift-wrapping is one of those skills like having babies that come more naturally to women than to men. That is why today I am presenting:
GIFT-WRAPPING TIPS FOR MEN:

* Whenever possible, buy gifts that are already wrapped. If, when the recipient opens the gift, neither one of you recognizes it, you can claim that it's myrrh.

* The editors of Woman's Day magazine recently ran an item on how to make your own wrapping paper by printing a design on it with an apple sliced in half horizontally and dipped in a mixture of food coloring and liquid starch. They must be smoking crack.

* If you're giving a hard-to-wrap gift, skip the wrapping paper! Just put it inside a bag and stick one of those little adhesive bows on it. This creates a festive visual effect that is sure to delight the lucky recipient on Christmas morning:

YOUR WIFE: Why is there a Hefty trash bag under the tree?
YOU: It's a gift! See? It has a bow!

YOUR WIFE (peering into the trash bag): It's a leaf blower.
YOU: Gas-powered! Five horsepower!

YOUR WIFE: I want a divorce.
YOU: I also got you some myrrh.

In conclusion, remember that the important thing is not what you give, or how you wrap it. The important thing, during this very special time of year, is that you save the receipt.

--Male Author Unknown (more likely, not among the living any longer)

P.S. Santa didn't wrap gifts either in the good old day. He just placed them under the tree. Ah, but that was Christmas Eve. In today's Walmart world, gifts start appearing under the tree as early as Thanksgiving.

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[MajestyJo]

Found this post I made on another site in 2004.

The program says a God our Understanding. To cover all perception of members, it is suggest that you use the term "Higher Power."

I found it to be funny, but it put a perspective on how, we all come to believe, but we don't always believe the same thing.


I went with my friend to a Mission Church on Sunday night and the pastor was reading from a booklet he found called the "Mysteries of the Bible."

They seemed to believe that all the miracles in the Bible were a result of UFOs!

They said that the Three Wise Men were probably following a signal from a UFO! I said to my friend, "Well we know that story is false, you know that it is impossible to find "three wise men" in one spot!"

Sorry, couldn't resist! Just about lost in the church, my sense of humour doesn't always have the best of timing.

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/christmas-houses/0037.gif

[MajestyJo]

http://i1068.photobucket.com/albums/u457/searchq7/dontlosehope.png

If there is one thing in life that you can never lose beside yourself, it is the hope for a better day, because their will always be one. Just as there are bad times; there will come good times as well. And even though things may seem uncertain in the moment, and even though fear may be trying to cloud your mind, fill your mind with hopeful thoughts, and remember to keep stepping out on faith as well.

When you find yourself thinking negatively, stop yourself abruptly and think of things in your life that you have to be thankful for. Whether it be having a roof over your head, having a nice set of clothes, having good friends to be able to talk to you in your time of need, or the fact that you even have the freedom to pursue your dreams even when your plans aren't going as well as you have hoped, just be thankful, and keep hoping.

By J. Johnson

[MajestyJo]

To make the world a friendly place One must show it a friendly face.

-James Whitcomb Riley

We are beginning to learn that we get what we expect. Why? If we believe that people are out to get us, we'll not treat them well. We will think it's okay to "get them" before they "get us." Then, they'll be angry and want to get even. And on it goes. It's great when we can meet the world with a balance. We are now honest people. We can expect others to be fair with us. We get the faith, strength, and courage to do this because of our trust in our Higher Power.

Prayer for the Day
Higher Power, I put my life in Your care. Use me to spread Your love to others.

Action for the Day
Today, I'll spread friendliness. I will greet people with a smile.

- Keep It Simple May 7th

My sponsor told me that if I have recovery, it was my responsibility to show it. You may be the only Big Book someone may see. What kind of message are you carrying?

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcangel436.jpg

[MajestyJo]

Get Out Of Yourself

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/phone-240x320-girls/0228.gif

I've always been a runner trying to run away from life,
Running away from challenges, and any pain or strife.
I'd end up in a brand new town, but wouldn't be there long,
My problems would start up again, because I'd brought myself along.

I'd pack my bags and wander, always searching but never free,
Until one day I realized- the problem was with me.
After all those years of running, with alcohol and pain,
I'd finally hit my bottom, and I KNEW I was insane.

I began to go to meetings; my mind was in a daze,
It didn't really make much sense, but I listened anyway.
So I saved up mental scraps of advice, and put them on a shelf,
Until one day I pulled one out: It read," GET OUT OF YOURSELF"

I thought, "If I keep on thinking about me, I'm going to end up dead.
Maybe for once, what I'll try doing, is think of you instead!
They told me I had to give it away, it's better to give than receive.
You can't keep sobriety all for yourself, and so I began to believe.
So I joined a group and helped set up and stayed around late at the end,
And whenever a newcomer walked through the door, I just tried to be a friend.
This happened a number of years ago, and I hope that I'm here to stay.
And I keep on praying for the grace of God, so that SELF doesn't get in the way.
I'll always be grateful for the scrap of advice at the back of a
dusty shelf,
And I'll always remember what the Old Timer said:

"Ye must get out of yourself!"


Originally posted on my site "Get What You Need" then copied to The Five As.

Written by Lois Stargratte

[MajestyJo]

THE MASK I WEAR

Don't be fooled by me.
Don't be fooled by the face I wear
For I wear a mask. I wear a thousand masks-
masks that I'm afraid to take off
and none of them are me.
Pretending is an art that's second nature with me
but don't be fooled,
for God's sake, don't be fooled.
I give you the impression that I'm secure
That all is sunny and unruffled with me
within as well as without,
that confidence is my name
and coolness my game,
that the water's calm
and I'm in command,
and that I need no one.
But don't believe me. Please!

My surface may be smooth but my surface is my mask,
My ever-varying and ever-concealing mask.
Beneath lies no smugness, no complacence.
Beneath dwells the real me in confusion, in fear, in aloneness.
But I hide this.
I don't want anybody to know it.
I panic at the thought of my
weaknesses
and fear exposing them.
That's why I frantically create my masks
to hide behind.
They're nonchalant, sophisticated facades
to help me pretend,
To shield me from the glance that
knows.
But such a glance is precisely my salvation,
my only salvation,
and I know it.

That is, if it's followed by acceptance,
and if it's followed by love.
It's the only thing that can liberate me from myself
from my own self-built prison walls

I dislike hiding, honestly
I dislike the superficial game I'm playing,
the superficial phony game.
I'd really like to be genuine and me.
But I need your help, your hand to hold
Even though my masks would tell you otherwise
That glance from you is the only thing that assures me
of what I can't assure myself,
that I'm really worth something.

But I don't tell you this.
I don't dare.
I'm afraid to.
I'm afraid you'll think less of me, that you'll laugh
and your laugh would kill me.
I'm afraid that deep-down I'm nothing,
that I'm just no good
and you will see this and reject me.

So I play my game, my desperate, pretending game
With a facade of assurance without,
And a trembling child within.
So begins the parade of masks,

The glittering but empty parade of masks,
and my life becomes a front.
I idly chatter to you in suave tones of surface talk.
I tell you everything that's nothing
and nothing of what's everything,
of what's crying within me.
So when I'm going through my routine
do not be fooled by what I'm saying
Please listen carefully and try to hear
what I'm not saying
Hear what I'd like to say
but what I can not say.

It will not be easy for you,
long felt inadequacies make my defenses strong.
The nearer you approach me
the blinder I may strike back.
Despite what books say of men, I am irrational;
I fight against the very thing that I cry out for.
you wonder who I am
you shouldn't
for I am every man
and every woman
who wears a mask.
Don't be fooled by me.
At least not by the face I wear.

-----author unknown

http://www.angelwinks.net/images/icq/peacefriendshipgoodwill.jpg

[MajestyJo]

Unmasking our real selves
The first act of bad faith consists of evading what one cannot evade, of evading what one is.

Jean-Paul Sartre


When did we learn to pretend to be other than we were? When did we learn that what or who we were wasn't good enough - that we could never do or say or be enough?

We learned in childhood, as did our parents & their parents as well. Wearing a mask was a habit that evolved into becoming that mask, while our real selves disappeared.

In many ways, our real selves are still untested. But unlike the old days when they'd emerge only under pressure, we now try our real selves on like new clothes first in a locked room when no one's looking; later, in the open air & finally, with other people.

Being who we are is scary & strange & awkward at first, but it is an act of faith, one that builds upon the next act. These acts of faith are the process that is our recovery.

Today help me show my real face, if only for a moment.


Body, Mind, & Spirit

http://www.angelwinks.net/images/icq/flowerline.gif

[MajestyJo]

http://www.angelwinks.net/images/genb7.gif

Each one of us can make a difference by passing on what we know.

You have something worthwhile to share, regardless of where you are in your life. You’ve built a history and you’ve learned lessons along the way.

- Jane Powell

No matter what the substance, no matter where we are on our journey, we can share what happened to us, what it was like, and what it is like now.

It can be about still using and not being able to quit. It can be about having recovery and relapsing. It can be about finding recovery and sharing the change in your life and the joys you found in recovery.

This is what these boards are for. To share our experience, strength and hope with each other. When I do this, it also helps me. When I share, it puts some order into my own life and thinking.

It has been a long time since I drank and abused drugs. What I need to watch out for is my emotional sobriety. Sobriety according to my spiritual adviser means 'soundness of mind' and that is why I named one of my sites by that name.

Another is called "The Five As!" It is the five As of change that I needed for my own recovery. I became aware that I had a problem. I admitted to others that I had a problem, no matter what the addiction is or was. I accept the fact that I was an addict and that I could not do it on my own power and that I needed help.

The other two are interchangeable for me. I take action to change my attitude, or I change my attitude so I can take action. For me it was picking up the phone and calling the social worker at the YWCA. She got me into a treatment center. The treatment center introduced me to AA and NA. AA was what I needed because of my denial. NA was outside help because although my prescription pills were like dried up alcohol and I could relate to the people in AA, I knew deep down I was an addict. Some is good, more is better.

Right from the beginning of my recovery, I found Al-Anon. It helped me to discover where my old tapes were introduced and how I could identify them and deal with them. I had one reason to go to AA and/or NA. I had 3-33 reasons to go to Al-Anon. I am the daughter of an alcoholic father and a mother who used food to deal with her own emotions and died at the age of 40. I was married to an alcoholic who was very abusive and to another who I 'think' qualified for Sex Anonymous. He too was abusive. My son became an alcoholic/addict and got into things that I never tried.

As I was told, we had to go through what we went through to get to where we are today. We have a story to tell which will help others find their way.

My sponsor said, "You do not have the power to keep one sober and you don't have the power to keep them from using." What you do is have a story to tell and to share with others, a journey of how you got there and how recovery is helping you in today.

You can learn two things. How to work your program and how NOT to work your program. It is about finding what is right for you and the path you need to take for your own recovery. I was one of the really sick ones. AA gave me hope for a better tomorrow. I tried for eight years my way and my way didn't work. I walked into a room and found others who were not drinking. I walked into NA and found people who were not using.

For me, no matter what fellowship I belong to or don't belong to, it is about quitting everything. I have heard of people who quit smoking. My doctor put me on an inhaler because he said, "If you stopped, you would die. It took me until I was 7 years sober to find a willingness to give them up. I had to pray for the willingness to be willing.

Thanks for letting me share.

[MajestyJo]

Was thinking and posting today about listening and asking for awareness and acceptance. What I need will be given onto me.

I was heading for bed and my son came and asked me if I wanted some strawberries. As a result, I am sitting here posting again and eating my strawberries.

I did a search on the healing properties of strawberries and it said, it was good for healing cuts and wounds. Hoping it will help my big toe, which is still very painful.

I had peach yogourt and field berry yogourt this morning and drinking pineapple at the moment.

Here is a list to help you look up what you need for natural healing. Much better than picking up a pill and much more tasty.

http://www.rebootwithjoe.com/eating/a-z-fruit-veggies/

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/ps-strawberry/0016.gif

[MajestyJo]

"The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem."

-- Theodore Rubin

My sponsor always said, "Don't call them problems, call them challenges. Challenges we can over come. Problems we can stay stuck in.

There have been many over the years. There have been others that I have just had to accept that they are there and deal with them in the moment.

Quite of the problem is me. As the Al-Anon slogan says, "Let it begin with me." AA says get over it, get out of self and help someone else.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRfJ2VhHdbCdyQaWVM240U-HwWdYuF30MmpCu36Ccqg_2dsiUQG7Q

[MajestyJo]

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTVuN9k9khDxeHRmNFq-34ZVl5X9kZZhfIQ7q0H24uKqSPgd_QZ

Butterfly Friendship

www.angel9oh7.com/gbbutterflyfrndship.html

The Parable of the Butterfly

http://www.joyfulheart.com/easter/buterfly.htm

How is a butterfly a symbol of Easter

http://www.springbranchpres.org/2012/04/05/how-is-a-butterfly-a-symbol-for-easter/

[MajestyJo]

Recovery from addiction, trauma, abuse, and other trials and tribulations on life's journey. Getting to know yourself, and learning to connect with yourself, God, and others.

This is a site that looks at the spiritual solution to the problems of life no matter, what they are. Many people just view drugs and alcohol as addictions and stay in denial about the rest of their lives, so I propose to give them the 12 Steps, under the guise of spiritual principles for living. Not religious, but religiously staying in tune with your Universal beliefs and acknowledging and respecting yourself.

Though we be sick and tired and faint and worn--Lo, all things can be borne.
--Elizabeth Chase Akers



God Answers Prayers

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When the idea is not right God says "No."

No - when the idea is not the best.

No - When the idea is absolutely wrong.

No - when though it may help you,

It could create problems for someone else.



When the time is not right God says, "Slow."

What a castrophe it would be if God answered

every prayer at a snapp of your fingers. Do

you know what would happen? God would

become your servant, not your master.

Suddenly, God would be working for you

instead of you working for God.



Remember: God's delays are not God's denials.

God's timing is perfect. Patience is what we need in prayer.



When you are not right, God says, "Grow."

The selfish person has to grow in

unselfishness.



The cautious person must grow courage.

The timid person must grow in confidence.

The dominating person must grow in

sensitivity.

The critical person must grow in tolerance.

The negative person must grow in postive

attitudes.

The pleasure-seeking person must grow in

compassion for suffering people.



When everything is all right, God says, "Go."

Then miracles happen:

A hopeless alcoholic is set free!

A drug addict finds release!

A doubter becomes as a child in his belief.

Diseased tissue responds to treatment, and

healing begins.

The door to your dream suddenly swings

open and there stands God saying, "Go!"

- Original Source Unknown

[MajestyJo]

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/countries-usa-cowboys/0056.gif

Jake, the rancher, went one day
To fix a distant fence.
The wind was cold and gusty
And the clouds rolled gray and dense.

As he pounded the last staples in
And gathered tools to go,
The temperature had fallen,
And snow began to blow.

When he finally reached his pickup,
He felt a heavy heart.
From the sound of that ignition
He knew it wouldn't start.

So Jake did what most of us
Would do if we were there.
He humbly bowed his balding head
And sent aloft a prayer.

As he turned the key the last time,
He softly rued his luck
They found him three days later,
Frozen stiff in that old truck.

Now Jake had been around in life
And done his share of roaming.
But when he saw Heaven, he was shocked --
It looked just like Wyoming !

Of all the saints in Heaven,
His favorite was St. Peter ..
So they sat and talked a minute or two,
Or maybe it was three.
Nobody was keeping' score --
In Heaven, time is free.

'I've always heard,' Jake said to Pete ,
'that God will answer prayers,
But the one time I asked for help,
Well, he just wasn't there.'

'Does God answer prayers of some,
And ignore the prayers of others?
That don't seem exactly square --
I know all men are brothers'

'Or does he randomly reply,
Without good rhyme or reason?
Maybe, it's the time of day,
The weather or the season.'

'Now I ain't trying to act smart,
It's just the way I feel.
And I was wondering', could you tell me
What in the world is the deal?!'

Peter listened very patiently
And when Jake was done,
There were smiles of recognition,
And he said, 'So, you're the one!!'

'That day your truck, it wouldn't start,
And you sent your prayer a flying,
You gave us all a real bad time,
With hundreds of us trying.'

'A thousand angels rushed,
To check the status of your file,
But you know, Jake, we hadn't heard
From you in quite a while.'

'And though all prayers are answered,
And God ain't got no quota,
He didn't recognize your voice,
And started a truck in Minnesota!'
GUESS ITS GOOD TO KEEP IN TOUCH!

Original source unknown

[MajestyJo]

That's How Much I Love You
by Max Lucado

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/avatars-100x100-love/0050.gif

Untethered by time, God sees us all.
From the backwoods of Virginia
to the business district of London;
from the Vikings to the astronauts,
from the cave-dwellers to the kings,
from the hut-builders to the finger-pointers
to the rock-stackers, he sees us.
Vagabonds and ragamuffins all,
he saw us before we were born.

And he loves what he sees.
Flooded by emotion.
Overcome by pride,
the Starmaker turns to us,
one by one, and says,
“You are my child. I love you dearly.
I’m aware that someday
you’ll turn from me and walk away.
But I want you to know,
I’ve already provided you a way back.”

And to prove it,
he did something extraordinary.

Stepping from the throne,
he removed his robe of light
and wrapped himself in skin:
pigmented, human skin.
The light of the universe entered
a dark, wet womb.
He who angels worship nestled himself
in the placenta of a peasant,
was birthed into the cold night,
and then slept on cow’s hay.

Mary didn’t know whether
to give him milk or give him praise,
but she gave him both since he was,
as near as she could figure, hungry and holy.

Joseph didn’t know whether
to call him Junior or Father.
But in the end called him Jesus,
since that’s what the angel said
and since he didn’t have the faintest idea
what to name a God he could cradle in his arms.

Neither Mary nor Joseph said it
as bluntly as my Sara,
but don’t you think their heads tilted
and their minds wondered,
“What in the world are you doing, God?”
Or, better phrased,
“God, what are you doing in the world?”

“Can anything make me stop loving you?”
God asks.
“Watch me speak your language,
sleep on your earth,
and feel your hurts.
Behold the maker of sight and sound as he
sneezes, coughs, and blows his nose.
You wonder if I understand how you feel?
Look into the dancing eyes of the kid in Nazareth;
that’s God walking to school.
Ponder the toddler at Mary’s table;
that’s God spilling his milk.

“You wonder how long my love will last?
Find your answer on a splintered cross,
on a craggy hill.
That’s me you see up there,
your maker, your God, nail-stabbed and bleeding.
Covered in spit and sin-soaked.
That’s your sin I’m feeling.
That’s your death I’m dying.
That’s your resurrection I’m living.
That’s how much I love you.”

[MajestyJo]

Customer Service Rep: Yes, Ma'am, how can I help you today?

Customer: Well, after much consideration, I've decided to install love.
Can you guide me through the process?

CS Rep: Yes, I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?

