Treatment
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/fav2003/treatment2.html

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

The weekly meeting topic is:
"My sponsor told me to begin this New Year by taking my inventory
of relationships, attitudes and behaviors, to see if there is anything
that is no longer working for me that I choose to let go of.
Is there anything that you are going to let go of?
What is it that is no longer appropriate for you?"

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

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

Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/

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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

January 1
Today I am on my spiritual path to recovery.
A NEW YEAR!
AND A HAPPY, PEACEFUL AND JOYOUS ONE FOR EVERYONE!
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
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

NOW

"I am breathing in
and I am breathing out.
There is no past or future.
There is only now.
I feel my breath filling my entire body
as it goes in.
I feel my entire body relaxing
as it goes out.
I am full
I am empty
There is only this moment.
Thoughts leave me
As I fully focus on my breath.
Fear and anxiety leave me
As I fully focus on my breath.
I feel peace flowing through my entire body
Inside and out.
In and out
As my breath comes in and goes out.
I am at peace
And this is my gift
As I send it out into the world."

© 2002 Ruth Fishel
spirithaven@...
www.spirithaven.com/

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

NA at the American Correctional Association Winter Conference
N.A. Way Magazine 6/1998
www.na.org/naway/en/naway4-e-4.htm#ACA

What's Your Grade?
www.josephtlair.com/rec101files/grade.htm

"Relationships" January 1
http://relationshipweb.com/odat/jan/jan1.htm

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

Just For Today
January 1                                          Vigilance

"We keep what we have only with vigilance..."    Basic Text, p. 57

  How do we remain vigilant about our recovery? First, by realizing that
we have a disease we will always have. No matter how long we've been
clean, no matter how much better our lives have become, no matter what
the extent of our spiritual healing, we are still addicts. Our disease waits
patiently, ready to spring the trap if we give it the opportunity.

  Vigilance is a daily accomplishment. We strive to be constantly alert and
ready to deal with signs of trouble. Not that we should live in irrational
fear that something horrible will possess us if we drop our guard for an
instant; we just take normal precautions. Daily prayer, regular meeting
attendance, and choosing not to compromise spiritual principles for the
easier way are acts of vigilance. We take inventory as necessary, share
with others whenever we are asked, and carefully nurture our recovery.
Above all, we stay aware.

  We have a daily reprieve from our addiction as long as we remain vigilant.
Each day, we carry the principles of recovery into all we do, and each
night, we thank our Higher Power for another day clean.

Just for today: I will be vigilant, doing everything necessary to guard my
recovery.

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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/January.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

SERVICE

Life will take on new meaning. To watch people recover, to see them help
others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you,
to have a host of friends -- this is an experience you must not miss . . .
Frequent contact with newcomers and with each other is the bright spot of
our lives.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 89

It is through service that the greatest rewards are to be found.  But to be
in a position of offering true, useful and effective service to others, I
must first work on myself.  This means that I have to abandon myself to
God, admitting my faults and clearing away the wreckage of my past.  Work
on myself has taught me how to find the necessary peace and serenity to
successfully merge inspiration and experience.  I have learned how to be,
in the truest sense, an open channel of sobriety.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden /January 1st

A.A. Thought for the Day

When I came into A.A., was I a desperate person?
Did I have a soul-sickness?  Was I so sick of myself
and my way of living that I couldn't stand looking at
myself in a mirror?  Was I ready for A.A.?  Was I
ready to try anything that would help me to get sober
and to get over my soul-sickness?  Should I ever
forget the condition I was in?

Meditation for the Day

In the new year, I will live one day at a time.  I will
make each day one of preparation for better things
ahead.  I will not dwell on the past or the future, only
on the present.  I will bury every fear of the future,
all thoughts of unkindness and bitterness, all my
dislikes, my resentments, my sense of failure, my
disappointments in others and in myself, my gloom and
my despondency.  I will leave all these things buried and
go forward, in this new year, into a new life.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that God will guide me one day at a time in the
new year.  I pray that for each day, God will supply the
wisdom and the strength that I need.

"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
JANUARY 01

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

The New Year

Make New Year's goals. Dig within, and discover what you would like to have
happen in your life this year. This helps you do your part. It is an
affirmation that you're interested in fully living life in the year to come.

Goals give us direction. They put a powerful force into play on a universal,
conscious, and subconscious level.

Goals give our life direction.

What would you like to have happen in your life this year? What would you
like to do, to accomplish? What good would you like to attract into your
life? What particular areas of growth would you like to have happen to you?
What blocks, or character defects, would you like to have removed?

What would you like to attain? Little things and big things? Where would you
like to go? What would you like to have happen in friendship and love? What
would you like to have happen in your family life?

Remember, we aren't controlling others with our goals - we are trying to
give direction to our life.

What problems would you like to see solved? What decisions would you like to
make? What would you like to happen in your career?

What would you like to see happen inside and around you?

Write it down. Take a piece of paper, a few hours of your time, and write it
all down - as an affirmation of you, your life, and your ability to choose.
Then let it go.

Certainly, things happen that are out of our control. Sometimes, these
events are pleasant surprises; sometimes, they are of another nature. But
they are all part of the chapter that will be this year in our life and will
lead us forward in the story.

The New Year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be
written. We can help write that story by setting goals.

Today, I will remember that there is a powerful force motivated by writing
dawn goals. I will do that now, for the year to come, and regularly as
needed. I will do it not to control but to do my part in living my life

©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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Pharaoh Chewed Juicy Fruit
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2001/January/cohen.htm

  Links to The Soul at Work
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_first.htm#work

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

Happy New Year!
by Marie T. Russell

Although the difference between Dec. 31st and January 1st is only one day,
our psyche measures it as a major milestone in our existence. It is good to
have a fresh start on January 1st... this gives us the needed motivation to
release our previous beliefs and behaviors. The energy of a new year is very
reassuring and helps us "turn the page" on what we no longer desire.

Just as businesses take inventory at the beginning or end of a year, so,
too, can we. When we take time to inventory our life, we reconnect with who
and what we are. By reflecting this way, it helps us to rediscover our
life's goals and aspirations. When you look at your goals and dreams, are
you on track? Are you meeting the goals you set? For example, you may have a
goal of being healthy and dynamic - yet, in practice, you primarily watch TV
and munch on fried and oily potato chips. There appears to be a dichotomy
between desire and practice. Taking an impartial look at our lives can be
very useful. I ask you not to judge or criticize yourself - simply observe.

This year, I am focusing on attaining peace - both within myself and with
others around me. Remember, we are the creators of the reality around us. By
focusing on peace, first within ourselves, next with everyone we meet, be
they family, friends, or people on the street, the world will begin
resonating to the same frequency. Additionally, we need to make peace with
the statesmen/women of this planet. If we spend time bemoaning the state of
the world, criticizing the behavior of our politicians, and becoming angry
at the defilement of Mother Earth, we cannot be at peace. Of major
importance is the fact that we are not contributing to the solution. Our
angry thoughts simply add fuel to the fire!

By saying this, I do not mean to suggest we bow down and allow things to
continue as they are. No! We need to take the necessary steps to redirect
the leadership on this planet - yet we must do it from an inner state of
peace, knowing that change is essential for the healing and continuation of
life on this planet. We must participate and make changes, but not from
anger, not from despair, not from impatience and judgment. We must
understand that everyone has been doing what they felt they needed to do.
Our role is to help others understand that there is a better, more peaceful,
loving, and healing way. It is the way of the peaceful warrior. We do not
lay down and let others trod over us and damage our beloved planet and its
inhabitants. Neither do we participate in the "game" of violence and
arrogance. If we adopt the same behavior as the aggressors, we have become
one of them.

We should constantly question our motives and direction. Are we moving
towards harmony and peace for all? Are we focusing on wanting a resolution
where everyone's highest good is being considered? Are we living from the
"me against them" perspective or from a knowledge that everyone is important
in the grand scheme of things? We must focus on peaceful resolutions, always
looking for the "highest" path, the path of love and where the Highest Good
of all emerges a "winner".

Living and working with others can be a very enlightening experience when we
realize that everyone is us - at some stage of our evolution. The person we
admire may be where we are headed, whereas, the one we judge and criticize
may be where we are, or where we have been - or perhaps they are portraying
someone from our past and we get to relive similar situations and
interactions so that we can heal our own behavior. The lesson is to learn to
heal - to deal with all situations in peace and objectivity, always looking
for the highest good for all concerned.

It's a new year! It's a new day! It's a new moment! Every moment is another
opportunity to raise our vibrations and thus contribute to raising the
vibration of the planet and all of its inhabitants. As every one of us
renounces fear and resentments, we are helping others up another step in the
ladder of life. We are not separate. Each of our actions, thoughts, and
desires resonate in the Universe to be "picked up" by others.

Now is the time to make sure that we contribute to the upliftment of
humanity. We are all in this together. Let's join forces (the forces of love
and peace) and create a better world. We are the leaders of the transition.
We are the ones who can make a difference - by our individual actions,
thoughts, and visions, and by our collective actions, thoughts, and visions.

Love is the key, and you are the gatekeeper who holds the key - love for
ourselves, for our neighbors, for those better off or worse off than we, for
everyone.

Open the door of your heart and let the Light & Love shine to yourself, to
others, and through you and all. Happy New Year!

About The Author:
Marie T. Russell is the publisher of InnerSelf Magazine (first published in
1985 originally as Mighty Natural Magazine) and The Natural Yellow Pages
(1987-2002). She produced a weekly South Florida radio broadcast, Inner
Power, from 1991-1995 which focused on themes such as self-esteem, personal
growth, and well-being. Her articles focus on transformation and
reconnecting with our inner source of joy and creativity. Marie can be
reached at marie@... with personal comments and feedback, or to be
placed on a mailing list to be advised when her book becomes available.
http://www.innerself.com


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

A Thought For The New Year

God didn't promise days without pain, laughter
without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did
promise strength for the day, comfort for your
tears, and a light to shine your way.

Disappointments are like road humps, they
slow you down a bit but you enjoy the smooth
road afterwards. Don't stay on the humps too
long. Move on!

When you feel down because you didn't get
what you want, just sit tight and be happy,
because God has something better
to give you.

When something happens to you, good or bad
consider what it means. There's a purpose to
life's events, to teach you how to laugh more
or not to cry too hard.

You can't make someone love you, all you can
do is be someone who can be loved, the rest
is up to the person to realize your worth.

What the heart gives away is never gone. It is
kept in the hearts of others.

Remember that great love and great achievements
involve great risks.

Secure a special place in your heart.  A certain
place only you can enter. For there will come a
time when you need to find yourself and only your
heart will show you the way.

The measure of love is when you love without
measure.

In life there are very rare chances that you'll meet
the person you love and loves you in return. So
once you have it don't ever let go, the chance might
never come your way again.

It's better to lose your pride to the one you love,
than to lose the one you love because of pride.

We spend so much time looking for the right
person to love or finding fault with those we
already love, when instead we should be
perfecting the love we give.

When you truly care for someone, you don't
look for faults, and you overlook excuses.

Five rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

God doesn't CALL the QUALIFIED,
He QUALIFIES the CALLED.
"There's no attainment, if there is no goal."

BE DIVINE

Author Unknown

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

To leave the old with a burst of song;
To recall the right and forgive the wrong;
To forget the things that bind you fast
To the vain regrets of the year that's past;
To have the strength to let go your hold
Of the not worth while of the days grown old;
To dare go forth with a purpose true,
To the unknown task of the year that's new;
To help your brother along the road,
To do his work and lift his load;
To add your gift to the world's good cheer,
Is to have and to give a Happy New Year.

Author Unknown

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

RESIGN YOURSELF

Resign yourself to be happy,
For that is what you deserve.

Resign yourself to serve,
For that is why you are here.

Resign yourself to forgive,
For there is nothing to judge in Truth.

Resign yourself to love,
For that is what you are,
That is all there is,
That is "All that Is"

John and Rev. Ananda McIntosh
1998 - 2001© Copyright - Teach Only Love

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

On the Anniversary of Your Rebirth
This poem was written in celebration of a friend's
two years of sobriety in March of 1997.

You are one of the few
who has dared to step outside
comforting illusions --
No more masks or hiding,
no more lies --
choosing to live as a real person
in a real world.

You have shown a bravery by your actions
that belongs only to heroes,
turning your back on familiar havens
to embrace the unknown,
daring to trust
when trust appears impossible,
throwing away all crutches and props
when you have felt least able to stand.

Unlike others, you confront yourself,
acknowledging the shadow side of who we all are,
rejoicing in the good and accepting flaws,
choosing with each day the better path,
aware of the true fragility and danger of each hour
from which most others hide,
unable to accept uncertainty and doubt.

When we, too, face the truths from which
we have so carefully shielded ourselves,
as someday we all must do,
we'll look to you, respected elder sister,
to see the model by which to shape
our own bravery and our path,
daring, like you,
to live a life of true courage.

Copyright ©1997, by Elizabeth Bennefeld. All rights reserved.
willow@...

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

Free

hanging on with all my might
to an ever-unraveling thread
struggling through another night
with these demons in my head
I can't cope, my mind's tore down
my heart's been massacred
jumping up with every sound
I have or haven't heard
and I long for the light of freedom
I crave that saving ray of peace
let me know my new life has begun
assure me my soul's been released
and I will follow your path,
let your steps be my guide
and finally this storm I have
will be loosed from inside
serenity will be my call
others I will aid
I will strive to surrender all
I will take on your last name
for we are all one family
joined by the bonding of our hearts
this hope shared with you and me
will help others gain a brand new start
thank you God, for all your blessings
all the joy and all the lessons
all that you have opened inside me
I will give my all today
to your will and to NA
for without them I wouldn't be free
I'm free.
with love, written without editing, just letting the
spirit guide my fingers.

written by ~ johnh94
johnh94@...
"Courage is the power to let go of the familiar."
--Raymond Linquist

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

Happy New Year!

Have a good one,a great thing to say,
We all can be happy,each our own way.
Throw out the old, get on with the new,
It's easy to say, but harder to do.

Here in Central Florida, I think we were shocked,
When hurricanes blasted, this whole state was rocked,
Nothing we had learned could prepare us for this,
Most will rebuild, on our strength, we insist.

Our lives are so pleasant, as hopefully we survive,
That didn't prepare us for December of 05,
The tidal wave that happened a few days ago,
Has so many sad here, no way could we know.

The victims so many, 200,000 in number,
The terror of it all, so many put asunder,
The thing that I saw in the midst of it all,
Was love felt so deeply so matter how small.

This year is all ended, a new one begun,
A war in Irac, and no one has won,
I'll pray to my God as this day is all through,
Let this year be a lesson, we've so much to do.

All in all I see it as God knows I would,
That all of humanity is basically good,
Tonight as I say it, although with a tear,
In spite of it all, Have a Happy New Year!

Love and blessings,
Sharlett Hunt
Sharlette863@...
© OH FIVE!!!!!!!

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

Cherish your vision; Cherish your ideals;
Cherish the music that stirs in your heart,
the beauty that forms in your mind,
the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts.
If you remain true to them, your world will at last be built.
James Allen

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

Start living now.
Stop saving the good china for that special occasion.
Stop withholding your love until that special person materializes.
Every day you are alive is a special occasion.
Every minute, every breath, is a gift from God.
Mary Manin Morrissey

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

Children are happy because they don't yet have a file
in their minds called "All the Things That Could Go Wrong."
They don't have a mind-set that puts
"Things to Fear" before "Things to Love."
Unless we can be like little children,
we can't enter into the kingdom of heaven;
unless we can be like little children, we can't be happy.
Children are happy because they don't have all the facts yet.
Marianne Williamson, Illuminata

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

Evil, (ignorance) is like a shadow-it has no real substance of its own,
it is simply a lack of light.
You cannot cause a shadow to disappear by trying to fight it,
stomp on it, by railing against it,
or any other form of emotional or physical resistance.
In order to cause a shadow to disappear,
you must shine light on it.
  Shakti Gawain

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

A true sponsor is a person who knows
the words to the song in your heart
and is able to sing them back to you
when you have forgotten those words.

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

"The quality of your recovery is proportional
to the quality of your surrender."

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

"Being an addict does not give me permission
to act out on my defects of character."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"The Power behind me is
greater than the problem in front of me."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*PLUG Into The POWER*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

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

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

Anyone can subscribe to this free daily  e-zine by sending an
Email message to:

twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
or
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and write subscribe in the subject line.

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or just email me YOUnMEnHP@...
and write unsubscribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
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www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/
www.groups.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org/

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

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

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org/

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

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org/

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org/

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org/

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

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

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/

*~*~*~*~*~*Earthgroup N.A. Marathon Meetings ROCK*~*~*~*~*~*

EARTH GROUP NA  presents 4th Annual

2006 NEW YEARS MARATHON
"SHARING AND CARING THE NA WAY"


Beginning at 6PM. December 31st. we will have 18hours
of non stop meetings.  Guest speakers will share
at Midnight and 10:30 AM. E.S.T.

Come and join us and share with other addicts from around
the world on one of the hardest nights of the year to stay clean.

The coffee will be hot, plenty of chairs, and lots of virtual Hugs
waiting. Spend the night with friends and family who care and
share the NA Way...

Join us at Join
www.earthgroupna.org
and click on chatroom or a direct link is
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.pl?id=114117

For more information contact Diane K. at chat@...

I will be sharing at the midnight meeting on New Years Eve :)     Scott


(((12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit Family))) a BIG hug to you all.
As this year comes to a close,
may we take a step back and be grateful for what is.
May we be courageous and willing to take the next step
so that God can put the path beneath our feet.
I hope that your New Year ahead is FILLED with
the BRIGHTNESS of Love, Blessings, Miracles and Good Health
Be careful, Be safe and ENJOY
Stay in the Light
and
Keep Stepping,
In loving service,
Scott


Treatment
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/fav2003/treatment.html

An alcoholic was walking along the beach when he saw a bottle.
He stopped and rubbed it and a genie popped out.
"You have 3 wishes" said the genie.
The alcoholic said, "I'll take a bottle that is never empty."
Whamo he has a bottle that is never empty and starts to drink.
The genie taps him on the shoulder and says,
"and what are your other two wishes?"
"Oh," says the alcoholic, "I'll have two more like this one."

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

What are the 3 things that I am
most grateful for and why?

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


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

December 31
Today I know that I am at choice.
Today I have all the willingness...
all the energy and all the guidance to continue
to choose the path of peace and love and joy.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

The Fix

I came to my first 12 Step Meeting to learn to fix
My daughter. I was sure that in this group mix
I would learn the right words to make her quit
Using drugs and alcohol. My live was in a pit
Of despair. I would scheme, manipulate or lie
Nothing was off limits, I knew she would die
And I felt it was up to me to find a speedy cure
I was dishonest but thought my motive was pure.
I did not learn how to control her habit that night
But what I did hear turned me toward the light.
The first step told me I was powerless over her use
A :²power greater than ourselves² could dispel the ruse
That I had any control at all over her drugs of choice
I had to care for me. Even more I had to still my voice
Of nagging and complaining. I had to turn my will
Over to the care of my Higher Power. But I had my fill
Of church as I knew it. I was asked ³Do you believe
There¹s a power greater than you?  Will you leave
Your ego behind and depend on Him?² I didn¹t see
The answer that first night. The talk was about me.
³Keep coming back² I heard. Leaving the meeting
I felt confused and alone, but I had caught a fleeting
Glimpse of serenity that shown on faces of the group.
My options were limited, I was on a dead-end loop.
I didn¹t understand at first, but with time I learned the way
To seek my Higher Power not just at church but day by day.
I learned her salvation would not come from me playing God
But would come from her HP who knew the path she trod
And loved her, even more than I could ever express
Because He created her and He knew of her distress.
With time I found a family who is closer than blood kin
In my 12 step group members who welcomed me to join in.
The fix I had first sought was to control my addict loved one
The fix I found was far greater, forgiveness for what I¹d done.

Carol Thomas
Gillygumdrop@...
12/29/05

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

On diversity
N.A. Way Magazine 6/1998
www.na.org/naway/en/naway4-e-4.htm

A WONDERFUL New Years Web Page
www.namastecafe.com/happynewyear.htm

Grapevine Articles
www.silkworth.net/grapevine/grapevine_articles.html

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

Just For Today
December 31                                Being of service

"Working with others is only the beginning of service work."
Basic Text, p 56

We're in recovery now. Through living the program, we've attained some
stability in our lives. Our faith in a Higher Power has grown. Our
individual spiritual awakening is progressing comfortably. So now what? Do
we simply sit still and enjoy? Of course not. We find a way to be of
service.

We tend to think of service only in terms of committee service or
holding a position at some level, but service goes far beyond this
understanding. In fact, we can find opportunities to be of service in nearly
every area of our lives. Our jobs are a form of service to our communities,
no matter what our occupation. The work we do in our homes serves our
families. Perhaps we do volunteer work in our communities.

What a difference our service efforts make! If we doubt this, we can
just imagine what the world would be like if no one bothered to be of
service to others. Our work serves humanity. The message we carry goes
beyond the rooms of recovery, affecting everything we do.

Just for today: I will look for opportunities to be of service in
everything I do.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:
What are the 3 things that I am
most grateful for and why?
to share please visit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

  TRUE AMBITION

True ambition is not what we thought is was. True ambition is the deep
desire to live usefully and walk humbly under the grace of God.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 124-125

During my drinking years, my one and only concern was to have my fellow man
think highly of me.  My ambition in everything I did was to have the power
to be at the top.  My inner self kept telling me something else but I
couldn't accept it.  I didn't even allow myself to realize that I wore a
mask continually.  Finally, when the mask came off and I cried out to the
only God I could conceive, the Fellowship of A.A., my group and the Twelve
Steps were there.  I learned how to change resentments into acceptance,
fear into hope and anger into love.  I have learned also, through loving
without undo expectations, through sharing my concerns and caring for my
fellow man, that each day can be joyous and fruitful.  I begin and end my
day with thanks to God, who has so generously shed His grace on me.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden / December 31st

A.A. Thought for the Day

I shall be loyal in my attendance, generous in my
giving, kind in my criticism, creative in my suggestions,
loving in my attitudes.  I shall give A.A. my interest,
my enthusiasm, my devotion, and most of all, myself.
The Lord's Prayer has become part of my A.A. thoughts
for each day: "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed
be Thy name.  Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done, on
earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who
trespass against us.  Lead us not to temptation, but
deliver us from evil."  Have I given myself?

Meditation for the Day

As we look back over the year just gone, it has been
a good year to the extent that we have put good
thoughts, good words, and good deeds into it.  None of
what we have thought, said, or done need be wasted.
Both the good and the bad experiences can be profited
by.  In a sense, the past is not entirely gone.  The result
of it, for good or evil, is with us at the present moment.
We can only learn by experience and none of our
experience is completely wasted.  We can humbly
think God for the good things of the year that has gone.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may carry good things into the year ahead.
I pray that I may carry on with faith, with prayer, and
with hope.

"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.

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 31, 2005

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

Affirming the Good

     Fun becomes fun, love becomes love, life becomes worth living. And we
become grateful.
     --Beyond Codependency

Wait, and expect good things - for yourself and your loved ones.

When you wonder what is coming, tell yourself the best is coming, the very
best life and love have to offer, the best God and His universe have to
send. Then open your hands to receive it. Claim it, and it is yours.

See the best in your mind; envision what it will look like, what it will
feel like. Focus, until you can see it clearly. Let your whole being, body
and soul, enter into and hold onto the image for a moment.

Then, let it go. Come back into today, the present moment. Do not obsess. Do
not become fearful. Become excited. Live today fully, expressing gratitude
for all you have been, all you are, and all you will become.

Wait, and expect good things.

Today, when I think abut the year ahead, I will focus on the good that is
coming.

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

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

The Healing Power of Relationship
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2001/January/vissell.htm

Links to Finding Joy &  Happiness
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_first.htm#joy

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

REFLECTIONS--A LIST OF YEAR-END QUESTIONS
© David Batchelor

In order to embrace the new, we must release the old. An important part of
preparing for the New Year is to review the past year--to release it--and
to learn from it.

To go where we wish to go and be whom we wish to be, we need to know where
we are and who we are. An honest self-analysis is always helpful to gain
clarity. As we end the year, the decade, the century and the millennium, it
seems particularly fitting to devote some time to reflecting on the year
past and where we find ourselves as the new year dawns.

The following questions should stimulate your thinking for this process. I
hope that you take time out of your busy schedule this holiday season to
ponder where you are and where you've been. Enter into discussions with
people you care about. Write out your thoughts and feelings. Do some
journaling. Consider writing a letter--an end-of the-year-epistle to
yourself. It could be profound to write it and valuable to read it in the
years ahead.

Reflect upon what you did, how you felt, what you liked, what you didn't
and what you learned. Try to look at yourself and your experience with as
much objectivity as you can-much like a biographer would.

Here are some suggestions to get you started in mulling over the
past year-perhaps the last decade. Feel free to add your own.

1. Am I where I want to be? (if not, what's stopping me?)

2. What did I achieve? A list of my wins and achievements.

3. What would I have done differently? Why?

4. Was I busy doing or being? (Be comes before do and have. After all we
were created to be human BEings not human DOings)

5. What were the most significant events of the year past? List the top
three.

6. What did I do right? What do I feel especially good about?
What was my greatest contribution?

7. What were the fun things I did? What were the not-so-fun?

8. What were my biggest challenges/roadblocks/difficulties?

9. How am I different this year than last?

10. For what am I particularly grateful and why?

Another Suggestion:
Consider listing all the things in your life of which
you'd like to let go--anything you no longer want. Give thanks for what
they've brought you in terms of learning and usefulness and then burn the
list. It's a symbolic gesture to help you release the old and be open to
the new.

The next step is to list what you DO want-experiences, knowledge, material
things, relationships, healings, whatever.

In doing this, you'll be using the principle of vacuum-releasing what you
don't want and embracing what you do.

I'm confident that anything you can do to make this year-end more dramatic
in terms of your own personal and spiritual growth will be valuable.

Make it a great New Year by ending this one well.

About the Author:
David Batchelor has written numerous articles focusing on
Tips, Strategies, Tools and how-to's for creating the Ultimate Home Based
Business.

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

Is the Grass Really Greener
on the Other Side of the Fence?
by Joseph Bailey

When we are unhappy, we often quite naturally begin to fantasize about how
our troubles would end "if only". If only I could move to the country and
avoid the hassle of city life... If only I could quit my job and do
something simpler, like be a forest ranger in a national park... If only I
could leave this marriage, which isn't working out, and find someone who
really understands me...

Unfortunately, all too often we quit that stressful job or leave that
unhappy marriage, only to find ourselves in a similar or worse situation.
Why is this?

Looking for external solutions to our psychological problems doesn't work.
In other words, if we don't change our thinking, we will bring that thinking
right along with us to the next job or the next marriage or the new house in
the country. Our experience of life is the creation of our own thinking >
perception > emotion > behavior. This doesn't mean that people should never
change jobs or careers, move to a better location, or even find a new
significant other. It simply means that nothing changes on the outside if
nothing changes on the inside, where your experience is created -- your
mind.

Doug came to me for help with several problems. He was stressed beyond his
limit. He was unable to sleep at night, hated the industry he was in and the
people he worked with, had angry outbursts at work, and couldn't maintain a
significant relationship. To Doug, it appeared that he was in the wrong job
and living in the wrong state and that his problems were all a result of
those factors. In the past ten years he'd taken five new jobs, moved to four
new homes, and failed in numerous relationships.

Doug would often fantasize about moving to Colorado, getting a job at a ski
resort, and simplifying his hectic life. He was making great money where he
was, but the stress wasn't worth it to him, and he knew he wasn't getting
any younger. He sought me out because he wanted to make sure he wasn't going
to regret his decision later.

"Everybody around here is always pushing my buttons", Doug said. "They have
no respect for my time, my priorities, or my responsibilities, yet they want
me to respect theirs. Well, I tell you, they can take this job and do you
know what with it!" This was Doug's typical complaint. But as he began to
understand the principles described in this book (The Speed Trap), his view
of his job and other people gradually began to change.

The Fork in the Road
One day, Doug realized he'd had it with his supervisor. One more demand like
that and I'll show him. I'll quit, Doug grumbled to himself.

Sure enough, his supervisor asked him to cancel his other plans and fly to
Florida the next day; this was an emergency.

"I'm sick and tired of your demands! What do you take me for -- a fool?"
With that, Doug stormed out of his supervisor's office and out to the
parking lot. He sped out of the driveway, and within two blocks a police
officer pulled him over and began writing out a ticket for going 50 in a
35-MPH zone.

As Doug sat in his car, it dawned on him that he was totally out of control
and definitely in an unhealthy way of thinking. Once again, he had made an
impulsive, reactive decision while in a rage. All of his musings about
leaving the job seemed to build up to this point. What have I done? he asked
himself. Is this really what I want, or am I overreacting? Suddenly, it
became absolutely clear to him that he had been "temporarily insane" and had
acted on that insane thinking.

When the officer handed him the ticket, Doug thanked him for the wake-up
call. Puzzled, the officer walked away wondering why anyone would be
thanking him for a ticket.

Doug suddenly realized that this was just one of numerous occasions in which
he had set himself up for having a major emotional reaction by thinking that
"they" were ruining his life. It became clear to him that he was taking
everything personally and that it was his thinking that was giving him his
emotional reaction. A flood of memories and insights washed over him, and he
saw this pattern throughout his whole life, with his family, his bosses, his
girlfriends, other jobs. It was always "their fault", and his only recourse
was to get away from those negative influences. That had appeared to be his
only option this time once again -- up to the moment he got the speeding
ticket.

