It’s not okay to say I'm okay when I’m not okay, okay?

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

The weekly meeting topic is:
What are your thoughts on sponsorship ?
Why is a sponsor necessary to your recovery ?
What`s your favorite sponsorship related saying ?

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

to share please visit
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

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

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

November 9
Today I am fully alive,
fully open to feel all that there is...
knowing that I can handle all that comes my way.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
Check out Ruth's collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
http://www.spirithaven.com/booksandtapes.htm
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

Best Friend

Unconditional Love, It should be a given
Look in the Mirror
Honesty, something your taught to use and shown to see in others
Look in the Mirror
Respect, earned or a given
Look in the Mirror
Acceptance, regardless of what the person portrays
Look in the Mirror
Giving without validation,
preached that it is for the joyfullness within
Look in the Mirror
So I looked in the Mirror and Just for Today
I am Honored to be my own best friend.
Thats all I need to see ; I am doing the right things
It can only be spread outward to those in need

Celeste012@...

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

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

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A B C’s of Recovery
http://profiles.yahoo.com/blog/KOUVXSDBHBKOTXDBYWF7UA43UA?eid=jp4dyaMxkHgP2Rr2FH\
RJb8e0zyFycfxAmERRPIfaJhyFU0d8GQ

The Touch of the Master's Hand
www.barefootsworld.net/touch.html

Recipes from Cooks in Recovery and those in Recovery who cook!
www.recoverytimes.com/ccmain.html

Recovery Humor
www.12step.faithweb.com/Humor/

N.A. WORLD SERVICE BOARD OF TRUSTEES BULLETIN #23
Participation and decision making at the World Service Conference
www.na.org/bulletins/bull23.htm

My Blog YOUnMEnHP Scott's Daily Blog
http://profiles.yahoo.com/younmenhp

Tommy D. GREAT MUSIC (one of my sponsees)
http://www.myspace.com/bluesbuddha
http://www.bluesbuddha.com/home.html

Recovery Gifts, Bracelets, T-Shirts, Mugs and other GREAT gifts
http://www.serenityquest.org/60.html

CHECK out Ruth Fishel's new book
Peace in our Hearts, Peace in the World
http://www.peaceinourhearts.net/

Spiritual Greeting Cards, Bookmarks & Spirit Stones
http://www.spirithaven.com/greeting_cards.htm

Ruth Fishel Books and Tapes
http://www.spirithaven.com/booksandtapes.htm

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

Just For Today
November 9 The best-laid plans

"It is our actions that are important. We leave the results to our
Higher power." Basic Text p. 88

There's an old saying we sometimes hear in our meetings: "If you
want to make God laugh, make plans:' When we hear this we usually
laugh, too, but there's a nervous edge to our laughter. We wonder
if all of our carefully laid plans are doomed to fail. If we're planning
a big event-a wedding, a return to school, or perhaps a career change
-we begin to wonder if our plans are the same as our Higher Power's
plans. We are capable of working ourselves into such a frenzy of
worry over this question that we refuse to make any plans at all.

But the simple fact is that we really don't know whether our Higher
Power's plans for our lives are carved in stone or not. Most of us
have opinions about fate and destiny but, whether we believe in such
theories or not, we still have a responsibility to live our lives and
make plans for the future. If we refuse to accept responsibility for
our lives, we're still making plans-plans for a shallow, boring
existence.

What we make in recovery are plans, not results. We'll never know
whether the marriage, the education, or the new job is going to work
out until we try it. We simply exercise our best judgment, check with
our sponsor, pray, use all the information at hand, and make the most
reasonable plans we can. For the rest, we trust in the loving care of
the God of our understanding, knowing that we've acted responsibly.

Just for today: I will make plans, but I will not plan the result & I
will trust in my Higher Power's loving care. pg. 327

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

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

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

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

Food For Thought Meditation
http://www.hazelden.org/web/go/thought_food

Each Day a New Beginning (Women) Meditation
http://www.hazelden.org/web/go/thought_eachday

Touchtones (Men) Meditation
http://www.hazelden.org/web/go/thought_touchstone

Meditation of the Day
http://www.hazelden.org/web/public/thought.view

Viking Thought of the Day
http://www.gorm.com/cgi-local/daily.pl

Elder's Meditation of the Day
http://www.whitebison.org/meditation/index.php

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
http://www.gatewayrehab.org/November.html

Daily Zen
http://www.dailyzen.com/

Grapevine Story Today
http://www.aagrapevine.org/da/storyoday.php

Daily Motivator
http://www.greatday.com/

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

I Cannot Change the Wind

It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on
our laurels. We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a
subtle foe.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 85

My first sponsor told me there were two things to say about prayer
and meditation: first, I had to start and second, I had to continue.
When I came to A.A. my spiritual life was bankrupt; if I considered
God at all, He was to be called upon only when my self-will was
incapable of a task or when overwhelming fears had eroded my ego.