Customer: Well, I'm not very technical, but I think I'm ready to install
now. What do I do first?

CS Rep: The first step is to open your HEART. Have you located your HEART ma'am?

Customer: Yes I have, but there are several other programs running right now. Is it okay to install while they are running?

CS Rep: What programs are running ma'am?

Customer: Let's see, I have PAST-HURT.EXE, LOW-ESTEEM.EXE, GRUDGE.EXE, and RESENTMENT.COM running right now.

CS Rep: No problem. LOVE will gradually erase PAST-HURT.EXE from your
current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory, but it
will no longer disrupt other programs.

LOVE will eventually overwrite LOW-ESTEEM.EXE with a module of its own
called HIGH- ESTEEM.EXE. However, you have to completely turn off GRUDGE.EXE and RESENTMENT.COM. Those programs prevent LOVE from being properly installed. Can you turn those off ma'am?

Customer: I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?

CS Rep: My pleasure. Go to your Start menu and invoke FORGIVENESS.EXE. Do
this as many times as necessary until GRUDGE.EXE and RESENTMENT.COM have been completely erased.

Customer: Okay, done. LOVE has started installing itself automatically. Is that normal?

CS Rep: Yes. You should receive a message that says it will reinstall for the life of your HEART. Do you see that message?

Customer: Yes I do. Is it completely installed?

CS Rep: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You need to
begin connecting to other Heart's in order to get the upgrades.

Customer: Oops. I have an error message already. What should I do?

CS Rep: What does the message say?

Customer: It says "ERROR 412 - PROGRAM NOT RUN ON INTERNAL COMPONENTS." What does that mean?

CS Rep: Don't worry ma'am, that's a common problem. It means that the LOVE
program is set up to run on external HEARTS but has not yet been run on
your HEART. It is one of those complicated programming things, but in
non-technical terms it means you have to "LOVE" your own machine before it
can "LOVE" others.

Customer: So what should I do?

CS Rep: Can you pull down the directory called "SELF-ACCEPTANCE"?

Customer: Yes, I have it.

CS Rep: Excellent. You're getting good at this.

Customer: Thank you.

CS Rep: You're welcome. Click on the following files and then copy them to
the "MYHEART" directory: FORGIVE-SELF.DOC, REALIZE-WORTH.TXT, and
ACKNOWLEDGE-LIMITATIONS.DOC. The system will overwrite any conflicting
files and begin patching any programming. Also, you need to delete
SELF-CRITIC.EXE from all directories, and to make sure it is completely gone and never comes back, you will need to empty your recycle bin.

Customer: Got it. Hey! My HEART is filling up with new files. SMILE.MPG is
playing on my monitor right now and it shows that PEACE.EXE, and
CONTENTMENT.COM are copying themselves all over my HEART. Is this normal?

C Rep: Sometimes. For others it takes a while, but eventually everything
gets downloaded at the proper time.

So, LOVE is installed and running. You should be able to handle it from here.
One more thing before I go.

Customer: Yes?

CS Rep: LOVE is freeware. Be sure to give it and its various modules to
everybody you meet. They will in turn share it with other people and they
will return some similarly cool modules back to you.

Customer: I will. Thanks for your help. By the way, what's your name?

CS Rep: You can call me the Divine Cardiologist, also known as The Great
Physician. Most people feel all they need is an annual checkup to stay
heart-healthy, but the manufacturer suggests a schedule of daily
maintenance for maximum efficiency.

http://www.angelwinks.net/images/lotsofrosesbouquet.jpg

[MajestyJo]

One Caring Smile

http://www.angelwinks.net/images/icq/iloveyouteddiespic.jpg

Everything's gone
wrong today.
No one reacts to
anything you say.

No matter how much
you scream and cry,
the world seems to
be passing you by.

No one seems to notice or care,
that you are trying to be heard
over your despair.

But on one face a
smile shines through,
a smile that knows
and cares about you.

A smile with love to lend,
on a face you recognize
as a friend!

- Author Unknown

[MajestyJo]

Believe In Miracles
"When things have gone wrong,
as they sometimes will do,
Or an obstacle
suddenly pops into view,
You've got to believe
This is merely a stop
And eventually you're bound
to come out on top...
So whatever you do,
Just Don't Quit!"

By...Emily Matthews


http://www.angelwinks.net/images/mot23.jpg

[MajestyJo]

A Poem That Gives You Goosebumps...


A drunk man in an Oldsmobile

They said had run the light

That caused the six-car pileup

On 109 that night.

When broken bodies lay about

"And blood was everywhere,"

"The sirens screamed out eulogies,"

For death was in the air.

"A mother, trapped inside her car,"

Was heard above the noise;

Her plaintive plea near split the air:

"Oh, God, please spare my boys!"

She fought to loose her pinned hands;

"She struggled to get free,"

But mangled metal held her fast

In grim captivity.

Her frightened eyes then focused

"On where the back seat once had been,"

But all she saw was broken glass and

Two children's seats crushed in.

Her twins were nowhere to be seen;

" She did not hear them cry, "

"And then she prayed they'd been thrown free, "

"Oh, God, don't let them die! "

Then firemen came and cut her loose, "

"But when they searched the back, "

"They found therein no little boys , "

But the seat belts were intact.

They thought the woman had gone mad

"And was traveling alone, "

"But when they turned to question her, "

They discovered she was gone.

Policemen saw her running wild

An d screaming above the noise

"In beseeching supplication, "

Please help me find my boys!

They're four years old and wear blue shirts;

"Their jeans are blue to match.""

"One cop spoke up, ""They're in my car, "

And they don't have a scratch.

They said their daddy put them there

"And gave them each a cone, "

Then told them both to wait for Mom

To come and take them home.

"I've searched the area h igh and low, "

But I can't find their dad.

"He must have fled the scene, "

"I guess, and that is very bad."

"The mother hugged the twins and said, "

"While wiping at a tear, "

"He could not flee the scene, you s ee, "

"For he's been dead a year."

"The cop just looked confused and asked, "

"Now, how can that be true? "

"The boys said, ""Mommy, Daddy came "

"And left a kiss for you."" "

He told us not to worry

"And that you would be all right, "

And then he put us in this car with

"The pretty, flashing light. "

"We wanted him to stay with us, "

"Because we miss him so, "

"But Mommy, h e just hugged us tight "

And said he had to go.

He said someday we'd understand

"And told us not to fuss, "

"And he said to tell you, Mommy, "

"He's watching over us."

The mother knew without a doubt

"That what they spok e was true, "

"For she recalled their dad's last words, " " I will watch over you."

The firemen's notes could not explain

"The twisted, mangled car, "

And how the three of them escaped

Without a single scar.

"But on the cop's report was scribed, "

"In print so very fine, "

An angel walked the beat tonight on Highway 109.

"The 7 Second Prayer, Just repeat this phrase and see how God moves.

"Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless my Family, my home, my friends, and me. Amen. "


" The love of God is like the ocean, you can see its beginning,
But not its end."

ANGELS EXIST but some times, since they don't all have wings, we call them FRIENDS.

Posted this in 2008 on another site.

http://angelwinks.net/images/angelpod.jpg

This angel picture will change daily.

[MajestyJo]

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTlz-9BxOO2PT4QEzsItQdn6-nFBur6TrOuDdjX0UrOFCoLSls0AA

What we think of ourselves, we often project onto others. What we believe, often becomes 'Law" and we expect others to believe as we do.

Actions often speak louder than words. What is your body saying?
Do your words say who you really are? When people see you, do they see recovery.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQeN09jYayUxACwvSbZOttGbkpKG5CIb 6g2bkJ8UEji86lMKsvNUQ

[MajestyJo]

When we meditate, we begin to still the mind. As we get more and more adept at moving into inner silence, we come to know the peace of God in our entire being. We intuitively seek union with our generating Source. Silence, or meditation, is the path to that center. We can make conscious contact with God, transcend the limitations of a dichotomous world, and regain the power that is only available to us when we’re connected to the Source. This is what I call getting in the gap. It’s where we create, manifest, heal, live, and perform at a miraculous level. The gap is the powerful silence we can access through meditation. By entering the elusive gap between our thoughts, we can access the stillness that may have been unattainable in other meditation attempts.

Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qc2bearswbutterfly1.jpg

[MajestyJo]

"Everybody needs a hug. It changes your metabolism."
- - Leo Buscaglia

Hugs not drug! Such an awesome slogan. It was one of the things that kept me going to N/A which some people don't feel comfortable about giving. I always try to say, "Do you do hugs?" I try not to invade someone's space.

Hugs are a transfer of energy when done in the spirit of things that says, "You are not alone, I am here for you, glad to see you."

Hugs can be done with the wrong attitude and some people just want to 'cop a feel' but I have found that if you put your hands on someone's arms above the elbow, you can set a boundary.

Hugs are about how you feel emotionally, not about how you feel physically. Sometimes you need a hug to make you feel better and seldom have I received a heart felt hug and not felt the better for it.

Hugs are a transfer of energy. It is always extra special when both people are heart felt and come from the right place and space.


Tyrone Bartholdy Tabernacle III, was credited with the slogan "Do Hugs-Not Drugs", and was a big promoter of the slogan. He died on 10/2/09, the autopsy revealed the cause of death to be complications stemming from "acute hug overdose."

Rather ironic, that the person who thought up the slogan should die as a result of not heeding his own words. This disease is cunning, baffling and powerful. We know better, but do anyway. We may not pick up our drug of choice, and end up substituting, which leads to the old thinking, and takes us back to it and we wonder how we got there. That is why we have to be ever vigilant.

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSzcH45UJYzVyVY4Lc_trEbU3Z6ds3ta 4DIwigalSWP1HSF6fwq

[MajestyJo]

Today's Reminder from Courage to Change:

My thoughts are my teachers. Are they teaching me to love and appreciate myself and others, or are they teaching me to practice isolation? Today I will choose my teachers with great care.

"Live and let live" sets us free from the compulsion to criticize, judge, condemn and retaliate...[which] can damage us far more than those against whom we use such weapons. Al-Anon helps us to learn tolerance rooted in love.

- This Is Al-Anon

This was today's reading and gave me pause for thought. My thoughts are energy and what I think, I put out to the Universe. What I put out comes back to me.

So much of it calls for good motive and intent. Do I have good intentions towards myself and others. What is my motive for saying and doing what I do (did)?

All pause for thought! (Feb. 2, 2011.

When I re-read the quote, the thought that came to mind was, "Just because I had a feeling or a thought, didn't mean I had to act on it. That was something I had done wrong all of my life. I would see or hear and would immediately presume you were looking or talking about me and often in defense, I felt like I had to retaliate.

There was very little stop before you speak. I would hear things and perceive them as derogatory and hurtful, and would either want to pay you back or would burst out in tears and role play to the hilt. All in response to "It is your fault, look at what you made me do, if you hadn't done that, I wouldn't have...."

I took everything personal. I used my thoughts to beat myself up royally and I used your words as I perceived them to be, which were never validated, to put myself down, or I would hit back and put you down to make me feel better.

An ugly world, an unkind place, and I am glad I don't have to go there any more. I don't have to buy into other people's game and I don't have to role play and be someone I am not.

I had to heal those thoughts. I had to change the thinking. I had to allow myself to heal and forgive myself. Often it was my disease acting out. Many times it was all I knew and what I heard growing up and didn't know my thoughts were outdated.

I had to learn to allow others to have their thoughts. I just had to learn not to buy into them and give them power over me. It was important to not give up my own power. Power that I didn't know I had.

[MajestyJo]

“Sometimes when I'm talking, my words can't keep up with my thoughts. I wonder why we think faster than we speak.

Probably so we can think twice.” - - Bill Watterson

So true, the same happens with my fingers when I am typing.


"Live and let live" sets us free from the compulsion to criticize, judge, condemn and retaliate...[which] can damage us far more than those against whom we use such weapons. Al-Anon helps us to learn tolerance rooted in love. - This Is Al-Anon

Have found over the years that I have learned to hesitate and meditate before I speak. That is a real departure from the old me, even in recovery, I wanted to tell people, who it should be done!

For me to walk away and not react was and is a big step for me. I still may come back and share my own experience, strength, and hope. It just won't be done with resentment and anger. I have always been a person who has believed in standing up for what she believes in. For too many years, mum was the word and it all festered inside, only to explode in anger and hate. I am a firm believer in it isn't about what you say, it is about how you say it. When you let go of the anger and always having to be right, things can be stated in truth. Agreeing to disagree was a wonderful tool in recovery.

I think we all have a right to express our thoughts and feelings. It isn't about being right or wrong, it is about standing in our own truth. It is always my hope that what I say will help others. They don't have to agree with me, all I ask is that they keep an open mind. I try to share food for thought, that was given to me or something I heard from someone, and it gave me food for thought, and I hope it does you too.

[MajestyJo]

To: YOU
Date: TODAY
From: THE BOSS
Subject: YOURSELF
Reference: LIFE

I am God. Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help.

If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. All situations will be resolved, but in My time, not yours.

Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now.

If you find yourself stuck in traffic; Don't despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.

Should you have a bad day at work; Think of the man who has been out of work for years.

Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; Think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return.

Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; Think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children.

Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; Think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.

Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; Think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.

Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity.

Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; Remember, things could be worse. You could be one of them!

Should you decide to send this to a friend; Thank you, you may have touched their life in ways you will never know

I am sure this has been seen by many before today. For me, it always seems to arrive in my mailbox when I have a problem with letting go.

http://www.angelwinks.net/images/icq/sgly1.gif

[MajestyJo]

Identify your feelings. Look for what you need in today in order to recover from As Bill Sees It:

http://csoaamaine.org/absi/

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/mammals-bears-love/0111.gif

[MajestyJo]

Thoughts for the Day

Monday, July 7, 2014

What would you do first if you knew
you were about to start growing younger?
Dr. Bernie Siegel

"One can make a day of any size,
and regulate the rising and setting of his own sun
and the brightness of its shining."”
John Muir

“Youth is not a time of life –
it is a state of mind,
a temper of the will,
a quality of the imagination,
a vigor of the emotions,
a freshness of the deep springs of life.
Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years;
people grow old by deserting their ideals.
Years wrinkle the skin,
but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.
Whether 60 or 16,
there is in every human heart the lure of wonder,
the undaunted challenge of events,
the unfailing childlike appetite for what’’’’’’s next,
and the joy of the game of living.
We are as young as our self-confidence,
as old as our fear;
as young as our desire, or old as our despair.””

Samuel Ullman

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/mammals-bears-love/0077.gif

[MajestyJo]

Thoughts for the Day

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

“Intuition is what I know before I think.”
John Assaraf

“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift
and the rational mind is a faithful servant.
We have created a society that honors the servant
and has forgotten the gift.
We will not solve the problems of the world
from the same level of thinking we were at
when we created them.
More than anything else,
this new century demands new thinking:
We must change our materially based analyses
of the world around us to include broader,
more multidimensional perspectives.”
Albert Einstein
“Trust your own instinct.
Your mistakes might as well be your own,
instead of someone else's.”
Billy Wilder

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/mammals-bears-love/0087.gif

[MajestyJo]

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/phone-240x320-planets/0260.gif

Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find, to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He Whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best—
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.
Every day, the Lord Himself is near me
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,
He Whose Name is Counselor and Pow’r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
“As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,”
This the pledge to me He made.
Help me then in every tribulation
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E’er to take, as from a father’s hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till I reach the promised land.

This was my mom's favourite hymn and we played it at her funeral. A celebration of life instead of a loss, because we know her spirit lived on.

[MajestyJo]

Dance through your day

"Mix a little foolishness with your serious plans: it’s lovely to be silly at the right moment."

-- Horace

Today, we invite you to do the Take-Your-Time Tango. In his book ‘Games for the Soul,’ Drew Leder challenges us to dance through our days with the graceful, slow elegance of a tango dancer.

Slow down a notch," Leder counsels. "Do whatever you do in a calm and leisurely fashion. ... As much as possible, don’t be driven by inner fear, external deadlines, or rushed companions to stumble through a speeded-up dance. Act as if you have all the time in the world. Come to think of it, you do: No one else has any more hours."

So stand (or sit) tall. Raise your chin as you gather your full concentration, dignity and self confidence to glide smoothly and beautifully through the day.

"We look at the dance to impart the sensation of living in an affirmation of life, to energize the spectator into keener awareness of the vigor, the mystery, the humor, the variety, and the wonder of life."

-- Martha Graham

Used with permission from Higher Awareness

http://www.angelwinks.net/images/dis24.jpg


So much of our life was spent in fear and awaiting life with impending doom. This is a positive way of looking at life with a positive attitude instead of looking through rose-colored glasses.

I am what I think. I am what I feed my body, mind and spirit.

Originally posted on another site om 2005

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[MajestyJo]

Be true to yourself

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"In the final analysis, we count for something only because of the essential we embody, and if we do not embody that, life is wasted."

-- C.G. Jung

Where are you not being true to yourself?

All blocks arise when we’re not being authentic, when we’re not being true to ourselves. We know we’re not being authentic when we feel discomfort of any kind.

When our thoughts, feelings and actions align with our essence, we express the qualities of soul. Always trust that your soul knows what’s best for you.

Believe in yourself and act on your ideas. Give yourself permission to do what you want with your life. Take the initiative to set meaningful goals for yourself and achieve them. Begin to tell yourself why you CAN have what you want!

"A true knowledge of ourselves is knowledge of our power."

-- Mark Rutherford

(C) Reproductions Permitted: higherawareness.com

Recovery has to begin with me. I can`t, my God can.

[MajestyJo]

Answers in the Heart by Anonymous

Today's thought is:

The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed.
--Chamfort

When we are adrift in our addiction, we take ourselves very seriously and often lose contact with reality. We become lost in fantasy and obsession. Life becomes joyless because we can't see beyond our addiction, and we find no real satisfaction there. We lose touch with the joy and humor of life, and we find that everything around us and inside us is grim and dark. One of the many positive signs of our return to health and sanity is our recovery of the gift of laughter. Each day as we gain more energy and zest of life, we move in to the world and find many things that are humorous, in ourselves and in other people. We laugh and find we are no longer alone. Laughter is the mark of a healthy, happy human being. Laughter shows that we are truly a part of the human community. It is a sign that we are alive and on the way to recovery. I am glad that I can laugh again and feel in touch with myself and others.

A true blessing, is to find something on the shelf to help you in today.

The laughter I had today was directed at myself. Even my horoscope told me not to try to make things happen. Instead of happening, it ended up as a nothing day, every time I went to do something there was a block. It boiled down to taking a day off from the hussle and bussle of the last few days, and in the long run, I achieved what I needed by staying at home and just picking up the phone.

When I get out of my own way, things happen as they should. When I go with the flow, follow the direction of the steps, then things unfold as they should be, rather than the way I would have them be.

As they say, "If you want to make God laugh, just tell Him your plans!"