Doug went back to the office and apologized to his boss. "I'm really sorry I
reacted to you the way I did. I was way out of line. I'll be in Florida
tomorrow." With that accomplished, Doug actually began to feel good about
the trip and even decided to throw in his golf dubs and take the weekend off
for some R & R. Man, I'm so lucky to have a job that will get me out of the
cold winter and off to Florida, he thought, as he went whistling out the
door.

On the plane back from Florida, Doug felt a warm glow of grateful feelings
as he realized how much he actually loved his job, especially now that he
realized where the power over his anger and his happiness truly resided.
Boy, am I glad I didn't quit. That was a close one. I wonder in how many
other areas of my life I've been doing the same thing, Doug mused. I guess
the grass only looked greener because I needed a new pair of glasses!

This article is excerpted from the book "The Speed Trap" by Joseph Bailey,
©1999. Reprinted with permission of the publisher, HarperSanFrancisco, an
imprint of Harper Collins, Inc.

About The Author:
Joseph Bailey is the president of the Minneapolis Institute of Mental Health
and Health Realization Consultants in Minnesota. He has trained chemical
dependency counselors from around the world for the Johnson Institute in
Minneapolis. He is the author of The Speed Trap as well as of Serenity
Principle, and Slowing Down to the Speed of Life. Visit his website at
www.healthreal.com

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

Teach Me

Teach me, God, so that I might know
The way to change and the way to grow.
Give me the words to ask You how
To handle the here and live in the now.

Tempt me not with the valleys of death,
Give me freedom from fear in every breath.
And though mistakes I make in my daily life,
Deliver me from aiding strife.

Understand me, God, as I am now
And show me the furrows I need to plow.
To reach my goal as a ripening food,
So I might feed others all that is good.

Fill me with energy known as the Power,
Until I come to rest at the midnight hour.

from the book: Twelve Step Prayer Book - Second Edition

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

The Blessing of Closure

I will know peace with . . . I take the time to experience
the blessing of closure.

All great events cast a shadow before them,
and so many of us get caught up in the shadow. How?
We move on to something new without closure.
We jump into something new before
we understand the old.
We think that we can start a new relationship
when we are still angry about the old relationship.
We think we can find a new, better-paying job
when we are still upset about how we were treated on the old job.
You cannot move forward into something bigger, better, brighter
than what you had until you clear your feeling about the old thing was,
what you learned and what you are taking with you.
Without closure, the bad stuff you had before is going to follow you.

A shadow is cast by a coming event.
The shadow is not the event itself.
Some shadows are dark.
They may frighten you.
They also obscure your vision.
Other shadows are bright, so bright in fact
that they blind you to what is really going on.
A bright shadow may lead you out of the darkness
but may not provide you with a clear vision
of where you are headed.
When you attempt to leave where you are without closure,
you will undoubtedly get lost in some kind of shadow.
A shadow in your mind. A shadow on your heart.
The only way to ensure that you are standing squarely
in a new event and not the shadow is to make the effort
to understand what you are leaving, why you are leaving,
what you have learned and how you plan to make the next event different.

Until today, you may have been compelled to move
on without forethought or closure.
Just for today, be still! Make no decisions.
Give yourself some down time.
When you feel ready to move forward,
ask God to show you where and how
to move into an eventful new beginning.

Today I am devoted to bringing closure to those
experiences that could propel me into a shadow!
Iyanla Vanzant
From - "Until Today!"

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

An Addicts Prayer

Another blessed day nears its end
I give thanks to my God again
With a grateful heart for another day
Freed from my addictions I say
I've worked a bit done my best
Now it's time for me to rest
Gone are the temptations and the lure
I could really want for no more
I thank God for this simple program
I thank God for who I am
He gave me a better life
Free from drugs
Free from criminals
Free from thugs
I cleaned up
My shady past
I have a freedom
That now will last
Today I have no reason
To alter my mind
Or to look
And not find
Inner peace rules
This grateful man
With my God
I am
Who I am
Temptations come
Then they go
Now today
I'm clean
And I know
I can love
From my heart
Give from my heart
Reason from my heart
Because God gives me each day
A new start
A new way

Daniel M Corkery
11/10/2000
DMCDREAMER1@...
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer

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

Our awesome responsibility to ourselves, to our children, and to the future
is to create ourselves in the image of goodness, because the future depends
on the nobility of our imaginings.
-- Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

The world we live in depends on the responsible contributions each of us
makes. And this world is just as good as are the many talents we commit
ourselves to developing and offering. None of us is without obligation to
offer our best to our family, friends, or strangers, if our hope is to live
in a good world. The world can only be as good as each of us makes it.

Individually and collectively our power to mold the outer circumstances of
our lives is profound. Our personal responses to one another and our
reactions to events that touch us combine with the actions of others to
create a changed environment that affects us. No action, no thought goes
unnoticed, unfelt, in this interdependent system of humanity. We share this
universe. We are the force behind all that the universe offers.

Whether I acknowledge the depth of my contribution is irrelevant. It is
still profound and making an impact every moment and eternally.

from the book: The Promise of a New Day by Karen Casey & Martha Vanceburg

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

You will find as you look back upon your life
that the moments when you have really lived,
are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of Love.

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

The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing
would suffice to solve most of the world's problems.
Mahatma Gandhi

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

The purpose of our lives is to give birth to the best which is within us.
Marianne Williamson

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

WILLING = When I Live Life I Need God

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

YET = You¹re Eligible Too

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

  YET = You¹ll End-up There

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

ISM = Incredibly Short Memory

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*BE A Light To Someone Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I have heard that
"Religion is where one goes to church and thinks about fishing
where Spirituality is going fishing and thinking about God."
Chetski

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org

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

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Research 2
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/fav2003/research2.html

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

What are the 3 things that I am
most grateful for and why?

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


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

December 30
It feels so good to help other people
and to know that I have something to give them.
It feels so good to have turned my own life around
so that it can benefit others.
(Author's note: Please know that we all have so much to give.
The world really needs us recovering folks now.
We have been given an extraordinary gift of a way of life
second to none, and as we continue to grow spiritually,
we do make a difference in the world.)
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

A B C's of Recovery

Remember Your A B C's

A)Attitude of gratitude

B)Be as enthusiastic about your recovery as you were about your using

C)Change is a process, not an event

D)Don't quit 5 minutes before the miracle happens

E)Easy does it

F)Fear is absence of faith

G)God's will, not mine, be done

H)Honesty, Open-mindedness, and Willingness

I)Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results

J)Just for today

K)Keep coming back

L)Live the Program on a daily basis

M)More will be revealed

N)NA can survive without us but we cannot survive without NA

O)One day at a time

P)Pass the message, not the disease

Q)Quitting is easy; it's staying stopped that's hard

R)Resentments reserve a place in our recovery for relapse

S)Sponsors: have one - use one - be one

T)Today is all you have

U)Use the Steps, the elevator is broken

V)Value spiritual principles such as surrender, humility, and service

W)We have a disease: progressive, incurable and fatal

X)Xamine our actions, our reactions, and our motives

Y)You're right where you're supposed to be

Z)Zero in on the winners and stick with them

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 home group¹s experience with public information
N.A. Way Magazine 1/1998
www.na.org/naway/en/naway2-e.htm#facilities

REFLECTIONS--A LIST OF YEAR-END QUESTIONS
www.ksinclair.com/Article455.htm

Reflections - A Top Ten List of Year-End Questions
www.positivepath.net/ideasMA17.asp

*~*~*~*~*~*Earthgroup N.A. Marathon Meetings ROCK*~*~*~*~*~*

EARTH GROUP NA  presents 4th Annual

2006 NEW YEARS MARATHON
"SHARING AND CARING THE NA WAY"


Beginning at 6PM. December 31st. we will have 18hours
of non stop meetings.  Guest speakers will share
at Midnight and 10:30 AM. E.S.T.

Come and join us and share with other addicts from around
the world on one of the hardest nights of the year to stay clean.

The coffee will be hot, plenty of chairs, and lots of virtual Hugs
waiting. Spend the night with friends and family who care and
share the NA Way...

Join us at Join
www.earthgroupna.org
and click on chatroom or a direct link is
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.pl?id=114117

For more information contact Diane K. at chat@...

I will be sharing at the midnight meeting on New Years Eve :)     Scott

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

Just For Today
December 30                              Action and prayer

"... growth is not the result of wishing but of action and prayer"
Basic Text, pp.35-36

  Sometimes it seems as if our recovery is growing much too slowly.
We struggle with the steps; we wrestle with the same problems;
we labor under the same uncomfortable feelings day after day. We
wish that recovery would move a little faster so we could find some
comfort!

  Wishing doesn't work in recovery; this isn't a program of magic. If
wishes cured addiction, we all would have been well long ago! What does
give us relief in recovery is action and prayer.

  Narcotics Anonymous has worked for so many addicts because it is a
carefully designed program of action and prayer. The actions we
undertake in each of the steps bring more and more recovery to each
area of our lives. And prayer keeps us connected to our Higher Power.
Together, action and prayer keep us well-grounded in recovery.

Just for today: My recovery is too precious to just wish about it.
Today is a good day for action and prayer.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:
What are the 3 things that I am
most grateful for and why?
to share please visit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN

When we developed still more, we discovered the best possible source of
emotional stability to be God Himself.  We found that dependence upon His
perfect justice, forgiveness, and love was healthy, and that it would work
where nothing else would.  If  we really depended upon God, we couldn't
very well play God to our fellows nor would we feel the urge wholly to rely
on human  protection and care.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 116

It has been my experience that, when all human resources appear to have
failed, there is always One who will never desert me.  Moreover, He is
always there to share my joy, to steer me down the right path, and to
confide in when no one else will do.  While my well-being and happiness can
be added to, or diminished, by  human efforts, only God can provide the
loving nourishment upon which I depend for my daily spiritual health.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden /December 30th

A.A. Thought for the Day

To the extent that I fail in my responsibilities,
A.A. fails.  To the extent that I succeed, A.A.
succeeds.  Every failure of mine will set back
A.A. work to that extent.  Every success of mine
will put A.A. ahead to that extent.  I shall not
wait to be drafted for service to others, but
I shall volunteer.  I shall accept every opportunity
to work for A.A. as a challenge, and I shall do
my best to accept every challenge and perform
my task as best I can.  Will I accept every
challenge gladly?

Meditation for the Day

People are failures in the deepest sense when they
seek to live without God's sustaining power.  Many
people try to be self-sufficient and seek selfish
pleasure and find that it does not work too well.
No matter how much material wealth they acquire,
no matter how much fame and material power, the
time of disillusionment and futility usually comes.
Death is ahead, and they cannot take any material
thing with them when they go.  What does it matter
if I have gained the whole world, but lost my own soul?

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I will not come empty to the end of my life.
I pray that I may so live that I will not be afraid to die.

"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.

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 30, 2005

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

Laying the Foundation

The groundwork has been laid.

Do you not see that?

Don't you understand that all you have gone through was for a purpose?

There was a reason, a good reason, for the waiting, the struggle, the pain,
and finally the release.

You have been prepared. The same way a builder must first tear down and dig
out the old to make way for the new, your Higher Power has been cleaning out
the foundation in your life.

Have you ever watched a builder at construction? When he begins his work, it
looks worse than before he began. What is old and decayed must be removed.
What is insufficient or too weak to support the new structure must be
removed, replaced, or reinforced. No builder who cares about his or her work
would put a new surface over an insufficient support system. The foundation
would give way. It would not last.

If the finished product is to be what is desired, the work must be done
thoroughly from the bottom up. As the work progresses, it often appears to
be an upheaval. Often, it does not seem to make sense. It may appear to be
wasted time and effort, because we cannot see the final product yet.

But it is so important that the foundation be laid properly if the fun work,
the finishing touches, is to be all that we want it to be.

This long, hard time in your life has been for laying of groundwork. It was
not without purpose, although at times the purpose may not have been evident
or apparent.

Now, the foundation has been laid. The structure is solid.

Now, it is time for the finishing touches, the completion.

It is time to move the furniture in and enjoy the fruits of the labor.

Congratulations. You have had the patience to endure the hard parts. You
have trusted, surrendered, and allowed your Higher Power and the Universe to
heal and prepare you.

Now, you shall enjoy the good that has been planned.

Now, you shall see the purpose.

Now, it shall all come together and make sense.

Enjoy.

Today, I will surrender to the laying of the foundation - the groundwork  -
in my life. If it is time to enjoy the placement of the finishing touches, I
will surrender to that, and enjoy that too. I will remember to be grateful
for a Higher Power that is a Master Builder and only has my best interests
in mind, creating and constructing my life. I will be grateful for my Higher
Power's care and attention to details in laying the foundation - even though
I become impatient at times. I will stand in awe at the beauty of God's
finished product.

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

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

Put "Click-to-Donate" Sites on your New Year's Resolution List
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2001/January/cyberweave.htm

Links to Art & Creativity
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_first.htm#creativity

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

The Invitation

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for,
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love,
for your dreams, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon.
I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow,
if you have been opened by life's betrayals or
have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own,
without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own,
if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you
to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be
careful, be realistic, or to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you're telling me is true.
I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself;
if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul.

I want to know if you can be faithless
and therefore be trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see beauty
even when it's not pretty, every day,
and if you can source your own life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine,
and still stand on the edge of a lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon, "Yes"!

It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and
despair, weary and bruised to the bone,
and do what needs to be done for the children.

It doesn't interest me who you are, how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not
shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself,
and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

© Oriah Mountain Dreamer,
from the book The Invitation
published by Harper San Francisco, 1999

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

Being Human is Awful
by Barbara J. Semple

For a long time, I hated being human. I used to hate being stereotyped into
any category, even being human, because humanity has done so many bad things
since it moved out of "the gardens." Talk about carrying inappropriate
patterns about being in community or group.

Hating being human can definitely have a detrimental effect on my physical
existence. Blaming my family of origin and never wanting to be in a family
or group again is totally understandable when all one knows is the dark side
of life. I hated the whole idea that someone, my family, my environment,
humanity, had a hold on me and shaped my life to be just another human in a
rat race like everyone else. My life fitted perfectly into what I call the
"crab box theory." Let me explain.

When a fisherman is catching crabs, he usually puts them in a box as he
catches them. When he throws the first crab he catches in the box, the crab
fights and uses all of its might to free himself from the box. A second and
third crab (or more) are caught and thrown into the box. Immediately, all
crabs fight to pull each other down, so nobody gets out of the box. That was
the pull or power of my immediate human group experience. Yes, I had issues
around intimacy and being in groups with other humans. I am grateful for my
conscious movement beyond the "crab box effect" of some people on my life.

One note about my movement beyond the "crab box effect." I could not have
tackled such movement and the patterns or conditions of it until I had
gained some sense of self separate from my family and friends. My sense of
independent self accelerated when I moved 1200 miles away to Colorado. It
took about 11 years in Colorado before I was able to begin handling
ever-deeper "holding" patterns, and even longer before I felt the courage to
"test" myself in community relationships again.

Soul will say that darkness, sickness, abuse and such "disturbances in the
Force" of my life are doorways to the light. Besides, Soul knew the plan
from the beginning. In my conscious soul workout, the disturbances in my
"Force," the effects or results of my patterns and cycles of abuse from
childhood, negativity or whatever, my challenged immune system, my rifts
with family members, are all red flag opportunities for me to operate from
the higher perspective of Soul.

Taking responsibility for myself as a spiritual being having a physical
experience transforms the whole human experience thing. Again, the
cumulative results of retraining myself differently take time. I am still
sometimes uncomfortable with the bad things some humans do. God bless them.
They present another opportunity for me to forgive and love. Previously
wounded ones, people suffering with illnesses, people who are healthy and
know they are more than physical, who choose the "High Road," are causing
humanity to evolve differently. Humanity is in a global soul movement to a
higher perspective of humanity.

The characteristics of being human are changing. I have seen it in myself.
As I cause myself to think, feel and act from a higher perspective, I become
more than human. I lift myself to a higher nature of being. By witnessing my
own "upliftment" of myself from my former lowly, sinning state of being, to
a refined, spiritual state, I feel a very strong sense that my conscious
emotions have an effect on my genetics. I have no scientific proof for this
strong sense. I am not a scientist. It just feels natural that the genetic
material of humans would change with the introduction of a new factor, love
and respect over generations, since humanity evolves as a species and adapts
and changes physiologically. For example, human ancestors had hair all over
their bodies and now we don't. Didn't something change genetically?

By working within the laws of cause and effect, I now pass on what I know,
how I think, feel and act as a spiritual being having a physical experience,
as does everyone else experiencing conscious soul movement. Being human
becomes a highly refined way of being, worthy of the highest honors of the
heavenly realms

This article is excerpted from Soul Aerobics Conscious Movement of a Soul
into Wholeness, ©2000, by Barbara J. Semple. Reprinted with permission of
the publisher, Blue Topaz Publishing. www.bluetopazpublishing.com

About the Author:
Barbara Semple has been a practitioner of Jin Shin Jyutsu®, a gentle
Oriental healing art, for ten years. She enjoys Zen painting, and is also
the author of Personal Power Cardsä , flashcards for emotional wellness.
Barbara spent 20 years working in corporate and marketing communications
until switching her focus to the holistic healing arts.

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

SPIRIT OF LOVE

  Henry Drummond has said, "The moments when you have really lived
are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love."

   Here is a story (possibly apocryphal, but powerful nevertheless)
about a man who acted in the spirit of love and what he
consequently learned.

   The story comes from Zig Ziglar's book, See You At The Top
(Pelican Publishing Co., 1982). He tells about an old man who
stood on a Virginia riverbank many years ago. He was waiting to
cross the river and, since it was bitterly cold and there were no
bridges, he would have to "catch a ride" to the other side. After
a lengthy wait he spotted a group of horsemen approaching. He let
the first one pass, then the second, third, fourth and fifth. One
rider remained. As he drew abreast, the old man looked him in the
eye and said, "Sir, would you give me a ride across the river?"

   The rider immediately replied, "Certainly." Once across the
river, the old man slid to the ground. "Sir," the rider said
before leaving. "I could not help but notice that you permitted
all the other men to pass without asking for a ride. Then, when I
drew abreast, you immediately asked me to carry you across. I am
curious as to why you didn't ask them and you did ask me."

   The old man quietly responded, "I looked into their eyes and
could see no love and knew in my own heart it would be useless to
ask for a ride. But when I looked into your eyes, I saw
compassion, love and the willingness to help. I knew you would be
glad to give me a ride across the river."

   The rider was touched. "I'm grateful for what you are saying," he
said. "I appreciate it very much." With that, Thomas Jefferson
turned and rode off to the White House.

   Ziglar reminds us that our eyes are the windows of our souls.
Then he asks a pointed question: "If you had been the last rider,
would the old man have asked you for a ride?"

   A good question! For it is said that others will know us by our
love. Some will see it in the things we do and some in the things
we say. And a few perceptive souls, like the old man, may catch a
glimmer of a loving and generous spirit in the expression of kind
eyes.

However it shows, may you be known by your love.

From TOUCHING MOMENTS, by Steve Goodier

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

Worth Waiting For

Each new dawn the plate of life is full
With much emptiness disguised as good
Alluring in oh so many ways
A fleeting taste of sweetness for the day
Soon disillusionment sets in
With disappointment your closest friend
Now we start asking how and why
Our choices fall short of what soul requires
Wisdom teaches well as time goes on
That patience yields the greatest of rewards
No benefit from siren songs to be derived
Save they divert us from our heart's desire.
Every time we settle for less
We deny our right to have the best.
Pray to understand that for you there is much more
To know that the best is worth waiting for.


Virginia Santoro
(Copyright 2001 - All Rights Reserved)
MorningMusings@...


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

Everything you need or want has a way of showing
up as soon as you're ready for it.

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

None of us can decide not to be in a relationship.
Try not being in relationship with your breath!
Life is about relationship.
We're going to be in relationship anyway so our task is
to learn how to experience a deeper, more profound meaning
in the relationships that we are in,
the greatest of which is our relationship with God.
Mary Manin Morrissey

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

When we long for life without difficulties,
remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds
and diamonds are made under pressure.
Peter Marshall

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

Shoot for the moon.
Even if you miss it you will land among the stars.
Les Brown

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

STAR = Start Talking About Recovery

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

TIME = Things I Must Earn

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

TRUST = Try Relying Upon  Steps Today

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
SPONSOR =
Service Person Offering Newcomers Suggestions On Recovery
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Keep GRATITUDE
Up front !!!!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
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To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
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and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
www,health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Research
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/fav2003/research.html

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

What are the 3 things that I am
most grateful for and why?

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

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

December 29
Through prayer and meditation God guides me
to the appropriate people for guidance
in the important decisions I must make in my life.
I trust my answers to be there when the time is right.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

Harmony of Life

A butterfly flutters from flower to flower,
He stops for a moment, or maybe an hour,
I pause for just a little while,
This never fails to make me smile.

A tiny gator swims slowly toward shore,
Looking for minnows, not anything more.
So happy inside his watery castle,
Just enjoying his life without any hassle.

A little squirrel scurries, with nuts in his mouth,
He seems not to care that he lives in the south,
He's storing for winter, though only he knows where,
He seems so ambitious, I'll try not to stare.

The birds of the morning, oh how they do sing!
It gives me awareness of what God's love brings,
This harmony of life that's so freely given,
There's all this and more that makes life worth living.

Sharlett Hunt ©
12/19/03
Sharlette863@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Convention corner
N.A. Way Magazine 1/1998
www.na.org/naway/en/naway2-e.htm#wcna27

Love Stands
www.wisehearts2.com/stand/stand.html

Living In The Want
www.wisehearts.angelcities.com/LW.htm

*~*~*~*~*~*Earthgroup N.A. Marathon Meetings ROCK*~*~*~*~*~*

EARTH GROUP NA  presents 4th Annual

2006 NEW YEARS MARATHON
"SHARING AND CARING THE NA WAY"


Beginning at 6PM. December 31st. we will have 18hours
of non stop meetings.  Guest speakers will share
at Midnight and 10:30 AM. E.S.T.

Come and join us and share with other addicts from around
the world on one of the hardest nights of the year to stay clean.

The coffee will be hot, plenty of chairs, and lots of virtual Hugs
waiting. Spend the night with friends and family who care and
share the NA Way...

Join us at Join
www.earthgroupna.org
and click on chatroom or a direct link is
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.pl?id=114117

For more information contact Diane K. at chat@...

I will be sharing at the midnight meeting on New Years Eve :)     Scott

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

Just For Today
December 29                                 Through others' eyes

"When someone points out a shortcoming, our first reaction may be
defensive....[But] if we truly want to be free, we will take a good
look at input from fellow addicts."       Basic Text p.35

  At some point in our recovery, we come to the awkward realization that
the way we see ourselves is not necessarily the way others do. We are
probably neither as bad, as good, as beautiful, or as ugly as we think we
are-but we are too close to ourselves to really tell for sure. That's where
our friends in the program come in, caring enough to share with us what
they see when they look in our direction. They tell us the good things
about ourselves we might not know-and they tell us the hard things, too,
that we might not be able to see.

  We may react defensively to such "help"-and, in some cases, justly so.
However, even malicious remarks about our supposed shortcomings can
shed light on aspects of our recovery that we cannot see ourselves.
Wherever a useful insight comes from, for whatever reason it is offered,
we cannot afford to discount it.

  We don't need to wait for others to spontaneously offer their insight.
When we spend time with our sponsor or other NA members we trust, we
can make the first move and ask them to tell us what they see about
particular areas of our lives to which we are blind. We want a broader
vision of our life than just our own; we can have that vision by seeing
ourselves through the eyes of others.

Just for today: I seek to see myself as I truly am. I will listen to
what others say about me, and see myself through their eyes.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:
What are the 3 things that I am
most grateful for and why?
to share please visit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

A NEW STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS

He has been granted a gift which amounts to a new state of consciousness
and being.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p 107

Many of us in A.A. puzzle over what is a spiritual awakening.  I tended to
look for a miracle, something dramatic and earth shattering.  But what
usually happens is that a sense of well-being, a feeling of peace,
transforms us into a new level of awareness.  That's what happened to
me.  My insanity and inner turmoil disappeared and I entered into a new
dimension of hope, love and peace.  I think the degree to which I continue
to experience this new dimension is in direct proportion to the sincerity,
depth and devotion with which I practice the Twelve Steps of A.A.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden / December 29th

A.A. Thought for the Day

Participating in the privileges of the movement, I shall
share in the responsibilities, taking it upon myself to
carry my fair share of the load, not grudgingly but
joyfully.  I am deeply grateful for the privileges I enjoy
because of my membership in this great movement.
They put an obligation upon me which I will not shirk.
I will gladly carry my fair share of the burdens.
Because of the joy of doing them, they will no longer
be burdens, but opportunities.  Will I accept every
opportunity gladly?

Meditation for the Day

Work and prayer are the two forces that are gradually
making a better world.  We must work for the
betterment of ourselves and other people.  Faith
without works is dead.  But all work with people should
be based on prayer.  If we say a little prayer before
we speak or try to help, it win make us more effective.
Prayer is the force behind the work.  Prayer is based
on faith that God is working with us and through us.
We can believe that nothing is impossible in human
relationships, if we depend on the help of God.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that my life may be balanced between prayer
and work.  I pray that I may not work without prayer
or pray without work.

"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.

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 29, 2005

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

Moving On

     Learn the art of acceptance. It's a lot of grief.
     --Codependent No More

Sometimes, as part of taking care of ourselves, it becomes time to end
certain relationships. Sometimes, it comes time to change the parameters of
a particular relationship.

This is true in love, in friendships, with family, and on the job.

Endings and changes in relationships are not easy. But often, they are
necessary.

Sometimes, we linger in relationships that are dead, out of fear of being
alone or to postpone the inevitable grieving process that accompanies
endings. Sometimes, we need to linger for a while, to prepare ourselves, to
get strong and ready enough to handle the change.

If that is what we are doing, we can be gentle with ourselves. It is better
to wait until that moment when it feels solid, clear, and consistent to act.

We will know. We will know. We can trust ourselves.

Knowing that a relationship is changing or is about to end is a difficult
place to be in, especially when it is not yet time to act but we know the
time is drawing near. It can be awkward and uncomfortable, as the lesson
draws to a close. We may become impatient to put closure on it, but not yet
feel empowered to do that. That's okay. The time is not yet right. Something
important is still happening. When the time is right, we can trust that it
will happen. We will receive the power and the ability to do what we need to
do.

Ending relationships or changing the boundaries of a particular relationship
is not easy. It requires courage and faith. It requires a willingness on our
part to take care of ourselves and, sometimes, to stand-alone for a while.

Let go of fear. Understand that change is an important part of recovery.
Love yourself enough to do what you need to do to take care of yourself, and
find enough confidence to believe that you will love again.

We are never starting over. In recovery, we are moving forward in a
perfectly planned progression of lessons. We will find ourselves with
certain people - in love, family, friendships, and work - when we need to be
with them. When the lesson has been mastered, we will move on. We will find
ourselves in a new place, learning new lessons, with new people.

No, the lessons are not all painful. We will arrive at that place where we
can learn, not from pain, but from joy and love.

Our needs will get met.

Today, I will accept where I am in my relationships, even if that place is
awkward and uncomfortable. If I am in the midst of endings, I will face and
accept my grief. God, help me trust that the path I am on has been perfectly
and lovingly planned for me. Help me believe that my relationships are
teaching me important lessons. Help me accept and be grateful for middles,
endings, and new beginnings.

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

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

Faith --The Power to Move Mountains
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2001/January/feature6.htm

Links to Healing
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_second.htm#healing

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

From Should to Would
by Alan Cohen

   My eight-year-old neighbor Mark keeps me on my toes.
Mark asks lots of questions, which I am sometimes tempted
to dismiss as childish. But when I think about them, I usually
discover a profound lesson.

   The other day Mark asked me for a ride to the local grocery
store so he could buy some popcorn (he would live on popcorn if his
mother let him). I told Mark I could drive him there, but since I
was going on into town, he would have to walk back, a short hike
he often takes. Then Mark asked me, "What do you think? Should
I go with you?" "Whatever you like, Mark," I told him. "It's up to you."
"But what do you think I should do?" he asked again.

   I thought about it for a moment, and I realized there was no
"should" about it. My opinion of what he should do was irrelevant.
His decision depended entirely on what he felt like doing.

   "Do whatever you would like," I told him. "If you want to go, I'll
be happy to drive you. If you don't feel like going, you can stay home
and play video games or whatever you like. It's up to you."

   This process went on for a few more rounds, until I was ready to
leave. Then Mark announced, "Okay, I'll go!" and he jumped into the car
with me.

   After I dropped Mark off, I realized he was mirroring a part of
myself that tries to find out what I should do, when there is no "should"
about it --only a "would." Sometimes when I am faced with a decision, I
try to figure out how the various options fit into God's plan for my
destiny. But God's plan for my destiny is happiness; if something would
truly make me happy, behold God's plan for my destiny. Instead of asking
some remote God who lives on a distant cloud what I should do, I need
simply ask the God within me what to do. God's radio frequency is pure
joy. What I should do is what I would do.

   The world is full of "shoulds" dictated by external sources. Religion,
society, family, and peers have all kinds of ideas about who you should
be and what you should do. But no one outside you can know your personal
path as well as you. Some of their "shoulds" match your "woulds" and
some of them don't. Many people fall back on the seeming security of
paths prescribed by external voices. Yet a small number of independent
souls, probably such as you, find aliveness more attractive than
convention. Convention means "convenient". It is convenient to take
the well-trod route, for no one questions or challenges you. Yet those
who take orders from outside sources do so at the dear cost of their
passion and individual expression -- a terrible tradeoff, to be sure.