Today I am grateful for a new life, one in which my prayers are
those of thanksgiving. My prayer time is more for listening than
for talking. I know today that if I cannot change the wind, I can
adjust my sail. I know the difference between superstition and
spirituality. I know there is a graceful way of being right, and many
ways to be wrong.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

Daily Reflection In Loving Memory Of Scott Reeves

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden / November 9th

A.A. Thought for the Day

I have learned to be less negative and more positive.
I used to take a negative view of almost everything.
Most people, in my estimation, were bluffing. There
seemed to be very little good in the world, but lots of
hypocrisy and sham. People could not be trusted.
They would "take you" if they could. All churchgoers
were partly hypocrites. It seemed I should take
everything "with a grain of salt." That was my general
attitude toward life. Now I am more positive. I believe
in people and in their capabilities. There is much love
and truth and honesty in the world. I try not to run
people down. Life now seems worthwhile and it is good
to live. Am I less negative and more positive?

Meditation for the Day

Think of God as a Great Friend and try to realize the
wonder of that friendship. When you give God not only
worship, obedience, and allegiance, but also close
companionship, then He becomes your friend, even as
you are His. You can feel that He and you are working
together. He can do things for you and you can do things
for Him. Your prayers become more real to you when
you feel that God counts on your friendship and you
count on His.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may think of God as my Friend. I pray
that I may feel that I am working for Him and with Him.

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

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

Today's Thought
NOVEMBER 09

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

Accepting Love

Many of us have worked too hard to make relationships work;
sometimes those relationships didn't have a chance because
the other person was unavailable or refused to participate.

To compensate for the other person's unavailability, we worked
too hard. We may have done all or most of the work. This may
mask the situation for a while, but we usually get tired. Then,
when we stop doing all the work, we notice there is no
relationship, or we're so tired we don't care.

Doing all the work in a relationship is not loving, giving, or
caring. It is self-defeating and relationship defeating. It creates
the illusion of a relationship when in fact there may be no
relationship. It enables the other person to be irresponsible for
his or her share. Because that does not meet our needs, we
ultimately feel victimized.

In our best relationships, we all have temporary periods where
one person participates more than the other. This is normal. But
as a permanent way of participating in relationships, it leaves
us feeling tired, worn out, needy, and angry.'

We can learn to participate a reasonable amount, and then let
the relationship find it's own life. Are we doing all the calling?
Are we doing all the initiating? Are we doing all the giving? Are
we the one talking about feelings and striving for intimacy?

Are we doing all the waiting, the hoping, and the work?

We can let go. If the relationship is meant to be, it will be,
and it will become what it is meant to be. We do not help that
process by trying to control it. We do not help the other person,
the relationship, or ourselves by trying to force it or by doing
all the work.

Let it be. Wait and see. Stop worrying about making it happen.
See what happens and strive to understand if that is what you
want.

Today, I will stop doing all the work in my relationships. I will
give myself and the other person the gift of requiring both people
to participate. I will accept the natural level my relationships reach
when I do my share and allow the other person to choose what his
or her share will be. I can trust my relationships to reach their own
level. I do not have to do all the work; I need only do my share.

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

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

Thank You For Everything
www.inlightimes.com/archives/2002/11/alan-cohen.htm

Twenty Quotes , Creating Abundance & Prosperity
www.inlightimes.com/archives/2006/06/20quotes.htm

The Gift of Listening
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2001/October/vissell.htm

LOSS & BEREAVEMENT
www.selfhelpmagazine.com/articles/loss/index.shtml

At The Heart Of Peace
http://www.heartmath.com/peace/

We Are The Same
http://www.consciousone.com/wisdomflash/WFView.cfm?PID=431

Remember The Child Within
http://www.consciousone.com/wisdomflash/WFView.cfm?PID=258

Finding Joy
http://www.findingjoymovie.com/

Inspirational movie, about 3 minutes long
http://www.lightmovie.com/

Inspirational Spiritual Flash Movies
http://www.inspiringthots.net/m-all.htm

Has Anyone Told You
http://www.hasanyonetoldyou.com/

Meditationroom
http://www.lime.com/meditation_room

Native American 10 Commandments
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=DY3ZEvOfD1w

The Secret
http://www.thesecret.tv

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

A Course in Life 101
by Terry Levine

"Lighten up" is becoming a popular phrase these days and for
good reason. We're all becoming too serious. When was the
last time you had a really good laugh? When was the last time
you laughed at yourself?