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/mammals-dogs/miniatures/0130.gif

[MajestyJo]

The Reflecting Pond by Liane Cordes

The greatest gift we can give another person is the gift of ourselves. When we can share our deepest convictions and failures, our ideals and disillusionments, our hopes and frustrations, our dreams and despairs, our answers and our questions then we are loving our neighbors as ourselves as well as loving our enemies.

A friend put it this way: If I share the whole of me with you, I share the good as well as the bad. I don't hide anything of myself from you, not in a deep friendship, or a deep marriage for that matter. By sharing some things I hate about myself, I'm loving my inside enemy. I'm telling you I'm still human and have a lot of growing to do. I'd love to tell you only about all my good points: it would make me feel a lot better, but it wouldn't be sharing all of me with you.

TODAY I will concentrate on sharing my insides and outsides with another. I will listen to myself as I talk. I will not be satisfied if I sit on my laurels or wallow in my woes. I will improve myself by becoming aware of how I communicate to others.

Great words posted in 2004 on another site.

What we see in others, is a reflection of ourself. It takes one to know one. When I talk to my friend, one of us will say, "This has to be your stuff, it can't be mine." Then we laugh, because we know we have the same issues, maybe not the same circumstance triggered it, yet we all have our own trauma/experience, real or imagined.

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[MajestyJo]

It's In The Valleys We Grow.

Sometimes life seems hard to bear,
Full of sorrow, trouble and woe
It's then I have to remember
That it's in the valleys I grow.

If I always stayed on the mountain top
And never experienced pain,
I would never appreciate God's love
And would be living in vain.

I have so much to learn
And my growth is very slow,
Sometimes I need the mountain tops,
But it's in the valleys I grow.

I do not always understand
Why things happen as they do,
But I am very sure of one thing.
My Lord will see me through.

My little valleys are nothing
When I picture Christ on the cross
He went through the valley of death;
His victory was Satan's loss.

Forgive me Lord, for complaining
When I'm feeling so very low.
Just give me a gentle reminder
That it's in the valleys I grow.

Continue to strengthen me, Lord
And use my life each day
To share your love with others
And help them find their way.

Thank you for valleys, Lord
For this one thing I know
The mountain tops are glorious
But it's in the valleys I grow!



It is when we are at our lowest lows that we as humans do the one thing that almost comes instinctively.... we seek out God. God to guide us through our bad times in the "valleys." But as we climb those mountains, and peek back to where we were we see all the growth we have made. And we can find our strength to continue our journey.

Arlene

As we progress in recovery, the valleys aren't so low and the mountain's aren't so high. We have the tools to deal with life on life's terms and we no longer need to make mountains out of mole hills or sink into depression so low that we can't get out.

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/mammals-dogs/miniatures/0142.gif

[MajestyJo]

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRYmjqd9CpiieVILY_5rlidQbHO9EwMk IAG1TDYZuqPhL4iKYN26g

Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!
Dr. Seuss

A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.
William Shakespeare

To succeed in life, you need two things: ignorance and confidence.
Mark Twain

[MajestyJo]

"Our own thoughts can play such a role in our lives. If we put in our mind that we can't do something, then you're already setting yourself up for failure or disappointment. If we tell ourselves that we can do it then we will have better results. The way your start your day, with positive or negative thoughts, is what your day is going to be. Always think good thoughts and try to keep a positive attitude and you will feel more joy in your life and in your heart. See the beauty that surrounds you."

Written in 2014 by Renee Scalfani --- Massachusetts

http://cdn-4.motivateus.com/images/from-others/lauren-possible.jpg

inspirational photo quote Submitted by Lauren Covington

[MajestyJo]

http://cdn-1.motivateus.com/images/from-others/lauren-this-is-your-time.jpg

http://cdn-6.motivateus.com/images/from-others/fear-will-not-rule.jpg

[MajestyJo]

Believe In Yourself

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You are your greatest asset,
there is nothing you can't do.
No one can stop you from dreaming,
only you can stop them from coming true.

Your achievements are determined
by the desire that you possess
Believe in who you are
Believe in what you do
It's not a quirk of fate ...
It's strictly up to you.

- Author Unknown

[MajestyJo]

My Wish For You

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcbearfrogflowers1.jpg

May God grant you always-
A sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
A sheltering Angel
So nothing can harm you,
Laughter to cheer you,
Faithful friends near you
And whenever you pray,
Heaven to hear you.

[MajestyJo]

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/phone-240x320-birds/0198.gif

More to improve and fewer to disapprove
More doers and fewer talkers
More to say it can be done and fewer to say it's impossible
More to inspire others and fewer to throw cold water on them
More to get into the thick of things and fewer to sit on the side lines.
More to point out what's right and fewer to show what's wrong
More to light a candle and fewer the curse the darkness.

- Author Unknown

[MajestyJo]

My Dear Friend

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcmousewflowers1.jpg

We sometimes get so busy
That we may not make a fuss
About the ones we care for
And who mean so much to us...
But you can be sure
you're thought about
And loved a whole lot, too,
Because there couldn't ever be
A friend more dear than you.

From Angelwinks

[MajestyJo]

Just For You

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qckittywflowers1.jpg

A friend is someone
who brightens your day
with a smile,
a warm hello,
or gentle words
from the heart.
A friend is a precious gift
to be cherished,
and nurtured.
A friend is a treasure
beyond worth.
I am happy to call you
My Special Friend!

[MajestyJo]

Angels Are Among Us

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcsmangelwithbird1.jpg

I believe in Angels,
Their presence is everywhere
In the warmth of a helping hand,
In the smiles that people share.
Angels are at the heart
Of the good things people do,
And when our days are troubled
Their caring guides us through.
Angels' love is all around
In stars that light the night,
In a mother's gentle words
And arms that hold you tight.
I believe that Angels
Are special messengers of love,
God's way of making earth
A bit more like Heaven above.

- Author Unknown

This reminds me of Carol Song.

[MajestyJo]

We Were Meant To Be

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qc2redroses1.jpg

Something about us
seems so natural and complete,
like we were always
meant to be together
and nothing could ever
change the way we feel.
Maybe it's the way we know
what the other
person is thinking.
Maybe it's how our
moods and emotions
compliment each other so well.
Or maybe it's that
we dream the same dreams
and share the same values...
Whatever it is,
it grows stronger
and deeper every day.
Whatever it is...
it means that I Love You.

- Author Unknown

[MajestyJo]

My Friend

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcgirlndogbypond2.jpg

You are a special part
of all that I hold
dear to heart.

And when the days
and miles divide us,
our friendship still
lives on inside us.

The dreams we've shared,
the laughter, too...
I love the friend
I Found In You!


- Author Unknown

[MajestyJo]

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcdovewithblueflowers1.jpg

If I can endure for this minute
Whatever is happening to me,
No matter how heavy my heart is
Or how dark the moment may be-
If I can remain calm and quiet
With all the world crashing about me,
Secure in the knowledge God loves me
When everyone else seems to doubt me-
If I can but keep on believing
What I know in my heart to be true,
That darkness will fade with the morning
And that this will pass away, too-
Then nothing in life can defeat me
For as long as this knowledge remains
I can suffer whatever is happening
For I know God will break all of the chains
That are binding me tight in the darkness
And trying to fill me with fear-
For there is no night without dawning
And I know that my morning is near.

Author- ©Helen Steiner Rice

[MajestyJo]

You're An Angel To Me

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcchildangeloncloud1.jpg

You're always finding reasons
to make someone feel a part
of all the love and gentleness
you carry in your heart.

And, like a special Angel,
you do such caring things
that you deserve to have
your very own Angel wings!

- Author Unknown

[MajestyJo]

The Gift Of Living

http://angelwinks.net/images/naturepod/naturepod427.jpg

Thank You, God, for giving
Me the gift of living
In this curious, strange
World where all things change
And where I can grow to be
My best and utmost me.
Thank You that I desire
Always to mount up higher
And be something more
Than I have been before,
And thank You for my mind
That always seeks to find
The beautiful and true
And be one with You.

© By James Dillet Freeman

[MajestyJo]

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcpinkcactus1.jpg

Thoughts Of You

Hidden Beauty
~
Like a thorny cactus
hidden in the desert grass
delighting us with the beauty
of its sudden bloom ...

Your precious smile
adds a touch of class
lighting up even
the darkest room!

[MajestyJo]

The Beauty Of Life Is All Around You

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcgirlwithdoves1.jpg

Life is an opportunity,
benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is costly, care for it.
Life is wealth, keep it.
Life is love, enjoy it.
Life is mystery, know it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious,
do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.

- Mother Teresa

[MajestyJo]

Bestest Angel Hugs

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcangelchild2.jpg

I'm just a little Angel
Sent from up above
To help guide you and protect you
And give you lots of love.

On those days when you feel lonely
Kinda sad and blue
You'll feel my little Angel wings
Tenderly enfolding you.

I'm just a little Angel
Come down from Heaven above
Who will always and forever
Give you my "Bestest" Angel Hugs.

©AngelWinks 2000

[MajestyJo]

Our Special Friendship

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qc2smangels3.jpg

We've shared the
kind of friendship
that's grown deeper
through the years,
We've seen the ups,
we've known the downs,
we've shared the
smiles and tears.

And through it all,
I've learned one thing
that there could never be
A dearer friend
in all the world
than the one
You Are To Me.

- Author Unknown

[MajestyJo]

I Love You

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qckitten1.jpg

I Love You because ...
whenever you smile
it really lights up your face,
Because your laughter
fills up a room
and makes it a happier place.
I Love You because
you hug me real tight
and tell me you love me, too.
I Love You because
there's nobody else
in the whole wide world
like YOU!

[MajestyJo]

Angelic Whispers

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Have you ever truly heard
An Angel whisper in your ear?
Their voices are soft and comforting
Letting you know
you have nothing to fear.

If you listen very carefully
You just might hear their sweet voice
Whispering to you of God's perfect love
And all things that make you rejoice.

They do their very best
To always watch over you
To keep you safe and happy
In everything you do.

So, next time you feel lonely
Kinda scared and feeling blue
Just whisper to your Angel...
... And listen ...
For they'll whisper back to you.

~ And You'll Feel Their Love ~

©AngelWinks 2000

[MajestyJo]

A Friend So Dear

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcdognkittens1.jpg

What a joy it is to have
A friend as dear as you
To think about and care about
And count on always too.

And so today I'd like to say,
I'm grateful as can be
For all you do and all you are
And all you mean to me.

[MajestyJo]

Sometimes we forget that this is one day at a time, and a reason to celebrate. At the end of the month we get to celebrate by having a birthday party at our group.

For all of you who have stayed clean and sober for a day, a week, a month, a year, and/or several years, Happy Birthday.


Happy Birthday

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcangelbd1.jpg

This card is filled with wishes
for a very special day,
One that brings a world of joy
and happiness your way-
It's also filled with loving thoughts
especially meant for you,
For you're the kind of person
happy things should happen to!
~ Happy Birthday ~

[MajestyJo]

Get Well Wishes

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcbeargetwell1.jpg

It's surely no fun
To be under the weather
I hope very soon
You'll be feeling much better.

Lots of good wishes
And get well hugs too
Are sent with this card
Especially For You!

©AngelWinks 2001

You don't have to be a newcomer, or someone with a physical pain to be sick and hurting. Our mental and emotional pains can come out physically.

So often we see a scar and think it is healed up because it is closed up. We forget that there are layer below that may not be healed, because we haven't seen it or acknowledged it.

If you are hurting, may I suggest you take an inventory.

[MajestyJo]

I Care About You

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcsunset1.jpg

Caring starts with little things...
A smile, a word, a deed,
The quiet understanding
Of another person's need.
It grows with every thoughtful act,
Each laugh or secret shared,
And all the little kindnesses
that whisper "someone cared."
I care...Just wanted you to know.

[MajestyJo]

Special Wishes For You

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcangeloftheclouds.jpg

When you're lonely
I pray you feel God's love.
When you're down
I pray God gives you joy.
When you're troubled
I pray you know God's peace.
When things are complicated
I pray you find simple beauty.
When things are chaotic
I pray you are given inner silence.
When things look empty
I pray you know hope in Jesus.

~ Author Unknown ~

[MajestyJo]

A Hug Just For You

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcbearshugging2.jpg

There are hugs that say I like you
and I hold your friendship dear.
There are hugs that say
"good going" you deserve
a great big cheer.
There are hugs that say goodbye,
good luck in all that lies ahead.
There are hugs that say I love you
when no other words are said.
There are hugs that soothe
and say to us you're free
from cares and harms.
The kind of hug we feel
when God holds us
within His arms.

- Author Unknown

[MajestyJo]

Pass A Smile Along

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcteabears.jpg

Smiling is infectious,
you catch it like the flu.
When someone
smiled at me today,
I started smiling too.
I passed around the corner,
and someone saw my grin...
When he smiled I realized,
I'd passed it on to him.
I thought about that smile,
then I realized its worth,
A single smile, just like mine,
could travel round the earth.
So, if you feel a smile begin,
don't leave it undetected...
Let's start an epidemic quick
and get the world Smile Infected!
- Author Unknown

Some of these may seem like a lot of mush and slush, but remember God comes from a place of love.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQH7yL0Lm6dZW3OtwJwiqY-nBj9rQqO5miu9_17TKShdhrAzebXow

[MajestyJo]

God Somehow Knew

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/angelwflower3.jpg

God knew there would be times
You'd need a word of cheer
Someone to praise a triumph
Or brush away a tear.
He knew you'd need to share
The joy of little things
In order to appreciate
The happiness life brings.
He knew your troubled heart
Would sometimes throb with pain
At trials and misfortunes
Or some goals you can't attain.
He knew you'd need some comfort
And loving guidance, too,
So He answered the
heart's great need
And sent an Angel just for You.

- Author Unknown

[MajestyJo]

~ Serenity Prayer ~

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcchildpraying2.jpg

God grant me
the Serenity to
accept the things
I cannot change,
Courage to change
the things I can,
And the Wisdom to
know the difference.

You're in my
Thoughts and Prayers

[MajestyJo]

You're A Special Friend

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qckittenonfence1.jpg

Sometimes when I'm lonely
I sit and think of you
Instantly my mood is lifted
And I'm no longer blue.

I know that you're special
A kind and loving friend
Thoughts of you and your smile
Bring my sad feelings to an end.

It takes a rare person
With a heart so big and true
I wish you all God's blessings-
It's so wonderful knowing you!

©AngelWinks 2000

[MajestyJo]

May You Be Blessed

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcsmangelpraying2.jpg

Each thought of you
brings memories
Of the happy times
we've shared,
Memories of
the many ways
You've shown how
much you cared...
And at this time
it means a lot
To say a prayer for you
That you will be
especially blessed
Today and all year through.

[MajestyJo]

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/phone-240x320-bears/0130.gif

When it seems we have no recourse, we can always pray.

Coming to believe that a Higher Power can help us and relieve us of our worry may take time if we have spent years trying to stop someone's drinking or worrying about how to keep the family together. From others in this program we can learn the steps to take. Becoming willing to pray is the first one.

We'll soon discover that the power of prayer is awesome. Here are six compelling reasons why:
(1) Prayer promises relief when we are anxious.
(2) Prayer connects us with our Higher Power when we feel isolated and full of fear.
(3) Prayer frees our minds from the obsession to plan other people's lives.
(4) Prayer helps us take action when we feel compelled to change the circumstances of our lives. (5) Prayer becomes a wonderful resource to draw on when living through our painful moments.
(6) And prayer gives us the willingness to accept God's solution for every problem that plagues us.

I will utilize prayer today every time I wonder what I should do. You are reading from the book:

A Life of My Own by Karen Casey

[MajestyJo]

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcmyspecfriendpoemcard.jpg

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQw16QcUS8Y6lHGd1I4--n-9n8ONWvU87ESfCCsdvgIVuIZV18syA

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRzEOIIjdoSIWsiU4Wg9CACq0O5RxpEM ElN9tw77oLocfen7oLGyg

[MajestyJo]

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcangels446.jpg

When the roses lose their fragrance,
and the world seems at an end,
when the day has lost its gladness,
what a blessing is a Friend.

One who takes you as she finds you,
caring not who is to blame,
One who knows all your shortcomings,
but who loves you just the same.

Heaven sends a gift each morn,
of a bright new day to spend,
what a joy it is to share it with,
God's greatest gift ...
A Friend!

~ Author Unknown ~

[MajestyJo]

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/phone-240x320-love-uk/0008.gif

Not sure what to this, but the word that comes to mind is Love.

So am going to write it and see what comes up. I was just looking at the readings. The reading on Resentments had been read sixteen times. The reading on Love was read only once.

Am I a creature of habit? Am I drawn to the negative instead of the positive? Have I not healed all those old resentments or am I dealing with new ones? When I come from a place of 'Love' then it is my experience that I don't hang on to them.

Written in 2009

Here we are 5 years later, do the questions still apply? For me, that is why it is one day at a time. One days thoughts and feelings, and learning to practice, practice, practice applying the program to them.

Do we think we know what love is? Do we take it for granted? Do we express it? Do we realize the extent of our Higher Power's love for us?
Is it because we love ourselves or are we still full of ourselves? Do we think we have no more love to give? How do we express that love? Is it unconditional?

[MajestyJo]

Science is bound, by the everlasting vow of honour, to face fearlessly every problem which can be fairly presented to it.
Lord Kelvin

They may call it science, I prefer to think of it as Divine Orderly Good working in my life.

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcwcat348.jpg


A vow is a purely religious act which cannot be taken in a fit of passion. It can be taken only with a mind purified and composed and with God as witness.
Mahatma Gandhi

[MajestyJo]

YOU

http://angelwinks.net/images/suemiller/suemiller7.jpg

You can't be all things to all people.
You can't do all things at once.
You can't do all things equally well.
You can't do all things better than everyone else.
Your humanity is showing just like everyone else's.

So...

You have to find out who you are, and be that.
You have to decide what comes first and do that.
You have to discover your strengths, and use them.
You have to learn not to compete with others,
Because no one else is in the contest of "being you".

Then...

You will have learned to accept your own uniqueness.
You will have learned to set priorities and make decisions.
You will have learned to live with your limitations.
You will have learned to give yourself the respect that is due,
And you'll be a being that's vitally alive.

Dare To Believe...

That you are a wonderful unique person.
That you are a once-in-all-history event.
That it's more than a right, it's your duty, to be who you are.
That life is not a problem to solve, but a gift to cherish,
and you'll be able to stay one up on what used to get you down.

author unknown

[MajestyJo]

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcillusionB.jpg

Never fear God is near. Acknowledge Him, don't take Him for granted.

If I stop looking for Him, I may miss reaching out to Him when times are tough. I need to reach out at all times and not be a fair weather friend.

[MajestyJo]

A Thank-You Poem

http://angelwinks.net/images/lisavictoria/lisavictoria3.jpg

It has been within the last few years, my great privilege to have met some very special women, to whom I owe a lasting debt.

A dept of heart-felt gratitude, for the kindness and support for the gift of understanding, and inspiration they afford.