   The highest morality is personal integrity. You are in integrity when
your external acts match your inner knowing. When you forsake your
truth to please others, you fall out of integrity. Robert Louis Stevenson
boldly declared, "To know what you prefer instead of humbly saying
'Amen' to what the world tells that you ought to prefer, is to have kept
your soul alive." And nothing is more important than keeping your soul
alive.

   In the film Tin Cup, Kevin Costner's character proclaims, "When the
defining moment comes along, you define the moment or the moment
defines you." We have been led to believe that life determines who we
are, when at very moment we determine what our life is. Your decisions
are honorable because they are yours.

   More and more I see and hear people using cell phones in public.
Sometimes when I stand in line at an airport I hear several people within
arm's reach chatting away on their cell phones. Cell phones ring nearly
everywhere I go in public. I find it interesting that each person's cell
phone has a distinctive ring. If everyone's phone had the same ring,
no one in a crowd would know whether or not to answer their phone.

   Your soul's calling also has a distinct tone. But you have to know what
it is before you can answer it. The more you live by external shoulds, the
farther you drift from the great love affair with your own spirit. The
more you trust in your soul's calling and hearken unto it, the more you
live in a consciousness of profound love. As a Chasidic sage nobly stated,
"Everyone should carefully observe which way his heart draws him, and
then choose that way with all his strength."

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

One Bag

  There once was a rich man who was near death.  He was
very grieved because he had worked so hard for his money
and he wanted to be able to take it with him to heaven.  So
he began to pray that he might be able to take some of his
wealth with him.

  An angel hears his plea and appears to him.  "Sorry, but you
can't take your wealth with you."  The man implores the
angel to speak to God to see if He might bend the rules.

  The man continues to pray that his wealth could follow him.
The angel reappears and informs the man that God has
decided to allow him to take one suitcase with him.
Overjoyed, the man gathers his largest suitcase and fills it
with pure gold bars and places it beside his bed.

  Soon afterward the man dies and shows up at the Gates of
Heaven to greet St. Peter.  St. Peter seeing the suitcase
says, "Hold on, you can't bring that in here!"

  But the man explains to St. Peter that he has permission
and asks him to verify his story with the Lord.  Sure enough,
St. Peter checks and comes back saying, "You're right.  You
are allowed one carry-on bag, but I'm supposed to check its
contents before letting it through."

  St. Peter opens the suitcase to inspect the worldly items
that the man found too precious to leave behind and
exclaims, "You brought pavement?!!!"

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

For the Holidays...some AA history...

Between noon of Wednesday, December 24, 1952 and
midnight of Thursday, January 1st, 1953, some 120,000
members of AA will have seen their dreams of a dry
holiday and their hopes of a sane New Year's come safely
true.

The first Christmas for AA was the depression year of 1935.
There were three old timers to mark it ... hardly a dozen
newcomers to share it with them. In Akron, Dr. Bob and
Bill D. were going on their second six months. Four recruits
had from four months to two months. in New York, Bill W.
had thirteen months since his last drink, seven months since
his historic trip to Akron and the start of AA.

In Akron, the six gathered with their families at Dr. Bob's.
There was no ceremony ... no exchange of presents. The
Twelve Steps had not yet been formulated. The Big Book was
only a vague stirring that would not even be in manuscript
until three more Christmases had been achieved. But there was
joy that this most dangerous of times for the alcoholic had
arrived ... and twenty-four hours by twenty-four hours was
being mastered.

"There was thanks," remembers one of the two who survives
that first Akron Christmas, "that we had come this far.
However, I am certain that there was still considerable fear
and trembling ... not fear that this new way would not work,
but doubt and uncertainty that we would be able to hold on to it.

Bill W. recalls only a quiet day in New York that Yule of
1935 where there were very few involved. Five years later,
there was a place in New York for an AA Christmas party ...
the first AA clubhouse. And about the 24th Street Club
there hangs a real Santa Claus story!

Or rather, it is a Saint Nicholas story. Just one hundred years
before, in 1840, the building was erected at Number
334 1/2 West 24th Street ... the property of a family named
Moore who were large landowners in Manhattan Island's
Chelsea section. And driving across the snow-covered lawn,
Dr. Clement Clarke Moore began to compose (some say just
as his sled runners touched what is now the meeting room of
AA's first clubhouse!) his immortal gift to children of all ages ...
" 'Twas the night before Christmas." (Grapevine, December, 1952).

© Copyright, AA Grapevine, Inc., 1952

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

Attitude

I used to have an attitude
So mean and so crude
I did not understand
Being loving and kind
I always figured
I was out of my mind
If you looked into my eyes
No one was home
You would soon realize
My attitude was resentment and spite
If I did not know you
I wanted to fight
Why drink if you can't get drunk
My attitude was doomed to be sunk
Today I have an attitude of gratitude
I found freedom
In the 12 step room
They helped relieve
My paranoia and gloom
Today I do my best
To give it away
That's the secret
Of keeping it today
I've been freed in body and mind
Now I'm caring and kind
Freed from drugs and alcohol
Today I hear a higher call
Sitting at the tables
With twelve step people
It's my church without the steeple
With a cup of coffee in my hand
Today I'm a recovering man
I've killed my old attitude
I thank God
I'm no longer rude

Daniel M Corkery
10/24/2001
DMCDREAMER1@...
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer/

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

Better bend than break.
Scottish Proverb

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

Be absolutely clear about who you are and what you stand for.
Refuse to compromise.
Brian Tracy

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

When you do not know what to do,
relax and tell yourself that other portions of yourself do know;
they will take over. Give yourself some rest.
Remind yourself that in many ways
you are a very successful person as you are.
Success does not necessarily involve great intellect
or great position or great wealth;
it has to do with inner integrity.
Remember that.
Seth Speaks, The Eternal Validity of the Soul

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

PRAY = Put Recovery Around You

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

Rationalize = Rational Lies

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

RELAPSE = Recovery Exists Life And Program Seem Empty

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

RELAPSE = Recovery Exists Life And Program Seem Empty

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

SOLUTION =
Saving Our Lives Using The Inventories Of Needed Steps

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

Relapse IS NOT a requirement
BUT
It IS a reality ! ! !

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
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and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
www,health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Therapy
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/fav2003/therapy.html>

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

What are the 3 things that I am
most grateful for and why?

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

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

December 28
Today I am slowing down my pace.
I do not have to accomplish the entire world in this day.
It is one day.  Today I have time to stop and smell the flowers.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

Hope

T'was a Sunday night when I entered the room
A voice came across with a terrific boom,
At the end of the table he spoke with concern
To every member, who was there to learn

He spoke of convictions and his firm belief
When I began to relate with a sense of relief
With a smile so friendly, I watched with awe
We listened intently one and all

Hard to believe he came from skid row
This well dressed man who spoke to us now
I wanted so badly the things that he had
The peace and serenity as I felt so bad

I could listen for hours to the stories he told
I felt such love, convinced I was sold
Wanting the love he so obviously earned
I waited in line till it came my turn

He said "friend you too can be free
If you want what we have come back every week,
This was a promise, their affection and love
they filled me with hope, showed
Me God above;

Today we are one the group and I
We have love for each other, and
Hope in our eyes.

written by Barbara Fagan

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

H&I‹ the agony and the ecstasy
N.A. Way Magazine 1/1998
www.na.org/naway/en/naway2-e.htm#whatif

12 Step History Reflections
www.aabibliography.com/dickbhtml/historyreflections.html


Sober Santa 2
www.joyjam.com/games/gamebackjam.php?game_id=81

*~*~*~*~*~*Earthgroup N.A. Marathon Meetings ROCK*~*~*~*~*~*

EARTH GROUP NA  presents 4th Annual

2006 NEW YEARS MARATHON
"SHARING AND CARING THE NA WAY"


Beginning at 6PM. December 31st. we will have 18hours
of non stop meetings.  Guest speakers will share
at Midnight and 10:30 AM. E.S.T.

Come and join us and share with other addicts from around
the world on one of the hardest nights of the year to stay clean.

The coffee will be hot, plenty of chairs, and lots of virtual Hugs
waiting. Spend the night with friends and family who care and
share the NA Way...

Join us at Join
www.earthgroupna.org
and click on chatroom or a direct link is
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.pl?id=114117

For more information contact Diane K. at chat@...

I will be sharing at the midnight meeting on New Years Eve :)     Scott


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

Just For Today
December 28                                Depression

"We are no longer fighting fear anger guilt, self-pity, or depression."
Basic Text p.26

  As addicts, many of us experience depression from time to time. When
we feel depressed, we may be tempted to isolate ourselves. However, if
we do this, our depression may turn to despair. We can't afford to let
depression lead us back to using.

  Instead, we try to go about the routine of our lives. We make meeting
attendance and contact with our sponsor top priorities. Sharing with
others about our feelings may let us know we aren't the only ones who
have been depressed in recovery. Working with a newcomer can work
wonders for our own state of mind. And, most importantly, prayer and
meditation can help us tap the power we need to survive depression

  We practice acceptance and remember that feelings like depression
will unquestionably pass in time. Rather than struggle with our feelings,
we accept them and ask for the strength to walk through them.

Just for today: I accept that my feelings of depression won't last
forever. I will talk openly about my feelings with my sponsor or another
person who understands.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:
What are the 3 things that I am
most grateful for and why?
to share please visit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

INTO ACTION

A.A. is more than a set of principles; it is a society of alcoholics in
action.  We must carry the message, else we ourselves can wither and those
who haven't been given the truth may die.
AS BILL SEES IT, p. 13

I desperately wanted to live, but if I was to succeed, I had to become
active in our God-given program.  I joined what became my group, where I
opened the hall, made coffee, and cleaned up.  I had been sober about three
months when an old-timer told me I was doing Twelfth-Step work.  What a
satisfying realization that was!  I felt I was really accomplishing
something.  God had given me a second chance, A.A. had shown me the way,
and these  gifts were not only free -- they were also priceless!  Now the
joy of seeing newcomers grow reminds me of where I have come from, where
I am now, and the limitless possibilities that lie ahead.  I need to attend
meetings because they recharge my batteries so that I have light when it's
needed.  I'm still a beginner in service work, but already I am receiving
more than I'm giving.  I can't keep it unless I give it away.  I am
responsible when another reaches out for help.  I want to be there -- sober.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden /December 28th

A.A. Thought for the Day

A.A. may be human in its organization, but it is divine
in its purpose.  The purpose is to point me toward God
and the good life.  My feet have been set upon the right
path.  I feel it in the depths of my being.  I am going in
the right direction.  The future can be safely left to God.
Whatever the future holds, it cannot be too much for me
to bear.  I have the Divine Power with me to carry me
through everything that may happen.  Am I pointed toward
God and the good life?

Meditation for the Day

Although unseen, the Lord is always near to those who
believe in Him and trust Him and depend on Him for the
strength to meet the challenges of life.  Although veiled
from mortal sight, the Higher Power is always available
to us whenever we humbly ask for it.  The feeling that God
is with us should not depend on any passing mood of ours;
we should try to be always conscious of His power and
love in the background of our lives.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may feel that God is not too far away to
depend on for help.  I pray that I may feel confident
of His readiness to give me the power that I need.

"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.

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 28, 2005

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

Panic

Don't panic!

If panic strikes, we do not have to allow it to control our behaviors.
Behaviors controlled by panic tend to be self-defeating. No matter what the
situation or circumstance, panic is usually not a good foundation. No matter
what the situation or circumstance, we usually have at least a moment to
breathe deeply and restore our serenity and peace.

We don't have to do more than we can reasonably do - ever! We don't have to
do something we absolutely cannot do or cannot learn to do!

This program, this healthy way of life we are seeking, is built on a
foundation of peace and quiet confidence - in ourselves, in our Higher
Power, in the recovery process.

Do not panic. That takes us away from the path. Relax. Breathe deeply. Let
peace flow through our body and mind. From this base, our Source shall
supply the necessary resources.

Today, I will treat panic as a separate issue that needs immediate
attention. I will refuse to allow panicky thoughts and feelings to motivate
me. Instead, I will let peace and trust motivate my feelings, thoughts, and
behaviors.

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

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

Alternative Medicine: Using Herbs Simply and Safely
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2001/January/feature5.htm

Links To Meditation
<http://www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_second.htm#meditation>

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

When You've Sunk To Rock Bottom, Search For Pearls!


At some point in life you will be in over your head.
Although you'll try to tread water, things will close in and
you'll find yourself in a downward spiral, sinking faster and faster.
If it hasn't happened yet, it will.
It's part of the human experience.
What will you do?

When you've sunk to rock-bottom, search for pearls!
When it feels as if you've lost everything,
nothing is in your favor, and you lack the strength to come up for air,
begin to look for your life's pearls.
You may not have money or even a place to live at this point.
Your friends may have disappeared and your family abandoned you.
But in your very worst moment, there is still something of value.
It's possible the only pearl you will find is Hope.
Hope that things change,
Hope life improves,
Hope you will get better.
Now that's an incredibly valuable pearl!

The pearl of Hope is available to anyone in any circumstance.
A car or a house can be repossessed, but not Hope.
It's yours as long as you want it.
There's no credit, debit or interest rate on Hope.
It's not reserved for a limited group of people -
it exists in abundance for every one of us.
As long as you can think, feel, or dream, you can Hope.
If you can Hope, you can motivate yourself to
utilize Hope to accumulate more pearls.

Like the pearl of Faith.
Faith only requires that you believe what you Hope for is possible.
Or if you can't believe it yet, that you will at least
take action on behalf of what you Hope for.
Faith's sparkle and shimmer may occasionally
be overshadowed by shells of fear,
but if you use the pearl of Truth,
the light of Faith will burst forward and out-shine any dark doubts or
fears.

The pearl of Truth is not always easy to authenticate.
Sometimes fear and circumstance try to pass themselves off as Truth.
But if you seek Divine Guidance and ask for Truth to reveal itself,
anything un-true will fade away and you will be lead to the real thing.
With  Truth you will receive direction, take responsibility,
and chart a course that will begin to lift you out of murky waters.

As you harvest the pearls of Hope, Faith, and Truth,
you will often find your own pearl of Authenticity.
Authenticity will help you see yourself for who you really are and the
glorious being you were created to be - regardless of your circumstances.
In fact the tumultuous currents that you've been fighting may very well
have been necessary to help you discover Authenticity.
When you live according to Authenticity and use Hope, Faith and Truth on
a daily basis, you will rise above whatever you're facing.

Along the way, the pearl of Love will be drawn to you.
It will give your life a richness that will enhance
all the other pearls you've discovered.
With this collection of pearls deep within your soul,
Each day becomes a genuine treasure for you to cherish.

None of us is guaranteed to float above it all
or to never experience drowning in our sorrow, fears or circumstances.
But we are supported by the wisdom of the Universe and a Higher Power
if we are willing to seek it and ask for help.

Remember, when you feel as if you've sunk to
rock-bottom, search for pearls.

© 2000 Jeanette M. Pintar
Sir Froggie's Ponderings, JMP
mailto:JMP@...

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

Invite Your Audience Carefully

Invite Your Audience Carefully. Not everyone is healthy enough to have front
row seats in our lives.  There are some people in your life that need to be
loved from a distance.  It's amazing what you can accomplish when you let go
of, or at least minimize, your time with draining, negative, incompatible,
not going anywhere relationships/friendships.  Observe the relationships
around you... PAY ATTENTION!!! Which ones lift and which ones lean?  Which
ones encourage and  which ones discourage?  Which ones are on a path of
growth uphill and which ones are going downhill?  When you leave certain
people do you feel better or worse?  Which ones always have drama or don't
really understand, know, or appreciate you?  The more you seek quality,
respect, growth, peace of mind, love, and truth around you, the easier it
will become for you to decide who gets to sit in the front row and who
should be moved to the balcony of your life. You cannot change the people
around you, so change the people you're around.
Author Unknown

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

10 SIMPLE WAYS TO HONOR YOUR UNIQUENESS

One message we hear from the time we are children is that it is better to
give than receive. It is best to be humble. It is best to not shine a light
on ourselves.

True, and not so true. We also need to recognize that until we honor
ourselves with love and compassion that we will not be able to give fully
to another, or shine the light on another nor will we truly understand
humility. These simply steps will take you on a path to honoring your
uniqueness every day. Use them as a way to see how you are doing. Celebrate
what is working, and choose to make adjustments where there is adjustment
necessary.

1. Take time for quiet daily. Yes, there is much that needs to get done.
Once you maintain a habit of being quiet either to contemplate, pray, or
meditate, you will be amazed how much more efficiently you will perform your
tasks, duties and projects.

2. Treat yourself with as much care, if not more, than you treat others.
Love and nurture yourself as you love and nurture those around you OR as
you would LIKE to nurture those around you. Once you master caring for
yourself, caring for others will become effortless and spring from the
heart instead of from duty.

3. Accept compliments from others with grace. Never, ever disrespect the
person you are complimenting by disregarding or negating their compliment.
Instead, accept it as you would a treasure box or a long awaited gift. Be
grateful they can see something extra special about you!

4. Spend time investing in and cultivating close friendships. Incorporate
friend building activities into your daily routine. Exercise with a friend,
share meals together, keep in touch with a brief email or 10 minute daily
phone call (and time the call and KEEP the appointment.)

5. Surround yourself with beauty. Honor your home by decorating as a way to
express who you are at your core. If you are bold, use bold colors and
accessories. Light scented candles, listen to music you love, use soaps
that are lathery and smell great. Go for the multi sensory approach.

6. Give joyfully and receive with open arms. Recognize that giving and
receiving are on the same continuum and not separate at all! Learning to
give completely translates into receiving more than you could ever plan or
expect to receive. The results take care of themselves.

7. Become a part of a larger community. This may mean a mastermind group or
it may be a circle of friends or a book discussion group. Connect yourself
with people who share your interests, goals and vision for the world.
Synergy will empower you incredibly when you join in a community where you
can equally give and receive on a very regular basis.

8. Mentor someone simply for the pleasure of observing and becoming
involved in their growth. Invite someone who does not have the same level
as skills as you do along for the ride with you. Listen to their input and
see what you can create together. Chances are you will learn a lot from
them (and vice versa!) creating both a Win/Win situation as well as
learning about your own strengths and weaknesses in the process.

9. Live a purposeful, vision, values, cause oriented life. Recognize and
embrace that you are creating your life as a masterful artist each and
every day. You can choose each day whether you want to simply let life
happen each day or if you want to create it fully. Choose the latter.

10. Love yourself with all your heart, soul, and strength without
attachment to what you are achieving in your life today. Be compassionate
and understanding while also standing firm in the knowledge that you are
both incredibly unique and incredibly capable.

When you can master this balance, being attached to your outcomes is not an
issue because you will be achieving outcomes beyond your own imagination.
You will be so magnetic you will wonder where YOU have been all this time!
The answer? You are RIGHT there, ready and waiting to follow these simple
principles. Live with Passion. Today.

(C) 2001 Julie Jordan Scott
www.5passions.com

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

Today I am so Grateful

Today I am so grateful
I ride on clouds of pink
To know that where I'm going
does not include a drink
to wake up in the morning
and know that I'm all right
my car is in the driveway
slept in My bed last night
no more is life a struggle
no more does pain prevail
with joy the steps now guide me
no lies I have to tell
the peace that fills my being
is what I've always sought
the grace of God abounding
'tis free and can't be bought
this gift of grace God's given
so freely I must give
today I am so grateful
I've found the way to live

Written by: Rebecca B.
rbowlin14@...

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

Were we to apply our dollars intelligently
to the people who take care of children,
we would spend millions of dollars
less on the damage done to our society by wounded adults.
Wounded children become wounded adults,
and wounded adults can destroy a planet.
Marianne Williamson

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

I seek strength, not to be greater than my brother,
but to fight my greatest enemy - myself.
Native American Proverb

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

It is from within the heart, not just the mind,
that we can know God's will for us.
God speaks to all of us every day and
God's voice is as loud as our willingness to listen.
Mary Manin Morrissey

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

Love alone can unite living beings
so as to complete and fulfill them. . .
for it alone joins them
by what is deepest in themselves.

All we need is to imagine
our ability to love developing
until it embraces
the totality of men
and of the earth.
Teilhard de Chardin

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

OUR = Openly Using  Recovery

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

PMS = Pain Misery Suffering

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

PRIDE = Personal Recovery Involves Defeating Ego

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

PROGRAM = People Relying On God Relaying A Message

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

The soul is the same in all living creatures,
although the body of each is different.
Hippocrates

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
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To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
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and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
www,health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Twins
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/twins.html

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

What are the 3 things that I am
most grateful for and why?

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

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

December 27
Today I am unveiling my layers and layers
of self-doubt and letting them go.
Today I am taking back all the power
I have given to others by discovering
the courage that comes from my own wisdom.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

Spread Love

I try to spread love everywhere I go
I feel so blessed because I finally know
The more love we share the more love we get
Gods grace and mercy I will never forget
Spread your wings take off to fly
God will help you to get by
Share positive thoughts
Throughout your day
Wish others the best
All along the way
Always be quick
To give a helping hand
Do your best to understand
The future is here and now
God will show you how
Together we stand
Or divided
We fall
Give it to God
Listen for His call
Spread love to everyone
You will feel better when your day is done
At night you can close your eyes and go to sleep
Remember the seeds you plant are the seeds your reap
Every morning you open your eyes give love away
Stay close to meetings so you don't stray
As you give love away God will send
A whole lot back your way
So I try to spread love
Everywhere I go
Down deep
Inside
I know
Spread love

Daniel M Corkery
10/1/2003
PAPACORK@...
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
<http://www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer/>

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Recovery behind the walls
N.A. Way Magazine 1/1998
www.na.org/naway/en/naway2-e.htm#t-shirts

Al-Anon / Alateen Family Support Is Someone In Your Life Drinking
www.al-anon.org/

Nar-Anon  Family Support Is Someone In Your Life Using Drugs
www.nar-anon.org/index.html

From Your Higher Power
www.geocities.com/alaura1942/FromYourHigherPower.html


*~*~*~*~*~*Earthgroup N.A. Marathon Meetings ROCK*~*~*~*~*~*

EARTH GROUP NA  presents 4th Annual

2006 NEW YEARS MARATHON
"SHARING AND CARING THE NA WAY"


Beginning at 6PM. December 31st. we will have 18hours
of non stop meetings.  Guest speakers will share
at Midnight and 10:30 AM. E.S.T.

Come and join us and share with other addicts from around
the world on one of the hardest nights of the year to stay clean.

The coffee will be hot, plenty of chairs, and lots of virtual Hugs
waiting. Spend the night with friends and family who care and
share the NA Way...

Join us at Join
www.earthgroupna.org
and click on chatroom or a direct link is
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.pl?id=114117

For more information contact Diane K. at chat@...

I will be sharing at the midnight meeting on New Years Eve :)     Scott

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

Just For Today
December 27                           God could restore us to sanity

"The process of coming to believe restores us to sanity. The strength
to move into action comes from this belief"        Basic Text p.24

  Now that we've finally admitted our insanity and seen examples of it in
all its manifestations, we might be tempted to believe that we are doomed
to repeat this behavior for the rest of our lives. Just as we thought that
our active addiction was hopeless and we'd never get clean, we might now
believe that our particular brand of insanity is hopeless.

  Not so! We know that we owe our freedom from active addiction to the
grace of a loving God. If our Higher Power can perform such a miracle as
relieving our obsession to use drugs, surely this Power can also relieve
our insanity in all its forms.

  If we doubt this, all we have to do is think about the sanity that has
already been restored to our lives. Maybe we've gotten carried away with
our credit cards, but sanity returns when we admit defeat and cut them
all up. Perhaps we've been feeling lonely and want to go visit our old using
buddies. Going to visit our sponsor instead is a sane act.

  The insanity of our addiction recedes into the past as we begin
experiencing moments of sanity in our recovery. Our belief in a Power
greater than ourselves grows as we begin to understand that even our
brand of insanity is nothing in the face of this Power.

Just for today: I thank the God of my understanding for each sane act in
my life, for I know they are indications of my restoration to sanity.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

What are the 3 things that I am
most grateful for and why?

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

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

IN ALL OUR AFFAIRS

. . . we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these
principles in all our affairs.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 106

  I find that carrying the message of recovery to other alcoholics is easy
because it helps me to stay sober and it provides me with a sense of
well-being about my own recovery.  The hard part is practicing these
principles in all my affairs.  It is important that I share the benefits I
receive from A.A., especially at home.  Doesn't my family deserve the same
patience, tolerance and understanding I so readily give to the
alcoholic?  When reviewing my day I try to ask, "Did I have a chance to be
a friend today and miss it?"  "Did I have a chance to rise above a nasty
situation and avoid it?"  "Did I have a chance to say 'I'm sorry,' and
refuse to?
  Just as I ask God for help with my alcoholism each day, I ask for help in
extending my recovery to include all situations and all people!

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden / December 27th

A.A. Thought for the Day

I am glad to be a part of A.A., of that great fellowship
that is spreading over the United States and all over
the world.  I am only one of the many A.A.'s, but I am
one.  I am grateful to be living at this time, when I can
help A.A. to grow, when it needs me to put my shoulder
to the wheel and help keep the movement going.  I am
glad to be able to be useful, to have a reason for living,
a purpose in life.  I want to lose my life in this great cause
and so find it again.  Am I grateful to be an A.A.?

Meditation for the Day

These meditations can teach us how to relax.  We can be
of service to other people in a small way, at least.  And we
can be happy while doing it.  We should not worry too much
about people we cannot help.  We can make it a habit to
leave the outcome of the things we do to the Higher Power.
We can go along through life doing the best we can, but
without a feeling of urgency or strain.  We can enjoy all
the good things and the beauty of life, but at the same
time depend deeply on God.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may give my life to this worthwhile cause.
I pray that I may enjoy the satisfaction that comes from
good work well done.

"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.

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 27, 2005

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

Near the Top

I know you're tired. I know you feel overwhelmed. You may feel as though
this crisis, this problem, this hard time will last forever.

It won't. You are almost through.

You don't just think it has been hard; it has been hard. You have been
tested, tried, and retested on what you have learned.

Your beliefs and your faith have been tried in fire. You have believed, then
doubted, then worked at believing some more. You have had to have faith even
when you could not see or imagine what you were asked to believe. Others
around you may have tried to convince you not to believe in what you were
hoping you could believe.

You have had opposition. You have not gotten to this place with total
support and joy. You have had to work hard, in spite of what was happening
around you. Sometimes, what motivated you was anger; sometimes fear.

Things went wrong - more problems occurred than you anticipated. There were
obstacles, frustrations, and annoyances en route. You did not plan on this
being the way it would evolve. Much of this has been a surprise; some of it
has not been at all what you desired.

Yet, it has been good. Part of you, the deepest part that knows truth, has
sensed this all along, even when your head told you that things were out of
whack and crazy; that there was no plan or purpose, that God had forgotten
you.

So much has happened, and each incident - the most painful, the most
troubling, and the most surprising - has a connection. You are beginning to
see and sense that.

You never dreamt things would happen this way, did you? But they did. Now
you are learning the secret - they were meant to happen this way, and this
way is good, better than what you expected.

You didn't believe it would take this long, either - did you? But it did.
You have learned patience.

You never thought you could have it, but now you know you do.

You have been led. Many were the moments when you thought you were
forgotten, when you were convinced you had been abandoned. Now you know you
have been guided.

Now things are coming into place. You are almost at the end of this phase,
this difficult portion of the journey. The lesson is almost complete. You
know - the lesson you fought, resisted, and insisted you could not learn.
Yes, that one. You have almost mastered it.

You have been changed from the inside out. You have been moved to a
different level, a higher level, a better level.

You have been climbing a mountain. It has not been easy, but mountain
climbing is never easy. Now, you are near the top. A moment longer, and the
victory shall be yours.

Steady your shoulders. Breathe deeply. Move forward in confidence and peace.
The time is coming to relish and enjoy all, which you have fought for. That
time is drawing near, finally.

I know you have thought before that the time was drawing near, only to learn
that it wasn't. But now, the reward is coming. You know that too. You can
feel it.

Your struggle has not been in vain. For every struggle on this journey,
there is a climax, a resolution.

Peace, joy, abundant blessings, and reward are yours here on earth. Enjoy.

There will be more mountains, but now you know how to climb them. And you
have learned the secret of what is at the top.

Today, I will accept where I am and continue pushing forward. If I am in the
midst of a learning experience, I will allow myself to continue on with the
faith that the day of mastery and reward will come. Help me, God; understand
that despite my best efforts to live in peaceful serenity, there are times
of mountain climbing. Help me stop creating chaos and crisis, and help me
meet the challenges that will move me upward and forward.

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

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

Am I Enlightened or Crazy?
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2001/January/feature4.htm

Links to Gratitude & Giving
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_second.htm#gratitude%20giving

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

THE "I CAN'T" FUNERAL

Donna's fourth grade classroom looked like many others I had seen in the
past. The teacher's desk was in front and faced the students. The bulletin
board featured student work. In most respects it appeared to be a typically
traditional elementary classroom. Yet something seemed different that day I
entered it for the first time.

My job was to make classroom visitations and encourage implementation of a
training program that focused on language arts ideas that would empower
students to feel good about themselves and take charge of their lives.
Donna was one of the volunteer teachers who participated in this project.

I took an empty seat in the back of the room and watched. All the students
were working on a task, filling a sheet of notebook paper with thoughts and
ideas. The ten-year-old student next to me was filling her page with "I
Can'ts". "I can't kick the soccer ball past second base." "I can't do long
division with more than three numerals." "I can't get Debbie to like me."
Her page was half full and she showed no signs of letting up. She worked on
with determination and persistence. I walked down the row glancing at
student's papers. Everyone was writing sentences, describing things they
couldn't do.