Most of us have a tendency to take ourselves much too
seriously. We fret over everything we do as if we're supposed
to be perfect in whatever we attempt. So many of us put
ourselves down at the slightest imperfection. We say things
like, "I'm so stupid. How did I ever get so dense," or, "I'm a
dummy, I'll never learn that."

People who live very long lives, such as those over 100 years
old, all seem to share a healthy sense of humor. A sense of
humor about oneself and the world in general is one of the
keys to aging successfully and has been documented in
numerous studies.

Laughter is being used to effectively help treat serious
illnesses and is even becoming part of the workplace as we
realize the importance of taking ourselves more lightly.

The fact that one of the most sought after seminar topics on
the speaking circuit is "Humor in the Workplace" attests to our
need to learn to put more humor in our lives.

How about you? Can you look at a situation and see the humor
in it? I'm not trying to diminish those issues that are genuinely
serious and need to be treated as such; however, you can make
your life happier simply by trying to see the humor in many of
life's challenging situations.

Humor is healthy. Learning to laugh at your human frailties and
less-than-perfect attempts at everyday life is a healthy practice
that's well worth developing.

The next time you make some small mistake, instead of berating
yourself and calling yourself stupid, try making light of it. Say
something like, "Isn't that funny how I have trouble with
computers. I'm sure I can learn to do it with a little practice." Not
being a technology wizard isn't usually a life-threatening issue.

Make an effort to see the humor in everyday occurrences and you
will begin feeling better about yourself and your work. Lighten up
and laugh a little. One of the reasons angels can fly is that they
take themselves lightly.

KAIZEN
Shortly after the end of World War II, General Douglas McArthur
requested that a man named W. Edwards Demming come to
Japan to help rebuild that war-torn country. Demming had
developed a system called Total Quality Management or TQM.

When the Japanese business leaders met with Dr. Demming
and asked him what he thought they could do to restore their
economy, his answer was that they should strive to "make small,
incremental improvements daily in every area of their lives and
their business. " The Japanese word for this is Kaizen and it is
responsible for the fact that, today, Japan is a world power and
economic leader. In Japan there is an award given to the
business who has demonstrated the greatest improvement in a
given year. It's the "Demming Award."

It's interesting to note that it was not until many years later that Dr.
Demming's work was recognized in the United States. His TQM
principles are now used by many successful US corporations,
including the Ford Motor Company and the Department of the
Navy.

You can practice kaizen in your daily life, too. It's a simple
concept that, over time, will produce awesome results. I challenge
you to practice this idea for 30 days and see for yourself the
amazing results.

KAIZEN EXERCISE
For the next 30 days, strive to make small incremental
improvements in every area of your life. Each day, begin by
asking yourself the following:

How can I improve my relationship with my spouse and family?
How might I improve my health?
What can I do today to improve my value to my company?
How can I improve my sense of enjoyment and pleasure?
What else can I improve today?

I'm not asking you to make major changes or to add stress to
your life. I'm simply suggesting that you look at your life and
your daily activities and see what small actions you can take
-- today -- that will make your life happier and more joyful.
Keep in mind that "progress, not perfection" is what life's all
about.

SARAH'S STORY
Sarah is a successful real estate/mortgage industry professional
who came to me when she was in the process of finding a new
position. While she loved her job and made a very high six-figure
income, her company was merging. As we were working on her
game plan to stay in the same field, her company went bankrupt.
She was shocked and scared and wanted to take the first job that
came along.

I encouraged her to recognize that she had expectations of her
employers and when she interviewed to put her interests first
rather than selling them on her. I told her to hire her own employer
and to be choosy. We came up with strategies for her to know
what she wanted from an employer and she went on interviews
with this intent.

One of her new-found items is she doesn't want to work past
7:00 p.m. in the evening or on weekends. She communicated
this in her interviews. She also wanted to go to her child's class
trips and plays and wanted the flexibility to do so. She was
scared this would prevent her from finding a job. Instead, much
to her surprise, she received four offers and had to decide which
she wanted.