These strong and caring women, each unique in their own way have offered something precious that mere words just cannot say.

But

Thank you for the friendship and for simply being there
Thank you for reality checks that prove you really care
And thank you for encouraging me
To be all that I can be
To spread my wings - to fly out there
Healty, happy and free.

An it isn't necessary to point out names
Cause you all know who you are
Just know that I applaud you
And from my heart, you shan't be far.

- Lois Stargratt

[MajestyJo]

MY FRIEND

http://angelwinks.net/images/suemiller/suemiller4.jpg

As I travel down life's highway,
I know my Lord's always there,
And I know I can rely upon
His tender loving care,

For He knows all of the byways
that I'm likely to explore
So He watches over me
because He's been that way before.

And when my road seems all uphill
and shadows gather round,
His understanding presence is
a blessing so profound.

I know that when I seek Him and
on Him my problems place,
He turns each stumbling-block
into a stepping-stone of faith.

If I follow His directions,
on the Lighted Path I'll stay,
And I'll reach my destination in the most straightforward way,

For He will not see me burdened
with a weight I cannot bear,
With His help I can stand straight and tall,
because His strength I share.

To me, each day's a beginning,
and a chance for me to show
Just how much I love and trust Him,
how much closer we can grow.

Just imagine, the Creator of the earth,
moon, stars and sun
Is my Friend and, to Him,
my soul is a very special one.

For I know He really loves me,
with a love that has no end,
And for comfort and enrichment
I can truly recommend

The assurance that He gives me,
and the hope that my heart feels,
As my strength grows stronger
with each truth His faithfulness reveals.

There's no limit to His Loving,
to His Patience, to His Power,
As He teaches me and guides me,
day by day and hour by hour.

So, if miracles are missing from your life,
don't muddle through,
Please, just call Him, He will hear you.
My friend could be your Friend too!

Jacqueline Ramm (c)

Brought To You By smilesr4u

[MajestyJo]

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcdognkitten2.jpg

I'm so glad
I have you
to share with
to laugh with,
to dream with...
I'm so glad
you're the special
kind of person
that you are...
tender, caring
and understanding.
I'm so glad-
You came into my life!

[MajestyJo]

The following is a list of 110 self-nurturing ideas that have to do with "Esteem Needs." Do at least one of these activities every day.

http://angelwinks.net/images/greetingspod/greetingspod82.jpg

Psysiological Needs:

Eat breakfast
Take a nap
Break a bad habit, if just for today
Get at least 7 hours sleep
Drink 8 glasses of water today
Eat a healthy snack

Safety Needs:

Repair something in your home
Learn how to protect your health
Wear a seat belt

Belonging and Love Needs:

Call your mother or father
Search out a long-lost friend
Open up to the person closest to you
Pay a compliment
Turn off the TV and talk
Get to know the neighbor's dog or cat
Listen to what you hear
Tell someone you love him or her
Hold a hand
Hug someone
Contact someone you've been thinking about
Admire a child
Get to know the neighbors
Kiss a friend
Tell someone how much you appreciate him or her

Esteem Needs:

Blow up a balloon and turn it loose
Make your own candles
Walk instead of ride
Give yourself a compliment
Read a poem aloud
Look at the stars
Use a new word
Frame a picture
Forget an old grudge
Take yourself to lunch
Go to the library
Try a new food
Listen to the rain on the roof
Feed the ducks
Jump in a pile of leaves
Appreciate trees
Sign up for a class
Study a dew-laden cobweb
Learn something new
Sing in the shower
List ten things you do well
Walk in the rain
Waste a little time
Curl up before an open fire
Buy a ticket to a special event
Return something you've borrowed
Organize some small corner of your life
Pop popcorn
Draw a picture, even if you can't draw
Keep a secret
Enjoy silence
Walk to the nearest park
Go wading
Light a candle and read by candlelight
Pick up some travel brochures and dream
Smell a flower
Clean out your wallet
Take an early morning walk
Look at old photos
Run down a hill
Write a poem
Start a new project
Walk barefoot
Tell a joke
Take a different road to get home
Build a sandcastle
Ask someone for help
Let someone do you a favor
Reread a favorite book
Listen to the dawn
Imagine being your favorite tree
Watch the sun set
Hide a love note where a loved one will find it
Make a surprise gift
Go to a fair
Lie on the grass
Go for a swim
Rearrange a room
Let someone love you
Drop a quarter where someone will find it
Hum
Bake bread

Self-Actualization Needs:

Visit a lonely person or a shut-in
Help a stranger
Be thankful
Take a risk
Do something you've always wanted to do
Say "yes"
Say "no"
Meditate
Throw away something you don't like
Try to feel another person's hurt (or joy)
Practice courage in one small way
Warm a heart
Laugh at yourself
Send a card to someone for no reason
Encourage a young person
Follow an impulse
Put yourself out for someone
Acknowledge when you are wrong
Volunteer some time to a good cause
Give yourself a present
Allow yourself to make a mistake
Allow yourself to make another mistake
Do something hard to do
Don't do something -- sit there
Take time to talk to neighborhood children

Source unknown to me

[MajestyJo]

http://angelwinks.net/images/greetingspod/greetingspod83.jpg

Poems say thank you.

Saying thank you may be the two hardest words that friends share. We like to see ourselves as independent and not needing anyone's help. When a friend does something for us, it is difficult to humble ourselves by thanking them. Believe it or not, as strong as your need is to believe yourself independent, your friend may have an even stronger need to hear the words "thank you". Your friend will appreciate that he is also a contributor to the friendship.

[MajestyJo]

For August 28th


HOW! How it works, honesty, open-mindedness and willingness. I thought I had honesty first because I thought I was cash register honest and thought I didn't lie, I was raised to tell a lie was a 'sin' and heaven forbid that I should bring down the wrath of God by doing such a thing. What I found out was that I stole attention, affecton, time, and many other things that were not mine to take. Self-honesty was the last things I was a process and as I worked the steps, I was able to get more and more honest.

My mind was open, but it was conditional. I knew that my best thinking got me to the doors of recovery. I knew that I had to change my way of thinking but I wasn't too sure that I was willing to accept yours any more than I was willing to let mine go. I learned that if I kept my mind open, that I would hear what I needed to hear, when I needed to hear it.

Willing! Willing to go any length to stay sober. Willing to go to meetings. Willing to work the Steps. Willing to get a sponsor. Even more important, was the willingness to call her, in good times as well as the bad times.

Not always sure, how it works, just know it does. When I do the basics, do what is suggested, go to meetings, get a sponsor, get a group, get active and not pick up, no matter what. Not only not my drug of choice but not substituting one for the other. I stayed sick a long time because of it. I tried my way and my way didn't work.

I could stop,but couldn't stay stopped. When I found AA, I was able to stop, and lost my desire to drink and drug. Pills were dried up alcohol to me.

How Does It Work? One day at a time.

It is a spiritual program,and just for today, I choose not to use. The drug is but a symptom of my disease. Alcohol is a drug. The problem is me.

http://www.angeleyes1.com/platinum6/pictures/images/an/bl5.jpg

[MajestyJo]

God's Jobs

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae181/clazikas/god-loves-you.jpg

An eight year old wrote this for his third-grade
Sunday school teacher, who asked her students
to explain God:

One of God's main jobs is making people.
He makes these to put in the place of the ones
who die so there will be enough people to take
care of things here on earth. He doesn't make
grownups, he just makes babies. I think because
they are smaller and easier to make. That way he
doesn't have to take up his valuable time teaching
them to walk and talk. He can just leave that up to
the mothers and fathers.
I think it works out pretty good.

God's second most important job is listening to prayers.
An awful lot of this goes on, 'cause some people, like
preachers and things, pray other times besides
bedtimes, and Grandpa and Grandma pray every time
they eat, except for snacks. God doesn't have time to
listen to the radio and watch TV on account of this.
'Cause God hears everything, there must be a
terrible lot of noise in his ears unless he has thought
of a way to turn it down.

God sees and hears everything and is everywhere,
which keeps him pretty busy. So you shouldn't go
wasting his time asking for things that aren't
important, or go over parents' heads and ask for
something they said you couldn't have.
It doesn't work anyway.

by Jack Canfield

[MajestyJo]

Thoughts for the Day

Saturday, August 30, 2014

“The vast majority of people are born,
grow up, struggle,
and go through life in misery and failure,
not realizing that it would be just as easy
to switch over and get exactly
what they want out of life,
not recognizing that the mind attracts
the thing it dwells upon.”
Napoleon Hill

“What we are today
comes from our thoughts of yesterday,
and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow:
Our life is the creation of our mind.”
Buddha

“The grateful mind is constantly fixated upon the best.
Therefore it tends to become the best.
It takes the form or character from the best,
and will receive the best.”

Wallace D.Wattles

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===

Thoughts for the Day

Friday, August 29, 2014

“The beginning of thought is in disagreement –
not only with others but also with ourselves.”
Eric Hoffer

The Passionate State of Mind: And Other Aphorisms

“Have faith in your ability to think.
Remember, the mind will not function well
when it is nervous or panicky.
Only when it is calm and quiet
will it produce those insights that are necessary
to improve your circumstances.”
Norman Vincent Peale

“Your mind can grasp intellectual ideas,
but it is in the FEELING
where the transformation takes place.”
Stephen Richards

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQelCik9rXsAM6yjA9XYkIuvQGAth1kX HU5NbHH5AZHW8iNKsIG

[MajestyJo]

“Faith admits us into death’s secrets.
Death is not the end of the road,
but a gateway to a better place.
It is in this place
that our noblest aspirations
will be realised.
It is here that we will understand
how our experiences
of goodness, love, beauty and joy
are realities which exist perfectly in God.
It is in heaven
that we shall rest in him,
and our hearts will be restless
until they rest in God.
We, left to continue
our pilgrimage through life,
weep and mourn.
You, Diana, and your companions, too,
are on your way to union with him
who loves you so.
He knows the love
which you, Diana, had for others.
God speaks now of his love for you.
Our tears will not be bitter ones now,
but a gentle weeping to rob our sadness of its agony
and lead at last to peace,peace with God.”

“Faith admits us into death’s secrets.
Death is not the end of the road,
but a gateway to a better place.
It is in this place
that our noblest aspirations
will be realised.
It is here that we will understand
how our experiences
of goodness, love, beauty and joy
are realities which exist perfectly in God.
It is in heaven
that we shall rest in him,
and our hearts will be restless
until they rest in God.
We, left to continue
our pilgrimage through life,
weep and mourn.
You, Diana, and your companions, too,
are on your way to union with him
who loves you so.
He knows the love
which you, Diana, had for others.
God speaks now of his love for you.
Our tears
will not be bitter ones now,
but a gentle weeping
to rob our sadness of its agony
and lead at last to peace,
peace with God.”

“Faith admits us into death’s secrets.
Death is not the end of the road,
but a gateway to a better place.
It is in this place
that our noblest aspirations
will be realised.
It is here that we will understand
how our experiences
of goodness, love, beauty and joy
are realities which exist perfectly in God.
It is in heaven
that we shall rest in him,
and our hearts will be restless
until they rest in God.
We, left to continue
our pilgrimage through life,
weep and mourn.
You, Diana, and your companions, too,
are on your way to union with him
who loves you so.
He knows the love
which you, Diana, had for others.
God speaks now of his love for you.
Our tears
will not be bitter ones now,
but a gentle weeping
to rob our sadness of its agony
and lead at last to peace,
peace with God.”


http://angelwinks.net/images/generalpod/generalpod1118.jpg

Princess Diana had said:
“There are two important things in life:
kindness in another’s trouble,
and courage in your own.”

[MajestyJo]

Spiritual Animal of the Week: The Frog

http://www.spiritanimal.info/frog-spirit-animal/

For me, it means cleansing and is one of my totems that is for my below. Water is grounding for me, and it is important for me to cleanse my body, mind and spirit.

http://www.whats-your-sign.com/animal-symbolism-frog.html

http://www.whats-your-sign.com/images/AnimalSymbolismFrogMeaning.jpg

[MajestyJo]

Many of us have trust issues.

Some of us tried long and hard to trust unworthy people. Over and again, we believed lies and promises never to be kept. Some of tried to trust people with the impossible; for instance, trusting a practicing alcoholic not to drink again.

Some of us trusted our Higher Power inappropriately. We trusted God to make other people do what we wanted, then felt betrayed when that didn't work out.

Some of us were taught that life couldn't be trusted, that we had to control and manipulate our way through.

Most of us were taught, inappropriately, that we couldn't trust ourselves.

In recovery, we're healing from our trust issues. We're learning to trust again. The first lesson in trust is this: We can learn to trust ourselves. We can be trusted/. If others others have taught us we cannot trust ourselves; they were lying. Addictions and dysfunctional systems make people lie.

We can learn to appropriately trust our Higher Power - not to make people do what we want them to, but to help us take care of ourselves, and to bring about the best possible circumstances, at the best possible time, in our life.

We can trust the process - of life and recovery. We do not have to control, obsess, or become hyper-vigilant. We may not always understand where we are going, or what's being worked out in us, but we can trust that something good is happening.

We we learn to do this, we are ready to learn to trust other people. When we trust our Higher Power and when we trust ourselves, we will know who to trust and what to trust that person for.

Perhaps we always did. We just didn't listen closely enough to ourselves or trust what we heard.

Today, I will affirm that I can learn to trust appropriately. I can trust myself, my Higher Power, and recovery. I can learn to appropriately trust others too.

- Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie

Posted in 2007


Addictions and dysfunctional systems make people lie.


This line really struck me hard for some reason today. Perhaps, again it is another lesson on self-honesty and remembering that recovery begins with me and is not conditional to anything else outside of myself, as long as I don't pick up, when I live in today.

I am typing this out so it can sink in rather than going to a site to copy and paste.

I read this reading to my Al-Anon sponsor this afternoon. Went to an AA meeting with a friend tonight. It was good to see some friends I hadn't seen for a long while. There was also a person there who I had heard relapsed. It is great that the person made it back into the rooms and has another chance at recovery. The person had 20 years of recovery. It really makes you stop and think.

I need to trust in recovery, live in today, and take my HP with me. I can do no more.

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/mammals-cats/0222.gif

[MajestyJo]

http://i1068.photobucket.com/albums/u457/searchq7/Whentheworldsaysgiveuphopewhisperstryitonemoretime _zps8440a76b.jpg

"The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof."

-- Barbara Kingsolver


I love the concept of putting all good things in your sacred space and surrounding yourself with them.

For many years, I wasted time sitting hoping for things to change, not realizing that I had to do the footwork to bring it about. I just couldn't sit around on my laurels and wish my life away.

Allan K. Chalmers:

The Grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.


Hope is not a plan!

"Hope is a verb with its sleeves rolled up.”

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[MajestyJo]

Quotations for Motivation, Inspiration or Contemplation

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Thought Of The Day

"If you live in darkness and live by the light of the candle, then you must understand the language of the flames before they fade and before you light another."

Written in 2013 by Syed Amaan Ahmad --- India

It is about "opportunities" and how we generally ignore them while other people take risks.

Thought For The Day

"A blind man is not disabled; he is only unable to see with his eyes. Inability is not disability. A blind mind is worse for he cannot see a way out of his difficulties and he cannot see the opportunities around him, therefore, he suffers."

Written in 2014 by Sheye Hassan --- Nigeria

Thoughts Of The Day

"Cherish every day. Yes, laugh, sing, play and remember to find time to pray. Enjoy the cool breeze or the rays of the sun. Smile and tell someone you love them. Yes, cherish every day before the days pass away."

Written in 2013 by Janice Harris --- Florida

Take time to live and enjoy your life. It is a gift not to be taken lightly. Cherish it and make good use of it.

"I always welcome obstacles and try to solve them in an awesome manner. Never treat obstacles as problems but treat them as a game and in the such game, play like a Winner because YOU DESERVE IT."

Written in 2014 by Amit Mane --- India

Keep in mind obstacles arises to test your confidence. Therefore your confidence must be strong enough to claim your success.

"One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity."

Albert Schweitzer --- Submitted by George Wachirah --- Kenya

"To reach your goals, you need to live for only three people: First, God. Second, Yourself. And finally, Nobody."

Written in 2014 by Albert Douglas Quayson --- Ghana

Do not try to impress everybody because you will end up impressing no one including yourself.

Read more at http://www.motivateus.com/thoughts-of-the-day.htm#BwiikDwrTos7ruzc.99

[MajestyJo]

When it seems we have no recourse, we can always pray.

Coming to believe that a Higher Power can help us and relieve us of our worry may take time if we have spent years trying to stop someone's drinking or worrying about how to keep the family together. From others in this program we can learn the steps to take. Becoming willing to pray is the first one.

We'll soon discover that the power of prayer is awesome. Here are six compelling reasons why:
(1) Prayer promises relief when we are anxious.
(2) Prayer connects us with our Higher Power when we feel isolated and full of fear.
(3) Prayer frees our minds from the obsession to plan other people's lives.
(4) Prayer helps us take action when we feel compelled to change the circumstances of our lives. (5) Prayer becomes a wonderful resource to draw on when living through our painful moments.
(6) And prayer gives us the willingness to accept God's solution for every problem that plagues us.

I will utilize prayer today every time I wonder what I should do.

You are reading from the book:

A Life of My Own by Karen Casey

2011

http://angelwinks.net/images/kayomi/kayomi36.jpg

[MajestyJo]

http://angelwinks.net/images//flowerpod/flowerpod66.jpg

To a life filled with promise and the courage to fight
The enemy, ADDICTION, should it come back into sight
Arm yourself well
With the weapon of prayer
Honesty, acceptance, and a willingness to share
Value sobriety, above all, be true
Be true to God, to the program
But most of all to you!

[MajestyJo]

114

No Personal Power

"At first, the remedy for my personal difficulties seemed so obvious that I could not imagine any alcoholic turning the proposition down were it properly presented to him. Believing so firmly that Christ can do anything, I had the unconscious conceit to suppose that He would do everything through me -- right then and in the manner I chose. After six long months, I had to admit that not a soul had surely laid hold of the Master -- not excepting myself.

"This brought me to the good healthy realization that there were plenty of situations left in the world over which I had no personal power -- that if I was so ready to admit that to be the case with alcohol, so I must make the same admission with respect to much else. I would have to be still and know that He, not I, was God."

LETTER, 1940

AS BILL SEES IT

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[MajestyJo]

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Affirmation
Today I am willing to look for the humor in all situations.

When I am able to laugh at myself with others, I begin to let go. Humor has the ability to help me loosen up. What a great stress reliever. Laughter is the best medicine. Use it often.


Affirmation
Today, I am appreciative of my progress.

Let yourself feel good about what you have accomplished, not what still has to be done. There is always something else to be done. Worrying only causes wrinkles.


Affirmation
Today, I will take time to breathe and stay focused on the present.

Treasure every moment that you have. Time waits for no one. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present.