By this time the activity engaged my curiosity, so I decided to check with
the teacher to see what was going on but I noticed she too was busy
writing. I felt it best not to interrupt. "I can't get John's mother to
come for a teacher conference." "I can't get my daughter to put gas in the
car." "I can't get Alan to use words instead of fists."

Thwarted in my efforts to determine why students and teacher were dwelling
on the negative instead of writing the more positive "I Can" statements, I
returned to my seat and continued my observations.

Students wrote for another ten minutes. They were then instructed to fold
the papers in half and bring them to the front. They placed their "I Can't"
statements into an empty shoe box. Then Donna added hers. She put the lid
on the box, tucked it under her arm and headed out the door and down the
hall.

Students followed the teacher. I followed the students. Halfway down the
hallway Donna entered the custodian's room, rummaged around and came out
with a shovel. Shovel in one hand, shoe box in the other, Donna marched the
students out to the school to the farthest corner of the playground. There
they began to dig. They were going to bury their "I Can'ts"!

The digging took over ten minutes because most of the fourth graders wanted
a turn. The box of "I Can'ts" was placed in a position at the bottom of the
hole and then quickly covered with dirt. Thirty-one 10 and 11 year-olds
stood around the freshly dug grave site. At this point Donna announced,
"Boys and girls, please join hands and bow your heads." They quickly formed
a circle around the grave, creating a bond with their hands.

They lowered their heads and waited. Donna delivered the eulogy. "Friends,
we gathered here today to honor the memory of 'I Can't.' While he was with
us here on earth, he touched the lives of everyone, some more than others.
We have provided 'I Can't' with a final resting place and a headstone that
contains his epitaph. He is survived by his brothers and sisters, 'I Can',
'I Will', and 'I'm Going to Right Away'.

They are not as well known as their famous relative and are certainly not
as strong and powerful yet. Perhaps some day, with your help, they will
make an even bigger mark on the world. May 'I Can't' rest in peace and may
everyone present pick up their lives and move forward in his absence.
Amen."As I listened I realized that these students would never forget this
day. Writing "I Can'ts", burying them and hearing the eulogy. That was a
major effort on this part of the teacher. And she wasn't done yet.

She turned the students around, marched them back into the classroom and
held a wake. They celebrated the passing of "I Can't" with cookies, popcorn
and fruit juices. As part of the celebration, Donna cut a large tombstone
from butcher paper. She wrote the words "I Can't" at the top and put RIP in
the middle. The date was added at the bottom. The paper tombstone hung in
Donna's classroom for the remainder of the year.

On those rare occasions when a student forgot and said, "I Can't", Donna
simply pointed to the RIP sign. The student then remembered that "I Can't"
was dead and chose to rephrase the statement. I wasn't one of Donna's
students. She was one of mine. Yet that day I learned an enduring lesson
from her as years later, I still envision that fourth grade class laying to
rest....."I Can't".

(c) Phillip B. Childs

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

NOW

I am breathing in
and I am breathing out.
There is no past or future.
There is only now.
I feel my breath filling my entire body
as it goes in.
I feel my entire body relaxing
as it goes out.
I am full
I am empty
There is only this moment.
Thoughts leave me
As I fully focus on my breath.
Fear and anxiety leave me
As I fully focus on my breath.
I feel peace flowing through my entire body
Inside and out.
In and out
As my breath comes in and goes out.
I am at peace
And this is my gift
As I send it out into the world.

© 2002 Ruth Fishel
spirithaven@...

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

The Light Bulb Principle
by Margaret Stortz

  "I had a table lamp that went through light bulbs at a great rate.  No
matter what strength or brand, the bulbs all sputtered and crackled and
burned quickly.  It took me a while to catch on, so after burning out a lot
of bulbs, I began to consider the possibility that there might actually be
something wrong with the lamp itself.  Perhaps some part of the housing
was loose, or maybe it needed rewiring.

  Doesn't this scenario seem a bit familiar?  How many times have we
looked for the magic something or someone that was going to make
everything right - the right job, the right person, the right location?
Many of our favorite love songs are based on the 'light bulb principle.'
We're looking for 'the man that got away' or 'someone to come along and
light up my life.'  Many times the very last thing we are willing to do is
see
if there are some changes we need to make.  And even when we get some
clues that we're part of the problem, we may still continue to do what
we've always done, hoping for something different.

  There are times when we have to get a new sense of ourselves, a larger
consciousness that heals the hurt places in us so that we can stop going
through people and circumstances looking for the 'right one.'  WE'RE the
right one, and this is the right time for us to access the presence of God
in us more completely."

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

Do you remember the birthday candles
that come on again after you blow them out?
That's like the light of life that refuses to go out in any of us.
We may think we are in darkness.
It may seem as if our problem or our pain is simply too big to handle.
But these moments of darkness are the time when,
instead of looking at our big problem,
we can look to our big God, and know the light is always here.
  Mary Manin Morrissey

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

"The key to intimacy is the commitment to honesty
and to the radical forgiveness necessary
in order for honesty to be safe."
Marianne Williamson

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

Attempting to place the problem outside of me and
blame others is futile.

When I bring the responsibility back with me,
things are easier to manage because I am starting to
take authority over the situation.
John Morton
(From: The Blessings Already Are)

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

You progress not through improving what has been done,
but reaching toward what has yet to be done."
Kahlil Gibran

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

N.A. = New Attitudes

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

Nowhere/Now Here

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

NUTS = Not Using The Steps

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

N.A. = Never Alone

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

Get a check up
From the neck up

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

If you don¹t keep coming,
Your going to keep going

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
www,health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Happy Kwanzaa and Happy Chanukah


   At lunch time, a recovering alcoholic decides to pay a visit to his new
sponsee, who sells hot dogs from a push cart. "Make me one with
everything," says the sponsor.

The sponsee fixes up a hot dog with all the trimmings and hands it to the
sponsor, who pays with a $20 bill. The vendor puts the bill in the cash
box and closes it.

"Where's my change?" asks the sponsor.

The sponsee responds, "Change must come from within."

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

What are the 3 things that I am
most grateful for and why?

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

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

December 26
I live today as I want to remember my life.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

When I kneel beside my bed
each night before I sleep
All I say is Thank You
for the love You've let me to reap
Thank You for the knowledge
of things I'm able to change
In knowing there is nothing
that I must rearrange
To You my life I've given
to do with as You will
Please always keep me humble
Your bidding to fulfill
To shine Your light toward others
in darkness and despair
Dispelling all their loneliness
To show them that you care
Thank you, Thank You, Thank You
is all I can really say
For keeping this drunk sober
for one more precious day.

Written by: Rebecca Ann
rbowlin14@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Meeting the challenge
N.A. Way Magazine 1/1998
www.na.org/naway/en/naway2-e.htm#Service

The Child Within
www.geocities.com/alaura1942/TheChildWithin.html

Permanence Is Temporary
www.geocities.com/alaura1942/PermanenceIsTemporary.html


*~*~*~*~*~*Earthgroup N.A. Marathon Meetings ROCK*~*~*~*~*~*

EARTH GROUP NA  presents 4th Annual

2006 NEW YEARS MARATHON
"SHARING AND CARING THE NA WAY"


Beginning at 6PM. December 31st. we will have 18hours
of non stop meetings.  Guest speakers will share
at Midnight and 10:30 AM. E.S.T.

Come and join us and share with other addicts from around
the world on one of the hardest nights of the year to stay clean.

The coffee will be hot, plenty of chairs, and lots of virtual Hugs
waiting. Spend the night with friends and family who care and
share the NA Way...

Join us at Join
www.earthgroupna.org
and click on chatroom or a direct link is
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.pl?id=114117

For more information contact Diane K. at chat@...

I will be sharing at the midnight meeting on New Years Eve :)     Scott

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

Just For Today
December 26                                   Never-Failing Power

"As we learn to trust this Power, we begin to overcome our fear of
life."  Basic Text p.24

  We are people accustomed to placing all our eggs in one basket. Many of
us had one particular drug of choice that was our favorite. We relied on it
to get us through each day and make life bearable. We were faithful to
that drug; in fact, we committed ourselves to it without reservation. And
then it turned on us. We had been betrayed by the only thing we had ever
depended on, and the betrayal left us floundering.

  Now that we've stumbled into the rooms of recovery, we may be
tempted to rely on another human being to meet our needs. We may
expect this from our sponsor, our lover, or our best friend. But
dependence on human beings is risky. They fall short of perfection. They
may be on vacation, sleeping, or in a bad mood when we need them.

  Our dependence must rest on a Power greater than ourselves. No human
force can restore our sanity, care for our will and our lives, or be
unconditionally available and loving whenever we are in need. We place our
trust in the God of our understanding, for only that Power will never fail
us.

Just for today: I will place my trust in a Power greater than myself,
for only that Power will never let me down.

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

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

Give the "Gift of Recovery" for free
to your online friends this Holiday Season,
Forward 12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit to them,
If you have received this as a forward and  would like to subscribe
please email
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:
What are the 3 things that I am
most grateful for and why?
to share please visit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

SERENITY

Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, . . .
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 106

As I continued to go to meetings and work the Steps, something began to
happen to me.  I felt confused because I wasn't sure what it was that I was
feeling, and then I realized I was experiencing  serenity.  It was a good
feeling, but where had it come from?  Then I realized it had come ". . .as
the result of these steps."  The program may not always be easy to
practice, but I had to acknowledge that my serenity had come to me after
working the Steps.  As I work the Steps in everything I do, practicing
these principles in all my affairs, now I find that I am awake to God,  to
others, and to myself.  The spiritual awakening I have enjoyed as the
result of working the Steps is the awareness that I am no longer alone.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ December 26th

A.A. Thought for the Day

I am glad to be a part of A.A., of that great fellowship
that is spreading over the United States and all over
the world.  I am only one of the many A.A.'s, but I am
one.  I am grateful to be living at this time, when I can
help A.A. to grow, when it needs me to put my shoulder
to the wheel and help keep the movement going.  I am
glad to be able to be useful, to have a reason for living,
a purpose in life.  I want to lose my life in this great cause
and so find it again.  Am I grateful to be an A.A.?

Meditation for the Day

These meditations can teach us how to relax.  We can be
of service to other people in a small way, at least.  And we
can be happy while doing it.  We should not worry too much
about people we cannot help.  We can make it a habit to
leave  the outcome of the things we do to the Higher Power.
We can go along through life doing the best we can, but
without a feeling of urgency or strain.  We can enjoy all the
good things and the beauty of life, but at the same time
depend deeply on God.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may give my life to this worthwhile cause.
I pray that I may enjoy the satisfaction that comes from
good work well done.

"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.

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 26, 2005

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

Growth

Just as when we were children and grew out of favorite toys and clothes, we
sometimes grow out of things as adults - people, jobs, and homes. This can
be confusing. We may wonder why someone or something that was so special and
important to us last year doesn't fit the same way in our life today. We may
wonder why our feelings have changed.

When we were children, we may have tried to fit an outgrown article of
clothing on to our body. Now, as adults, we may go through a time of trying
to force fit attitudes that we have outgrown. We may need to do this to give
ourselves time to realize the truth. What worked last year, what was so
important and special to us in times past, doesn't work anymore because
we've changed. We've grown.

We can accept this as a valid and important part of recovery. We can let
ourselves go through experimentation and grief as we struggle to make
something fit, trying to figure out if indeed it no longer fits, and why. We
can explore our feelings and thoughts around what has happened.

Then, we can put last year's toys away and make room for the new.

Today, I will let last year's toys be what they were: last year's toys. I
will remember them with fondness for the part they played in my life. Then,
I will put them away and make room for the new.

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

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

New Dimensions Of Relationship
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2001/February/vissell.htm

  Links to Finding Inner Peace
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_second.htm#inner%20peace

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

OWNING YOUR PERSONAL POWER

By Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D.

After reading a recent column of mine, a woman writes: "How do you
become proactive?  Aren't people really victims of circumstance?  If
they are, how do they change them so that they can be relatively
happy?  I have talked to many women on this subject and they all feel
that their circumstances are ruling their lives, to their detriment.
Divorce, unpaid child support, who will watch the children, how to
divide housework, if YOU would like to return to work or not and when.
  All of these decisions are being made for them by their husbands.  Do
they have a choice?  I don't think so.  We are not really masters of
our own fate.  Please convince me otherwise.  I want to take charge of
my life and so do most others but no one knows how.  We would be happy
with a 50/50 win." This letter was signed, "A Regular Reader."

My dear reader, you do not have to be so victimized by life, by your
husband, by people, situations, friends, circumstances.  If you see
yourself as a helpless victim, you will behave like one.  Behaving
like a victim invites others to make decisions for you.  Those same
decisions you feel victimized by.

You can own your own power.  You do not have to stand there with your
hands tied, groveling helplessly, and submitting to whatever comes
along.  There are lots of things you can do.  You can speak up.  You
can assert your own wants and needs.  You can solve problems.  You can
create problems for others to motivate them to take responsibility for
themselves.  You can use your own problems to invite you to take
responsibility for yourself.  You can let go of your fear of the
future.  You can stop avoiding the future by scaring yourself with
"what if" questions.  You can choose how you want to respond to ANY
event or circumstance.

You can make yourself feel good.  You can do something good for
yourself.  You can walk away, and come back only on your own terms.
You can stand up for yourself.  You can refuse to let others control
and manipulate you.  You can do whatever it takes to take good care of
yourself.

If you can't do anything about circumstances, others' behavior or
choices, you can change your own attitude and change your own
responses.  You can work within...face your own fears with courage.
Work on yourself.  There is an old Seneca Indian saying, "It's better
to cover your own feet with leather than to try and cover all the
rocks in the world." You are a victim only to the extent you ignore
yourself, your own feelings, your own needs, your own thinking, your
own beliefs and values.

Take risks.  Someone once wrote the following about risk-taking: "To
laugh is to risk appearing the fool.  To weep is to risk appearing
sentimental.  To reach for another is to risk involvement.  To expose
your ideas, your dreams, before a crowd [or your husband] is to risk
their loss.  To love is to risk not being loved in return.  To live is
to risk dying.  To believe is to risk failure.  But risks must be
taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing."

"The people who risk nothing, do nothing, have nothing, are nothing.
They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they cannot learn, feel,
change, grow, love, live.  Chained by their attitudes, they are
slaves; they have forfeited their freedom.  Only a person who risks is
free."

Stop trying so hard to control the things over which you have no
power and start controlling those things over which you do have
power...mostly yourself.  Recognize that it is how you perceive events
that is threatening, usually not the events themselves.  One person's
threat is another's challenge.  You can control your perceptions.
Remember it is the meaning you attribute to circumstances outside
yourself to which your body responds.  You have the power to change
that meaning.  Is a lemon so sour a fruit it's useless?  Is it a
glorious source of lemonade?  Is it a beautiful object of a painting?
You decide how you want to see it.

Knowing and using your own personal power will free you from your
self-imposed prison of fear and helplessness.  Learn to love yourself,
value your uniqueness, ask for your wants and needs to be met or meet
them yourself, accept your weaknesses, and identify your strengths.
Let go of the childhood view that others, or events control and
determine your life.  Refer all responses to their source...yourself.

Dear "Regular Reader," even if you practice just a few of these
suggestions you will begin "being in charge of your life." By the way,
don't settle for a 50/50 win.  Don't compromise on your own power.
Never settle for less than winning your fearless freedom and happiness
all the time.

About the Author:
Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D. has 30+ years experience as a Life Coach and
Licensed Psychologist.  He is available for coaching in any area
presented in "Practical Psychology."  As your Coach, his only agenda
is to assist you in creating the lifestyle you genuinely desire. The
initial coaching session is free.  Contact him: (970) 568-0173 or
E-mail: DrLloyd@... or LJTDAT@....

Dr. Thomas also serves on the faculty of the Institute For Life Coach
Training.  In that capacity, he teaches advanced coaching teleclasses:
*Coaching Successful Life*s Lessons,* and *Intentional Creation:
Re-Shaping Your Life.*  To contact the Institute, call 970-224-9830 or
E-mail: doccoach@....  Check out the website:
www.lifecoachtraining.com

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

NATIVE AMERICAN CODE OF ETHICS

1.  Rise with the sun to pray. Pray alone. Pray often. The Great Spirit
     will listen, if you only speak.

2. Be tolerant of those who are lost on their path. Ignorance, conceit,
     anger, jealousy and greed stem from a lost soul. Pray that they will
     find guidance.

3. Search for yourself, by yourself. Do not allow others to make your
     path for you. It is your road, and yours alone. Others may walk it with
     you, but no one can walk it for you.

4. Treat the guests in your home with much consideration. Serve
     them the best food, give them the best bed and treat them with
     respect and honor.

5. Do not take what is not yours whether from a person, a community,
     the wilderness or from a culture. It was not earned nor given. It is not
     yours.

6. Respect all things that are placed upon this earth - whether it be
     people or plant.

7. Honor other people's thoughts, wishes and words. Never interrupt
     another or mock or rudely mimic them. Allow each person the right to
     personal expression.

8. Never speak of others in a bad way. The negative energy that you
     put out into the universe will multiply when it returns to you.

9. All persons make mistakes. And all mistakes can be forgiven.

10. Bad thoughts cause illness of the mind, body and spirit. Practice
     optimism.

11. Nature is not FOR us, it is a PART of us. They are part of your
     worldly family.

12. Children are the seeds of our future. Plant love in their hearts and
     water them with wisdom and life's lessons. When they are grown,
     give them space to grow.

13. Avoid hurting the hearts of others. The poison of your pain will
     return to you.

14. Be truthful at all times. Honesty is the test of ones will within this
     universe.

15. Keep yourself balanced. Your Mental self, Spiritual self,
     Emotional self, and Physical self - all need to be strong, pure and
     healthy. Work out the body to strengthen the mind. Grow rich in
     spirit to cure emotional ails.

16. Make conscious decisions as to who you will be and how you
     will react. Be responsible for your own actions.

17. Respect the privacy and personal space of others. Do not
     touch the personal property of others - especially sacred and
     religious objects. This is forbidden.

18. Be true to yourself first. You cannot nurture and help others if
     you cannot nurture and help yourself first.

19. Respect others religious beliefs. Do not  force your belief on
     others.

20. Share your good fortune with others. Participate in charity.

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

The Promises of Alcoholism and Addiction

1. If we are casual with this phase of our development,
we will be drunk before we are halfway through.

2. We are going to know a new imprisonment and a
new misery.

3. We will relive the past and won't be able to shut the
door on it.

4. We will comprehend the word CONFLICT and we
will know PAIN.

5. No matter how far down the scale we have gone,
we'll sink even lower.

6. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will deepen.

7. We will gain interest in selfish things and lose interest
in our fellows.

8. Self esteem will slip away.

9. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will SUCK.

10. Fear of people, and of economic insecurity will multiply.

11. We will intuitively know how to run from situations which never
    used to bother us.

12. We will suddenly realize that God would never have done to us
    what we are doing to ourselves.

Are these extravagant promises? We think not!
They are being fulfilled among those of us who are still drinking and/or
drugging
--sometimes quickly,  sometimes slowly.

They will ALWAYS materialize, IF WE DRINK FOR THEM.
Guaranteed.

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

KISS

Keep it simple don't complicate
If you made it here it's not to late
I was once beat just like you
Here's what I had to do
With king alcohol as my higher power
I rarely had a good hour
At the end I was hopeless and lost
Low living at a high cost
Keep it simple and start here
Get a sponsor and face your fear
We had to surrender to win
That is the place we all begin
You will soon learn humility
This is a step towards breaking free
You'll need to search and do inventory
Soon enough you'll share your story
To God yourself and man
We break free as we understand
Get rid of your garbage
Change your way
Keep it simple
Today
Make a list
Then make amends
God will show you many new friends
Soon you'll find peace and serenity
As you for once enjoy being free
This way is simple
But not easy
It is the way
To enjoy
Today.

Daniel M Corkery
7/10/2001
PAPACORK@...
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer/

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

To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude
means to take nothing for granted,
but to always seek out and value the kindness
that stands behind the action.
Nothing that is done for you is a matter of course.
Everything originates in a will for the good,
which is directed at you.
Train yourself never to put off the word or action
for the expression of gratitude.
Albert Schweitzer

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

If you walk in the shoes of others you will
come to find that they are too big for you.
However, if you look through the eyes of others you will
find that we are all equal...

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

Dwell not on the past.
Use it to illustrate a point, then leave it behind.
Nothing really matters except what you do now in this instant of time.
From this moment onwards you can be an entirely different
person, filled with love and understanding, ready with an outstretched
hand, uplifted and positive in every thought and deed.
Eileen Caddy

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

Spirit is saying to you today, "What do you want?
What do you want to create today?"
Imagine that!  And many of us are saying,
"Well, I just want enough to get by."
And that is what we receive.
But if we want a great life, then we must be willing to do what's required:
We have to ask the universe for it and stand in that still point
of knowing and connection where, "with God, all things are possible."
Mary Manin Morrissey

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

KISS = Keep It Simple Stupid

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

LET GO = Leave Everything To God Okay?

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

LOVE = Living Our Victories Everyday

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

N.A. = Never Again

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

N.A. = Never Alone

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
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or go to the website and unsubscribe
www,health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

{{{12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit Family}}} a BIG hug to you,
May your Holidays and New Year ahead be FILLED with
The Spirit of Love, Healing, Blessings and Miracles.
Thanks for the opportunity to serve.
Stay in the Light,
Scott

English - Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
Afrikaans - Geseende Kerfees en 'n gelukkige nuwe jaar
Albanian - Gézuar Krishlindjet Vitin e Ri!
Arabic - I'D Miilad Said ous Sana Saida
Armenian - Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Bahasa Malaysia - Selamat Hari Natal
Bohemian - Vesele Vanoce
Brazilian - Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo
Bulgarian - Vasel Koleda; Tchestita nova godina!
Cantonese - Seng Dan Fai Lok, Sang Nian Fai Lok
Creek - Afvcke Nettvcakorakko
Croatian - Sretan Bozic
Czech - Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Danish - Glædelig Jul og godt nytår
Dutch - Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!
Egyptian - Colo sana wintom tiebeen
Eskimo - Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
Finnish - Hyvää Joulua or Hauskaa Joulua
Flemish - Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
French - Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année!
Gaelic - Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ur!
German - Froehliche Weihnachten und ein glückliches Neues Jahr!
Greek - Kala Christougenna Kieftihismenos O Kenourios Chronos
Hawaiian - Mele Kalikimaka & Hauoli Makahiki Hou
Hebrew - Mo'adim Lesimkha. Shana Tova
Hindi - Shub Naya Baras
Hungarian - Kellemes Karacsonyiunnepeket & Boldog Új Évet
Icelandic - Gle›ileg Jól og Farsaelt Komandi ár!
Indonesian - Selamat Hari Natal
Iraqi - Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Irish -Nollaig Shona Dhuit
Italian - Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo
Japanese - Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Korean - Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Latin - Natale hilare et Annum Nuovo!
Latvian - Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!
Luxemburgish - Schéi Krëschtdeeg an e Schéint Néi Joer
Malayalam - Puthuvalsara Aashamsakal
Mandarin - Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
Mongolian - Zul saryn bolon shine ony mend devshuulye
Nepalese - Subha bada din
Norwegian - God Jul og Godt Nyttår
Papiamento - Bon Pasco y un Feliz Aña Nobo
Papua New Guinea - Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela
         yia i go long yu
Polish - Wesolych Swiat i Szczesliwego Nowego Roku.
Portuguese - Boas Festas e um feliz Ano Novo
Punjabi - Nave sal di mubaraka
Romanian - Craciun fericit si un An Nou fericit!
Russian - Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva i s Novim Godom
Samoan - La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Scots Gaelic - Nollaig chridheil huibh
Singhalese - Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Somali - ciid wanaagsan iyo sanad cusub oo fiican.
Slovakian - Vesele Vianoce a stastny novy rok
Slovak - Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
Slovene - Vesele bozicne praznike in srecno novo leto
Spanish - Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Swedish - God Jul och Gott Nytt Ã…r
Sudanese - Wilujeng Natal Sareng Warsa Enggal
Thai - Suksan Wan Christmas lae Sawadee Pee Mai
Turkish - Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian - Veseloho Vam Rizdva i Shchastlyvoho Novoho Roku!
Vietnamese - Chuc Mung Giang Sinh - Chuc Mung Tan Nien
Welsh - Nadolig LLawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
Yiddish - Gute Vaynakhtn un a Gut Nay Yor
Zulu - Sinifesela Ukhisimusi Omuhle Nonyaka Omusha Onempumelelo

Holidays
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/classics/holidays.html

Drinking Cartoons
www.offthemarkcartoons.com/search-results/key/drink/

Drug Cartoons
www.offthemarkcartoons.com/search-results/key/drug/

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

(((Family))) a BIG hug to you ALL
I hope that your Holidays and New Year ahead
are FILLED with Warmth, Blessings and the Spirit of Love.
The plans that I have made for the holidays are
To stay clean no matter what.
By doing this one day at a time with the help of others
I will be able to enjoy time with family and friends
The way I get through the holidays clean is by not using,
making meetings, sticking close to my sponsor and support group.
I check in,
because I don't want to check out.
When I came in I heard this was a 3 fold disease
(Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years)
We lose A LOT of people this time of year.
Even thought I used no differently on the holidays
It was just harder to cop drugs
The BEST gifts that I can give my loved ones, family and friends
is to stay clean no matter what.
My first year clean I couldn't afford presents to give
even though I went through feelings of guilt and shame.
That's why I chose this topic,
I just wish more would share on the topics,
guess that's just where you are at.
I gotta give it up, in  order to keep it.
If I don't share it, IM STEALING.
Yeah I could say Im busy with the blessings, life is full
but am I too busy for a 5 minute share????
let me remember where I came from, hmmmmmm  :)
Anyhow I couldn't afford any gifts
BUT my last year using I sold all of the gifts that I bought
and had no gifts.
So at least this year I was clean, and showed up to the family function,
instead of being missing in action.
My first holiday was different,
Im grateful for the people in the rooms who invited me to their homes
Im grateful for the marathon meetings
and the Holiday dances
I am so grateful to be clean today
I am looking forward to a family get together tomorrow
at my sisters, we get together every year for Christmas day and EAT!!!!!
This is my 18th consecutive year being clean for the holidays
My son is in for a BIG day tomorrow, I am VERY excited
On Monday my in laws will come over and we will celebrate Chanukah.
You know me if there's a party going on, Im down :)
I really hope more will share on the topics,
sometimes it gets real frustrating doing the moderating here
and I always realize there are few who reach out to the many who need it,
If your out there reading, give it up,
share with us
the gift is in the giving
There are so many out there who need what you have to give
There are so many who need who you are becoming
This is the season of gifts and miracles
Please share them
every day
not just on the holidays
there a lot of work that needs to be done
Lets get this party started.
Enjoy your holidays,
Be careful,
Be safe
and enjoy yourself
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ cleandate 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

December 25
Love fills me and heals me as I open to connect
with the people that God has placed in my life.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

The Gift Box

I dreamed I was given a large box. It was gift-wrapped and looked
like something that belonged under a big Christmas tree.

I opened the box with high anticipation. But inside the box were many,
many little boxes wrapped just like the big box. Each small box
promising treasures and surprises. I started to open the small boxes.

As I opened the small boxes and found each surprise inside, I noticed
something happening to the large box. It wasn‚t getting any emptier.
The small boxes were multiplying themselves at the same rate as I was
removing and opening them.

I speeded up. I slowed down. The number of boxes in the large box
stayed the same.

This is very similar to God's blessings. They are never ending no matter
how many we discover. His abundance is never-ending. And like the small
gift boxes, they can be opened slowly or quickly, there are always more
and more. His love for us is that big!

I don't remember how the dream ended, or what exactly was in all
those little boxes. I guess I had to wake up to find out.

Blessings, Love & Light
Linda G.
7-Dec-2005
alchemyenergyworks@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Let’s live by our own principles
N.A. Way Magazine 1/1998
www.na.org/naway/en/naway2-e.htm#Gift

Play In The Day You're In
www.geocities.com/alaura1942/PlayInTheDayYoureIn.html

Patience
www.geocities.com/alaura1942/Patience.html

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

Just For Today
December 25             Anonymity and self-will

"The drive for personal gain... which brought so much pain in the
past falls by the wayside if we adhere to the principle of anonymity"
Basic Text p.73

The word anonymity itself means namelessness, but there's a larger
principle at work in the anonymity of the NA program: the principle of
selflessness. When we admit our powerlessness to manage our own lives,
we take our first step away from self-will and our first step toward
selflessness. The less we try to run our lives on self-will, the more we
find the power and direction once so sorely lacking in our lives.

  But the principle of selflessness does a lot more than just make us feel
better-it helps us live better. Our ideas of how the world should be run
begin to lose their importance, and we stop trying to impose our will on
everyone and everything around us. And when we abandon our "know-it-all"
pretensions and start recognizing the value of other peoples' experience,
we start treating them with respect. The interests of others become as
important to us as our own; we start to think about what's best for the
group, rather than just what's best for us. We start living a life that's
bigger than we are, that's more than just us, our name, ourselves - we
start living the principle of anonymity.

Just for today: God, please free me from self-will. Help me
understand the principle of anonymity; help me to live selflessly.