She now spends weekends with her child and evenings at the
gym, movies, or with friends. Her life is filled with good music,
friends -- an environment she loves to live in. She let go of
working on weekends and takes a break from voice mail and
email, to allow herself an escape from work, for one 24-hour
period each weekend.

She has had the most successful year of her working life in
terms of salary and career satisfaction while living her life on
her own terms, earning the highest pay for less time worked.

TOM'S STORY
Tom is the manager of the local branch of a national retail chain
who came to me having just been put on probation. He feared
losing his job and was miserable. He was overworked, stressed,
and he had a poor attitude because of his co-workers and his
manager. I requested that before he look for another job, he
restructure his present job with strong boundaries so that his
employees are solving problems, doing their own work and being
accountable. I helped him to train them in the skills they lacked
and taught him to delegate so that he had less work and wasn't
putting in all those crazy hours.

Even after following my suggestions, he still decided he wanted
out of this job because he wasn't enjoying being in management
or working for the company. He began a career search around
the hobbies he loved and decided the money was not as
important as his health and well-being.

He found that he could get a job at a lower salary in a field he
liked and he decided to accept this offer. The company was one
he felt good about working for and he would have no
management responsibility. The starting salary is lower but his
wife decided to take on a bit more work to compensate. Now the
stress is gone and I hear him laughing more, looking better and
sounding lighter!

JESSICA'S STORY
This Director of Nursing says she wanted to get away from being
indoors all day and working late hours. She thinks she wants to
be a consultant. She is struggling with this because she feels she
can't give up her job security. I encouraged her to speak with her
current employer about going from employee to consultant. She
did this and the employer agreed. Now she works less hours for
more money and sets her schedule around walking every morning
and evening. She is always home by 4:00 p.m. and is expanding
her personal relationships outside work because she finally has
time to do this.

She knew just what she wanted to do but couldn't see how to
make it happen. She thought her idea was a dream and that her
employer would fire her but when she finally got the courage to
express her desire, he honored it and she is now working the way
she envisioned.

STRESS
If there's one area you must learn to handle if you are to have a
happier life at work or otherwise, it's stress. Extreme levels of
negative stress can kill you. I say negative stress because a
certain amount of stress is necessary. The only people who have
no stress in their lives are six feet under the earth. Stress is what
gets us going. A certain amount of pressure is healthy and can
bring out the best in people. The problem is that our present-day
society has taken stress to dangerous levels. Our fast-paced lives,
job pressures, the environment, our usually less than ideal diet
and lifestyles, all lead to an excess of stressors in most of us.

If you want to learn to live and work yourself happy, you must
find ways to cope with the stress in your life. Meditation,
hobbies, exercise, yoga, nature walks, friends, family and even
our pets can help us manage our daily stress. In the next few
pages are some thoughts and ideas to help you get started. If you
want to learn more, a visit to your local bookstore will provide you
with many books dealing with stress in great detail. Also, your
local adult education center most likely has a class or two on
managing stress. Select activities that work for you. We are all
different and what works for me may not be ideal for you.

STEPS TO REDUCE STRESS

. Get up 15 minutes earlier every morning so you can relax
before leaving the house.

. Exercise daily to unwind.

. Make a habit of taking long, deep breaths regularly.

. Eliminate the words "ought" and "should" from your vocabulary
and make your goals things you really want to do.

. Skip the daily news -- it's full of negative events.

. Drive slowly and listen to music while you drive.

. Meditate or sit quietly for a few minutes every day.

. Schedule plenty of time between appointments so you don't feel
rushed.

BE STILL AND KNOW
The regular practice of meditation has been shown to be
significant in decreasing stress. This is not something that needs
to be complicated. Just sit quietly and watch your thoughts. Try
not to get caught up in your thinking but instead just become the
silent observer. If you want, you can observe your breathing as it
goes in and out. Just sit quietly and let go of your thoughts. With
regular practice, you will soon sense the "chatter" in your mind
subsiding and begin to feel calmer. This feeling will stay with you
as you go on with your daily activities.

Some people prefer to take a class to learn a specific technique.
If this appeals to you, go for it. Also, you may want to play
peaceful music during your periods of quiet reflection.
Experiment with different techniques until you find what works for
you. An investment of twenty minutes a day in quiet time will pay
you back in renewed energy and sense of wellness.