[MajestyJo]

I'm Only a Cat

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/mammals-cats/0249.gif

I'm only a cat,
and I stay in my place...
Up there on your chair,
on your bed or your face!

I'm only a cat,
and I don't finick much...
I'm happy with cream
and anchovies and such!

I'm only a cat,
and we'll get along fine...
As long as you know
I'm not yours... you're all mine!

Author Unknown

This was voted the best e-mail for 2011.

Have a great day!

www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=1560479383964&source=jl999

[MajestyJo]

"RECIPE FOR A MIRACLE"

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/phone-240x320-babies/0044.gif

1 cup Tension
2 cups Stress
1 teaspoons of Guilt
2 heaping cups of Limited Time
3/4 tablespoons of Urgency
A dash of "No Other Choice"
3 heaping cups of Faith

Fold ingredients gently into a bowl. Mix vigorously and add a few
tears. You'll sweat a little as you knead the dough. Pack it firmly
between your hopes and dreams and form into a perfect little ball.

Sprinkle it with a little faith (I recommend Hebrews 11), rolling the ball in the flour until fully covered.

Place it under a veil of belief and allow it to rise.

Put it in an oven that has been pre-set at the perfect temperature for the heat of trials and tribulations.

Allow it to brown under the warmth of God's love. Remove after due season and allow to cool in the confidence of His promise.

Garnish with your praises. Arrange neatly on a platter of thankfulness and serve to friends, families and, oh yes, strangers . . . invite them too!

Pass on the recipe to all who request it and let them know that with this recipe, they have the makings of a miracle!

--Unknown Author

From my site Elements of Creation

[MajestyJo]

189

Experimenters

We agnostics liked A.A. all right, and were quick to say that it had done miracles. But we recoiled from meditation and prayer as obstinately as the scientist who refused to perform a certain experiment lest it prove his pet theory wrong.

When we finally did experiment, and unexpected results followed, we felt different; in fact, we knew different; and so we were sold on meditation and prayer. And that, we have found, can happen to anybody who tries. It has been well said that "Almost the only scoffers at prayer are those who never tried it enough."

TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 97

As Bill Sees It

How sad that someone should think that prayer won't work for them.

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[MajestyJo]

Not sure if my addiction is in control or my pain threshold has increased, but haven't been able to be on the computer as much as I would like to. When I realized I had to edit all my sites because the pictures were deleted in the closing of MSN sites, I went at it gung ho and over did things. Not sure if I am paying as a result of that, or just an answer to prayer for help in getting it done.

When everything was new, it was a must do. Now it is I can do what I can when I can, nothing more, nothing less and find myself with a backlog of material to post. Even if a lot of the material is now an archive, it is accessible to others. One girl asked me the other day for all the material I had on a topic she needed help on. I was able to go back and get the material for her.

It only stand to reason that I can't fix four years of posting in one day. That is just one site out of eight that need to be reformatted. So when I remember to live in today, do the best I can, then things will unfold as they should.

This was written when my sites were transferred from MSN to Multiply in 2009 and now they are no more. I need the lesson I learned then in today. I can only do what my health allows me to do on any given day. I don't like posts that I feel should be don in the morning posted in the evening, but then, I end up shoulding all over the place.

If I wasn't so contrary, I would have taken myself off to the hospital, but picked up the phone instead and called my friend and said a prayer and did a meditation.

http://angelwinks.net/images/gnpod/gnpod73.jpg

[MajestyJo]

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS0c6BRJ6n62IgTdCZdnALd1P9BT3PK9 2cVVnCT9WMpb473CbwC7Q

In order to work the Steps, we need to find honesty. As we work the steps, we find that we need to find self-honesty, so we have to work the steps again.

[MajestyJo]

Life is Beautiful Lyrics

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You can't quit until you try
You can't live until you die
You can't learn to tell the truth
Until you learn to lie

You can't breathe until you choke
You gotta laugh when you're the joke
There's nothing like a funeral to make you feel alive

Just open your eyes
Just open your eyes
And see that life is beautiful.
Will you swear on your life,
That no one will cry at my funeral?

I know some things that you don't
I've done things that you won't
There's nothing like a trail of blood
to find your way back home

I was waiting for my hearse
What came next was so much worse
It took a funeral to make me feel alive

Just open your eyes
Just open your eyes
And see that life is beautiful.
Will you swear on your life,
That no one will cry at my funeral?

Just open your eyes
Just open your eyes
And see that life is beautiful.
Will you swear on your life,
That no one will cry at my funeral?

Just open your eyes
Just open your eyes
And see that life is beautiful.
Will you swear on your life,
That no one will cry at my funeral?

Just open your eyes
Just open your eyes
And see that life is beautiful.
Will you swear on your life,
That no one will cry at my funeral?


...song by Sixx A. M.

[MajestyJo]

http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv36/MajestyJo/More/XYZ/heart.gif

When you are tired and discouraged
from fruitless effort,

GOD knows how hard you have tried.

When you've cried so long your
heart is in anguish,

GOD has counted your tears.

If you feel that your life is on hold
and time has passed you by,

GOD is waiting for you.

When nothing makes sense and you
are confused or frustrated,

GOD has the answer.

If suddenly your outlook is brighter
and you find traces of hope,

GOD has whispered to you.

When things are going well and you
have much to be thankful for,

GOD has blessed you.

When something joyful happens
and you are filled with awe,

GOD has smiled upon you.

Remember that wherever you are or
whatever you are feeling,

GOD knows!

[MajestyJo]

Journey to Soul's Bottom

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Once you have awoken it,
The beast no longer sleeps.
It feasts upon your very soul.
What secret vows it keeps.

Babies birthed into its grasp,
Stare with solemn eyes.
Knowing only shame and guilt,
Quick is their demise.

Family bonds are fractured,
Children's cries, unheard.
Truth is unrecognizable.
Life is such a blur.

The path, once light, is darker.
Each breath brings forth a test.
Bleary eyed you travel on.
The beast is on a quest.

Consuming your ambitions,
Replacing them with pain.
Your emotions now are tempered.
Your mind, now its domain

Promises quick to wither.
Sometimes, forever doomed.
Thoughts become a mangled mess,
Where evil spirits loom.

Many lives it does devour,
Trading drugs for souls.
Its hunger grows with each new day.
Addiction takes its toll.

- Author Unknown to me - received from a friend.

[MajestyJo]

http://angelwinks.net/images/abranda/abranda7.jpg

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....one old love she can imagine going back to and one who reminds her how far she has come...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....something perfect to wear if the employer or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a youth she's content to leave behind...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....one friend who always makes her laugh and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal that will make her guests feel honored..

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a feeling of control over her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

....how to fall in love without losing herself...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

....how to quit a job
....break up with a lover

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
....one old love she can imagine going back to and one who reminds her how far she has come...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....something perfect to wear if the employer or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a youth she's content to leave behind...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....one friend who always makes her laugh and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal that will make her guests feel honored...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a feeling of control over her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

....how to fall in love without losing herself...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

....how to quit a job
....break up with a lover
....and confront a friend without ruining the friendship
....and how to change a tyre!!!!!!!

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

....when to try harder and when to walk away...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

....that she can't change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

....that her childhood may not have been perfect but it 's over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

.... what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

.... how to live alone even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

.... whom she can trust, whom she can't, and why she shouldn't take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

.... where to go be it to her best friend's kitchen table or a charming inn in the woods when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

.... what she can and can't accomplish in a day, a month and a year...

[MajestyJo]

2014 Contract

-----

After serious & cautious consideration.....your contract of friendship has been renewed for the rest of the year 2014!

It was a very hard decision to make. So try not to screw it up!!!


My Wish for You in 2014:


May peace break into your house and may thieves come to steal your debts. May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet of $100 bills. May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips! May your clothes smell of success like smoking tires and may happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy. May the problems you had forget your home address! In simple words.

............

May 2014 be the best year of your life!!!

[MajestyJo]

Learn to Be Calm

I felt strained and tense when I began the drive along the Redwood Highway in northern California. I had wanted to take another road, one quicker but less scenic, to get to my destination. At the last moment, I decided to drive through the trees.

Thousands of redwoods grew hundreds of feet into the air. Some stood tall and proud. Some seemed to have their necks craned, so they could peer down onto the highway. Some grew with roots connected, like families. Some stood alone. Mile after mile after mile, for as far as I could see in any direction, thousands of trees surrounded me. Their power and message became inescapable. It was one of calmness, patience, and growth.

For hundreds of years they have been here, patiently seeing things through. Little ruffled them. They just kept on growing for all those years-- steadily, patiently, peacefully, calmly. They have been through enough, seen enough, to know not to worry. Things work out. Change happens. Life continues to evolve.

I didn't see one tree hurrying or worrying. They have been here long enough to learn life's lessons well.

Learn a lesson from the redwoods. Let them teach the power of patience and calm. Life goes on. Things happen. People change. Times move along. There are stories to live and stories to tell, but we can be calm and know that, always, all is well.

- Journey to the Heart

Saw this reading this morning. Didn't know how much I would need it. After putting my back out, I went to my chiropractor. As I walked to his office, I saw a whole lot of patient plants in all different colours. I thought, guess that means I am going to need to practice patience today.

When I got home to my building, I found that only one elevator was working. The people waiting were really pushy and grumbling. I didn't get home until noon and had to eat my lunch before I came to work. I too was in a hurry but that isn't a reason to push someone out of the way. It amazes me how some people can come in last and expect to go to the head of the line.

I am waiting to see if a friend of mine can take me to the doctor's as they are calling for thunder storms again. If she can take me, or if I can get someone else to do it, it will take out the stress of going on the bus for an hour there and back and being back by 1 p.m. for Helping Hands. My appointment is 10:45 am so it is cutting things really close. If she can drive me, it takes the stress out of the situation. Stress triggers pain, and I certainly don't need more.

I just try to say the Serenity Prayer, take deep breathes and just let things go. I can't make things happen any faster and things will happen when they happen and I am powerless over people, places, and things.

Posted on another site in June of 2011

It is not fun going back and seeing typo, but at least I can change them here. They say it is the little things, that can add up into big things if we don't deal with them in the moment. We let them pile up and finally the last thing, which really isn't the issue, blows the stack.

That is why it is one day at a time, often one moment at a time.

God Bless.


A Hug For You

http://www.angelwinks.net/images/friends/friends26.jpg

I've got a hug
Meant just for You
Warm and cuddly
Maybe even two.

And with this card
You will hear me say
"I hope things are fine
And to have a great day!"

My hug sends love
And best wishes, too,
I'll always have more
Just waiting for You!

©AngelWinks 2002

[MajestyJo]

From Hour to Hour

You never have to be alone again. Where ever you are, the Fellowship is close by and always, always where ever you are, your Higher Power is too!

Hi God!
I may not have a clear conception of You -- I may not truly believe. However, I've come this far and right now I just want to say 'Hi


Hour To Hour - Book - Quote

Some addicts have returned to using mind-affecting chemicals because they tried to 'cope forever' and couldn't face never, ever using anything again. But you can maintain abstinence by just not picking up that first dose of anything NOW. Forget forever.

Give me the understanding that what I cannot do for a lifetime, I may easily do right now.

Like this! I can remember thinking forever and feeling very overwhelmed. It was a relief to be told, we only do this a day at a time. I still do it a day at a time after several 24 hours and yet the thought of picking up is not an option.

Pain is why I used, emotional and physical. Pain can't rule my life. I apply the Steps to it, one day at a time.

Written in 2011, but could be today for me.

One of the things you will notice about our fellowship is that we hug a lot. Often this makes newcomers uncomfortable because they are not used to being given love and attention without serious strings attached. There are no strings, we just simply love you.

Give me the courage to hug the next clean and sober person I see.

I generally ask permission. I look at them and say, "Do you do hugs?"

http://www.angelwinks.net/images/huggers/huggers9.jpg

[MajestyJo]

My experience has been that Twelve Steps are Twelve Steps. It is always better to go somewhere that you can identify more readily with what is being shared, yet no matter what the substance is, if it is out of control, it is already a problem. I went to a friend's one year anniversary in CA and the speaker was a girl who only used cocaine and never drank alcohol. I never used cocaine and I am a recovering alcoholic. She told my story and my recovery so well that my ex-boyfriend who was with me at the time, recognized my words coming from her.

As I once heard at a meeting, "If you have to control it, it is already out of control."

The five As to change are Awareness, Admittance, Acceptance, Action and Attitude. The Big Book says that Spirituality is a change in attitude sufficient to bring about recovery.

Of ourselves, we can't do it. Together, we can do what I can't do alone. Try to read the posts, and try to identify not compare. All substances lead to the same soul sickness. Knowing what to do, and having the power to do it is the difference between normal and healthy eating and addiction.

When I tried to quit alcohol at 41, I substituted prescription drugs. I could quit drinking, but I couldn't stay stopped. In the end, I had problems with both and along the way I discovered other addictions like work, food, gambling, computers and other things that took me back to places I didn't like to be. With the help of the program, I am able to see when I am acting out in my disease, and I can turn to the God of my understanding and ask for help.

It works if I work it. Just reading about it and knowing is not enough, I must come to a place of acceptance and follow it up with a plan of action.

My eating disorder doesn't allow me to eat. I eat so much and then I can't eat anymore. I can't finish what is on my plate. For some to eat is to die. For some, to not eat is to die. It takes many forms of sickness, and not all the same habits and patterns, but again it is a mental, emotional, spiritual and physical disease.

Posted on another site in 2004

[MajestyJo]

There are many forms of eating disorders. Some of them are just habits of unhealthy eating and lack of self-care.

I have heard several stories and one of them is that to eat one meal a day is one of the unhealthiest things we can do to our bodies. It doesn't give us the energy we need to function through the day. My ex-boyfriend only ate one meal about 4 p.m. when I met him and he started work at 5 a.m. and lived on coffee through the day. After he ate, all he could do was lie down and sleep. Then he started eating lunch, but he had the old habits and he ate after work between one and two stuffing himself, then eating again later in the day, and all he wanted was to sleep, He didn't work off the food, didn't metabolize it properly, and he ate two helping and three if it was available. At the end of the day a bed time snack was a bag of cookies and a huge bowl of ice cream or a bag of chips and a couple of sandwiches.

I firmly believe I am what I put into my body. I put on weight cooking for him yet I only ate about a third of what he ate. There are people like my son who can eat huge amounts of food and never gain an ounce. I swear I get fat just looking at what he eats.

Today I try to eat balanced meals and eat three times a day. Very seldom do I eat in between meals, and I think the quantity has a lot to do with it. Eating until I am stuffed and can't move just because I like it or want more isn't something I can allow myself on a daily basis. This is what I take to God. I can't, God can and I have to let Him on a daily basis.

My problem is that I don't want to eat. I know that when I don't put food and healthy food into my body, my body bloats and I develop stomach disorders, activate my irritable bowel and bladder disorder from my fibromyalgia and I get a lot of pain. My mother died at the age of 40 weighing 240 lbs. For me to gain weight is to live in fear and anxiety which causes more pain and more reason to stuff. It affects my self-esteem and self-worth and I go into depression because I don't like myself. If I put on weight, it affects the rest of my body and causes breathing problems, back aches carrying the excess weight along with anger at myself and others and that also cause body irritation. Even my feet and legs are affected, especially if I don't get a lot of exercise. It is a vicious circle and affects all parts of my body. I will put so much on my plate and if some of what I am eating I think of as 'fattening' I can't eat what is on my place. Pasta for some reason is something I can never finish and generally end up throw some of it out. It can be only a few pieces, but I feel like if I eat it, I will upchuck and lose everything that I have eaten.

I have to give myself permission to eat.
I have to allow myself certain portions of food.
I have to balance healthy food and exercise.
I have to take things to God on a daily basis, it is so easy for me to substitute food for others things, especially when I am in an emotional state.

As my friend says, cutting back on the quantity of food shrinks the stomach. My aunt use to use a smaller plate and would only eat what fit on that plate. It does work when you work it.

I certainly can identify with the mental obsession and the craving for more. I always need to remember that I can not trigger a craving until I pick up and 'use'; food is an inanimate object until such a time as I choose to pick it up and put it in my mouth. Picking it up and looking at it, taking it out of the refrigerator, putting it on the stove and cooking it still doesn't make me 'eat' it. It is only when I eat it that it affects me. The mental obsession I take to God. The mindless thought I try to acknowledge and let go of it instead of giving into it. God can, I can't, just for today, I will let Him give me the strength, the courage, and the integrity to do what I need for my health and well being.

From 2005

http://angelwinks.net/images//flowerpod/flowerpod82.jpg

[MajestyJo]

"What would an adult do in this situation?

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/phone-240x320-farm/0049.gif

So many times we have to come to a decision. We sometimes forget that when we pick up that first drink or drug, we stopped growing to our full potential. I stole that first taste of wine at 10 years old, so that means I am only 33 instead of 72 years old. At 33, I was going into 2nd abusive marriage. Don't want to go through that again.

I had to heal and grow up. I also had to allow my inner child to come out and play. Many times she was subdued and not allowed to be herself.

They also say, the same about the first traumatic event in our life. I saw my brother killed when he was run over by a truck which was driven by my uncle. That would mean I am only 26. A true food for thought.


http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/09/23/6-steps-to-help-heal-your-inner-child/

http://www2.potsdam.edu/alcohol/HealthIssues/1127400726.html

http://www.camh.ca/en/hospital/health_information/a_z_mental_health_and_addiction_information/alcohol/women_and_alcohol/Pages/alcohol_other_drugs.aspx

http://www.camh.ca/en/hospital/health_information/a_z_mental_health_and_addiction_information/alcohol/women_and_alcohol/Pages/alcohol_other_drugs.aspx

[MajestyJo]

Think is a slogan I always need to put into action. Being an Aries, I am a very reactive person.

It brings to mind also my son's words, "You don't listen to me!" and this reminds me that often, even when he isn't using, I put him into a category and forget his humanness. He does have freedom of choice and it isn't my job to take it away, when I try to do that I am playing God with his life and I always have to think back where I came from and remember when.

I prefer the think think think of AA, which reminds me I can't do three things at once, and that I need to stop and think, but most importantly think in today! A little thought of the past so I don't repeat the same mistakes, and think of the future as far as goals are concerned, but I always need to be mindful of the fact that all I have is the past to base the future on.

When I am projecting into the future, I am often projecting doubt, fear, anxiety as well as hope, faith and promise, and none of it is a reality because I am no longer in control, my Higher Power is.

Something I posted in 2004

[MajestyJo]

Food for Thought

Changing

As we lose weight, we adjust to a new self. Part of the body we had is disappearing, and this can be frightening. As our physical appearance changes, others may react to us differently. Along with the physical changes come new attitudes and expectations. Though for years we may have wished to be rid of the fat, when it actually begins to go we may fear the change.