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

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

Give the "Gift of Recovery" for free
to your online friends this Holiday Season,
Forward 12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit to them,
If you have received this as a forward and  would like to subscribe
please email
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:
to share please visit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

"SUGGESTED" STEPS

Our Twelfth Step also says that as a result of practicing all the Steps, we
have each found something called a spiritual awakening. . . A.A.'s manner
of making ready to receive this gift lies in the practice of the Twelve
Steps in our program.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 106-107

I remember my sponsor's answer when I told him that the Steps were
"suggested."  He replied that they are "suggested" in the  same way that,
if you were to jump out of an airplane with a parachute, it is "suggested"
that you pull the ripcord to save your life.  He pointed out that it was
"suggested" I practice the Twelve Steps, if I wanted to save my life.  So I
try to remember daily that I have a whole program of recovery based on all
Twelve of the "suggested" Steps.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden /December 25th

A.A. Thought for the Day

Many alcoholics will be saying today:  "This is a good
Christmas for me."  They will be looking back over
past Christmases which were not like this one.  They
will be thanking God for their sobriety and their
newfound life.  They will be thinking about how their
lives were changed when they came into A.A.  They will
be thinking that perhaps God let them live through all
the hazards of their drinking careers, when they were
perhaps often close to death, in order that they might
be used by Him in the great work of A.A.  Is this a
happy Christmas for me?

Meditation for the Day

The kingdom of heaven is also for the lowly, the sinners,
the repentant.  "And they presented unto Him gifts-gold,
frankincense, and myrrh."  Bring your gifts of gold-your
money and material possessions.  Bring your frankincense
-the consecration of your life to a worthy cause.  Bring your
myrrh-your sympathy and understanding and help.  Lay them
all at the feet of God and let Him have full use of them.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may be truly thankful on this Christmas Day.
I pray that I may bring my gifts and lay them on the altar.

"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.

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 25, 2005

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

The Holidays

Sometimes, the holidays are filled with the joy we associate with that
time of year. The season flows. Magic is in the air.

Sometimes, the holidays can be difficult and lonely.

Here are some ideas I've learned through personal experience, and
practice, to help us get through difficult holidays:

Deal with feelings, but try not to dwell unduly on them. Put the holidays
in perspective: A holiday is one day out of 365. We can get through any
24-hour period.

Get through the day, but we aware that there may be a post holiday
backlash. Sometimes, if we use our survival behaviors to get through
the day, the feelings will catch up to us the next day. Deal with them
too. Get back on track as quickly as possible.

Find and cherish the love that's available, even if it's not exactly what
we want. Is there someone we can give love to and receive love from?
Recovering friends? Is there a family who would enjoy sharing their
holiday with us? Don't be a martyr; go. There may be those who would
appreciate our offer to share our day with them.

We are not in the minority if we find ourselves experiencing a less
than ideal holiday. How easy, but untrue, to tell ourselves the rest of
the world is experiencing the perfect holiday, and we're alone in
conflict.

We can create our own holiday agenda. Buy yourself a present. Find
someone to whom you can give. Unleash your loving, nurturing self and
give in to the holiday spirit.

Maybe past holidays haven't been terrific. Maybe this year wasn't
terrific. But next year can be better, and the next a little better.
Work toward a better life - one that meets your needs. Before long,
you'll have it.

God, help me enjoy and cherish this holiday. If my situation is less
than ideal, help me take what's good and let go of the rest.

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

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

Lightheart , Alan Cohen
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2001/February/cohen.htm

Links to Finding Life Purpose
<http://www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_second.htm#life%20purpose>

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

Sweet Angels, no matter what your faith is, or is not, no matter where in
the world you are, I want you to know, that on Christmas day, I'll be with
you. Behind the eyes of every child, and in the melody of every song. I'll
be the glimmer in the ice crystals, the rays in the sun, and the stars at
night. And with each smile you see, every hug you receive and every laugh
you hear, I'll be there, reaching out through another, with blessing and
tidings, to last you the year...... not because it's Christmas, but because
I love you, because I've always loved you, and because I always will. And
because this has been true, and will be true, every day of your life.

Happy Holidays to you Sweet Angels, to your family, and to every single
wonderful, radiant Being in your shimmering, enlightened sphere.

There comes a time in the evolution of every spiritual being, along that
sometimes dark road that leads to enlightenment, when their inner
yearnings, struggles and frustrations bring them to a truth that could
not have otherwise been achieved. And so, beloved, I come this holy
day with such a truth, though it may hurt eyes that have been shut too
long.

Reaching this milestone was inevitable, for the light that will dawn
hereafter is not only what you have summoned, but what all now seek.
And with your blessings and recognition it will bathe those who follow in
your footsteps and the burden they bear shall be lessened.

If it's not yet obvious to you, the real reason for this season is you,
Sweet Angel. A more perfect child of the Universe has never lived.
Until now, only a celebration cloaked in myth and mystery could hint at
your sublime heritage and divine destiny. You are life's prayer of
becoming, and its answer. The first light at the dawn of eternity, drawn
from the ether so that the Universe might know its depths, discover its
heights, and frolic in endless seas of blessed emotion.

A pioneer into illusion, an adventurer into the unknown, and a lifter of
veils. Courageous, heroic and exalted by billions in the unseen.

To give beyond reason. To care beyond hope. To love without limit. To
reach, stretch, and dream in spite of your fears. These are the
hallmarks of divinity - traits of the immortal - your badges of honor, and
your ticket home.

This is the time of year we celebrate who you are.

Merry Christmas,
The Universe
serenity@...

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

Do what you will with another person;
But never put them out of your heart.
--The Dalai Lama

One of the most moving examples of the opening of a hardened heart is the
story of Scrooge in Dickens' A Christmas Carol. At an early age, Scrooge
concluded that the world was a hard and cruel place. Making the accumulation
of money his primary goal, he closed himself off from his fellow human
beings. Although he attained worldly riches, he was spiritually desolate.

Then, on Christmas Eve, he was graced with the opportunity to make a new
choice to open his heart to life. His physical wealth began to have a
purpose. After his conversion, he paid for the operation that healed Tiny
Tim and contributed to numerous charities throughout London.

I tell this story because there is a Scrooge in every one of us. In some
area of life, you and I have hardened our hearts. Perhaps it is a former
lover whom we have not forgiven, or we are angry at a political group that
opposes our point of view, or an early wound has left a trail of hurt and
cynicism.

Whatever the person or circumstance, the solution is the same -- open your
heart again. If the old pain comes to the surface, relax and breathe into
the hurt. As your heart softens and expands, a deep compassion will fill
your being. Like Scrooge, you are being reborn to a new life. You are being
redeemed by the healing power of love.

from the book: Listening to Your Inner Voice by Douglas Bloch

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

Gratitude

On our path to the light,
we often examine our growth with an eye
to what we have yet to achieve.
It is very important, however,
to become aware of what we have already accomplished.

Make a gratitude list.
Write down the ways in which you have changed,
and the gifts you have allowed into your life.
Acknowledge yourself for your dedication to spiritual growth.
Consider how your family and friends have helped
to bring you to this place on your path.
Include those people who have served
as great mirrors and teachers in your healing.

Close your eyes.
Sense and visualize all the wondrous things that have happened,
all the gifts you now have in our life,
and give thanks for each of them with the whole of your heart.

I am grateful!

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

I Need Christmas

Still
After all this time
Grown up, maturing into middle age
A baby boomer into menopause
I still need to see
Sparkles and shiny ornaments
Tinsels and snow crystals
In a dressed-up Christmas tree

Green Holly leaves and 'Green Sleeves'
tug at my heart strings
as if I were ten years old again
I still need to feel the magic
giving and receiving
hugging, smiling, sharing

I still need to thrill with
the secret of hidden gifts
like a little kid trying to see, to guess
what's underneath the tree
which package is for me

Feeling lovable, remembered, blessed
a part of the season's special message
that love, above all, is most important

During the inevitable time passage
I have at times hated Christmas
for highlighting my loneliness
I have at times ignored Christmas
for its superfluous frivolities

Now, I honour Christmas
for the eternal little child in me

Love
Stella
© 2003 Stella Raymonde Savoie Johnson
stellaraymonde@...

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

'Twas the night before Christmas

'Twas the night before Xmas, we were all in the club,
Providing a meeting, instead of a pub;

The ashtrays were clean and the coffee was made,
The Basic Texts were out, and we had all prayed.

When out in the lot, there arose such a clatter,
We jumped from the table to see what was the matter.

The chair with his NA book, and I with my smokes,
Headed outside and found these two blokes.

They came on inside, and they sat at the table,
And said that they'd chair, as soon as they're able.

To start with, they said, it's more than not using or drinking,
It's doing your best to fix your wrong thinking.

"Let Go and Let God!" and those slogans we used
Help keep the newcomer from getting too confused.

Step one is a start, they said we should know
And after step two, we'll be all aglow.

We make a decision when we get to step three;
Step four is real tough, we all could agree.
Step five is the one where we let it all out,
After steps six and seven, we're left with no doubt.

We get to step 8, and we make our long list
And then with step 9, we have to persist.

When you're on step 9, our promises ring true
We didn't just get that, out of the blue;

After that, it's on with the rest
That we must do each day, to be our best.
They put on their coats and got ready to leave
A pretty good end, for this Christmas eve.

As to his name, we only could guess ok?
But I'm pretty darn sure it was Jimmy K.

The two men hopped in a red '35 Ford,
And as they pulled out, one of them roared:
"We leave this message, for you, our brothers:
Trust God, clean house, be of service to others

For all of you people, we wanted to say:
Have a nice holiday, and don't drink or use, Just for today."

anonymous

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

Christmas Blessings

Christmas morning, snowy white,
Beautiful starlight, shining bright,
Glistening sprays of mistletoe,
Deer tracks in the fallen snow,
A cabin on a faraway hill,
Like a painting, it's so still.
Glowing lights inside that say,
Someone is up this Christmas Day.
The wonder that this season brings,
Inside my soul begins to sing!
It wasn't always this way for me.
These brand new eyes began to see.
A little over a year ago,
I'd gone as far as I could go.
The misery that I felt back then,
Drowning my sorrows in whiskey and gin.
No friends, no family, and nowhere to sleep,
I laid in a gutter that had gotten too deep.
It's hard to explain what happened that day.
But it was a miracle, that's all I can say.
I live for the moment for I have it all,
The newness of spring, the colors of fall.
As I watch the lights twinkle on my little Christmas tree,
I count all the blessings that have been bestowed on me!

Sharlett Hunt
copywrite@ 2002
Sharlette863@...

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

In “A Christmas Carol�, the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is transformed into a
loving, compassionate being. The story is powerful because Scrooge was not
magically injected with goodness.  That goodness had been there all along.
It had just been frozen over. We, too, have chilled parts of our hearts.  We
don't want to be hurt again. We can't bear another disappointment. We fear
to risk and lose again. By acknowledging the frozen part of ourselves, we
can begin to thaw. Everything we need for a warm, joyful life is already
inside us. And we can experience the spirit of Christmas not just one day,
but every day of the year.
Mary Manin Morrissey

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

What is Christmas?
It is tenderness for the past,
courage for the present,
hope for the future.
It is a fervent wish
that every cup may overflow
with blessings rich and eternal,
and that every path may lead to peace.
Agnes M. Pharo

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

Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.
Oren Arnold

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

HELP = His Ever Loving Presence

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

HELP = Hope Encouragement Love Patience

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

HOPE = Hearing Other Peoples Experience

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

HOW = Honesty Open-mindedness Willingness

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
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To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
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and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
www,health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer’s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

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

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Retail Recovery
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/retailrecovery.html

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

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

December 24
Today I am willing to be increasingly aware of my spiritual life.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

Recovery Style The Night Before Christmas

   Twas the night before Christmas,
           and all through the halls;
   not an addict was drinking,
           or eating rum balls.

   The children were happy,
           their folks were serene,
   Asleep in their rooms,
           dreaming Christmastime dreams.

   The sponsees were nestled
           all snug by their phones;
   Hoping their sponsors,
           soon would be home.

   Papa in his bathrobe,
           And I in my gown;
   Were grateful to be home,
           not stumbling 'round town!

   When out in the driveway,
           I saw some headlights;
   Who was coming to my house,
           at this time of night?

   Away to the window,
           I flew at great speed;
   I wanted to see,
           what these people would need.

   The night it was late,
           didn't they know,
   I would go downstairs quickly,
           and tell them to go.

   When what to my wondering eyes should appear?
           But a lawn full of addicts,
   and not one cup of cheer!

   With hope in their hearts,
           Anxious looks on each face;
   They were scoping the town,
           for their next meeting place.

I opened the door,
           To let my friends in;
   The Christmas Eve meeting,
           Was about to begin!

   On coffeepot, Cups,
           and some sugar and cream,
   Old-timers, newcomers,
           and those in between.
  
 "In my home you are safe!"
           "Come on in!" hear my call
   Now clean addicts, free addicts, recovering addicts, all!

   As non-recovering addicts before a meeting do cry,
           when they meet with the "obstacles selves" they deny;
   So into the kitchen, the addicts they flew,
           With a room full of feelings, some joyous, some blue.

   And then in a moment,
           the meeting did start;
   A gratitude meeting,
       clean living...and art!

   As we went 'round the room,
           there were stories of woe,
   Descriptions of lives,
           only addicts would know.

   Stories dressed all in substances,
           from beginning to end,
   that "drug" was a gut-wrenching,
           fair-weather friend.

   A bundle of pain,
           Each addict carried on her back;
   The Road was quite bumpy!
           The deck had been stacked!

   Relationships, crumbled,
           Our finances, weary,
   Our souls were like vacuums
           Our eyes always teary.

   Each addict bared her soul,
           and shared through the hour;
   Of recovery held dear,
           And a new "Higher Power"

   The fellowship gave,
           new life to each face;
   All the clean women,
           with dignity and grace.

   A desire to stop using,
           is all that's required,
   A way out, a way up;
           New lives to inspire!
  It was time for the meeting,
           to come to and end.
  For all of the Addicts
           and all of their friends.

   THE Serenity PRAYER was then said
           as we held hands and prayed,
   Electricity, wonder
           and magic displayed.

   We did "clean up" and chattered
           And when saying good-bye
   Embraces, well wishes,
           And not a dry eye.

   I sprang to my bed,
           And thanked God for this night.
   I snuggled to Papa;
           And all felt so right!

   But I heard them exclaim,
           as they all drove away,
   "Thank God for N. A.
           and each clean day!"

    Author Unknown

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

What the traditions teach us about self-support in recovery
N.A. Way Magazine 1/1998
www.na.org/naway/en/naway2-e.htm#WSC

Climb Until Your Dreams Come True
www.geocities.com/alaura1942/clmbdreamstrue.html

Amends
www.geocities.com/alaura1942/Amends.html


*~*~*~*~*~*Earthgroup Marathon Meetings ROCK*~*~*~*~*~*

EARTH GROUP NA  presents 4th Annual

2006 NEW YEARS MARATHON
"SHARING AND CARING THE NA WAY"


Beginning at 6PM. December 31st. we will have 18hours
of non stop meetings.  Guest speakers will share
at Midnight and 10:30 AM. E.S.T.

Come and join us and share with other addicts from around
the world on one of the hardest nights of the year to stay clean.

The coffee will be hot, plenty of chairs, and lots of virtual Hugs
waiting. Spend the night with friends and family who care and
share the NA Way...

Join us at Join
www.earthgroupna.org
and click on chatroom or a direct link is
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.pl?id=114117

For more information contact Diane K. at chat@...

I will be sharing at the midnight meeting on New Years Eve :)     Scott

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

Just For Today
December 24                                   The group

"The Twelfth Step of our personal program also says that we carry the
message to the addict who still suffers.... The group is the most
powerful vehicle we have for carrying the message." Basic Text p.65

  When we first come to Narcotics Anonymous meetings, we meet
recovering addicts. We know they are addicts because they talk about
the same experiences and feelings we've had. We know they are
recovering because of their serenity-they've got something we want.
We feel hope when other addicts share their recovery with us in NA
meetings.

  The atmosphere of recovery attracts us to the meetings. That
atmosphere is created when group members make a commitment to work
together. We try to enhance the atmosphere of recovery by helping set
up for meetings, greeting newcomers, and talking with other addicts
after the meeting. These demonstrations of our commitment make our
meetings attractive and help our groups share their recovery.

  Sharing experience in meetings is one way in which we help one another,
and it's often the foundation for our sense of belonging. We identify with
other addicts, so we trust their message of hope. Many of us would not
have stayed in Narcotics Anonymous without that sense of belonging and
hope. When we share at group meetings, we support our personal
recovery while helping others.

Just for today: I will reach out to another addict in my group and
share my recovery.

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

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

Give the "Gift of Recovery" for free
to your online friends this Holiday Season,
Forward 12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit to them,
If you have received this as a forward and  would like to subscribe
please email
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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


This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

PROTECTION FOR ALL

At the personal level, anonymity provides protection for all members from
identification as alcoholics, a safeguard often of special importance to
newcomers.  At the level of press, radio, TV, and films, anonymity stresses
the equality in the Fellowship of all members by putting the brake on those
who might otherwise exploit their A.A. affiliation to achieve recognition,
power, or personal gain.
"UNDERSTANDING ANONYMITY," p. 5

Attraction is the main force in the Fellowship of A.A.  The miracle of
continuous sobriety of alcoholics within A.A. confirms the fact every
day.  It would be harmful if the Fellowship promoted itself by publicizing,
through the media of radio and TV, the sobriety of well-known public
personalities who became members of A.A.  If these personalities happened
to have slips, outsiders would think our movement is not strong and they
might question the veracity of the miracle of the century.  Alcoholics
Anonymous is not anonymous, but its members should be.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ December 24th

A.A. Thought for the Day

We have been given a new life just because we
happened to become alcoholics.  We certainly
don't deserve the new life that has been given us.
There is little in our past to warrant the life we
have now.  Many people live good lives from their
youth on, not getting into serious trouble, being
well adjusted to life, and yet they have not found
all that we drunks have found.  We had the good
fortune to find Alcoholics Anonymous and with it
a new life.  We are among the lucky few in the
world who have learned a new way to live.  Am I
deeply grateful for the new life that I have
learned in AA.?

Meditation for the Day

A deep gratitude to the Higher Power for all the
blessings that we have and that we don't deserve
has come to us.  We thank God and mean it.  Then
comes service to other people, out of gratitude for
what we have received.  This entails some sacrifice
of ourselves and our own affairs.  But we are glad
to do it.  Gratitude, service, and then sacrifice are
the steps that lead to good A.A. work.  They open
the door to a new life for us.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may gladly serve others out of deep
gratitude for what I have received.  I pray that I
may keep a deep sense of obligation.

"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.

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 24, 2005
Melody Beattie ©

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

Getting Through the Holidays

For some, the sights, signs, and smells of the holidays bring joy and a warm
feeling. But, while others are joyously diving into the season, some of us
are dipping into conflict, guilt, and a sense of loss.

We read articles on how to enjoy the holidays, we read about the Christmas
blues, but many of us still can't figure out how to get through the holiday
season. We may not know what a joyous holiday would look and feel like.

Many of us are torn between what we want to do on the holiday, and what we
feel we have to do. We may feel guilty because we don't want to be with our
families. We may feel a sense of loss because we don't have the kind of
family to be with that we want. Many of us, year after year, walk into the
same dining room on the same holiday, expecting this year to be different.
Then we leave, year after year, feeling let down, disappointed, and confused
by it all.

Many of us have old, painful memories triggered by the holidays.

Many of us feel a great deal of relief when the holiday is ended.

One of the greatest gifts of recovery is learning that we are not alone.
There are probably as many of us in conflict during the holidays than there
are those who feel at peace. We're learning, through trial and error, how to
take care of ourselves a little better each holiday season.

Our first recovery task during the holidays is to accept ourselves, our
situation, and our feelings about our situation. We accept our guilt, anger,
and sense of loss. It's all okay.

There is no right or perfect way to handle the holidays. Our strength can be
found in doing the best we can, one year at a time.

This holiday season, I will give myself permission to take care of myself.

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

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

Overcoming Inertia, Rekindling Passion
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2001/February/feature3.htm

  Links to Soulful Love
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_second.htm#soulful%20love

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

Why Christmas Trees Are Not Perfect

They say that if you creep into an evergreen forest late at night
you can hear the trees talking. In the whisper of the wind you'll
catch the older pines reassuring the younger ones why they'll
never be perfectly shaped. There will always be a bent branch
here, a gap there . . .

Long, long ago evergreens were perfect. This was particularly
true in a small kingdom deep in Europe beyond the Carpathian
Mountains.

On the first Saturday of Advent the Queen's woodsmen would
search the royal forest for the most perfect tree. It would
then reign in the castle, shimmering with candles. While a Yule
log crackled, the royal family and villagers would sing around the
tree in celebration.

Out in the hushed forest every evergreen vied for this honor.
One cold night when a bright white moon glittered on the crusty
snow, a small rabbit limped into the evergreens, its sides heaving
in panic. Beyond the hill rose the yelping of village dogs in the
thrill of the hunt. The rabbit frantically searched for cover but
found nothing among the dark trunks. Faster and faster it circled
as the excited yelping increased. The trees frowned at this
interruption of their evening (when growing was at its best).

And then a small pine shuddered. Of all the young trees, it
promised to be the finest of the forest. Everything about it,
from its deep seagreen color to the delicate curl of its branches,
was perfect. But now . . . its lower branches began to dip down
to the ground. And just before the slavering dogs arrived, the
rabbit found safety within the branches. In the morning the
bunny found its burrow. But the little pine could not quite lift
its branches. No matter; perhaps a little irregularity would not
be noticed.

Then a powerful blizzard lashed the land. Villagers slammed
shutters while birds and animals huddled in nests and dens. A
small wren, blown astray, desperately sought sanctuary in the
evergreens, but each one clenched it branches. Finally, she
fell exhausted into the little pine. The pine's heart opened and so
did its boughs, and the wren slept warm within them. But the
pine had difficulty rearranging its branches. There would be a
gap, evermore.

Winter deepened, bringing a gale never before experienced in
the mountains. A small fawn, that had wandered from its mother,
inched into the evergreens, seeking a windbreak. But the trees
opened their branches to the wind to avoid dangerous bending.
Again the little pine took pity and closing its branches formed a
tight wall behind the fawn safely huddled. But alas, when the
wind ceased, the small pine had been permanently bent out of
shape. A tear of pine gun oozed from a branch tip. Now it could
never hope to be honored.

Lost in despair, the little pine did not see the good Queen come
into the forest in her sleigh to choose the finest tree. When she
saw the little pine, anger filled her. A tree with such defects in
the royal forest? She was about to order it disposed of, but
then stopped and glanced back at it. As she gazed on it, she noticed
the tracks of small animals that had found shelter under it and
a downy feather where a bird had nested. And, as she studied
the gaping hole in its side and the wind-whipped trunk,
understanding filled her heart.

"This one," she said. And to the astonishment of the forest,
the little pine was borne to the castle. Everyone said it was the
finest Christmas tree yet. For in looking at its gnarled, worn
branches, many saw the protecting arm of their father, others
the comforting bosom of a mother, and some, as did the wise
Queen, saw the love of Christ expressed on earth.

So if you walk among the evergreens today, you will find, along
with rabbits, birds, and other living things, dropped branches
providing cover, gaps offering resting places, forms bent from
wrestling winter winds.

For, as with many of us, the trees have learned that the scars
suffered for the sake of others makes one most beautiful in
the eyes of God.

by Richard H. Schneider

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

War has never brought peace.  Conflict has never brought
understanding.  Violence has never brought love.  History has
shown us that our methods of attempting to achieve peace,
whether it be globally or locally, have not worked.  Let us try
a new way.  Let us apply ourselves to the new way with the same
consistency and intensity as we have given to the old way.  Christmas
is the time to consider the importance of this, being a time of great
love and gentleness.  This is the new way ~ or, rather, it is the way
we were shown thousands of years ago ~ at a time that civilization
chose to take the other path.  We can retrace our steps and take
the other way.  How many of you will put on the robes of love and
compassion and join the march to peace and true freedom?

In Peace and Love,
Virginia Santoro ©
MorningMusings@...

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

A Healing Prayer of Love...

Deep at the center of my being there is an infinite well of Love.

I now allow this Love to flow to the surface. It fills my heart, my body, my
mind, my consciousness, my very being and radiates out from me in all
directions and returns to be multiplied. The more Love I use and give, the
more I have to give: the supply is endless.

The use of Love makes me feel good. It is an expression of my inner joy. I
love myself therefore, I take loving care of my body. I lovingly feed it
nourishing foods and beverages. I lovingly groom it and dress it, and my
body responds to me with vibrant health and energy.

I love myself and therefore, I provide for myself a comfortable home; one
that fills all my needs and is a pleasure to be in. I fill the rooms with
the vibration of Love so that all who enter, myself included, will feel this
Love and be nourished by it.

I love myself, therefore, I work at a job that I truly enjoy doing, one
that uses my creative talents and abilities, working with and for people
that I love and that love me and earning a good income.

I love myself, therefore, I behave and think in a loving way to all people
for I know that which I give out returns to me multiplied. I only attract
loving people in my world for they are a mirror of what I am.

I love myself and therefore, I forgive and totally release the past and all
past experiences and I am free.

I LOVE MYSELF THEREFORE, I LOVE TOTALLY IN THE NOW,
EXPERIENCING EACH MOMENT AS GOOD AND KNOWING
THAT MY FUTURE IS BRIGHT AND JOYOUS AND SECURE
FOR I AM A BELOVED  CHILD OF THE UNIVERSE AND THE
UNIVERSE LOVINGLY TAKES CARE OF ME AND FOREVER MORE.

Louise Hay

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

Christmas Blessings Everyday

Christmas Blessings everyday,
Makes depression go away,
I pray today when I awake
To learn to give and not to take,
To stop and tarry for awhile,
To try to give someone a smile,
Although my life's a rocky road,
I do not have a heavy load.
I'll let my heart show me the way,
To show some kindness everyday.
And when the gifts are wrapped and tied,
I want my God to know I tried,
To let my love for everyone,
Shine down like tiny rays of sun.
I want to think of other's more,
And God will open every door.
I don't have time to be depressed,
Because I am so very blessed!

Sharlett Hunt 12/18/03
Sharlette863@...

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

What you do speaks so loudly,
that I cannot hear what you say.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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

This life and all its experiences are for your upliftment and
to assist you in your journey home to God.
John-Roger
From: The Way Out Book

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

"In understanding ourselves, we come to understand the world.
In allowing ourselves to heal, we become the healers of the world.
In praying for peace, we become bringers of peace."
Marianne Williamson

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

Seek goodness in others.
Love more persons . . .
more impersonally,
more unselfishly,
without thought of return.
The return, never fear, will take care of itself.
Henry Drummond

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

GOD = Good Orderly Direction

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

GOYA = Get Off Your Ass

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

HALT = Hungry Angry Lonely Tired

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

HEART = Healing Enjoying And Recovering Together

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

Be Careful, Be Safe,
AND
ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAYS

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
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To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
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and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
www,health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Prayer
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/prayer.html

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

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

December 23
As I start this day with quiet meditation,
I feel myself becoming still and at peace.
At anytime during the day
I can bring my mind back to this moment.
I can bring my attention and awareness back to the peace
that I have when I am with my breath and
I know that my breath is with me at all times,
whether I remember it or not.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

Twelve Tips on Keeping Your Holiday Season Sober/Clean and Joyous

1. Line up extra A.A./NA activities for the holiday season.
     Arrange to take newcomers to meetings, answer the phones
     at a clubhouse or central office,or help line, speak, help with
     dishes, or visit the detox ward at a hospital.

2. Be host to A.A./NA friends, especially newcomers.  If you
     don¹t have a place where you can throw a formal party, take
     one person to a diner and spring for the coffee.

3. Keep you A.A./NA telephone list with you all the time.  If a
     using/drinking urge or panic comes‹postpone everything else
     until you¹ve called an A.A./NA

4. Find out about the special holiday parties, meetings, or other
     celebrations given by groups in your area, and go.  If you¹re
     timid, take someone newer than you are.

5. Skip any drinking/using occasion you are nervous about.  Remember
     how clever you were at excuses when using/drinking?  Now put
     the talent to good use.  No office party is as important as saving
     your life.

6. If you have to go to a using/drinking party and can¹t take an
     A.A./NA with you, keep some candy handy.

7. Don¹t think you have to stay late.  Plan in advance an ³important date²
     you have to keep.

8. Worship in your own way.

9. Don¹t sit around brooding.  Catch up on those books, museums, walks,
     and letters.

10. Don¹t start now getting worked up about all those holiday temptations.
      Remember‹³one day at a time.² And ³Just for Today²

11. Enjoy the true beauty of holiday love and joy.  Maybe you cannot give
      material gifts‹but this year, you can give love.

12. ³Having had a Š.² No need to spell out the Twelfth Step here, since you
      already know it.

Adapted From a Box 459 Holiday Issue
Noreen S
Neeron@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

My life, my responsibility
N.A. Way Magazine 1/1998
www.na.org/naway/en/naway2-e.htm#Surrender

This Too Will Pass
<http://www.geocities.com/alaura1942/ThisTooWillPass.html>

Online daybook of holidays and celebrations around the world
http://www.earthcalendar.net/index.php


*~*~*~*~*~*Earthgroup Marathon Meetings ROCK*~*~*~*~*~*

EARTH GROUP NA  presents 4th Annual

2006 NEW YEARS MARATHON
"SHARING AND CARING THE NA WAY"


Beginning at 6PM. December 31st. we will have 18hours
of non stop meetings.  Guest speakers will share
at Midnight and 10:30 AM. E.S.T.

Come and join us and share with other addicts from around
the world on one of the hardest nights of the year to stay clean.