TIME MANAGEMENT
We all have the very same twenty four hours in a day, yet some
people are able to accomplish an enormous number of tasks
while others never seem to have enough time. Why do some
people seem to have more time than others? The answer is very
simple. They manage their time better. Now, I like being
spontaneous as much as the next person, however, it is important
to employ some system of time-management if you want to feel
more in control of your life and get more done.

Organizing your time is a sure way to feel as though you have
more of it. While there are numerous time-management books,
tapes and seminars, one of the simplest productivity techniques
I ever learned is the following:

List the five most important things you have to do and do nothing
else until you complete them. I realize that this sounds overly
simple in our exceedingly complicated world, but before you
dismiss it, try it out for two weeks. This simple technique, which
has been used by high-level executives, entrepreneurs, and
others for more than fifty years, works.

One of the keys is that by listing five items instead of ten or
twenty, you are really focusing your energy on what is truly
important. If you eliminate distractions and do only the five
items on your list, you will be directing your energy in the most
productive direction. Rather than waste your valuable time doing
busy work, you will be doing what really matters to your success.
Of course, if you complete your list early, write another one, or
do other less important tasks.

WHAT ARE YOU TELLING YOURSELF?
What do you say to yourself on a regular basis? Do you praise
yourself for a job well-done and accept your errors as just
being human or do you have a habit of putting yourself down
for every little thing?

It saddens me when I see so many people telling themselves
they're "dumb" or "stupid" or in some other way, putting
themselves down. This is one of the most destructive things
you can do and it will undermine your success.

We are only human. We will make mistakes and, yes, some of
us will have a hard time adapting to new technology or learning
to play golf or whatever it is we personally find difficult. This
does not make us less intelligent than the rest of the people.
We all make mistakes.

Learn to allow yourself errors. Try not to be so hard on yourself
and those around you. Your self-talk, that mental chatter that
goes on all day long, has a lot to do with your level of
achievement. Your subconscious mind does not know the
difference between real and imaginary. It will believe and act
upon whatever commands you give it.

TRANSFORMATIONAL VOCABULARY
This is simply a fancy word for a concept that was studied
several years ago and reported in Time magazine. It means
transforming the words you use to describe your experience
of any given situation or emotion.

If you want to feel better, use words that amplify your good
feelings. For example, if someone asks how you are, instead
of saying fine or ok, try saying great or terrific. This simple
change in your choice of wording will change the way you feel.

In contrast, if you want to feel less poorly about an undesirable
occurrence, reduce the impact of the words you use. Rather than
saying something like, "I hate my job," change the wording to
minimize their impact. You might say, "I'm not really fond of my
job." While it expresses the same dislike for the job, the emotional
impact is much less, resulting in your feeling better about the
situation.

By reducing the impact of the words we use to describe unpleasant
situations and enhancing the intensity of those we use to describe
pleasant feelings or situations, you will begin to feel better and
happier about your life.

This article is excerpted from Work Yourself Happy, ©2000, by
Terry Levine. Reprinted with permission of the publisher,
Lahaska Press.

About the Author:
Terri Levine, MS, CCC-SLP, is a professional coach, consultant
and the founder of Comprehensive Coaching U, The Coach
Training Program for Professionals. As an entrepreneur, she
owned her own speech therapy practice and, as her career
expanded, went on to compile an impressive track record of
growing million dollar businesses. In sales and marketing, Terri
quickly rose to become number one in national sales and as an
executive created one astounding success after another.
Leaving her position as regional president of a healthcare
corporation she began coaching others to discover their own
joy from finding the work that was in their hearts.
Visit her website at www.workyourselfhappy.com

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

God, Grant me the Serenity
to accept the people I cannot change,
the Courage to change the person I can,
and the Wisdom to know that person is ME.

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

Leaps of Faith

In Faith we step out
towards the unknown
of the day, of the future
If we concern ourselves with
'what ifs,' 'ands' and 'buts'
we rarely jump and therefore lose so much
that may have been
Acts of faith
leaps of faith
are like days that march towards you
days that stop awhile and ask
"What will you do with me?
I have come your way and am yours
I bear many gifts, unopened, a mystery
Will you embrace me, this day?"
We are as resplendent in deserving
as Kings and Queens to their throne
and just as brave to accept
what Faith and the Day promises to bring
You can still acknowledge fear
in your acts of faith
But keep the doubting voice still
long enough
to make the jump

© 2001 Stella Raymonde Savoie
stellaraymonde@...