What is new and unknown is often frightening. We may have used food and fat to retreat from uncomfortable situations. We may have spent so much time eating that there was little left for anything else. We may have expected all our troubles to vanish with the excess pounds. Now we can no longer hide behind fat or kill time with food, and our troubles may very well still be with us. What do we do?

It takes courage to change, to become a new person. We may decide at age forty to learn to play tennis. That takes lots of courage. New activities, new attitudes, changes in relationships with others--all require courage.

Change is frightening, but it is also an adventure. We are not alone. We have OA. Others have gone through the same changes and can reassure us, one step at a time.

May I not be afraid to change.

No matter what my drug of choice is, the same principles apply to my life. So many people use food or gambling to replace their drug of choice thinking it is okay. An addiction is an addiction, and leads to the same soul sickness.

Stuffing feeling, running away from ourselves, is still active addiction. Substitution doesn't work, even if it comes in a different, size, a different shape and colour.

I need food for the body, mind, and spirit. I can slip mentally, emotinally,

and spiritually, before I slip physically.

http://angelwinks.net/images/singlecard/singlecard68.jpg

[MajestyJo]

WE CAN HANDLE ALL THAT COMES TO US

We are never divorced from our past - we are in company with it forever, and it acquaints us with the present. Our responses today reflect our experiences yesterday. And these roots lie in the past. We look at the past, check that which appears to be negative and mentally correct it by handling it in our mind as we would now. Then release it and begin again fresh and new. Everyday is offering us preparation for the future, for lessons to come, without which we'd not offer our full measures to the design which contains the development of all of us. Our experiences, past and present are not coincidental. We will be introduced to those experiences that are consistent with our talents and the right lessons designated for the part we are requested to play in life. We can remember that no experiences will attract us that are beyond our capabilities to handle.

PEARL S. BUCK wrote, "One faces the future with one's past."

Are you able to recognize situations in your past and mentally correct them now?

- Antestian Newsletter


Posted in 2009

Recognizing old pattern and behaviors which no longer serve me in today were hared to identify. They were comfortable. I didn't like change. I liked the familiar. I didn't want to take risks. I didn't want to allow myself to become vulnerable.

I often wondered why I went through the experiences that I did. I came to believe and realize that I had to go through them to become the person I am today. I am able to share with others and hopefully find some compassion and understanding about where they are coming from. I had to learn this for myself. I can't give away what I don't have.

As SG said on another post. "If my God brings me to it, He will see me through it." Even if I go there in my own wilfulness, He will bring me back to where I need to be if and when I ask for His help. Often He has made me revisit situations until I got the message and was willing to make them right.

In today, I need to remember this.

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/transportation-boats-lighthouses/0053.gif

[MajestyJo]

Thoughts for the Day
Saturday, September 27, 2014

I will not give my power away
It is my happiness, mine
I create it, not you; I decide to be, not you
You can come into my happinesss
But you cannot create it or destroy it
You can only enlarge it
Bernie Siegel

“I am still determined to be cheerful and happy,
in whatever situation I may be;
for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.”
Mercy Otis Warren to Martha Washington (Capt. John Warren's wife)
He who has so little knowledge of human nature
as to seek happiness by changing anything but his own disposition
will waste his life in fruitless efforts.”
Samuel Johnson

Thoughts for the Day
Friday, September 26, 2014

“Handle them carefully,
for words have more power than atom bombs.”
Pearl Strachan
“You can change your world by changing your words…
Remember, death and life
are in the power of the tongue.”
Joel Osteen
“One learns that worlds are made by words
and not only hammers and wires.
James Hillman

Thoughts for the Day
Thursday, September 25, 2014

“Stop harboring grudges against those who have wronged you,
it just holds you back when you really want to be in the NOW.”
Stephen Richards
“Forgiveness is for yourself because it frees you.
It lets you out of that prison you put yourself in.”
Louise L. Hay
"Forgiveness is not a moral issue.
It is an energy dynamic…
Forgiveness means that you do not carry
the baggage of an experience.
When you choose not to forgive,
the experience that you do not forgive sticks with you.
When you choose not to forgive,
it is like agreeing to wear dark,
gruesome sunglasses that distort everything,
and it is you who are forced every day to look at life
through those contaminated lenses
because you have chosen to keep them."
Gary Zukav
'The Seat Of The Soul'

Thoughts for the Day
Wednesday, September 24, 2014

“Every time your heart is broken,
a doorway cracks open
to a world full of new beginnings, new opportunities.”
Patti Roberts
The Angels Are Here
“The truth is that all of us are always moving toward
exploring the wounds that need healing.
Our progress may not always be obvious or smooth,
but love will deliver everything unlike itself
to our doorstep for healing.”
Louise Hay and David Kessler
You Can Heal Your Heart
“Healing is the journey.
The destination is yourself.
The full recognition of all the different aspects of yourself—
your joy, your sorrow, your pain, your pleasure—
all lead you to the source of who you are.
Only by having intimate contact with this source
can you experience the fullness of your life.
Only by fearlessly looking within
can you embrace the landscape of your life
and open yourself completely to all the love
and compassion that lives inside you.”
Philip Berk

Thoughts for the Day
Tuesday, September 23, 2014

“When the soul wants to experience something,
she throws out an image in front of her
and then steps into it.”
Meister Eckhart
“To know what you prefer
instead of humbly saying Amen
to what the world tells you ought to prefer,
is to have kept your soul alive.”
Robert Louis Stevenson
“The price tag that you put on your soul
will determine the people and circumstances
in which you find yourself.”
Shannon L. Alder

Thoughts for the Day
Monday, September 22, 2014

“Fear is the main source of superstition,
and one of the main sources of cruelty.
To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.”
Bertrand Russell
“Fears are educated into us,
and can, if we wish, be educated out.”
Karl Augustus Menninger
“You can conquer almost any fear
if you will only make up your mind to do so.
For remember,
fear doesn't exist anywhere except in the mind.”
Dale Carnegie

Thoughts for Sunday,
September 21, 2014

”What is it that we all believe in
that we cannot see or hear or feel or taste or smell –
this invisible thing that heals all sorrows,
reveals all lies and renews all hope?
What is it that has always been and always will be,
from whose bosom we all came
and to which we will all return?
Most call it Time.
A few realize that it is God.”
Robert Brault
“You each hold the power, the beauty,
the fulfillment that only God can bring –
the courage, the hope,
the Glory of God instilled inside your heart
to ensure that miracles become your everyday reality
here on earth.
This is what I wish for you:
the security and bliss
that only your relationship with God can bring.”
Dr. Bernie Siegel
“If you have never known the power of God's love,
then maybe it is because you have never asked to know it –
I mean really asked, expecting an answer.”
Frederick Buechner
The Magnificent Defeat

[MajestyJo]

From the first edition of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous:

We landed in England. I visited Winchester Cathedral. Much moved, I wandered outside. My attention was caught by a doggered on an old tombstone:


"Here lies a Hampshire Grenadier
Who caught his death
Drinking cold bear.
A good soldier is ne'er forgot
Whether he dieth by musket
Or by pot."

Ominous warning-which I failed to heaed.


From Bill's Story

How easy it is to forget, especially AFTER picking up that first one. We think it is the first drink, but it can be the first anything that leads us back to the drink.

http://angelwinks.net/images/animated/animated98.gif

At 16, I was put on Valium by my family doctor, and pills were always a part of my life. I had to learn to not abuse them and take them as prescribed. More did not mean better, if one didn't work, more wasn't going to help. The body manufactures the pain to tell you that you NEED more. I had to recognize this and apply my program to my chronic pain and all areas of my life.

I couldn't let pain rule my life.

http://angelwinks.net/images/animated/animated42.gif

[ds13099]

I live with Chronic pain, and I did the pain med route thinking 10 was better then 1 every 4 hours. :16:
Grateful I don't have to do that today!! I learned not to let the pain rule me I live each day the best I can!


http://friends18.com/img/heart/0380.gif (http://friends18.com/category/heart/)

[MajestyJo]

Alkiespeak - Book - Quote

We're all here because we're not all there.- Fr Joe M.

In a way this is very true, because every time I picked up a drink or a drug, I gave away a piece of me. It just sounds hurtful, and although I liked to think I had thick skin, things like this bothered me.

Have heard that line many times over the years, and yet it is part of the saying we hear in the room that I find abusive. When we are new in recovery, we need affirmations and made to feel worthy.

One of the things that really got me going was calling sponsees pigeons. It might have been because there was an issue with them in my building, but I think they are the dirtiest of the dirty, and that is how I felt when I came in and I didn't like having it affirmed by someone trying to be cute.

I brought it up at a meeting once and was told, it was good for Bill and Dr. Bob so it is good enough for me. Well life changes, we have new awareness, and I don't think they realized in the 1930s that it was abusive. It is like the old saying, "Putting someone down to make you feel good.

In 1930, I don't think that there was any thought of young people coming into the program, and there were not many women, and all the alcoholics were good old boys.

Don't know where that all came from, but guess it needed to be said.

Think this is a rerun but something I need to hear in today. Posted in 2013

Sometimes we want to change things, but AA has worked this long, why should I want to change it. It has to be me and my ego. That is my problem with meetings in today, I don't see the basics I was taught.

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTvODLXOklTgxnMajFTIxXT--oFkFDSdqPc2zwyIveaeL6Qa2lW

[MajestyJo]

Topic for the day is Birds. It doesn't mean that the day is for the birds and not worthy, it means many good things, a lot depends on what bird speaks to you in today.

http://psychiclibrary.com/beyondBooks/bird-animal-totems

http://www.whats-your-sign.com/air-animal-totems.html

http://www.whats-your-sign.com/images/AirAnimalTotemMeanings.jpg

For me it has been the Eagle.

[MajestyJo]

The Scripture Tree

When you don't know what you need, click on a flower and you will get a message and a bird will sing you a song.

http://thescripturetree.com/

God's Yellow Pages

When you know what you need, click on here, and you will get some scriptures to help you deal with your issues in the moment. If you are not sure what it is you need, it may jog your memory or it may be a combination of several things.

http://www.divinepeace.com/yellow/Gods_Yellow_Pages.html

God Bless.


https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS5qTS4P0phX24wH1LQv6i6K5PlKRoJl r1iGetZ-fcJq0YRVMDH

[MajestyJo]

Do you own your life?

"The meaning of life is to give life meaning."

-- Ken Hudgins

When we own our lives, we accept what we've inherited and the experiences we hold in our memories. We also claim our right to create new conditions if we're not happy with what's come before. We assume responsibility for changing what does not suit us. We acknowledge our own special talents and skills, and truly comprehend our right to enjoy the journey. In short, we embrace the meaning and purpose, the mystery and the beauty of our lives.

Do you feel that you own your life at the moment?

"I think of life itself now as a wonderful play that I've written for myself... and so my purpose is to have the utmost fun playing my part."

-- Shirley MacLaine

"Life is too short to be little."

-- Benjamin Disraeli

"Every man dies, but not every man lives...."

-- Garth Brooks

Higher Awareness


For many years this was a big issue for me. Then I realized that I had to accept my limitations and my fibromyalgia and just try to be the best me I can be each day. To do what I can do and not wish the world away.

I was the only one who could make it happen. I wouldn't let my pain rule my day. I made some healthy choices and learned to live each day as it came, not look into the past or project into the future. Just live each day as it comes. Some days i can, some days I can't, and that is okay.

Posted this at Recovery Inn in 2010, surprised the link still works

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=13769

http://images.yuku.com/image/gif/4881529d6e5d0959a923cec9d52719f618fba1a.gif

[MajestyJo]

If you want to beat traffic. . .

Pick some fruit!!

Yesterday it took me an hour and fifteen minutes to go 10 miles.

I was frustrated.
I was powerless.
I was exhausted.
I was grateful.
I was victorious.
I was energized.

Heavy traffic volumes are a fact of life in any big city. Many of the local governments fund road improvement programs, only to close lanes as they improve the roads.

Lanes close, traffic increases, people get more frustrated and distracted, they have accidents, they cause more traffic pile-ups.

It's a vicious cycle.

It is often said that a person's first reaction in times of crisis tells a lot about that person. I say that a person's reaction while traveling six inches per minute tells even more about that person.

Sitting in traffic is one of the best times to pick some fruit.

Pick some patience. . .
You'll be able to relax. After all, you'll be sitting there for a while anyway.

Pick some peace. . .
Try something different --- instead of listening to the radio traffic reports about the traffic you're sitting in, turn the radio off. Play a classical CD.
Or better yet, just enjoy the quiet time.

Pick some kindness. . .
Smile at the person in the car next to you. Now that's really different!

Pick some love. . .
Start a conversation with your spouse or child about something you know is bothering them. Time spent driving can be time spent talking and understanding each other.

Pick some joy. . .
Be thankful that you're not the person involved in the calamity that's causing the traffic.

Pick some faith. . .
Take this time to look up at the sky, observe the trees, marvel at the birds. Think about your own life. Then you'll know for sure that there is a God.

Pick some gentleness. . .
I know you have a cell phone, so pick it up and call someone you haven't spoken to in months. You still remember the number.

Pick some goodness. . .
Plan a good deed that you'll do for someone as soon as you get out of the traffic. Maybe there's something you can do immediately to help the person on the side of the road.

Pick some meekness. . .
No matter what kind of car you're riding in, understand that it's not by your own works that you were able to obtain it.

Once you pick your fruit, your frustration, powerlessness, and exhaustion will transform into gratitude, victory and energy.

You'll have a new outlook on life all because you pulled over,
. . . and decided to pick some fruit.

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSGoPFxySy2i50cTxsZ5kzlOThzUl0ja 9YoiVeMdaej0ulzAZhP


~A Mountain Wings Original by C. Elijah Bronner~

[MajestyJo]

MAKING CHOICES IS YOUR GREATEST POWER

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/phone-240x320-landscapes/0253.gif

While your character is formed by your circumstances, your desires can shape those circumstances.
The one thing over which you have absolute control is your own thoughts.
It is this that puts you in a position to control your own destiny.

Nature is constantly at work around you.
Character and destiny are her handiwork.
She gives you love and hate, jealousy and reverence.
You have the power to choose which impulse you follow.

At any time you can decide to alter the course of your life.
No one can ever take that away from you.
You can do what you want to do and be who you want to be.

Your greatest power is the power to choose.

Unknown

Originally posted on my site The Gathering Eagles

[MajestyJo]

This may be a rerun, found it on an old site and probably already posted it here, but it spoke to me and too tired to search for more, going back to my bed. ;) It looks like I took from my site to post at Recovery Inn in the first place.


http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l237/saranicole86/misc/comfortzone.jpg

I took a step and with new strength
I’d never felt before,
I kissed my Comfort Zone "goodbye"
And closed and locked the door.
I couldn’t let my life go by
Just watching others win.
I held my breath and stepped outside
And let the change begin.

I claimed to be so busy
With the things inside my zone,
But deep inside I longed for
Something special of my own.
I said it didn’t matter,
That I wasn’t doing much
I said I didn’t care for things
Like diamonds, furs and such.

I longed so much to do the things
I’d never done before,
But I stayed inside my Comfort Zone and
Paced the same old floor.
I used to have a Comfort Zone
Where I knew I couldn’t fail
The same four walls of busy work
Were really more like jail.

If you are in a Comfort Zone,
Afraid to venture out,
Remember that all winners were
At one time filled with doubt.
A step or two and words of praise,
Can make your dreams come true.
Greet your future with a smile,
Success is there for you!

- - Unknown

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ2cf90o3UCFLH1h0hWhk6Ief9rA9x2v gj7GpHdMm71oGsErSmH

ad this or something similar on one of my sites. Have finally unearthed some of my books and found a poem on the same subject today when I was looking up a book called "I will lift up my eyes."

The piece I remember told me that if I was in a comfort zone, I was in a danger zone and that comfort could be a place of complacency.

Quote:
The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature, and God. Because only then does one feel that all is at it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. As long as this exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be.

- Anne Frank

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRRJypQdKVliBr1EWots1Jzh8881d8Sz wQ5NM-Io8uJ_CTl1o-UpQ

[MajestyJo]

http://angelwinks.net/images/faithpod/faithpod24.jpg

I am an adult child of an alcoholic and an addict and have my codependent issues, and I am grateful that I went to AA first or I might have died in my disease. I went to AA to get sober and let go of my denial, went to NA for identification (always knew I was an addict), and went to AL-Anon to find myself, but that is where my issues were rooted.

Grateful that in today, I don't have to pick up, no matter what as long as I connect to my God, and have the honesty, open mindedness, and willingness I need to stay clean, just for today.

Wrote this a year ago, these are still true. I am given daily reprieve. I am still an addict. Just for today, I choose not to use.

I am truly blessed and I pass that blessing on to you.

[MajestyJo]

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSVC8dSNJs2e8ukNBdi4wus5SoYN6Jy0 ZAnyRlCsG7z1wG_A0Vl

Do we aspire to things or do we flub them off as not possible or do we take action, like say a prayer?

[MajestyJo]

A Hymn of Thanksgiving:

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/holidays-thanksgiving/0037.gif

How Good It Is To Thank The Lord Hymn

How good it is to thank the Lord,
And praise to Thee, Most High, accord,
To show Thy love with morning light,
And tell Thy faithfulness each night;
Yea, good it is Thy praise to sing,
And all our sweetest music bring.

O Lord, with joy my heart expands,
Before the wonders of Thy hands;
Great works, Jehovah, Thou hast wrought,
Exceeding deep Thine every thought;
A foolish man knows not their worth,
Nor he whose mind is of the earth.

When as the grass the wicked grow,
When sinners flourish here below,
Then is there endless ruin nigh,
But Thou, O Lord, art throned on high;
Thy foes shall fall before Thy might,
The wicked shall be put to flight.

Thou, Lord, hast high exalted me
With royal strength and dignity;
With Thine anointing I am blest,
Thy grace and favor on me rest;
I thus exult o’er all my foes,
O’er all that would my cause oppose.

The righteous man shall flourish well,
And in the house of God shall dwell;
He shall be like a goodly tree,
And all his life shall fruitful be;
For righteous is the Lord and just,
He is my Rock, in Him I trust.

[MajestyJo]

HUGS NOT DRUGS!

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcbutterfly307.jpg

Bring soul into the world

http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/11286334/sn/1595342977/name/n_a

"We live in a culture that is greatly biased against the imagination, because our culture is very materialistic, objective and literal. Our culture lacks soul, and doesn’t know it, although it experiences the consequences. When you don’t know what’s missing, then of course you don’t know what to bring in, even though you feel something is missing."

“We live in a world that needs more soul, more meaning. We, as conscious beings, have, as our primary responsibility, at this time in human history, the task of bringing soul into the world, or releasing soul into the world. We do this, first of all, in ourselves and in our own personal world; then we do it in our groups – including family; then we do it in our society through our work, relationships and presence there.”

- Higher Awareness

-- Andrew Schneider

From Higher Awareness

Never thought I would ever get to the stage where I could find peace and serenity.