The coffee will be hot, plenty of chairs, and lots of virtual Hugs
waiting. Spend the night with friends and family who care and
share the NA Way...

Join us at Join
www.earthgroupna.org
and click on chatroom or a direct link is
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.pl?id=114117

For more information contact Diane K. at chat@...

I will be sharing at the midnight meeting on New Years Eve :)     Scott

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

Just For Today
December 23                                      New ideas

"We reevaluate our old ideas so we can become acquainted with the
new ideas that lead to a new way of life." Basic Text p.91

  Learning to live a new way of life can be difficult. Sometimes, when the
going gets especially hard, we're tempted to follow the path of least
resistance and live by our old ideas again. We forget that our old ideas
were killing us. To live a new way of life, we need to open our minds to
new ideas.

  Working the steps, attending meetings, sharing with others, trusting a
sponsor - these suggestions may meet our resistance, even our rebellion.
The NA program requires effort, but each step in the program brings us
closer to becoming the kinds of people we truly want to be. We want to
change, to grow, to become something more than we are today. To do that,
we open our minds, try on the new ideas we've found in NA, and learn to
live a new way of life.

Just for today: I will open my mind to new ideas and learn to live my
life in a new way.

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

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

Give the "Gift of Recovery" for free
to your online friends this Holiday Season,
Forward 12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit to them,
If you have received this as a forward and  would like to subscribe
please email
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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


This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

"ACTIVE GUARDIANS"

To us, however, it represents far more than a sound public relations
policy. It is more than a denial of self-seeking. This Tradition is a
constant and practical reminder that personal ambition has no place
in A.A.  In it, each member becomes an active guardian of our
Fellowship.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 183

The basic concept of humility is expressed in the Eleventh Tradition:
it allows me to participate completely in the program in such a simple,
yet profound manner; it fulfills my need to be an integral part of a
significant whole.  Humility brings me closer to the actual spirit of
togetherness and oneness, without which I could not stay sober.  In
remembering that every member is an example of sobriety, each one
living the Eleventh Tradition, I am able to experience freedom because
each one of us is anonymous.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden /December 23

A.A. Thought for the Day

We have definitely left that dream world behind.
It was only a sham.  It was a world of our making
and it was not the real world.  We are sorry for
the past, yes, but we learned a lot from it.  We can
\put it down to experience, valuable experience, as
we see it now, because it has given us the knowledge
necessary to face the world as it really is.  We had
to become alcoholics in order to find the A.A. program.
We would not have gotten it any other way.  In a way,
it was worth it.  Do I look at my past as valuable experience?

Meditation for the Day

Shed peace, not discord, wherever you go.  Try to be
part of the cure of every situation, not part of the
problem.  Try to ignore evil, rather than to actively
combat it.  Always try to build up, never to tear down.
Show others by your example that happiness comes
from living the right way.  The power of your example
is greater than the power of what you say.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may try to bring something good into
every situation today.  I pray that I may be constructive
in the way I think and speak and act today.

"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.

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 23, 2005

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

Holiday Triggers

     One year, when I was a child, my father got drunk and violent at
Christmas. I had just unwrapped a present, a bottle of hand lotion, when he
exploded in an alcoholic rage. Our Christmas was disrupted. It was terrible.
It was frightening for the whole family. Now, thirty-five years later,
whenever I smell hand lotion, I immediately feel all the feelings I did that
Christmas: the fear, the disappointment, the heartache, the helplessness,
and an instinctive desire to control.
Anonymous

There are many positive triggers that remind us of Christmas: snow,
decorations, "Silent Night," "Jingle Bells," wrapped packages, a nativity
scene, stockings hung on a fireplace. These "triggers" can evoke in us the
warm, nostalgic feelings of the Christmas celebration.

There are other kinds of triggers, though, that may be less apparent and
evoke different feelings and memories.

Our mind is like a powerful computer. It links sight, sound, smell, touch,
and taste with feelings, thoughts, and memories. It links our senses - and
we remember.

Sometimes the smallest, most innocuous incident can trigger memories. Not
all our memories are pleasant, especially if we grew up in an alcoholic,
dysfunctional setting.

We may not understand why we suddenly feel afraid, depressed, and anxious.
We may not understand what has triggered our codependent coping behaviors -
the low self worth, the need to control, the need to neglect ourselves. When
that happens, we need to understand that some innocuous event may be
triggering memories recorded deep within us.

If something, even something we don't understand, triggers painful memories,
we can pull ourselves back into the present by self care: acknowledging our
feelings, detaching, working the Steps, and affirming ourselves. We can take
action to feel good. We can help ourselves feel better each Christmas. No
matter what the past held, we can put it in perspective, and create a more
pleasant holiday today.

Today, I will gently work through my memories of this holiday season. I will
accept my feelings, even if I consider them different than what others are
feeling this holiday. God, help me let go, heal from, and release the
painful memories surrounding the holidays. Help me finish my business from
the past, so I can create the holiday of my choice.

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

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

Healing Money Scarcity
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2001/February/feature2.htm

Links to Nourishing the Soul
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_third.htm#nourishing

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

Does Perfect Love Exist?
by Cynthia Legette Davis

Most of us long for relationships in which we are loved and accepted just
the way we are. Our hearts' desire is to give and receive love in
relationships that make us feel that even if others disagree with what we do
or say, they still love us. They accept us. They appreciate our
contributions to the world. While it would be wonderful to have these types
of relationships with all people, we know that that's hard to do. We can,
however, have them with some others, but only when we first have them with
ourselves-and, ironically, this is often the hardest relationship of all.

One of the reasons many of us find it hard to love ourselves is because we
do not realize that we are already loved in the most divine way. God loves
us, totally and unconditionally. It's hard for many of us to believe this
fact because we know how imperfect we are, and we believe we have to be
perfect before God will love us. The truth is that God's love makes us
perfect, even with our imperfections. By knowing this truth intellectually
and believing it spiritually, we not only love ourselves more; we love
others more as well.

Do you love yourself? You may think you do, but do you really? There's only
one way to find out-by taking a closer look at what you think, say, and do.
You may not like some of what you find, but if you're serious about really
loving yourself, you can use this insight to do some positive inner work.

Here are three ways I've found for gaining greater personal insight for
deeper love.

1. Listen to your words and listen even more closely to your thoughts. Why?
Because your words and your thoughts will determine your actions. One of the
things that has helped me to listen to my thoughts has been to keep a
journal. It is not necessary for you to write in it everyday, but it helps
to record various insights you gain as you go about living your life.
Instead of using a big notebook, you might use a small note pad that you can
keep in your purse or pocket for easy access to record your thoughts as they
occur to you. (I've found that if I don't immediately write down ideas and
insights as they come, it's hard to remember them later, at least with the
same degree of clarity.) Whichever method you choose, what's most important
is that you write your thoughts down. It will help you know what's in your
heart.

2. Be honest with yourself by paying attention to your actions. Actions
speak louder than words, and they always tell the truth. What do your
actions say about you? If you say you love your job, but your actions say
otherwise, which do you think is more true - your words or your actions? On
the other hand, if you say you're not good at a certain job, but your
actions say otherwise, that's also important. What do you do with this
insight? You can use it to make more beneficial choices in your life. By
being honest with yourself based on your previous actions, your actions
moving forward will be based on truth instead of just what you tell
yourself.

3. Take time out during the day for quiet time to listen to your inner
voice. I call this inner voice the voice of God. This is similar to point
number one, but it takes it a step further - beyond the natural mind to the
supernatural heart. You may want to use your quiet time to meditate or pray.
However you use this time, the key is to shut out all of the noise around
you by focusing deep within yourself. Breathing deeply during quiet time
will also help you focus. I know it's hard to find quiet time during a
particularly busy day, but it's so important - even if it's just 10 minutes
a day and you have to sneak away to get it. Quiet time can really make a
difference in your life. It enables you to hear God speaking to your heart
reminding you of His perfect love for you.

Despite what your subconscious may be telling you, you can have love with no
limits. The key is to unconditionally love yourself first.

About The Author:
Cynthia Legette Davis is a writer, publisher, and speaker based in Columbia,
S.C. and is author of the recently published book, "Peace Be Still: Inner
Healing for Racial Harmony" (available at Amazon.com). She can be reached at
803-865-8955 or by email at clegettedavis@...

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

The reason for the season is, "Presence"
not the kind you wrap and send
but the presence of God in all women and men
the life-chain that draws us all to His heart
the presence of God that will never part
that presence that tells you it will all be ok
that brings you kind warmth on your chilliest day
that nurtures and comforts your poor lonely soul
and brings you assurance that you are made whole.
So when you look at your tree or your lover or friend
think of the presence that will never end
its a gift given freely, not bought in a store
not made with your hands or found on the shore
but a present from He who loves us the best
and in whom we all are invited to rest
so when you're alone, by yourself, feeling blue
unwrap His presence, for its always with you
on those nights you can't find not one single cheer
unwrap His presence, for its always here.
Its found in a tear, a hug or a smile
you can think you have lost it,
but its there all the while.
And the best thing about this present so dear
is that it stays right here with us throughout the whole year
so open your presents, give thanks all around
but remember which Presence is the best to be found.

(and that, my dear ones, is God's love that flows
within and through each one of us!) I love you, john h.

johnh94@...

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

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is something you do for yourself.
It doesn't mean denying the hurt you were
caused or pretending it didn't happen.
It doesn't mean trusting someone who's proven
to be untrustworthy.
It means giving away the hard rock of hurt you're
carrying inside and no longer allowing its weight
to disrupt your life.

We hold on to that rock, afraid the other
person will think they're off the hook for what
they've done.
We keep the hurt and let it
reduce us to a powerless position of pain.

Forgiveness is setting the pain free, retrieving
your power and taking a stronger stance.
Playing the role of victim serves a purpose.
It allows you to feel the depth of your hurt.
But there comes a time when that mantel must be
thrown off and tossed aside.
Its rough texture becomes an irritant
you no longer deserve.

Let the light of forgiveness wash away your pain
and heal your hurt. It isn't a gift you give away.
It's a gift you give yourself.

Living in love and loving life,

© 2000 Terri McPherson
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
tmcphers@...
<http://wisehearts.angelcities.com/lfc.htm>
click here to explore Terri's fantastic website
there are many jewels here for you !

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

Twas the Night Before Christmas
Recovery Style

"Twas the night before Christmas when all through the hall
Not a member was stirring, nor sought alcohol.
Coffee and cookies were set out with care;
More AA members soon would be there.
Each grateful member with no trace of vanity,
Gave thanks to the Power that restores us to sanity.
The leader of the meeting, like all who have missions,
Assigned Chapter Five and the Twelve Traditions.
In parking a car some bumpers were hit,
The man who was wrong did promptly admit.
And so to our grateful eyes did appear
Our famous guest speaker, loved far and near.
More rapid than eagles the member then came;
He hugged them and kissed them and called them by name:
Hi, Alice; 'lo, Jimmy; God love you, Harry...
Betty and Carol and Birthday boy Larry!
Again we all settled, ready to share;
The leader of the meeting led the Serenity Prayer.
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly
When they meet with an obstacle mount to the sky.
So up to sobriety the members they flew,
With Twelve Steps to follow, Twelve Traditions, too.
The Seventh Tradition inevitably came.
The leader then called on our speaker by name.
He wore his red suit, a fur cap and no tie,
But soon let us know with a wink of his eye,
That Christmas for us, we must learn to think
Means staying away from the very first drink.
A bundle of joys he told us we'd find,
"Read the Big Book for true peace of mind."
At the end of the meeting he led the Prayer
and gave us the word: "Continue to share."
But I heard him exclaim as he picked up his pack,
"Don't ever forget to Keep Coming Back!"

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

Attitude

I used to have an attitude
So mean and so crude
I did not understand
Being loving and kind
I always figured
I was out of my mind
If you looked into my eyes
No one was home
You would soon realize
My attitude was resentment and spite
If I did not know you
I wanted to fight
Why drink if you can't get drunk
My attitude was doomed to be sunk
Today I have an attitude of gratitude
I found freedom
In the 12 step room
They helped relieve
My paranoia and gloom
Today I do my best
To give it away
That's the secret
Of keeping it today
I've been freed in body and mind
Now I'm caring and kind
Freed from drugs and alcohol
Today I hear a higher call
Sitting at the tables
With twelve step people
It's my church without the steeple
With a cup of coffee in my hand
Today I'm a recovering man
I've killed my old attitude
I thank God
I'm no longer rude
Daniel M Corkery
10/24/2001

DMCDREAMER@...
PAPACORK@...
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer/

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

A smile is a light in the window of the soul
indicating that the heart is at home.
Source Unknown

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

The man who graduates today
and stops learning tomorrow
is uneducated the day after.
Newton D. Baker

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

I am one with all things.
I am one with all life.
I am one with all people.
I am one with the Divine.
In my oneness I am eternal and unlimited.
In my oneness I am able to give of myself to myself.
In my oneness I give what I am.
In my oneness I give freely, willingly, compassionately with love.
As I give to myself, I am strengthened.
As I give to myself, I am empowered.
As I give my all, the presence of eternal,
unlimited divinity becomes the reality of my existence.
For this I am so grateful. And So It Is!
Iyanla Vanzant

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

First you believe in Santa Claus.
Then you don't believe in Santa Claus.
And before you know it, you are Santa Claus.

"Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect."
- Oren Arnold

What are the gifts I give this holiday season?
If I were to rewrite this quote, what would be the gifts
I would give to each of the people on this list?

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

FINE = Fucked-up Insecure Neurotic Emotional

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

GIFT = God Is Forever There

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

GIFTS = Getting It From The Steps

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

SPONSOR =
Service Person Offering Newcomers Suggestions On Recovery

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
www,health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Papa, Bedtime Stories
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/papa.html

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

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

December 22
I can handle anything that comes up today...
even if it is only a moment at a time.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

Santa Gets Clean

     I am an addict; my name is Nicholas. You can call
me Nick for short.  I always knew I was different from
other kids in my neighborhood. See, I was born with this
beard, and instead of having a dog like the other guys,
I had reindeers for pets.

      Most kids like to get things, but I always gave,
whatever I had. That  made me happy and I hoped
people would like me. My mother always told  me,
"Don't worry, someday people will look up to you."

      But I was lonely, with no one to talk to except the
reindeer. I had problems going to sleep at night when
I was in high school, just tossing and turning and
thinking about my future. That's when I discovered that
a little glass of wine at night would help me sleep.

      Soon I was sleeping real good, but after a while I
needed more than just  a little glass; I needed a big
glass to produce that blessed sleep.

      Things continued like that for a while. I functioned
fine during the day, but nights were a different story.
That's when the wine took over.

      During this time, I got a job, and I really, really liked
it. I was helping this old guy deliver toys and presents on
Christmas. This fit  right in for me, because I always liked
to give and now I could do it professionally, and people
would like me more.

      I didn't have a car or a truck but I could use that
big old sleigh that was out back in the barn. I could
even have my friends the reindeer pull it. I was sleeping
better, so I stopped using at night. Everything was going
great. I even met the Mrs. Her name is Sara -- what
a wonderful woman.

      She made cookies and candies for me to bring with the
toys on Christmas.  Life was great until the old man died.
There went the job. But Sara said, "Why not continue?
You do a good job, you know what you're doing."

     So I kept doing what I loved best -- delivering presents
on Christmas.

      But during the slow season I was bored, so I started
hitting the eggnog and the fruitcake that Sara made
(it had all that delicious brandy in it). Guess what? Sara
started to change. She began to nag: "You never do things
around the house anymore." She even had the nerve to
hint that I was slightly intoxicated sometimes.

      I worked so hard, I figured I deserved all the enjoyment
I could get. What harm could a little eggnog do, or a couple
of lines with the local elves?

      Then the reindeer began giving me trouble. They were
annoyed because I had gotten lost one Christmas eve. It
had nothing to do with the fact that I'd had several hot
toddies during the trip. It was all that snow -- anyone
would have gotten lost.

      So I got myself a new reindeer to lead them, a guy with a
bright red  nose.  He could set his radar and get us anywhere,
and I could continue doing my thing with no problem.

      That is, until one night I got pulled over by a state trooper.
I told him who I was and he said, "Sure you are," and charged
me with driving while intoxicated.

      Things were getting most unpleasant. I was mixing up the
toy lists. My wife wasn't talking to me. The reindeer weren't
happy. My head hurt every morning. And I was having problems
parking the sleigh on rooftops.  I even tried the geographic
cure -- we moved to the North Pole. But things didn't change.

      Then one Christmas Eve, in my usual stupor, I parked
sideways on this one roof and I had a terrible time getting
down the chimney. In fact, I went headfirst, and now I
really needed a drink.

      So when I got into this house, I started looking around
for some booze. But there was nothing, just those rotten
cookies and a glass of milk. How I hated the taste of milk
by that time.

      Couldn't someone take pity on me and leave me a nice
hot toddy with rum!   After all, it was so cold out there in
the sleigh. I guess I was banging around and making too
much noise, because I woke up this guy.

      He came downstairs and asked if he could help me.

     "Help me? Sure. Where do you keep the booze -- I need a drink."

      The guy said there wasn't any because he didn't use. I
wondered what  kind of a person I was dealing with.
He must be a real nut.

      Then he started to tell me that he had used in the past but
it caused him so many problems that he didn't use anymore.
I was interested in that. I wanted him to give me his magic
formula and he said it was simple.

      "I don't use one day at a time."

      He also said, "I go to meetings, I keep it simple, I read the
Basic Text, I carry the message -- and that's how I stay clean."

      At that point I was so sick and tired of being sick and tired,
I was willing to try anything. I wasn't sure if there was a
meeting at the North Pole, but this guy told me I could start one.

      Before I left, the guy gave me a book which he referred to
as the Basic Text. This was my first present -- I had always
been the giver and never let anyone give me anything. I asked
him to write something in the book for me, and this is what he wrote:

      Dear Nicholas,
      Merry Christmas!
      Your friend,
      Jimmy K.

      And that's how Santa got clean. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a
good night.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Yesterday and Today
N.A. Way Magazine 1/1998
www.na.org/naway/en/naway2-e.htm#Newday

12 Steps of Non-Recovery
www.geocities.com/alaura1942/NonRecovery.html

Take Some Time
www.geocities.com/alaura1942/TakeSomeTime.html

*~*~*~*~*~*Earthgroup Marathon Meetings ROCK*~*~*~*~*~*

EARTH GROUP NA  presents 4th Annual

2006 NEW YEARS MARATHON
"SHARING AND CARING THE NA WAY"


Beginning at 6PM. December 31st. we will have 18hours
of non stop meetings.  Guest speakers will share
at Midnight and 10:30 AM. E.S.T.

Come and join us and share with other addicts from around
the world on one of the hardest nights of the year to stay clean.

The coffee will be hot, plenty of chairs, and lots of virtual Hugs
waiting. Spend the night with friends and family who care and
share the NA Way...

Join us at Join
www.earthgroupna.org
and click on chatroom or a direct link is
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.pl?id=114117

For more information contact Diane K. at chat@...

I will be sharing at the midnight meeting on New Years Eve :)     Scott

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

Just For Today
December 22                            A new way to live

"When at the end of the road we find that we can no longer function
as a human being, either with or without drugs, we all face the same
dilemma.... Either go on as best we can to the bitter ends-jails,
institutions, or death-or find a new way to live."   Basic Text p.84

  What was the worst aspect of active addiction? For many of us, it
wasn't the chance that we might die some day of our disease. The worst
part was the living death we experienced every day, the never-ending
meaninglessness of life. We felt like walking ghosts, not living, loving
parts of the world around us.

  In recovery, we've come to believe that we're here for a reason: to love
ourselves and to love others. In working the Twelve Steps, we have
learned to accept ourselves. With that self-acceptance has come self-
respect. We have seen that everything we do has an effect on others; we
are a part of the lives of those around us, and they of ours. We've begun
to trust other people and to acknowledge our responsibility to them.

  In recovery, we've come back to life. We maintain our new lives by
contributing to the welfare of others and seeking each day to do that
better-that's where the Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Steps come in.
The days of living like a ghost are past, but only so long as we actively
seek to be healthy, loving, contributing parts of our own lives and the
lives of others around us.

Just for today: I have found a new way to live. Today, I will seek to
serve others with love and to love myself.

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

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

Give the "Gift of Recovery" for free
to your online friends this Holiday Season,
Pass on 12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit to them,
If you have received this as a forward and  would like to subscribe
please email
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)


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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

ATTRACTION, NOT PROMOTION

Through many painful experiences, we think we have arrived at
what that policy ought to be.  It is the opposite in many ways of
usual promotional practice.  We found that we had to rely upon the
principle of attraction rather than of promotion.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 180-181

  While I was drinking I reacted with anger, self-pity and defiance
against anyone who wanted to change me.  All I wanted then was
to be accepted by another human simply as I was and, curiously,
that is what I found in A.A.  I became the custodian of this concept
of attraction, which is the principle of our Fellowship's public
relations.  It is by attraction that I can best reach the alcoholic
who still suffers.

  I thank God for having given me the attraction of a well-planned
and established program of Steps and Traditions.  Through humility
and the support of my fellow sober members, I have been able to
practice the A.A. way of life through attraction, not promotion.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ December 22nd

A.A. Thought for the Day

As we look back over our drinking careers, we must
realize that our lives were a mess because we were
a mess inside.  The trouble was in us, not in life itself.
Life itself was good enough, but we were looking at it
the wrong way.  We were looking at life through the
bottom of a whiskey glass, and it was distorted.
We could not see all the beauty and goodness and
purpose in the world because our vision was blurred.
We were in a house with one-way glass in the windows.
People could see us but we could not look out and see
them and see what life meant to them and should mean
to us.  We were blind then, but now we can see.
Can I now look at life as it really is?

Meditation for the Day

Fear no evil, because the power of God can conquer
evil.  Evil has power to seriously hurt only those who
do not place themselves under the protection of the
Higher Power.  This is not a question of feeling, it is
an assured fact of our experience.  Say to yourself
with assurance that whatever it is, no evil can seriously
harm you as long as you depend on the Higher Power.
Be sure of the protection of God's grace.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that fear of evil will not get me down.  I pray that
I may try to place myself today under the protection of
God's grace.

"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.

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 22, 2005

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

Good Things Coming

Do not worry about how the good that has been planned for you will come.

It will come.

Do not worry, obsess, and think you have to control it, go out hunting for
it, or tangle your mind trying to figure out how and when it will find you.

It will find you.

Surrender to your Higher Power each day. Trust your Higher Power. Then, stay
peaceful. Trust and listen to yourself. That is how the good you want will
come to you.

Your healing. Your joy. Your relationships. Your solutions. That job. That
desired change. That opportunity. It will come to you - naturally, with
ease, and in a host of ways.

That answer will come. The direction will come. The money. The idea. The
energy. The creativity. The path will open itself to you. Trust that, for it
has already been planned.

It is futile, a waste and drain of energy, to worry about how it will come.
It is already there. You have it already. It is in place. You just cannot
see it!

You will be brought to it, or it will be brought to you.

Today, I will relax and trust that the good I need, will find me. Either
through my leadings, or the leadings of others, all I want and need will
come to me when the time is right.

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

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

The Passing
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2001/February/feature1.htm

Links to Understanding Our Dreams
Links to Affirmations & Visualization
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_third.htm#dreams

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

The Gentle Art of Blessing
by Pierre Pradervand

   On awakening, bless this day, for it is already full of unseen good which
your blessings will call forth; for to bless is to acknowledge the unlimited
good that is embedded in the very texture of the universe and awaiting
each and all.  On passing people in the street, on the bus, in places of
work
and play, bless them.  The peace of your blessing will accompany them on
their way and the aura of its gentle fragrance will be a light to their
path.

   On meeting and talking to people, bless them in their health, their work,
their joy, their relationships to God, themselves, and others.  Bless them
in their abundance, their finances...bless them in every conceivable way,
for such blessings not only sow seeds of healing but one day will spring
forth as flowers of joy in the waste places of your own life.

   As you walk, bless the city in which you live, its government and
teachers, its nurses and streetsweepers, its children and bankers, its
priests and prostitutes.  The minute anyone expresses the least
aggression or unkindness to you, respond with a blessing: bless them
totally, sincerely, joyfully, for such blessings are a shield which protects
them from the ignorance of their misdeed, and deflects the arrow that
was aimed at you.

   To bless means to wish, unconditionally, total, unrestricted good for
others and events from the deepest wellspring in the innermost chamber
of your heart: it means to hallow, to hold in reverence, to behold with
utter awe that which is always a gift from the Creator.  He who is
hallowed by your blessing is set aside, consecrated, holy, whole.  To bless
is yet to invoke divine care upon, to think or speak gratefully for, to
confer
happiness upon - although we ourselves are never the bestower, but simply
the joyful witnesses of Life's abundance.  To bless all without
discrimination of any sort is the ultimate form of giving, because those you
bless will never know from whence came the sudden ray of sun that burst
through the clouds of their skies, and you will rarely be a witness to the
sunlight in their lives.  When something goes completely askew in your day,
some unexpected event knocks down your plans and you too also, burst into
blessing: for life is teaching you a lesson, and the very event you believe
to
be unwanted, you yourself called forth, so as to learn the lesson you might
balk against were you not to bless it. Trials are blessings in disguise,
and hosts of angels follow in their path.

   To bless is to acknowledge the omnipresent, universal beauty hidden to
material eyes; it is to activate that law of attraction which, from the
furthest reaches of the universe, will bring into your life exactly what
you need to experience and enjoy.  When you pass a prison, mentally bless
its inmates in their innocence and freedom, their gentleness, pure essence
and unconditional forgiveness; for one can only be prisoner of one's self-
image, and a free man can walk unshackled in the courtyard of a jail, just
as citizens of countries where freedom reigns can be prisoners when fear
lurks in their thoughts.  When you pass a hospital, bless its patients in
their present wholeness, for even in their suffering, this wholeness awaits
in them to be discovered.  When your eyes behold a man in tears, or
seemingly broken by life, bless him in his vitality and joy: for the
material
senses present but the inverted image of the ultimate splendor and
perfection which only the inner eye beholds.  It is impossible to bless and
to judge at the same time.  So hold constantly as a deep, hallowed, intoned
thought that desire to bless, for truly then shall you become a peacemaker,
and one day you shall, everywhere, behold the very face of God.

From the book by Pierre Pradervand:
The Gentle Art of Blessing - Living One's Spirituality in Everyday Life.

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

A Sufi teaching story tells of the man who visited a great
mystic to find out how to let go of his chains of attachment and his
prejudices.

Instead of answering him directly,
the mystic jumped to his feet and bolted to a nearby pillar,
flung his arms around it,
grasping the marble surface as he screamed,
"Save me from this pillar!
Save me from this pillar!"

The man who had asked the question could not believe what he saw.
He thought the mystic was mad.
The shouting soon brought a crowd of people.
"Why are you doing that?" the man asked.
"I came to you to ask a spiritual question because
I thought you were wise, but obviously you are crazy.
You are holding the pillar, the pillar is not holding you. You can simply
let go."

The mystic let go of the pillar and said to the man,
"If you can understand that, you have your answers.
Your chains of attachment are not holding you,
you are holding them. You can simply let go."
Author Unknown

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

STEP ONE
RETHINK YOUR WORLDVIEW
The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to
  grow sharper - Eden Phillports
The voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new vistas but in having new
  eyes. - Anonymous

STEP TWO
KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT SEPARATED FROM GOD
You are literally a drop of God in a sea of God. - Donald Schnell

Every action of our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate
  in eternity. - Edwin Hubbel Chapin

STEP THREE
KNOW THAT YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL AND YOU ARE LOVED
As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically
  liberates others. - Marianne Williamson

A person desperately searching for love is like a fish desperately
  searching for water. - Deepak Chopra

STEP FOUR
ALWAYS CHOOSE THE PATH OF MOST LOVE
Then, for the second time in the history of the world, man will
  have discovered fire. - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments
  when you have really lived are the moments when you have done
  things in the spirit of love. - Henry Drummond

STEP FIVE
FOLLOW YOUR GUIDANCE
As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Alas for those who never sing and die with all their music
  in them. - Oliver Wendell Holmes

STEP SIX
CREATE YOUR OWN REALITY
The quality of one's life depends on the quality of attention.
  Whatever you pay attention to will grow more important in
  your life.  There is no limit to the kinds of changes that
  awareness can produce. - Deepak Chopra

We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are. - Anais Nin

STEP SEVEN
ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE
God gives every bird its food but He does not throw it into
  the nest. - J.G. Holland

Being ungrateful for what you get never gets you more. - H. Glasow

STEP EIGHT
DETACH FROM OUTCOMES
Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way
  things turn out. - Art Linkletter

Leap and the net will appear. - Les Brown

STEP NINE
LEARN TO WANT WHAT YOU HAVE
We turn to God for help when our foundations are shaking, only to
  learn that it is God who is shaking them. - Charles C. West

The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice
  and tragedy.  What the caterpillar calls the end of the world,
  the master calls a butterfly. - Richard Bach

STEP TEN
SEE EVERY MOMENT AS A GIFT
The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can
  alter his life by altering his attitude. - William James

You may be the only Bible somebody ever reads. - Mark Twain

STEP ELEVEN
CONCENTRATE ON BEING, NOT DOING
Often, people attempt to live their life backward.  They try to have
  more things or more money in order to do more of what they want so
  that they will be happier.  The way it actually works is the reverse.
  You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do,
  in order to have what you want. - Shakti Gawain

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared
  to what lies within us. - Oliver Wendell Holmes

STEP TWELVE
RECOGNIZE THAT EXTERNAL SECURITY IS AN ILLUSION
Self-knowledge is an anchor that makes unpredictability
  tolerable. - Deepak Chopra

When you have come to the edge of all the light you know, and are
  about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, Faith is
  knowing that one of two things will happen:  There will either be
  something solid to stand on or you will be taught how to fly.