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

Metamorphosis

To emerge from our shell, our cocoon, our walls we have built
Takes time patience and love.
We start to grow and stretch, pull our head out and are amazed
To see beauty and light above
As the Hope and acceptance start to sink in, we tell ourselves,
Maybe, just maybe I can win.
We stretch and shove, on the walls we start to beat,
Finally, finally they fall and we stand on our feet,
Facing feelings and fears and filled with doubt,
Our wings start to emerge and our beauty comes out.
Wanting to be held and loved, yet filled with confusion,
Trying to trust, not understanding and comes delusion.
When you feel like you are sinking, remember to shove,
My spirit is with you and so is my love.
Take a deep breath, have faith, stretch out your butterfly wings,
Fill them with beauty and love, let your heart sing!

written by ~ Dennis
Dennis9817@...

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

A New Way

Sitting, hoping, praying
Will it work for me
I had to give time
Her perfect place
Before I could see
Will I trust in God today
To meet my needs along the way
I am impatient
I pace the floor
I have a little
I want more
Don't use go to meetings
Seems so simple right now
All I can ask is how
My mind races
From thought to thought
When will they come to get me
When will I be caught
I've been so full of anger and rage
I pace about like a tiger in a cage
There is a black cloud hanging over me
Impending doom is all I see
I've had these secrets
Buried in my mind
Though I seek
I wonder
Will I ever find
Who, what, when and where
My thoughts seem to be everywhere
First I'm up
Then I'm down
Racing thoughts
Go round and round
Give time, time
Is what you say
Keep it simple
Do it
Just for today
Well okay
I'll give it a try
Just for today
I'll stay dry
The days turn into weeks
The weeks turn to months
You say I'm better
But I do not see
Yet sure enough
I am free

Daniel M Corkery ©
DMCDREAMER1@...
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer

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

There's a part of us that wants to rise up
and move into our full power and potential,
and there is another part of us that says,
"Shh! Be quiet! You don't deserve this.
You don't have the education. You're too old.
You're too poor. Look what happened to you..."
Who are you to think you can have this fullness of being?
You are a child of God, unique, beautiful and irreplaceable.
We can choose, every day, which voice we will listen to.
Mary Manin Morrissey

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

I have just three things to teach:
simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are your greatest treasures.
Simple in action and in thoughts, you return to the source of being.
Patient with both friends and enemies, you accord with the way things
are.
Compassionate towards yourself, you reconcile all beings in the world.
Tao Te Ching

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

The most aggravating thing about the younger generation is
that I no longer belong to it.
Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

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

Some of us treat life like a spectator sport,
never budging from the sidelines.
As children of God, we are destined for something greater.
You are the one through whom God can love and create magnificence.
Step onto the field of your own life.
Mary Manin Morrissey

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

The victims of addiction are those around us.

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

Recovery is a gift,
the price of which is eternal vigilance.

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

Do you talk the talk,
or walk the talk?

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

We don't get partial results from half-measures.

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

There is no such thing as microwave recovery.
Time is the healer, because healing takes time.


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

FREE Rice
http://www.freerice.com/

Click to GIVE @ the STOP HIV Site
http://www.thestophivsite.com/

Click to GIVE @ the Hunger Site
http://www.thehungersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=1

Click to GIVE @ the Breast Cancer Site
http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2

Click to GIVE @ the Rain Forest Site
http://www.therainforestsite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=4

Click to GIVE @ the Animal Rescue Site
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3

Track Your Impact in GIVING
http://www.care2.com/click2donate/

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org

Depressed Anonymous
http://www.depressedanon.com

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org

Earth Group N.A. online meetings
http://www.earthgroupna.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.naranon.com

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sexaholics Anonymous
http://www.sa.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Spenders Anonymous
http://www.spenders.org/home.html

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org

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

Created in 1997 , "12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit" is intended to give
readers , inspiring and thoughtful messages. To help fulfill our primary
purpose which is to carry the message to the alcoholic/addict
who still suffers. A spiritual adventure, a journey inwards this
has a vision of opening and touching, each and everyone,
with the Loving Power and Presence of the Spirit within."
We invite you to share the writings by forwarding today's
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Stay in the Light,

In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ cleandate 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Scott’s Daily Blog
http://profiles.yahoo.com/younmenhp
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