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/phone-240x320-planets/0149.gif

[MajestyJo]

http://i546.photobucket.com/albums/hh410/Lightworking/TrueNobility.png

I shall tell you a great secret, my friend. Do not wait for the last judgment. It takes place every day.
—Albert Camus

[MajestyJo]

"God is not asking you to make a promise you cannot keep. God is asking you to believe a promise that only he can keep."

"God made you the way you are, so he wants you to be real when you talk to him. "

"Why should I praise God? Because it gets my focus off myself and onto God -- so I can talk to Him and not at him. "

Purpose Driven Life/Rick Warren


When you pray, give God your life
by Rick Warren

http://www.animated-gifs.eu/mammals-cats-pictures/0059.gif

[MajestyJo]

Never fear God is near. If he doesn't seem to be present, it is you who have gone away!

http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/21361125/sn/1113589896/name/n_a

[MajestyJo]

The Bear has been coming up for me recently, more than once, and I clicked on this link this morning, not my normal go to site and here is what I got:

http://www.spiritanimal.info/

Deep in slumber, dreams unending,
Wise old bear, patient, strong,
Send me dreams of transformation,
Grant me intuition along
With introspection of my life,
Inner listening, no more strife.

- D.J. Conway, Animal Magick

I have this man's book and today, I realize how bad my Fibromyalgia was and how much it had been in remission. It has been the cause of my memory loss and my feeling totally out to lunch. I prefer to be going through transformation than being a dumb lug who can't stay awake to do her postings.

There are links to other animals, perhaps you can identify with some of them.

I also have a crystal with a bear carved inside of it. It is suppose to be the guardian of the dream time according to some cultures.

http://www.spiritanimal.info/bear-spirit-animal/

Have also been meditating with another crystal with a spider carved in it. http://www.spiritanimal.info/spider-spirit-animal/

The spider means for me, going within and finding your own answers.

http://www.angelwinks.net/images/na2.jpg

[MajestyJo]

My Sweet Friend

http://angelwinks.net/images/iq/qcwithallmyheartbear.jpg

~ A Friend Like You ~

There's lots of things
With which I'm blessed,
My problems have been few,
But of all, this one's the best-
To have a friend like you.

In times of trouble
Friends will say,
"Just ask, I'll help you through it."
But, you don't wait for me to ask,
You just get up and do it!

And I can think
of nothing more
That I could wisely do,
Than know a friend,
And be a friend,
And have a friend like you.

- Author Unknown

[MajestyJo]

http://www.angelwinks.net/images/riseset6.jpg

Think every morning when the sun peeps through
The dim, leaf-latticed windows of the grove,
How jubilant the happy birds renew
Their old melodious madrigals of love,
And when you think of this, remember too
'Tis always morning somewhere, and above
The awakening continents, from shore to shore,
Somewhere the birds are singing evermore.

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ~

[MajestyJo]

More to improve and fewer to disapprove
More doers and fewer talkers
More to say it can be done and fewer to say it's impossible
More to inspire others and fewer to throw cold water on them
More to get into the thick of things and fewer to sit on the side lines.
More to point out what's right and fewer to show what's wrong
More to light a candle and fewer the curse the darkness.

- Author Unknown

http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv36/MajestyJo/270-1.gif

[MajestyJo]

http://www.angelwinks.net/images/heavenlyanangel.gif

Want is a bitter and a hateful good,
Because its virtues are not understood;
Yet many things, impossible to thought,
Have been by need to full perfection brought.
The daring of the soul proceeds from thence,
Sharpness of wit, and active diligence;
Prudence at once, and fortitude is given;
And, if in patience taken, mends our lives.

These lines by John Dryden look at first rather grim. Yet in my life disappointments have turned out to be blessings in disguise. Often what I want is not at all the same as what I need.

Celia Haddon - The Yearbook of Love and Wisdom

Sorry if a lot of these are duplicates, with the volume of posts I make it is difficult to remember, plus I am having memory issues.

[MajestyJo]

http://angelwinks.net/images/animatedpod/animatedpod1180.gif

Life isn't all about recovery, it is about finding balance. It is about finding healthy things to do to replace the old habits and ways of living that not safe for you in today.

I joined a bridge club. I came across an advertisement and programmed the phone number into my phone. I had learned with my ex-husband and we had been separated for many years, so it was a big step for me to go to a new place alone, to see if I could even place, because we played according to his rules. I tried line dancing and found it wasn't for me, but a lot of my friend's enjoyed it. I enjoyed other dancing, I found that I could dance sober, something I didn't think I could do. I had to recognize that life went on without alcohol and drugs.

There is a natural high to life and life can be beautiful. I could feel my feelings and really enjoy and experience it instead of fearing it. I could drop the paranoia and let myself be me and who I was in today was okay, always remembering, everything is subject to change and growth.


mj

[MajestyJo]

Burned Biscuits

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When I was a little girl, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then and I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said: "Baby, I love burned biscuits."

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired . . . besides - a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!"

You know, life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. I'm not the best housekeeper or cook. What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults - and choosing to celebrate each other's differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

And that's my prayer for you today. That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker! We could extend this to any relationship in fact - as understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!


"Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket - keep it in your own."


"Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's when you've had everything to do and you've done it." (Margaret Thatcher

[MajestyJo]

The wisdom of Larry the cable guy......

1. A day without sunshine is like night.

2. On the other hand, you have different fingers.

3. 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.

4. 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.

5. Remember, half the people you know are below average.

6. He who laughs last, thinks slowest.

7. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.

8. The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets
the cheese in the trap.

9. Support bacteria. They're the only culture some people have.

10. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

11. Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.

12. If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of
payments.

13. OK, so what's the speed of dark?

14.. When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong
lane.

15. Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.

16. How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges?

17. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet
engines.

20. What happens if you get scared half to death, twice?

21. Why do psychics have to ask you your name?

22. Inside every older person is a younger person wondering,
'What the heck happened?'

23. Just remember -- if the world didn't suck, we would all
fall off.

24. Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people
appear bright until you hear them speak.

25. Life isn't like a box of chocolates. It's more like a jar
of Jalapenos. What you do today, might burn your butt tomorrow.

Received with thanks from my friend Carey

[MajestyJo]

http://angelwinks.net/images/kissmakeup/kissmakeup5.jpg

Four things you can't recover:

The stone........after the throw.

The word.........after it's said.

The occasion........after it's missed.

The time..........after it's gone.

[MajestyJo]

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[MajestyJo]

For You, My Friend

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Hey there, my friend
Have I told you today
Just how really great you are
In each and every way.

We've been friends for awhile now
Through good times and the bad
You always listen and give me a hug
And even help me when I'm sad.

I hope that you know
That I'm always here for you, too
You really are the very best
And there's nothing for you I wouldn't do!

©AngelWinks 2000

[MajestyJo]

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[MajestyJo]

Friendship Forever

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We're joined in a friendship,
that time cannot sever
with bonds we have built,
we'll remain friends forever.

We're welded in spirit
attached by our hearts,
and fused by the feelings
that friendship imparts.

We're tied by emotions
connected by dreams
reinforced by our hopes
unified by extremes.

No longer a function
of time or of space
our love is a substance
that life won't replace.

No matter how distant
we'll always endeavor
to sense the full meaning of
~Friendship Forever~

- Author Unknown

[MajestyJo]

"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability
to learn from the experience of others,
are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so."
-Douglas Adams-

*~*~*~*~*~*

Living In Want

"I WANT to be happy," is an often repeated phrase.

People who say it, get exactly what they're asking for.
They live in the 'want' of happiness.

Wanting a million dollars won't put money in your bank account.
Wanting a Porsche won't turn your Neon into a lean mean driving machine.
Wanting to be a bird won't give you wings or get you off the ground.
The more you 'want' those things, the more 'want' you get.
It comes in extraordinary amounts and becomes a physical ache,
when you want something 'really bad'.

Instead of curling yourself into a tight little ball
and remaining clutched in the 'want' of happiness,
open yourself up to the opportunity of receiving it.

Fill the holes in your life with the joy of being alive.
Work at happiness from the inside out.
Remove the weight of 'want' off your heavily burdened shoulders
and make yourself available to bliss.

When you achieve inner happiness, it shows.
It seeps from your eyes and rolls off your words.
Your peace of heart, supported by a solid foundation, is unflappable.
You see external happiness for what it really is,
a precarious source of self fulfillment.
Your 'want' is gone, and without it,
you stand in the wake of grand possibilities.

Your eyes see the positive in what you have,
instead of the negative in what you lack.
Happiness starts coming at you from a multitude of directions.

Live in the 'want' of being happy, or 'be' happy.

The choice is completely up to you.

-Terri McPherson-

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*~*~*~*~*~*

[MajestyJo]

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Watch your manner of speech if you wish to develop a peaceful state of mind. Start each day by affirming peaceful, contented and happy attitudes and your days will tend to be pleasant and successful.
--Norman Vincent Peale


One way to become enthusiastic is to look for the plus sign. To make progress in any difficult situation, you have to start with what's right about it and build on that.
--Norman Vincent Peale


The cyclone derives its powers from a calm center. So does a person.
--Norman Vincent Peale


Understanding can overcome any situation, however mysterious or insurmountable it may appear to be.
--Norman Vincent Peale


People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success.
--Norman Vincent Peale


Life's blows cannot break a person whose spirit is warmed at the fire of enthusiasm.
--Norman Vincent Peale


Live Long....Laugh Hard....Email Often
Please write all complaints legibly in this space -> []

From my site the Five As

[MajestyJo]

Thought Of The Day
"Be with people who know your VALUE, not your PRICE."

Written in 2014 by Hassan Choughari --- Lebanon

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Thought For The Day
"Sometimes the best discoveries are the result of simple observations."

Dr. Seyed Reza Agha Seyed Hosseini ---Submitted by Saeed Daneshh He is Marketing & Sales Manager and Adviser (Newcastle, NSW, Austrlia)

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Thoughts Of The Day
"Life is like a ocean; sometimes calm and sometimes stormy but still It has beauty."

Written in 2014 by Mp Kumawat --- India

[MajestyJo]

Give Your Best

If we still get angry at others, still need others' company, or still need others to comply with our moodiness and opinions, then we are still within our own egos, because our egos make us feel separated from others.

We never know when the retribution of our negative karma will come back to us. It always descends upon us suddenly, and when it is least expected. Therefore, we must take good care of our actions, speech and
thoughts at all times, and remember to connect with the Almighty Power within in order to raise our level of consciousness. Then, when the negative karma comes, we will have enough wisdom and power to overcome it.

If we still do not have empathy with the suffering of others, or the capacity to feel the emotions of others, then we are still far from the Tao.

Working is the best time to test our patience and to exercise our bodies.

It's easier to forgive than to punish. It's easier because you don't have to think about it any more, and that person is happy and doesn't give you any more pressure.

When we are pushed into a situation, we realize our wisdom.

Gentleness always defeats toughness in this world; the more tender, formless or supple, the greater the power.

If we want to receive the wisdom or love of an Enlightened Master, we should not be too complicated; we must be single minded in order to receive.

Don't become a sulky Buddha; always be cheerful, be optimistic. If we force ourselves to be optimistic, eventually we will become optimistic. Who can force us other than ourselves? Unless we compel ourselves to
advance, no one else can help us.

Index News #33

Master Ching Hai was born to a well-off family in Aulac (Vietnam), the daughter of a highly reputed naturopath. She was brought up as a Catholic, and learned the basics of Buddhism from Her grandmother. As a young child, She showed a precocious interest in philosophical and religious teachings, as well as an uncommonly compassionate attitude towards all living beings.

Today more and more Truth seekers from different countries and all religions have been streaming to Her for Her supreme wisdom. To those who sincerely wish to learn and practice the method of Immediate
Enlightenment which She Herself has verified to be the supreme one - the Quan Yin Method, Master Ching Hai has been willing to give them initiation and further spiritual guidance.

Posted in 2004

SPIRITUAL NOTATION FOR TODAY

GIVE YOUR BEST TO THE WORLD - Samuel Thadeus Short

- The Antesian Newsletter

[MajestyJo]

"Instead of resisting any emotion, the best way to dispel it is to enter it fully, embrace it and see through your resistance."

-- Deepak Chopra

Finding the cause of our emotions, whether good or bad allows us time to think about them, where their roots are, then we can act accordingly.

We may try to escape our feeling by getting involve with other people, places, and things. We need to bring the focus back on ourselves in order to heal.

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[MajestyJo]

Quotations for Motivation, Inspiration or Contemplation

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Thought Of The Day
No matter how challenging or demanding your challenges seem to you, you shouldn't stop confronting them. Yes! You have to soldier on, persevere through all of them until you surmount them outright."
Written in 2014 by Emeasoba George --- Nigeria


Thought For The Day
If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present."
Written in 2014 by Abhishek Shukla --- India



Thoughts Of The Day
When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself."
Tecumseh --- Submitted by Jack Hayes --- Ohio

[MajestyJo]

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PICTURE HOW YOU WANT YOUR DAY TO GO! THEN PUT IT OUT TO THE UNIVERSE AND SEE WHAT YOU GET BACK!

DON'T LOOK AT WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE, BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU DO HAVE! THE PAST IS GONE, ENJOY THE GIFT OF THE HERE AND NOW!

[MajestyJo]

Sorry if this is a duplicate. A reminder of Lois's story to be shown on TV. Without her and Bill's efforts we wouldn't be here.

The Lois Wilson Story, Hazelden's artfully written biography of the co-founder of Al-Anon, is now a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie starring Winona Ryder and Barry Pepper.

Tune in to CBS on April 25 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT to watch When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story, a beautifully produced movie that explores the life and times of Lois Wilson, the spirited co-creator of Al-Anon and wife of Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder Bill Wilson. Acclaimed writer and filmmaker William G. Borchert, who interviewed Lois in creating a realistic portrait of this incredible woman, authored both the book and screenplay.

The new special movie edition of the book The Lois Wilson Story: When Love is Not Enough is now available, just in time to get swept up in the written story while catching it on screen. Watch a clip When Love is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story on You Tube.

This intimate account reveals how the couple rose from a life of despair to institute one of the twentieth century's most important social movements, and how Lois created a legacy of hope for millions of families devastated by addiction through her uncommon love and unshakable faith.


The title of this movie gave me food for thought today. How true it was in my own life, not only in my relationships but towards myself. I was always looking for love from the other person because I could not find it within myself. I felt like I needed the other person to make me whole and complete.

So many of my relationships where so needy, and as I have said before, when I get needy, I get greedy. I put so many expectations on others with no thought as to whether they were capable of meeting them or even understanding them when often I didn't know myself what it was I needed. All I knew was 'more' and it never seemed to be enough.

Thank God for the healing of this program.

posted on another site in 2010

[MajestyJo]

When Love Is Not Enough

Read Each One Carefully and Think About It a Second or Two


1. I love you not because of who you are, but because of who I am when I am with you..

2. No man or woman is worth your tears, and the one who is, won't make you cry.

3. Just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to, doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

4.. A true friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your heart.

5. The worst way to miss someone is to be sitting right beside them knowing you can't have them.

6. Never frown, even when you are sad, because you never know who is falling in love with your smile.

7. To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.

8. Don't waste your time on a man/woman, who isn't willing to waste their time on you.

9. Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one, so that when we finally meet the person, we will know how to be grateful.

10. Don't cry because it is over, smile because it happened.

11. There's always going to be people that hurt you so what you have to do is keep on trusting and just be more careful about who you trust next time around.

12. Make yourself a better person and know who you are before you try and know someone else and expect them to know you.

13. Don't try so hard, the best things come when you! least expect them to.

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[MajestyJo]

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[MajestyJo]

A trip into the past

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Some folks ride the train of life
Looking out the rear
Watching miles of life roll by
And marking every year.


They sit in sad remembrance
Of wasted days gone by
And curse their life for what it was
And hang their head and cry.


But I don't concern myself with that
I took a different vent
I look forward to what life holds
And not what has been spent.


So strap me to the engine
As securely as I can be
I want to be out on the front
To see what I can see.


I want to feel the winds of change
Blowing in my face
I want to see what life unfolds
As I move from place to place.


I want to see what's coming up
Not looking at the past
Life's too short for yesterdays
It moves along too fast.


So if the ride gets bumpy
While you are looking back
Go up front, and you may find
Your life has jumped the track.


It's alright to remember
That's part of history
But up front's where it's happening
There's so much mystery.


The enjoyment of living
Is not where we have been
It's looking ever forward
To another year and ten.


It's searching all the byways
Never should you refrain
For if you want to live your life
You gotta drive the train.

Author Unknown to me

[MajestyJo]

Why We Feel Pain

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If you never felt pain, then how would you know that I am a Healer?

If you never had to pray, How would you know that I am a Deliverer?

If you never had a trial, how could you call yourself an over comer?

If you never felt sadness, How would you know that I am a Comforter?

If you never made a mistake, How would you know that I am a forgiver?

If you knew all, How would you know that I will answer your questions?

If you never were in trouble, How would you know that I will come to your rescue

If you never were broken, Then how would you know that I can make you whole?

If you never had a problem, How would you know that I can solve them?

If you never had any suffering, Then how would you know what I went through?

If you never went through the fire, Then how would you become pure?

If I gave you all things, How would you appreciate them?

If I never corrected you, How would you know that I love you?

If you had all power, Then how would you learn to depend on me?

If your life was perfect, Then what would you need me for?

Love,
Jesus

God our Father, walk through my house and take away all my worries and illnesses and please watch over and heal my family in Jesus name, Amen.



Found this on JoAnne's Recovery Site

[MajestyJo]

Remember the reason for the season:

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[MajestyJo]

http://www.angelwinks.ca/images/friends/friends36.jpg

[MajestyJo]

TRY SMILING

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When the weather suits you not,
Try smiling.
When your coffee isn’t hot,
Try smiling.
When your neighbors don’t do right,
Or your relatives all fight,
Sure ‘tis hard, but then you might
Try smiling.

Doesn’t change the things ,of course–
Just smiling.
But it can not make them worse—
Just smiling.
And it seems to help your case,
Brightens up a gloomy place,
Then, it sort o’ rests your face—
Just smiling,

Unkown

[MajestyJo]

"Walk Softly and Carry a Big Book"

The slogans work much better when you decorate your life with them rather than decorating the walls with them.

Really like this. They are meant to be applicable, not just quoted and said in rote. So often we say the words but don't apply the meaning or the action behind them to our lives.

As you all know, one of my favorite sayings is "Take the words off the page and apply it to your life."

Had a real problem with the slogan "Live and Let Live." Couldn't figure out why until I found out I wasn't "Living" my own life. I spent so many years living my life through others, my family and friends, that I had no identity of my own.

It didn't mean that I had to have a rip roaring time each day, I didn't have to cut the rug and be in style, I just had to be and live my life to the best of my ability.

Post from 2009 on another site

Slogans was the topic. I think the one we all agree on is One Day At A Time.