Anonymous

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

  What Christmas Means To Me

I'm searching deep inside to see
What Christmas really means to me.
Not just this time of Yuletide cheer,
But everyday, throughout the year.
I ask each day before I rest,
If I have done my very best.
Before I ever even start,
I need God's will to do my part,
To spread this message of love and cheer,
To everyone that I hold dear.
The gift of love that's given to me,
I wear for all the world to see.
For every time I look at you,
I see your spirit shining through.

Sharlett Hunt copywrite@2002
Sharlette863@...

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

There is no such thing as a 'self-made' man.
We are made up of thousands of others.
Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us,
or spoken one word of encouragement to us,
has entered into the make-up of our character
and of our thoughts, as well as our success.
George Burton Adams

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

I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day, every valley shall be exalted,
every hill and mountain shall be made low,
the rough places will be made plain,
the crooked places will be made straight,
and the glory of God shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope.  This is our faith.
Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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

There is an awesome power that is at work in every one of us,
and when we withhold forgiveness,
we filter that power down to a mere trickle of itself
through the stubborn judgments that we hold in our minds.
Ask God to let you see the way God sees and
open your heart to the great flow of God's power in your life.
Mary Manin Morrissey

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

When you are inspired by some great purpose,
some extraordinary project,
all your thoughts break their bounds:
  Your mind transcends limitations,
your consciousness expands in every direction,
and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world.
Dormant forces, faculties, and talents become alive,
and you discover yourself to be a greater person
by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.
Patanjali (Second century B.C.)
  Philosopher

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

FAILURE =
Fearful Arrogant Insecure Lonely Uncertain Resentful Empty

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

FAITH = Fear Ain¹t In This House

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

FAITH = Fantastic Adventure In Trusting Him

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

FEAR = False Evidence Appears Real

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

We Attract What We Are

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit" is intended to give readers ,
inspiring and thoughtful messages. To help fulfill our primary
purpose which is to carry the message to the alcoholic/addict
who still suffers. A spiritual adventure, a journey inwards this
has a vision of opening and touching, each and everyone,
with the Loving Power and Presence of the Spirit within."
We invite you to share the writings by forwarding today's
message to others. Share "12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit"
with friends and loved ones: Please keep passing this along to
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~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Orphans
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/orphan.html>

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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


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

December 21
Today I seek spiritual understanding beyond everything else.
I choose peace and love and joy as my goals.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

Chips, Medallions and Birthdays

The traditions of chips, medallions and birthdays vary in different
parts of the country and I thought it would be interesting to look
up some of the history on them.

Sister lgnatia, the nun who helped Dr. Bob get the hospitalization
program started at St. Thomas Hospital in Akron was the first
person to use medallions in Alcoholics Anonymous. She gave the drunks
who were leaving St. Thomas after a five day dry out a Sacred Heart
Medallion and instructed them that the acceptance of the medallion
signified a commitment to God, to A.A. and to recovery and that if
they were going to drink, they had a responsibility to return the
medallion to her before drinking.

The practice of sobriety chips in A.A. started with a Group in Elmira, N.Y.
in 1947 and has grown from there.

The celebration of birthdays came from the Oxford Group where they
celebrated the anniversary of their spiritual rebirth. As we have a problem
with honesty, A.A. chose the anniversary of the date of our last drink.

Early celebrations of birthdays resulted in people getting drunk and
Dr. Harry Tiebout was asked to look at the problem and he commented on
this phenomenon in an articled titled "When the Big "I" Becomes Nobody",
(AAGV, Sept. 65)

"Early on in A.A., I was consulted about a serious problem plaguing the
local group. The practice of celebrating a year's sobriety with a birthday
cake had resulted in a certain number of the members getting drunk within
a short period after the celebration. Feb. 1948, Why All the
Congratulations?
"When we start taking bows (even on anniversaries) we bow ourselves right
into the cuspidor."

"The camel is wholly emblematic of the purposes of most sincere A.A.'S,
i.e., to live for 24 hours without a drink." (the camel is on the AT Center
chips)

August 1948. The Artesta, N.Mex. Group awards marbles to all members.
If you are caught without your marbles, you are fined 25 cents. This
money goes into the Foundation Fund.

June 1953, We operate a poker chip club in the Portland Group (Maine).
We have poker chips of nine colors of which the white represents the
probation period of one month. If he keeps his white chip for one month
he is presented with a red chip for one month's sobriety.

Also at the end of the year and each year thereafter, we present them
with a group birthday card signed by all members present at the meeting.
(my sister meeting does the card thing still, I have and treasure a couple
from past Birthdays!)

January 1955, Charlotte, N.C. "When a person takes "The Long Walk" at
the end of a meeting, to pick up a white chip, he is admitting to his
fellows that he has finally accepted the precepts of A.A. and is beginning
his sobriety. At the end of three months he exchanges his white chip for a
red one. Later, a handsome, translucent chip of amber indicates that this
new member has enjoyed six months of a new way of life. The nine month
chip is a clear seagreen and a blue chip is given for the first year of
sobriety. In some groups a sponsor will present his friend with an engraved
silver chip, at the end of five years clear thinking and clean living.

March 1956, The One Ton Poker Chip. Alton, Illinois. Author gave friend
a chip on his first day eight years ago (1948) and told him to accept it in
the spirit of group membership and that if he wanted to drink to throw the
chip away before starting drinking.

July 1957, New Brunswick, Canada. Birthday Board. Member contributes
one dollar for each year of sobriety. (my sister did this, each birthday she
contributed that much to Central Office)

July 1957, Oregon. Person is asked to speak and is introduced by his or her
sponsor. The wife, mother, sister or other relative brings up a cake.
The Group sings Happy Birthday. The wife gives a two or thee minute talk.

     And that's a little bit of info on chips, cakes and medallions.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Recovery is free, but the rent isn¹t
N.A. Way Magazine 1/1998
www.na.org/naway/en/naway2-e.htm#Feature

*~*~*~*~*~*Earthgroup Marathon Meetings ROCK*~*~*~*~*~*

EARTH GROUP NA  presents 4th Annual

2006 NEW YEARS MARATHON
"SHARING AND CARING THE NA WAY"


Beginning at 6PM. December 31st. we will have 18hours
of non stop meetings.  Guest speakers will share
at Midnight and 10:30 AM. E.S.T.

Come and join us and share with other addicts from around
the world on one of the hardest nights of the year to stay clean.

The coffee will be hot, plenty of chairs, and lots of virtual Hugs
waiting. Spend the night with friends and family who care and
share the NA Way...

Join us at Join
www.earthgroupna.org
and click on chatroom or a direct link is
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.pl?id=114117

For more information contact Diane K. at chat@...

I will be sharing at the midnight meeting on New Years Eve :)     Scott

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

Just For Today
December 21                             Acceptance and change

"Freedom to change seems to come after acceptance of ourselves."
   Basic Text p.56

   Fear and denial are the opposites of acceptance. None of us are perfect,
even in our own eyes; all of us have certain traits that, given the
chance, we would like to change. We sometimes become overwhelmed
when contemplating how far short we fall of our ideals, so overwhelmed
that we fear there's no chance of becoming the people we'd like to be.
That's when our defense mechanism of denial kicks in, taking us to the
opposite extreme: nothing about ourselves needs changing, we tell
ourselves, so why worry? Neither extreme gives us the freedom to
change.

   Whether we are longtime NA members or new to recovery, the
freedom to change is acquired by working the Twelve Steps. When we
admit our powerlessness and the unmanageability of our lives, we
counteract the lie that says we don't have to change. In coming to believe
that a Power greater than we are can help us, we lose our fear that we
are damaged beyond repair; we come to believe we can change. We turn
ourselves over to the care of the God of our understanding and tap the
strength we need to make a thorough, honest examination of ourselves.
We admit to God, to ourselves, and to another human being what we've
found. We accept the good and the bad in ourselves; with this acceptance,
we become free to change.

Just for today: I want to change. By working the steps, I will counter
fear and denial and find the acceptance needed to change.

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

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

Give the "Gift of Recovery" for free
to your online friends this Holiday Season,
Pass on 12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit to them,
If you have received this as a forward and  would like to subscribe
please email
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

THE PERILS OF THE LIMELIGHT

In the beginning, the press could not understand our refusal of all
personal publicity. They were genuinely baffled by our insistence upon
anonymity. Then they got the point. Here was something rare in the
world - a society which said it wished to publicize its principles and its
work, but not its individual members. The press was delighted with
this attitude. Ever since, these friends have reported A.A. with an
enthusiasm which the most ardent members would find hard to match.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 182

It is essential for my personal survival and that of the Fellowship that
I not use A.A. to put myself in the limelight.  Anonymity is a way for me
to work on my humility.  Since pride is one of my most dangerous
shortcomings, practicing humility is one of the best ways to overcome it.
The Fellowship of A.A. gains worldwide recognition by its various methods
of publicizing its principles and its work, not by its individual members
advertising themselves.  The attraction created by my changing attitudes
and my altruism contributes much more to the welfare of A.A. than
self-promotion.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Links to Flow and Synchronicity
http://www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_third.htm#flow

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 21, 2005

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

Balance

Strive for balanced expectations of others. Strive for healthy tolerance.

In the past, we may have tolerated too much or too little. We may have
expected too much or too little.

We may swing from tolerating abuse, mistreatment, and deception to refusing
to tolerate normal, human, imperfect behaviors from people. Although it's
preferable not to remain in either extreme too long, that is how people
change - real people who struggle imperfectly toward better lives, improved
relationships, and more effective relationship behaviors.

But if we are open to ourselves and to the recovery process, we will, at
some time, begin another transition: it becomes time to move away from
extremes, toward balance.

We can trust ourselves and the recovery process to bring us to a balanced
place of tolerance, giving, understanding, and expectations - of others and
ourselves.

We can each find our own path to balance as we begin and continue recovery.

Today, I will practice acceptance with others and myself for the way we
change. If I have had to swing to the other extreme of a behavior, I will
accept that as appropriate, for a time. But I will make my goal one of
balanced tolerance and expectations of others and myself.

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

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

Letters of Wisdom and Affirmation
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2005/December/hay.htm

Links to Flow and Synchronicity
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_third.htm#flow

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

Make Whatcha Want
by Alan Cohen

What would you say is the most boring job in the world? A survey asked this
very question of a large group of people, who most frequently answered,
"toll collector".

Recently I was in a car with several friends waiting to pay a toll at the
Chicago airport. The line seemed to be moving rather slowly; I assumed the
delay had something to do with security. When we finally arrived at the
booth, we found a handsome Italian man with thick gray hair and sparkling
eyes. As he handed us our change, he leaned over and enthusiastically sang
us several verses of "La Traviata" -- and he was really good! We thanked
him, smiled, and went on our way with a little more color in our cheeks.

Many years ago my mentor told me, "Take whatcha got and make whatcha want."
If ever anyone has ever put this principle into action, it is that toll
collector! He has taken a potentially dreary and chilly tollbooth and
transformed it into an opera hall! I'm sure the people who pass through his
booth are the happiest in that airport.

As we enter this New Year, we all want to change our lives for the better.
The question is, how?

There are two ways you can change your life: (1) Change your conditions; and
(2) Change your mind. Sometimes you can change your conditions. Always you
can change your mind. Ultimately, mastering your mind yields far more
success and reward than rearranging conditions. Perhaps you have heard about
the fellow who was losing coins out of a hole in his pocket, so he went out
and got a second job to replace the coins. He didn't realize how much more
helpful it would have been to simply sew the hole!

I heard about a man who was walking across a bridge when he saw a fellow
fishing from the bank of the river. The fisherman caught a small fish and
tossed it into a small bucket. Then he caught a large fish and cast it back
into the river. The onlooker kept watching and saw that the fisherman kept
all the small fish but rejected all the large ones. Curious, he went down to
the riverbank and asked, "Why do you keep only the small fish?"

"It's simple," answered the fisherman. "I have this frying pan here that's
about nine inches wide. Only the smaller fish fit in the frying pan, so they
're the ones I keep."

The frying pan, in this story, represents our mind and the beliefs we hold.
If you allow into your life only the things that match your current beliefs,
the world you live in will be only as large as those beliefs -- but then you
miss out on lots of bigger fish! Instead of limiting life to your old frying
pan, get a bigger one and embrace all that life has to offer. You can go to
the ocean with a thimble, a cup, or a tanker, and you will come back with a
volume of water equal to the size of the receptacle you bring. So bring a
big one!

My friend Drake is a landscaper who had numerous small accounts. One day one
of his customers, a wealthy man with a large estate, invited Drake to work
on his property full time. "What is your dream of how good this job could
be?" the owner asked Drake.

Drake told him he would have to think about it. He went home and wrote down
all the aspects he could picture for his ideal job. A week later Drake
revisited his notes and realized that what he had written did not represent
his entire dream. So he expanded the salary, equipment, and working
conditions. Several weeks later Drake came back to his written vision and
realized it still wasn't big enough. This process went on for three months,
with Drake's dream job continually expanding on paper. Finally he felt that
what he had written was big enough to match what was in his heart and mind.
He took the paper to his prospective employer and showed it to him. The
fellow read the paper, thought for a moment, and answered, "Sounds good to
me." Now Drake is living his dream job. He took what he had and made what he
wanted.

The key to taking what you have and making what you want is to reframe.
Find a way to look at every experience so it empowers you.  After the great
Argentinean golfer Robert De Vincenzo won a tournament, he received his
check and began walking to his car in the parking lot.  There he was
approached by a young woman who told him that her child was seriously ill,
near death.  She did not know how she could pay the doctor's bills and
hospital expenses.  De Vincenzo was so touched by her story that he endorsed
his winning check and pressed it into her hands with the loving wish, "Make
some good days for the baby." A few days later a golf official told him,
"That woman you met in the parking lot is a phony.  She has no sick baby.
She's not even married.  She fleeced you, my friend." "You mean there is no
baby who is dying?" asked De Vincenzo.  "That's right," answered the
official.  "Well," De Vincenzo responded, "That's the best news
I've heard all week."

I wish you a new year of news that is good because you choose to find it,
and a wish list that is so magnificent the universe has no choice but to
fill it.

About The Author:
Alan Cohen is the author of the best-selling The Dragon Doesn't Live Here
Anymore, the award-winning A Deep Breath of Life, and the acclaimed Why Your
Life Sucks and What You Can Do About It. (The above books can be ordered by
clicking on the book titles.) For more information on Alan's books, tapes,
seminars, and Mastery Training in Maui, phone 1-800-568-3079, visit
www.alancohen.com, email admin@..., or write P.O. Box 835, Haiku,
HI 96708.

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

A Beautiful Heart

Once long ago and far away was a very special valley.
The outside world did not know about this special valley
or the very special people that lived within it.
You see, what made these people special was the fact that they wore
their hearts on the outside of their chest for everyone to see.
There were big ones and small ones, pretty ones and some not so pretty.

One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town
proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley.
A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect.
There was not a mark or a flaw in it.
Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever
seen.
The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful
heart.

Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said
"Why your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine."
The crowd and the young man looked at the old man's heart.
It was beating strongly, but full of scars,
it had places where  pieces had been removed and other pieces put in,
but they didn't fit quite right and there were several jagged edges.
In fact, in some places there were deep gouges
where whole pieces were missing.
The people stared - how can he say his heart is more beautiful they thought?
The young man looked at the old man's heart and saw its state and laughed.
"You must be joking," he said.
Compare your heart with mine,
mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scares and tares."
"Yes," said the old man, "Yours is perfect looking but
I would never trade with you.
You see, every scar represents a person to whom  I have given my love -
I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them,
often they give me a piece of their heart which fits
into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren't exact,
I have some rough edges, which I cherish,
because they remind me of the love we shared.
Sometimes I  have given pieces of my heart away,
and the other person hasn't returned a piece of his heart to me.
These are the empty gouges - giving love is taking a chance.
Although these gouges are painful,
they stay open reminding me of the love I have for these people too,
and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting.
So now do you see what true beauty is?"

The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks.
He walked up to the old man,
reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out.
He offered it to the old man with trembling hands.
The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and
then took a piece from his old scared heard and
placed it in the wound in the young man's heart.
It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges.
The young man looked at his heart,
not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever,
since love from the old man's heart flowed into his.
They embraced and walked away side by side.

author unknown

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

"Angel In Training"

   My memorabilia manages to escape organization by tucking itself
into every conceivable cranny of my home. Once or twice a year
I find the gumption to assemble my scattered treasures and store
them in a more dignified manner.

    Caitlynd, my granddaughter, assisted me on my recent forage
through the house. I put her in charge of the keepsake box and
passed her all the little bits of paper, various occasion cards
and letters I'd collected since my last endeavor to preserve the
family mementos for posterity.

   A diligent helper, Caitlynd gently place each remembrance in the
box. One card in particular caught her attention. By design, it
wasn't fancy, no glitter or gold lettering, but she held it up
and asked, "Who gave you this one?"

   Her innocent question put me in a bit of a quandary. The sender
was a mother who had spent the previous Christmas, along with her
three-year-old son, in a shelter for battered women. Unprepared
for a discussion on domestic violence with a five-year-old, I
stalled for time by reading the card out loud. "I do not know
your names or anything about you, but you will always be my
angels. Thank you!"

   A few years back, I introduced the idea of cutting back on gifts
at Christmas by limiting presents to a small circle of immediate
family. I wanted to use the money we would have spent on our ever
expanding brood of relatives, to make a positive impact on
someone's life. My handsome husband readily agreed. Since that
time, we have participated in various charitable 'Adopt A Family'
programs. In keeping with the spirit of the holidays and the
value of the gift of giving, we choose to remain anonymous.

   Caitlynd held the card from the woman we 'adopted' the previous
year. "How come you and Papa are her angels?"

   I proceeded with caution and told her a story about a woman and a
little boy, without possessions or a home, who had to spend the
holidays at a shelter. Presented with the opportunity to let my
granddaughter know there were safe places to go in times of
trouble, I explained the concept of shelters and how they help
people who need a place to stay, a warm bed and good food . I
finished the story by describing the way Grammy and Papa helped
bring a sprinkling of Christmas cheer to the woman and her little
boy. "We bought them special presents and wrapped each one in
beautiful holiday paper. The lady who runs the shelter said we
could write a note and tell the lady who we were, but Papa and I
thought it would be a better surprise if we kept our names a
secret." (Actually, we wrote 'From Santa' on each tag, but I
wasn't prepared to have THAT discussion.)

   Caitlynd was mesmerized by the tale. I could almost see the
widgets whirling and twirling in her brain. "People can be angels
too?" she asked.

   "Of course they can sweetie," I answered, "They just don't have
wings."

   "I don't know about that, Grammy," she said in earnest, "I think
I can kind of see your wings. Will you teach me how to be an angel
so I can get wings too?"

   The infamous lump that tends to appear in my throat at moments
such as this, grew to new proportions and prevented further words
from leaving my mouth.

   As I gathered her in my arms and buried my face in her satiny hair,
I was sure I felt the bud of her little wings sprouting.

Copyright © 1999
Terri McPherson
tmcphers@...
<http://wisehearts.angelcities.com/lfc.htm>

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

GETTING THROUGH CHRISTMAS

Its that time of year they call Christmas cheer
Now as I recall I drank wine and beer
Indulging myself with all laid to offer
I use to drink up, Only later to suffer

Something seems different to me in this season
I guess cuz I'm straight that must be the reason
Be even though straight I feel out of place
Isolating myself, in my own little space

Just want to stay home away from it all
In prior years past I'd be having a ball
But as I sit home admiring my tree
I realize this year, that "hey" I've got me

When I sit and think about how it was then
I cannot believe how stupid I'd been
Snorting and drinking with all that would dare
For myself,  I now know, that I did not care

Now that I'm clean, my eyes are much clearer
This holiday season, I can look in the mirror
It will be tough, but I will get through
And thank God above, to myself I was true

Thank god for the meetings, the people I've met
Without them I know, I would sit here and fret
But I dont have to, anymore, no sir ree
Cuz now I am thinking that I like the new me.

Victoria
Foxondarun@...

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

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.
Helen Keller

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

We take a risk when we open our hearts because the truth is,
if we open our hearts, we will get hurt.
You can't open your heart and not have some hurt
because you're in a human experience.
Even if it's the love of your life and you have
many wonderful, deepening, growing, powerful years together,
it's a human experience, and that person will pass over.
Love takes courage.  Be courageous.
  Mary Manin Morrissey

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

Truth hurts--
not the searching after;
the running from!
John Virgil

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

Growing old is mandatory.
Growing up is optional.
Chili Davis, California Angels ballplayer

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

"In the world of bodies, we are all separate.
In the world of spirit, we are all one."
Marianne Williamson

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

CHANGE = Choosing Honesty Allows New Growth Everyday

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

COURAGE = Cause Of Using Recovery¹s A Great Effort

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

DEAD = Drugs End All Dreams

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

DENIAL = Don¹t Even No I Am Lying

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
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and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
www,health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Oldtimers
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/oldtimers.html

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

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

December 20
Today I know that I am powerless over all the addictions,
obsessions, compulsions and dependencies in my life.
Today I am willing to let them go
to a power greater than myself.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

Emotional Hoaxes

Running low on patience, each day I delete
Offers of great riches, grand prizes and neat
Cruises on ocean liners. Am I thought so dense
That I don¹t realize they aren¹t worth two cents?

Each is an email hoax, skillfully constructed to try
To play on my emotions and sway me to buy
Things I don¹t need. This is true so why do I seek
More feelings, emotion, from my HP each week.

Emotions are undependable, unreliable and weak
Although in their clutches more havoc we reek
They tell us we¹re dependent on feelings each day
To be assured that our HP is controlling the way.

³Holidays are happy; I see it on TV! People are cheerful
So what¹s wrong with me? My emotions make me fearful,
Depressed and sad.²  Service is the answer in the Big Book
Seek out those who need help and you have not far to look.

³I¹ve never felt God¹s presence² the new member declares
So depend on group conscious says the veteran who cares
Feelings are fickle; some are emotional hoaxes to delete.
Read the literature, listen to the group, you and HP will meet.

Carol Thomas
gillygumdrop@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The challenge of recovering behind the walls
N.A. Way Magazine 7/1999
www.na.org/naway/en/naway163-13.htm

John Lennon Videos
www.johnlennon.com/html/videos.aspx

Recovery Greetings
www.recoverygreetings.com

Living One Day  At A Time
www.geocities.com/alaura1942/LivingOneDayAtATime.html

*~*~*~*~*~*Earthgroup Marathon Meetings ROCK*~*~*~*~*~*

EARTH GROUP NA  presents 4th Annual

2006 NEW YEARS MARATHON
"SHARING AND CARING THE NA WAY"


Beginning at 6PM. December 31st. we will have 18hours
of non stop meetings.  Guest speakers will share
at Midnight and 10:30 AM. E.S.T.

Come and join us and share with other addicts from around
the world on one of the hardest nights of the year to stay clean.

The coffee will be hot, plenty of chairs, and lots of virtual Hugs
waiting. Spend the night with friends and family who care and
share the NA Way...

Join us at Join
www.earthgroupna.org
and click on chatroom or a direct link is
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.pl?id=114117

For more information contact Diane K. at chat@...

I will be sharing at the midnight meeting on New Years Eve :)     Scott

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

Just For Today
December 20                       Overcoming self-obsession

"In living the steps, we begin to let go of our self-obsession."
Basic Text p.94

  Many of us came to the program convinced that our feelings, our wants,
and our needs were of the utmost importance to everyone. We had
practiced a lifetime of self-seeking, self-centered behavior and believed
it was the only way to live.

  That self-centeredness doesn't cease just because we stop using drugs.
Perhaps we attend our first NA function and are positive that everyone
in the room is watching us, judging us, and condemning us. We may demand
that our sponsor be on call to listen to us whenever we want-and they, in
turn, may gently suggest that the world does not revolve around us. The
more we insist on being the center of the universe, the less satisfied we
will be with our friends, our sponsor, and everything else.

  Freedom from self-obsession can be found through concentrating more
on the needs of others and less on our own. When others have problems,
we can offer help. When newcomers need rides to meetings, we can pick
them up. When friends are lonely, we can spend time with them. When we
find ourselves feeling unloved or ignored, we can offer the love and
attention we need to someone else. In giving, we receive much more in
return-and that's a promise we can trust.

Just for today: I will share the world with others, knowing they are
just as important as I am. I will nourish my spirit by giving of myself.

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

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

Give the "Gift of Recovery" for free
to your online friends this Holiday Season,
Pass on 12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit to them,
If you have received this as a forward and  would like to subscribe
please email
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

THE HAZARDS OF PUBLICITY

People who symbolize causes and ideas fill a deep human need.  We of
A.A. do not question that.  But we do have to soberly face the fact
that being in the public eye is hazardous, especially  for us.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 181

As a recovered alcoholic I must make an effort to put into practice the
principles of the A.A. program, which are founded on honesty, truth and
humility.  While I was drinking I was constantly trying to be in the
limelight.  Now that I am conscious of my mistakes and of my former
lack of integrity, it would not be honest to seek prestige, even for the
justifiable purpose of promoting the A.A. message of recovery.  Is the
publicity that centers around the A.A. Fellowship and the miracles it
produces not worth much more?  Why not let the people around us
appreciate by themselves the changes that A.A. has brought in us, for
that will be a far better recommendation for the Fellowship than any I
could make.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden / December 20th

A.A. Thought for the Day

Our faith should control the whole of our life.  We
alcoholics were living a divided life.  We had to find
a way to make it whole.  When we were drinking, our
lives were made up of a lot of scattered and unrelated
pieces.  We must pick up our lives and put them
together again.  We do it by recovering faith in a
Divine Principle in the universe that holds us together
and holds the whole universe together and gives it
meaning and purpose.  We surrender our disorganized
lives to that Power, we get into harmony with the Divine
Spirit, and our lives are made whole again.
Is my life whole again?

Meditation for the Day

Avoid fear as you would a plague.  Fear, even the
smallest fear, is a hacking at the cords of faith that
bind you to God.  However small the fraying, in time
those cords will wear thin, and then one disappointment
or shock will make them snap.  But for the little fears,
the cords of faith would have held firm.  Avoid
depression, which is allied to fear.  Remember that all
fear is disloyalty to God.  It is a denial of His care and
protection.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may have such trust in God today that
I will not fear anything too greatly.  I pray that I may
have assurance that God will take care of me in the
long run.

"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.

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 20, 2005

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

Expectations of Others

It is our job to identify our needs, and then determine a balanced
way of getting those needs met. We ultimately expect our Higher
Power and the Universe - not one particular person - to be our
source.

It is unreasonable to expect anyone to be able or willing to meet
our every request. We are responsible for asking for what we want
and need. It's the other person's responsibility to freely choose
whether or not to respond to our request. If we try to coerce or
force another to be there for us, that's controlling.

There's a difference between asking and demanding. We want love
that is freely given.

It is unreasonable and unhealthy to expect one person to be the
source for meeting all our needs. Ultimately, we will become angry
and resentful, maybe even punishing, toward that person for not
supporting us as we expected.

It is reasonable to have certain and well defined expectations of
our spouse, children, and friends.

If a person cannot or will not be there for us, then we need to take
responsibility for ourselves in that relationship. We may need to set
a boundary, alter our expectations, or change the limits of the
relationship to accommodate that person's unavailability. We do this
for ourselves.

It is reasonable to sprinkle our wants and needs around and to be
realistic about how much we ask or expect of any particular person.
We can trust ourselves to know what's reasonable.

The issue of expectations goes back to knowing that we are
responsible for identifying our needs, believing they deserve to get
met, and discover an appropriate, satisfactory way to do that in our
life.

Today, I will strive for reasonable expectations about getting my needs
met in relationships.

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

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

The Art of Rest
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2005/December/vissell.htm

Links to Feminine Wisdom and Spirituality
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_fourth.htm#feminine

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

Using the Mirror of Life
by Shakti Gawain

   Often, we are so stuck in our old beliefs and patterns that we aren't
able to see the changes we need to make. Even when we feel frustrated
about our problems, we may not recognize what we need to learn to change
things. That is why we need to use the mirror of life.

   Everything in our lives reflects where we are in the process of
developing integration and balance. We can use everything that happens
externally as a mirror to help us see the areas within us that need healing
and development. Whenever we have a problem, especially a recurring or
chronic problem, it is always an arrow pointing directly to some aspect of
our psyche where we need more awareness.

   If we accept that life is always trying to teach us exactly what we need
to learn, we can view everything that happens to us as a gift. Even
experiences that are uncomfortable or painful contain within them an
important key to our healing, wholeness, and prosperity.

   We may have difficulty understanding what the mirror of life is trying
to show us, but if we sincerely ask for the learning and the gift in every
experience, it will be revealed to us one way or another.

   One of the clearest reflections we have to work with is the one
provided by our relationships. Everyone we attract into our life is a mirror
for us in certain ways. All of our relationships -- our families, children,
friends, co-workers, neighbors, pets, as well as our romantic partners --
reflect certain parts of us. How we feel with someone is usually an
indication of how we feel about the parts of us that they mirror.