My favorite is "Let it begin with me." Makes things right with my God, examine my motives and intent, and process what is mine.

For many years I didn't like the slogan Live and let live. Didn't have much understanding until I finally heard someone say, "Live your own life, and let the other person live theirs. The key is live not live through the other person like I did for so many years.

I went to a meeting in early recovery and they had a slogan tree. On the top was "Use it or lose it! My immediate thought was "I lost it a long time ago, not sure I can get it back." Not realizing that my recovery needs to be current, in today, not living in the past or projecting into the future. It was followed by 'utilized' not 'criticize' which I had done for years. It seemed like I was on the receiving end of both. Always used and put upon and then criticized for not doing it right.

But for the Grace of God, I would not be here. I will be eternally grateful for His Goodness that brought me to the doors of recovery. As they say, gratitude is an actions word, so I will keep coming so I don't have to back.

posted in 2011 in reply

The Slogans are a handy tool to have around. In the beginning they were mini-steps, they were life-savers, and now they are well worn tools that I won't leave home without.

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[MajestyJo]

Healthy Ways for a Stress-Free Holiday Season

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The stress of the holidays can lead people to address it in
various ways. Some methods are healthy and productive,
others are harmful and destructive. Using, alcohol, drugs,
and food to cope with the stress of the holidays is common
but unhealthy and potentially dangerous. It can lead to a
continuous pattern and possibly turn into an addiction.
Rather than take this risk, consider following the suggestions
to cope with the stress of the holidays in a healthy way.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20047544

It was important for me to tap into a support system and I went to my local AA Social Club where they put on meetings and had Christmas dinners for people who did not have families. I had dinner with my family then went to be with those who were alone Christmas evening and to help put on a meeting.

[MajestyJo]

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY?
(written by kids)

You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.
-- Alan, age 10

No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with.
-- Kristen, age 10


2. WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?
Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then.
-- Camille, age 10


3. HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?
You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
-- Derrick, age 8


4. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?
Both don't want any more kids.
-- Lori, age 8


5. WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?
Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
-- Lynnette, age 8 (isn't she a treasure)

On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.
-- Martin, age 10


6. WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?
When they're rich.
-- Pam, age 7 ( Love her )

-The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that.
- - Curt, age 7

-The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do.
- - Howard, age 8


7. IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?
It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.
-- Anita, age 9 (bless you child )


8. HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET MARRIED?
There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there?
-- Kelvin, age 8

And the #1 Favourite is .......


9. HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?
Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck.
-- Ricky, age 10

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[MajestyJo]

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She would greet us pleasantly, and immediately she seemed to surround the chaotic atmosphere of morning strife with something of order, of efficient and quiet uniformity, so that one had the feelings that life was small and curiously ordered.

- Meridel LeSueur

Whew! Isn't it a relief to know that there are people in the world who are so present to the moment that when they enter a chaotic atmosphere they create calm? This calm is not born of control or manipulation. This calm is born of presence.

Only a person who is present to herself carries a feeling of serenity with her. As we work the Twelve-Step Program, we begin to experience this kind of serenity for ourselves.

Order that comes out of control is full of tension. Order that comes out of rigidity is full of strife. Order that comes out of serenity is peaceful.

[MajestyJo]

Quit your bellyaching. Remember when and put some gratitude into your attitude. Quit blaming others, quit looking outside of yourself and go within and find the Quiet to talk to your God. Quit doing what you always did, because you will always get what you use to get when you were using. Do you want to quit or continue on abusing yourself and others.

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Try to quicken your step and your process by working the Steps. Quicken your thinking and lessen your stress by going to the God of your understanding and in the quiet and the stillness of your mind , connect with Him/Her and know that all is well. Quit worrying, and wait on your God to show you the way. If He/She leads you to it, you will be shown through it, without stepping in the quagmire of our minds and wallowing in self pity and depression.

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It may seem quaint and old fashioned to quit drinking and not being a part of the in crowd, but it won`t be so cool if your life quits as a result of your disease. You don`t have to quit living because you get sober. Life is just beginning and you will be quite surprised at how your life changes as a result of being clean and sober.

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Something I posted on another site.

[MajestyJo]

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This Mouse must give up one of the Mouse ways of seeing things in order that he may grow.
—Hyemeyohsts Storm

There is an American Indian tale of a mouse who heard a roaring in his ears and set out to discover what it was. He encountered many animals who helped him on his way. Finally, the mouse had a chance to offer help to another. He gave away his eyes to help two other animals.

Without his sight, defenseless, he waited for the end. Soon he heard the sound eagles make when they dive for their prey. The next thing the mouse knew, he was flying. He could see all the splendor around him. Then he heard a voice say, "You have a new name. You are Eagle."

Like the mouse, we also feel something inside us we'd like to explore. That secret, like all others, has its answer hidden deep within us, yet right under our very nose. Often, we merely have to give up our eyes and see in a different way. When we do this, we are rewarded with a new kind of vision, one that lets us discover our true potential.

How can I look at things differently today?

From Today's Gift: Daily Meditations for Families

[MajestyJo]

YOU

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You can't be all things to all people.
You can't do all things at once.
You can't do all things equally well.
You can't do all things better than everyone else.
Your humanity is showing just like everyone else's.

So...

You have to find out who you are, and be that.
You have to decide what comes first and do that.
You have to discover your strengths, and use them.
You have to learn not to compete with others,
Because no one else is in the contest of "being you".

Then...

You will have learned to accept your own uniqueness.
You will have learned to set priorities and make decisions.
You will have learned to live with your limitations.
You will have learned to give yourself the respect that is due,
And you'll be a being that's vitally alive.

Dare To Believe...

That you are a wonderful unique person.
That you are a once-in-all-history event.
That it's more than a right, it's your duty, to be who you are.
That life is not a problem to solve, but a gift to cherish,
and you'll be able to stay one up on what used to get you down.

author unknown

[MajestyJo]

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[MajestyJo]

Myself

I have to live with myself and so
I want to be fit for myself to know.

I want to be able as days go by,
always to look myself straight in the eye;

I don't want to stand with the setting sun
and hate myself for the things I have done.

I don't want to keep on a closet shelf
a lot of secrets about myself

and fool myself as I come and go
into thinking no one else will ever know

the kind of person I really am,
I don't want to dress up myself in sham.

I want to go out with my head erect
I want to deserve all men's respect;

but here in the struggle for fame and wealth
I want to be able to like myself.

I don't want to look at myself and know that
I am bluster and bluff and empty show.

I never can hide myself from me;
I see what others may never see;

I know what others may never know,
I never can fool myself and so,

whatever happens I want to be
self respecting and conscience free.

- - Edgar A. Guest

[MajestyJo]

A Friend So Dear

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What a joy it is to have
A friend as dear as you
To think about and care about
And count on always too.

And so today I'd like to say,
I'm grateful as can be
For all you do and all you are
And all you mean to me.

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[MajestyJo]

The big difference is that in today I can be assertive instead of being submissive, saying "Yes" when I want to say "No." There is a big difference between being assertive and aggressive.

Back in the mid 80s I took a course at Mohawk College called Life Skills because it had been several years since I had worked. I came back from the country to the city and had to learn what was new in the work place.

So often it is how it is said rather than what is said. A smile and a soft tone can make a lot of words sound much sweeter and more palatable. I feel that way when being addressed, so I try to pay it forward.

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[MajestyJo]

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[MajestyJo]

Knowing that action is always possible, that passive acceptance of any condition need never be necessary are unconditional gifts of living the Twelve Step program.

Each Day A New Beginning

I like the first sentence. Making the decision to do nothing, to ignore something, is an action.

Until I can find some kind of acceptance for what is in the moment, seldom can I move forward. As I shared at the meeting last night, for every situation in my life there is a Step that can help take me to where I need to be, take me out of where I am at, or lead me in the direction that I need to go, even if it means staying where I am at, until the lesson is learned.

When the time is right, I will know the right action. Until I do, I just need to stay in the moment and do what ever is in front of me. Each day, as I turn things over to my Higher Power, more will be revealed. God is as He reveals Himself to me. When I work the Steps, He reveals Himself and the Good Orderly Direction that I need each day to live clean and sober in today, and not have to go back to those yester- years.

I wrote this in 2010 and is still true in today. When the time is right, I will know. Sometimes the right action is no action, especially if I don't have that inner knowing. If I don't have that knowing, then it is up to me to go to my God and ask for it. It will be given to me, even if the action is to take no action.

[MajestyJo]

ACCEPTING

Samuel Thadeus Short

“God speaks to all individuals through what happens to them moment by moment.” — J. P. DECAUSSADE

What if we were to open ourselves peacefully and trustingly to accepting good rather than pugnaciously trying to coerce life into responding to us? What if we came to life with our palms out and raised upward rather than greeting it with a double fist? We would develop a consciousness of acceptance of good which is immense and would unfold into every area of our existence.

Such a consciousness of this sort invites the natural wholeness of God to enrich us at every turn. We discover that the atom of God is always flowing through our thoughts and through our deeds.

We can come to know and trust this action to support our good at all times. As we accept only good for ourselves we do the same for all other life forms as well. The perfect manifestation of God comes through us.

The Antesian Road To Enlightenment
antesianroadtoenlightenment-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

EXPANDING CONSCIOUSNESS

THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

When I read this, one thought came to mind. When I get out of the way, God works through me. When I am willing to be a channel of His Blessing, I live my life in today, that when I surrender that direction is there and it is my acceptance and acknowledgement of that good orderly direction, which determines how smoothly my day goes, how well equipped I am to hand today on life's terms, and accepting that God knows what is good for me, more so than my own narrow minded concepts and outlook at myself and others.

So many times I have been grateful that God doesn't think like I do, but I am sure He has thought that He is very grateful His thinking isn't based on my thoughts.

Today He is companion and friend. I have been known to question His actions, yet I have found that He has much more acceptance of me than I have had of Him over the years.

Wrote this on another site in 2004. Still holds true in today.

[MajestyJo]

"Fill Up Your Tank"

“How do we keep our inner fire alive? Two things, at minimum, are needed: an ability to appreciate the positives in our life – and a commitment to action. Every day, it’s important to ask and answer these questions: ‘What’s good in my life?’ and ‘What needs to be done?’”

-- Nathaniel Branden

I have found there’s a very different quality to my action when it springs from a sense of abundance as opposed to a feeling of being impoverished.

When I sense I’m not good enough or that I don’t have enough, I feel driven to be better and to have more. Whatever I do takes effort – there’s an element of struggle involved. And this makes sense because there’s no fuel – I’m working on an empty tank.

When I’m feeling abundant, I act out of my own inspiration. I’m rich and full and so the energy flows naturally. This action at times feels almost effortless.

It's important to remember that we don't need money to be abundant. All we need is appreciation of all that we have.

“ ...what I focus on in life is what I get. And if I concentrate on how bad I am or how wrong I am or how inadequate I am, if I concentrate on what I can’t do and how there’s not enough time in which to do it, isn’t that what I get every time? And when I think about how powerful I am, and when I think about what I have left to contribute, and when I think about the difference I can make on this planet, then that’s what I get. You see, I recognize that it’s not what happens to you; it’s what you do about it.”

-- W. Mitchell

*******************************************
These quotes are supplied courtesy of Higher Awareness. They offer inspiring, thought-provoking self development programs to help you clearly
understand how life and natural laws work, whilst enhancing intuition and creating the future you desire.

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[MajestyJo]

"One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching."

Received with thanks from my friend Carey in Texas

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[MajestyJo]

Saving the World

Today may my prayers help me realize
I cannot control everything.
To put the world in order,
We must first put the nation in order;
To put the nation in order,
We must first put the family in order;
To put the family in order,
We must first set our hearts right.

-- Confucius

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[MajestyJo]

Do we aspire to things or do we flub them off as not possible or do we take action, like say a prayer?

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[MajestyJo]

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Nobility of character manifests itself at loopholes when it is not provided with large doors.

- Mary Wilkins Freeman

Opportunities do not always come at the time or in the form we had hoped. Instead of blinding flashes of light, they are often still small voices that whisper to us in unexpected moments.

Our potential for greatness is linked with our ability to be present to the moment. Noticing may be one of the most important skills we have. When we are present to notice a small, obscure opportunity, we may discover that we have taken a major turn on the path of our life.

Anybody can walk through a wide-open door. I hope for the nobility of character to see the loop-hole.

[MajestyJo]

Getting Out Of Your Own Way

Each day in our lives, we hope and pray for a better day,
that things should improve in one area or another. But all
too often, all we do is hope and pray. That is not enough
-- We have to think, act and speak differently. If we don't
change how we think, speak and act, we are bound to
repeat the same problems or mistakes that gives us a
situation we want changed. So how do we change things?

The hardest part of change is thinking differently. You have
to challenge your own assumptions, including most delicately,
the sense of who you are. You may not be who you really
think you are.

Never forget, we judge others by their actions, but we
judge ourselves by our intentions. Yes, you meant to help
someone with a project, you intended to give charity, you
were planning on inviting your friends over for dinner, but
if you didn't do it, in their minds you had no intention, and
you are judged as such. So start correcting this error. If
you intend to do something - DO IT. Don't procrastinate,
don't delay. Stop making excuses. You want to improve
yourself, get out of your own way.

Now find someone you completely trust, who has your interest
at heart and who can give you constructive criticism. It is often
better for a friend to be this person than a spouse. And tell
the person to try to remove personal bias (of how you may
have hurt them or been inconsiderate). It has to be coming
from a place of true concern for you. Start with one area. Don't
take on your whole life at one time. What you may realize is
that you may not be perceived the way you perceive yourself.
So work on correcting the inbalance - and you will immediately
feel more content and balanced inside...

You that you can start changing your life for the better by
starting to Think, Act and Speak differently!

~ " By R. Barker " ~

This section in red is from the Big Book and the Story, Doctor, Alcoholic, Addict.

It is about lowering expectations and finding more acceptance.

[MajestyJo]

MPORTANT HEALTH ADVICE FOR WOMEN

Do you have feelings of inadequacy?
Do you suffer from shyness?
Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist about Chardonnay.

Chardonnay is the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident about yourself and your actions. Chardonnay can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the world that you're ready and willing to do just about anything.


You will notice the benefits of Chardonnay almost immediately and with a regimen of regular doses you can overcome any obstacles that prevent you from living the life you want to live.

Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past and you will discover many talents you never knew you had.Stop hiding and start living, with Chardonnay.

Chardonnay may not be right for everyone. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use Chardonnay. However, women who wouldn't mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it.

Side effects may include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, incarceration, erotic lustfulness, loss of
motor control, loss of clothing, loss of money, loss of virginity, delusions of grandeur, table dancing, headache, dehydration, dry mouth, and a desire to
sing Karaoke and play all-night rounds of Strip Poker, Truth Or Dare, and Naked Twister.

* The consumption of Chardonnay may make you think you are whispering when you are not.
* The consumption of Chardonnay may cause you to tell your friends over and over again that you love them.
* The consumption=20 of Chardonnay may cause you to think you can sing.
* The consumption of Chardonnay may lead you to believe that ex-lovers are really dying for you to
telephone them at four in the morning.
* The consumption of Chardonnay may make you think you can logically converse with members of the opposite sex without spitting.
* The consumption of Chardonnay may create the illusion that you are tougher, smarter, faster and better looking than most people.

Isn't it time you asked YOUR doctor about Chardonnay?

From a 2009 post on another site.

[MajestyJo]

This was sent to me by a near and dear friend in recovery:

Subject: Cake


Sometimes we wonder, "What did I do to deserve
this?" or "Why did God have to do this to me?" Here
is a wonderful explanation!

A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is
going wrong, she's failing algebra, her boyfriend
broke up with her and her best friend is moving
away.

Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks
her daughter if she would like a snack, and the
daughter says, "Absolutely Mom, I love your cake."

Here, have some cooking oil," her Mother
offers. "Yuck" says her daughter.

"How about a couple raw eggs?"

"Gross, Mom!"

"Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking
soda?" "Mom, those are all yucky!"

To which the mother replies: "Yes, all those
things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are
put together in the right way, they make
wonderfully delicious cake!

God works the same way. Many times we wonder why
He would let us go through such bad and difficult
times. But God knows that when He puts these things
all in His order, they always work for good! We just
have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all
make something wonderful!

God is crazy about you. He sends you flowers
every spring and a sunrise every morning.

Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can
live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your
heart.

If you like this, send this on to the people you
really care about. I did.

I hope your day is a "piece of cake!"

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but
while we are here we might as well dance.


Love and God Bless
Arlene


Haven't seen this for a long time. I love cake and don't get to eat it very often. Great food for thought from an old friend.

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Squirrel:

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[MajestyJo]

There are many stages of grief. I can be a lot of compounded interest. Things we have not fully grieved in our past. Every change be it people, place and/or thing in our lives, is subject to grief.

The sadness, bargaining, depression, anger and acceptance isn't done in an orderly fashion and we can fluctuate between them all.

The end of a marriage, the loss of your home and security, your change in routine, the end of being able to do things a certain way, the loss of articles which are no longer in your possession, the loss of the inter-action with your husband and the things he did for you, all contributing to your feelings.

Self-pity is only if you choose to stay there; and only we can get ourselves out by taking action and doing what you need to do for yourself. If you have the poor mes, I would say you have a right to them, but they certainly aren't a place to stay and the only person that can get you out of it is you.

Instead of looking at what you have lost, perhaps you need to focus on what you are gaining. The new doors that are options and the freedom of choice as to what you are going to do with your life. God has a plan for us all, ask Him what He wants you to do with your life, what lessons you need to learn and aligning your will with God's, will make for a more peaceful journey.

Share, keeping things inside only allows them to fester and grow.

[MajestyJo]

As I have said many times, the real old-timers of the "golden age of AA" had simple solutions to complicated problems of life.

The following is an exercise they would tell a new-comer full of guilt. It will also work for self-pity and grief over the past:

Take a container of milk and spill it all over your kitchen floor (that's the past)..Now, you have two choices - try to put that milk back into the container (it cant't be done, only an alkie would try :). The second choice is to wipe it up and go on with your life doing the next right thing.

As one of those old-timers once told me "the entire AA program can be reduced to three words - Accept, Accept, Accept"!

Tiger

Love the story Tiger. It brought a visual of me, spilling my coca-cola or worse still some "Crown Royal" on the counter and bending down to lick it up. The deadliest sin was to SPILL some! Heaven forbid!

It never ceases to amaze me how I stayed in denial for two years because I couldn't 'accept' my alcoholism. I didn't want to wear a label I had put on my dad and my ex-husband. Denial can keep us sick for a very long time. The only thing to bring us out of it as you say is acceptance, and all of it is such a big part of grief.

[dwmoeller]

It took me years to accept that I was an alcoholic. Not even a DUI in 1991 stopped me. Denial can keep me sick for a very long time. It was when I went into treatment for depression and alcohol in 2010, that I came to accept that: "My name is Dave and I am an alcoholic!"