   We all attract certain people into our life who have developed qualities
opposite to the ones we are most identified with. In other words, they
mirror our disowned selves, and we mirror theirs. These are often the
most highly emotionally charged relationships. We either love them, hate
them, or both! We feel very attracted to them, and/or very
uncomfortable,  judgmental, annoyed, or frustrated with them. The
stronger the feelings, the more important a mirror they are for us. We
have drawn them into our reality to show us something about what we
need to develop in ourselves. The fact that we have such strong feelings
(one way or another) toward them means that they are showing us a part
of ourselves we need to acknowledge, accept, and integrate.

   This does not mean we have to be with them or hold onto a harmful or
inappropriate relationship. It just means that as long as they are in our
lives, or even in our thoughts and feelings, we can use the relationship as
a learning experience. It also does not mean we are supposed to become
like them. They may carry an energy we need more of, but they may be too
far to the opposite extreme, or they may express that energy in a
distorted way.

   Still, we can look for the positive essence in the opposite qualities they
carry. For example, if you have been taught never to express any anger,
you will probably at some point find yourself in relationship with a person
who expresses their anger frequently and vehemently. Life is giving you a
strong message that it's time for you to learn to acknowledge your own
anger. It is not saying you have to become like this person and go around
dumping your anger everywhere. Instead, you need to find the appropriate
balance, learning how to assert yourself and stand up for yourself.

   If you have strongly developed being energy but have difficulty taking
action, you may find that someone important in your life is a compulsive
doer who can't relax. Naturally, you don't want to go to that extreme,
but this person is your teacher, to show you the energy of action that you
need to develop. Of course, you are a teacher for them, as well, but it
usually doesn't work very well to try to show the other person what they
need to learn from you -- although we all succumb to this temptation. It
works much better to concentrate on what we need to learn in the
situation.

   Once we use the mirror to understand what we need, and actually do
the work to develop a disowned self, the whole pattern of the relationship
will shift.

   If we are strongly identified with power, we will attract vulnerable,
needy people. This mirror is reflecting our need to recognize and accept
our own vulnerability. If and when we do that, the needy people in our lives
will either become more empowered, or will move out of our lives. If we
are overly vulnerable and disown power, we will find ourselves in a
relationship with someone who uses power one way or another. We will
feel overwhelmed, controlled, or victimized by them until we own our
power, at which point the relationship will either dissolve or become
more equal.

   As I mentioned in the last chapter, we often seem to gravitate toward
a romantic or business partner who has an opposite approach to financial
management. If the difference is not too extreme, this can be a
complementary and harmonious balance in which we appreciate and learn
from each other's strengths. If we are highly polarized, however, it can
be painful and frustrating, leading to a great deal of conflict and stress.

   Still, it is a gift -- an opportunity to recognize how identified we are
with one polarity and a chance to develop the opposite energy we need.
Like any relationship issue, it requires that we communicate with one
another, and be willing to listen and empathize with each other's feelings
and perspective. If we feel stuck in our ability to communicate, it may be
an appropriate time to call in a skilled third party -- a therapist,
marriage
counselor, or mediator -- to help us through. Personally, I find that most
of us need help at certain times to get through the deep issues that are
reflected in our intimate relationships.

   The topic of relationships is a complex and fascinating subject, which I
can only begin to touch on. Still, if you grasp the basic idea of how our
relationships show us the next steps we need to take in our personal
growth, you can begin to use your relationships as powerful guides on your
path to true prosperity.

© by Shakti Gawain
from the book, Creating True Prosperity

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

Repeating Lessons

Lessons repeat themselves over and
Over again in our lives.

Until we take a look at the cause
We can expect the same people and
Situations to show up over and over again.

The faces and circumstances may seem
Different, but they will be revealed as the
Same lesson in the final outcome.

Let us take a hard look at the dis-peace we
See in our lives, identify the source of the
Repeated patterns and decide to see what
Old beliefs we still hold sacred.

Once we understand that our faulty thinking
Is what keeps us in repeated misery we can
Alter our thinking and recreate a new way to
Live in joy.

This time of year and especially this year is
An excellent time to adjust our thinking, and
Build new relationships and new experiences
Based on Love.

Perhaps all the dragons of our lives
are princesses who are only waiting to
see us once, beautiful and brace.
Perhaps everything terrible is in
Its deepest being something
that needs our love

Rainer Maria Rilke

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

Repeating Lessons

Lessons repeat themselves over and
Over again in our lives.

Until we take a look at the cause
We can expect the same people and
Situations to show up over and over again.

The faces and circumstances may seem
Different, but they will be revealed as the
Same lesson in the final outcome.

Let us take a hard look at the dis-peace we
See in our lives, identify the source of the
Repeated patterns and decide to see what
Old beliefs we still hold sacred.

Once we understand that our faulty thinking
Is what keeps us in repeated misery we can
Alter our thinking and recreate a new way to
Live in joy.

This time of year and especially this year is
An excellent time to adjust our thinking, and
Build new relationships and new experiences
Based on Love.

Perhaps all the dragons of our lives
are princesses who are only waiting to
see us once, beautiful and brace.
Perhaps everything terrible is in
Its deepest being something
that needs our love

Rainer Maria Rilke

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

Harmony of Life

A butterfly flutters from flower to flower,
He stops for a moment, or maybe an hour,
I pause for just a little while,
This never fails to make me smile.

A tiny gator swims slowly toward shore,
Looking for minnows, not anything more.
So happy inside his watery castle,
Just enjoying his life without any hassle.

A little squirrel scurries, with nuts in his mouth,
He seems not to care that he lives in the south,
He's storing for winter, though only he knows where,
He seems so ambitious, I'll try not to stare.

The birds of the morning, oh how they do sing!
It gives me awareness of what God's love brings,
This harmony of life that's so freely given,
There's all this and more that makes life worth living.

Sharlett Hunt   12/19/03 ©
Sharlette863@...

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

A NEW DAY 

When you wake up each morn, at the break of dawn
You see a new day just being borne;
You watch the sun rise and hear the birds sing
And wonder what this day will bring;
If you've handed the day over, you are sure of one thing
It will bring you the best of everything;
It will bring you the joy of sober living
That's been placed in your hands just for the giving;
You may find fears and frustrations along the way
But by saying the Serenity Prayer this will guide you today;
Remember though when the day comes to a close
To Thank your Higher Power for whatever He chose

written by Keri
12/20/02
kbassett@...
Zimbabwe, Africa

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

Learning is finding out what you already know,
doing is demonstrating that you know it,
teaching is reminding others that they know it as well as you do.
We are all learners, doers, and teachers.
Richard David Bach

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

The foundation of all spiritual practice is love.
Dalai Lama, THE LITTLE BOOK OF WISDOM

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

And the day came when the risk
to remain tight in a bud was more painful
than the risk it took to blossom.
Anais Nin

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

"Everything we do is infused with the energy with which we do it.
If we're frantic, life will be frantic.
If we're peaceful, life will be peaceful.
And so our goal in any situation becomes inner peace."
Marianne Williamson

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

ANGER = Any No Good Energy Rising

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

ASK = Ass Saving Kit

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

BUT = Being Unconvinced Totally

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

CARE = Comforting And Reassuring Eachother

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
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and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
www,health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Not Good
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/notgood.html

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

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

December 19
In quiet meditation I find emotional balance.
I feel myself growing closer and closer
to my Higher Power and I find love.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

12 Steps I Took

I took one step, began to moan
I can't do this on my own
I took two steps, began to pray
restore me God, today
I took three steps, gave up my will
maybe God loves me still
I took a fourth, I looked inside
Nothing more would I hide
And on the fifth, I said aloud
I've done some wrong, and I'm not proud
I took six steps, and got prepared
To lose the defects, I was scared
Now I'm at seven, take them away
God for this I pray
And on eight, the list was long
Amends to make for all the wrong
I took nine steps, put down my pride
Forgiveness asked, I will not hide
Ten steps I take each day I pray
Make amends along the way
And on eleven I prayed to know
Each day His will, which way to go
I took twelve steps, I'm like a bird
To others now, I spread the word....

{Author unknown}

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Editorial reply To ³Of Titles and Politics,²
January 1999 NA Way
N.A. Way Magazine 7/1999
www.na.org/naway/en/naway163-12.htm

Things To Remember.......And One Thing Never To Forget
www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/6794/things.html

Different Drums and Different Drummers
www.geocities.com/alaura1942/DifferentDrummers.html

*~*~*~*~*~*Earthgroup Marathon Meetings ROCK*~*~*~*~*~*

EARTH GROUP NA  presents 4th Annual

2006 NEW YEARS MARATHON
"SHARING AND CARING THE NA WAY"


Beginning at 6PM. December 31st. we will have 18hours
of non stop meetings.  Guest speakers will share
at Midnight and 10:30 AM. E.S.T.

Come and join us and share with other addicts from around
the world on one of the hardest nights of the year to stay clean.

The coffee will be hot, plenty of chairs, and lots of virtual Hugs
waiting. Spend the night with friends and family who care and
share the NA Way...

Join us at Join
www.earthgroupna.org
and click on chatroom or a direct link is
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.pl?id=114117

For more information contact Diane K. at chat@...

I will be at the midnight meeting on New Years Eve :)     Scott

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

Just For Today
December 19                     Walking the way we talk

"Words mean nothing until we put them into action."   Basic Text p.56

  The Twelfth Step reminds us "to practice these principles in all our
affairs:' In NA, we see living examples of this suggestion all around us.
The more experienced members, who seem to have an aura of peace
surrounding them, demonstrate the rewards of applying this bit of
wisdom in their lives.

  To receive the rewards of the Twelfth Step, it is vital that we practice
the spiritual principles of recovery even when no one is looking. If we
talk about recovery at meetings but continue to live as we did in active
addiction, our fellow members may suspect that we are doing nothing more
than quoting bumper stickers.

  What we pass on to newer members comes more from how we live than
what we say. If we advise someone to "turn it over" without having
experienced the miracle of the Third Step, chances are the message will
fail to reach the ears of the newcomer for whom it's intended. On the
other hand, if we "walk what we talk" and share our genuine experience
in recovery, the message will surely be evident to all.

Just for today: I will practice the principles of recovery, even when I'm
the only one who knows.

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

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

Give the "Gift of Recovery" for free
to your online friends this Holiday Season,
Pass on 12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit to them,
If you have received this as a forward and  would like to subscribe
please email
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

A POWERFUL TRADITION

In the years before the publication of the book "Alcoholics Anonymous,"
we had no name. . .by a narrow majority the verdict was for naming our
book  "The Way Out." . . .One of our early lone members. . . found
exactly twelve books already titled "The Way Out.". . . So "Alcoholics
Anonymous" became first choice.  That's how we got a name for our
book of experience, a name for our movement and, as we are now
beginning to see, a tradition of the greatest spiritual import.
"A.A. TRADITION: HOW IT DEVELOPED." pp. 35-36

  Beginning with Bill's momentous decision in Akron to make a telephone
call rather than a visit to the hotel bar, how often has a Higher Power
made itself felt at crucial moments in our history!  The  eventual
importance that the principle of anonymity would acquire was but
dimly perceived, if at all, in those early days. There seems to have been
an element of chance even in the choice of a name for our Fellowship.

  God is no stranger to anonymity and often appears in human affairs in
the guises of "luck", "chance," or "coincidence."  If anonymity, somewhat
fortuitously, became the spiritual basis for all of our Traditions,
perhaps God was acting anonymously on our behalf.
Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden / December 19th

A.A. Thought for the Day

The skeptic and the agnostic say it is impossible for
us to find the answer to life.  Many have tried and
failed.  But many more have put aside intellectual pride
and have said to themselves:  Who am I to say there
is no God?  Who am I to say there is no purpose in
life?  The atheist makes a declaration: "The world
originated in a cipher and aimlessly rushes nowhere."
Others live for the moment and do not even think
about why they are here or where they are going.
They might as well be clams on the bottom of the
ocean, protected by their hard shells of indifference.
They are going nowhere and they do not care.
Do I care where I am going?

Meditation for the Day

We may consider the material world as the clay
which the artist works with, to make of it something
beautiful or ugly.  We need not fear material things,
which are neither good nor bad in the moral sense.
There seems to be no active force for evil ---
outside of human beings themselves.  Humans alone
can have either evil intentions --- resentments,
malevolence, hate, and revenge --- or good intentions ---
love and good will.  They can make something ugly or
something beautiful out of the clay of their lives.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may make something good out of my life.
I pray that I may be a good artisan with the materials
that I have been given to use.

"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.

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 19, 2005

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

Work Roles

How easy it is to dive into roles at work. How easy it is to place other
people in roles. Sometimes, this is necessary, appropriate, and expedient.

But we can also let our self-shine through our role.

There is joy in giving our gift of skill at work, at giving ourselves to the
task at hand so thoroughly that we experience an intimate relationship with
our work. There is joy when we create or accomplish a task and can say,
"Well done!"

There is also joy when we are our self at work, and when we discover and
appreciate those around us.

The most unpleasant, mundane task can be breezed through when we stop
thinking of ourselves as a robot and allow ourselves to be a person.

Those around us will respond warmly when we treat them as individuals and
not job defined roles.

This does not mean we need to become inappropriately entangled with others.
It means that, whether we are an employer or an employee, when people are
allowed to be people who perform tasks instead of task performers, we are
happier and more content people.

Today, I will let myself shine through my task at work. I will try to see
others and let them shine through too - instead of looking only at their
tasks. God, help me be open to the beauty of others and myself at work. Help
me maintain healthy relationships with people at work.

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

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

Then What Will You Do
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2005/December/cohen.htm

Links to Family, Parenting & Community
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_fourth.htm#family

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

Looking for Love
by Marie T. Russell

Love... has it become a 'four letter word'? In many cases, love has become
equated with other things such as sex, attention, rewards, or approval. As
children, we often learn that if we behave or do as we are told, we will be
"loved". Thus our behavior becomes tinted or tainted with a desire to
please. We think that love is something that has to be earned. If we are
'good enough' then we will be loved; if we are 'bad' we will not be loved
(i.e. punished or rejected).

In many cases, what is depicted in movies as love is simply a need for
someone or something - either a need for security, approval, or sex. No
wonder we grew up confused about love. How many of us were told about the
beauty of Love and the wonder of sharing Love through sex? Instead we were
(in most cases) told embarrassingly about the 'birds and the bees'. I
remember thinking that " no way" had my parents done "that!"

As a matter of fact, in my Catholic family, " hugging" was a slight cheek to
cheek contact at Christmas and other such occasions. Love was something
rarely talked of. Instead we heard about respecting our elders, and oh yes,
that the reason my brother treated me so roughly was because he loved me.
Talk about confusing! We were given a standard for Love that included guilt,
martyrs, secrecy, shame, and punishment.

I remember feeling starved for attention (which I equated with love). I
thought that being in the limelight meant that I was loved; having good
grades ensured that my parents and teachers would love me; yet having
mediocre grades ensured that my schoolmates would love me. I was torn
between wanting it all and striving to attain a balance where everyone would
love me -- my parents, my teachers, and my peers. Then many of us came
through the days of 'peace and love' thinking that having sex with everyone
meant we loved everyone (and more importantly that everyone loved us). And
through it all, we were simply looking for Love, as the song says, in all
the wrong places. The ongoing search for love and approval led to bouncing
back and forth in trying to get approval from everyone we met.

As I look at the current state of affairs and at the status of crime and
violence, I see that all of these behaviors are also a cry for love on the
part of the perpetrators - a cry for attention, for someone to care and to
love them unconditionally. Can we do anything about that? Yes! We can help
the world by sending out love and compassion to those who are seen as 'bad'
or 'evil'. If we can love them unconditionally (which is different from
loving their actions), and see them as needing our compassion, our
forgiveness and understanding, our help, rather than hatred, we can help
raise the vibrations of the 'guilty' as well as the 'innocent'.

Someone once vandalized my car (they ripped through the top of my
convertible). I remember feeling that they had been expressing their anger
through this act of vandalism: anger at the world and anger at their feeling
of 'helplessness'. Why helpless? Many youths today do not believe they will
live past the age of 30 - they don't think the planet will survive any
longer than that. If we can empathize with them, rather than blame them and
judge them, we can help. When we choose to participate in creating a better
world with our children (and the children of others) where there is hope,
where there is a "light at the end of the tunnel", then we are being a
positive force in their lives. Even if to them (and maybe to us too), the
future looks bleak, we can join forces with them and help create a future
that children (and adults) can believe in and look forward to.

Let us each look and see how we can put more love in the world. To quote
another oldie 'What the world needs now is Love, sweet Love - no not just
for one, but for everyone!' Ask yourself what you can do. There are various
community projects you can get involved with - possibly donating your time
to the homeless or to teenagers, or to projects dealing with prisoners. Or
maybe by picking up the garbage and paper strewn about on the streets in
your neighborhood.

We need to take action and see what we can do to make a difference. How can
you love the world more? How can you share more love with your neighbors,
with the kids in your neighborhood or in deprived areas? And what about your
co-workers, family members, and the people you interact with in the course
of your daily life? Are we so involved with our lives, so busy, so stressed,
so driven, that we forget to make "human contact" with the check-out girl at
the store, with the person waiting in line with us, with the co-worker who
sometimes "gets on our nerves".

When we choose to remember that the essential ingredient for peace within
and for peace on earth and in our neighborhoods is love, then we can choose
to remember to apply it in all situations... whether at work, at home, or in
our interactions in public. Love is not a private, secretive thing. Love is
the glue that holds it all together... So when you think your world is
falling apart, apply some glue... Love yourself, love the people you love,
and also love the people you "hate"... What? Yes, love them for who they
"really are"... love them for their potential... love them in spite of their
anger, their fear, their resentment, their frustrations, their behavior...
Love them, because love is the greatest healer, and your actions, your
words, your thoughts, could be the saving grace for them... your smile and
gracious attention could be the one thing they need to help them hang on to
the hope that, for them too, there is a chance for a better life.

Let's remember that what the world needs now is Love, and keep in mind that
the more Love you give away the more you will have to give. Of course,
beware of martyrdom or motivations that come from needing approval or
acceptance. Simply give love because you have it to give and because the
world needs it. This is how we will heal ourselves and the planet. And
remember to love yourself too! You can't give from an empty bucket.

Love does make the world go round, so let's give it a whirl!

About The Author:
Marie T. Russell is the publisher of InnerSelf Magazine (first published in
1985 originally as Mighty Natural Magazine) and The Natural Yellow Pages
(1987-2002). She produced a weekly South Florida radio broadcast, Inner
Power, from 1991-1995 which focused on themes such as self-esteem, personal
growth, and well-being. Her articles focus on transformation and
reconnecting with our inner source of joy and creativity. Marie can be
reached at marie@... with personal comments and feedback,
or to be placed on a mailing list to be advised when her book becomes
available. http://innerself.com/

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

WHAT DO YOU HEAR

   A Native American and his friend were in downtown New
York City, walking near Times Square in Manhattan.  It was
during the noon lunch hour and the streets were filled with people.
Cars were honking their horns, taxicabs were squealing around
corners, sirens were wailing, and the sounds of the city were
almost deafening.  Suddenly, the Native American said, "I hear a cricket."

   His friend said, "What?  You must be crazy.  You couldn't possibly
hear a cricket in all of this noise!"
"No, I'm sure of it," the Native American said, "I heard a cricket."
"That's crazy," said the friend.

   The Native American listened carefully for a moment, and then
walked across the street to a big cement planter where some shrubs
were growing.  He looked into the bushes, beneath the branches, and
sure enough, he located a small cricket.  His friend was utterly amazed.
"That's incredible," said his friend.  "You must have superhuman ears!"

   "No," said the Native American.  "My ears are no different from yours.
It all depends on what you're listening for."
"But that can't be!" said the friend.  "I could never hear a cricket in
this noise."

   "Yes, it's true," came the reply.  "It depends on what is really
important to you.  Here, let me show you."  He reached into his pocket,
pulled out a few coins, and discreetly dropped them on the sidewalk.
And then, with the noise of the crowded street still blaring in their
ears, they noticed every head within twenty feet turn and look to see
if the money that tinkled on the pavement was theirs.  "See what I
mean?" asked the Native American.  "It all depends on what's important
to you."

   What's important to you?  What do you listen for?  Some people say
that there is no God, and that He never speaks to us anymore.
But perhaps they can't see or hear Him because they aren't listening
for Him.  They are living for themselves, not for God.

   If you are in tune with God, you will be able to notice Him at work in
your life and in the world.  And you'll be able to hear Him when He speaks.

May God Bless You And Keep You Safe.

Author Unknown

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

Tao Te Ching
Chapter 80

If a nation could be small, with few enough people
Even if you had the means to produce more, they'd be useless.
Such a people would know that death is real,
And they wouldn't travel far, even if they were able to.
They would not vaunt their army or their weaponry.
They would count in their heads again and write by hand.
Their food would be simple, but it would feed them;
Their clothes would be fine, but homely
And they would have fires in their homes.
They would be happy with what they have!
And even though they'd live along the border within earshot
Of their neighbours' cocks at dawn, and the dogs barking,
They wouldn't mind if they never went there.
It is enough, for them, to live and let live.

Lao Tzu

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

Shines the Blame

Many win and many lose.
Some stand at the crossroads,
Not knowing which path to choose.
Many see the light,
But still they walk through the dark.
Some finish the race,
But are never aware of the start.
Some beg for help, but refuse the hand that offers.
Life is hard, but some try to make it softer.
While trying to make it a little less,
Life puts them through a test -
Test of faith - a test at hand,
At the crossroads they stand.
Taking every path, all but the one -
The one that will take all their pain and scorn.
Pain that makes them scream inside,
Everyday the soul is torn and the spirit dies.
They choose a fix for their cure,
While they scream, but are never heard.
Everyday comes down to the first.
As the days slip by, they're getting worse.
They say time is on their side,
Even though they run and hide.
Running and hiding from the one thing that causes them pain,
Pain so intense that every day feels the same;
Exactly like the last.
As the eyes close in a dream, they reflect on the past -
A past filled with warm sunshine and flowers in bloom.
As the dream fades, the reflection glistens from the spoon -
The spoon of pain and regret,
As the demon takes hold, they wish for an end - even death.
Growing agony, all but the end is near,
As the pages fall from the calendar, pacing out the years.
They stand at the path they never walked;
Indecision's like the hunted being stalked.
Somehow, some way they'll make it through,
As they look in the mirror for a clue.
One day they'll have to choose -
Many win and many lose,
Looking for the easy way that never came,
The mirror's reflection shines the blame.

By Mike Caton

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

Expectations are premeditated resentments.
M. Scott Peck

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

To find ways to love and care and support and encourage
is what love would ask us to do,
what the deepest part of ourselves asks our egos to find a way to do.
Through commitment our personality aligns with our soul.
As we guide our lives by this commitment,
we become new and our lives are transformed.
  Mary Manin Morrissey

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

God is closer to us than we are to ourselves, for God is the breath or
spirit that gives life to the billions of different bodies that make up
God's body.  But God is also the source, power, and goal of everything
that is, for the creation depends utterly upon God.
Sally McFague

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

Like a stone dropped into a lake,
our acts of kindness can create a ripple effect.
The long-term effects may be unknown to us,
but the ripples of one wave creating another and another,
to forever impact - that is a definite fact.
Make your ripples today.
Susan Fahncke

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

We all have forgiveness work to do.
If you're wondering if this is true, ask yourself,
"Am I breathing?"
If the answer is yes, the answer is yes.
Ask Spirit, "Who would you have me forgive today?"
Sometimes our hardest forgiveness work is with ourselves.
  Mary Manin Morrissey

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

ABC = Ashtrays Brooms Chairs

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

ACTION = Any Change Towards Improving Ones Nature

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

ADDICT = Anybody Doing Drugs In Compulsive Trouble

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

ANONYMOUS =
Actions Not Of Names Yield Maintenance Of Unity & Service

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
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and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
www,health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Neighbor
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/neighbor.html

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

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

December 18
Today I welcome all my feelings.
Today I deserve to feel joy and love and gratitude
and warmth and affection, just to name a few.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

God Is Our Helper

God is our maker our helper too
He loves us all and it is true
He wishes we all get well
To carry this message
An our story we tell
He gave us a program
Called recovery
Within our rooms
He helps us break free
He gives us teachers
Who show the way
He lets us live
Within today
Our sponsors lead us
As the steps we take
Slowly one at a time
This program we make
Our new way of living today
Is in recovery you see
If we take it easy along the way
Just reach out and take our hand
We will help you to work and understand
Always remember we did not get here over night
We must learn to surrender and give up the fight
Work the steps as they are laid out today
Easy does it and do it just for today
Turn to others along this path
Ask for forgiveness
You will avoid
Gods wrath
Be sure to make
Your amends one by one
Always remember we also have fun
Take the hand that is offered today
We will smile as we show
You our God given way
God bless you
One and all
Let us help you
Make your way
Also to avoid a fall
We love you more then words can say
Let us teach you to live just for today

Daniel M Corkery
12/8/2002
PAPACORK@...
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer/

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Toward a more spiritual service
N.A. Way Magazine 7/1999
www.na.org/naway/en/naway163-11.htm

Love Can Build a Bridge
<http://doorway3.tripod.com/bridge.html>

The First Step
<http://www.geocities.com/alaura1942/TheFirstStep.html>

*~*~*~*~*~*Earthgroup Marathon Meetings ROCK*~*~*~*~*~*

EARTH GROUP NA  presents 4th Annual

2006 NEW YEARS MARATHON
"SHARING AND CARING THE NA WAY"


Beginning at 6PM. December 31st. we will have 18hours
of non stop meetings.  Guest speakers will share
at Midnight and 10:30 AM. E.S.T.

Come and join us and share with other addicts from around
the world on one of the hardest nights of the year to stay clean.

The coffee will be hot, plenty of chairs, and lots of virtual Hugs
waiting. Spend the night with friends and family who care and
share the NA Way...

Join us at Join
www.earthgroupna.org
and click on chatroom or a direct link is
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.pl?id=114117

For more information contact Diane K. at chat@...

I will be at the midnight meeting on New Years Eve :)     Scott

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

Just For Today
December 18                    The message of our meetings

"The fact that we, each and every group, focus on carrying the
message provides consistency; addicts can count on us."
Basic Text pp.64-65

  Tales of our antics in active addiction may be funny. Stories of our old
bizarre reactions to life when using may be interesting. But they tend to
carry the mess more than the message. Philosophical arguments on the
nature of God are fascinating. Discussions of current controversies have
their place-however, it's not at an NA meeting.

  Those times when we grow disgusted with meetings and find ourselves
complaining that "they don't know how to share" or "it was another whining
session" are probably indications that we need to take a good, hard look
at how we share.

  What we share about how we got into recovery and how we stayed here
through practicing the Twelve Steps is the real message of recovery.
That's what we are all looking for when we go to a meeting. Our primary
purpose is to carry the message to the still-suffering addict, and what we
share at meetings can either contribute significantly to this effort or
detract greatly. The choice, and the responsibility, is ours.

Just for today: I will share my recovery at an NA meeting.

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

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

Give the "Gift of Recovery" for free
to your online friends this Holiday Season,
Pass on 12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit to them,
If you have received this as a forward and  would like to subscribe
please email
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

  "HOLD YOUR FACE TO THE LIGHT"

Believe more deeply. Hold your face up to the Light, even though for
the moment you do not see.
AS BILL SEES IT, p. 3

One Sunday in October, during my morning meditation, I glanced out
the window at the ash tree in our front yard.  At once I was
overwhelmed by its magnificent, golden color!  As I stared in awe at
God's work of art, the leaves began to fall and, within  minutes, the
branches were bare.  Sadness came over me as I thought of the winter
months ahead, but just as I was reflecting on autumn's annual process,
God's message came through.  Like the trees, stripped of their leaves
in the fall, sprout new blossoms in the spring,  I had my compulsive,
selfish ways removed by God in order for me to blossom into a sober,
joyful member of A.A. Thank you, God, for the changing seasons and
for my ever-changing life.
Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden /December 18th

A.A. Thought for the Day

Unless we have the key of faith to unlock the meaning of
life, we are lost.  We do not choose faith because it is one
way for us, but because it is the only way.  Many have failed
and will fail.  For we cannot live victoriously without faith;
we are at sea without a rudder or an anchor, drifting on
the sea of life.  Wayfarers without a home.  Our souls are
restless until they find rest in God.  Without faith, our
lives are a meaningless succession of unrelated happenings,
without rhyme or reason.  Have I come to rest in faith?

Meditation for the Day

This vast universe around us, including this wonderful
earth on which we live, was once perhaps only a thought
in the mind of God.  The nearer the astronomers and the
physicists get to the ultimate composition of all things,
the nearer the universe approaches a mathematical
formula, which is thought.  The universe may be the
thought of the Great Thinker.  We must try to think
God's thoughts after Him.  We must try to get guidance
from the Divine Mind as to what His intention is for the
world and what part we can have in carrying out that
intention.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may not worry over the limitations of my
human mind.  I pray that I may live as though my mind
were a reflection of the Divine Mind.
"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.

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 18, 2005

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

Staying Open to Our Feelings

Many of us have gotten so good at following the "don't feel" rule that we
can try to talk ourselves out of having feelings, even in recovery.

"If I was really working a good program, I wouldn't feel angry."

"I don't get angry. I'm a Christian. I forgive and forget."

"I'm not angry. I'm affirming that I'm happy."

These are all statements, some of them quite clever, that indicate we're
operating under the "don't feel" rule again.

Part of working a good program means acknowledging and dealing with our
feelings. We strive to accept and deal with our anger so it doesn't harden
into resentments. We don't use recovery as an excuse to shut down our
emotions.

Yes, we are striving for forgiveness, but we still want to feel, listen to,
and stay with our feelings until it is time to release them appropriately.
Our Higher Power created the emotional part of ourselves. God is not telling
us to not feel; it's our dysfunctional systems.

We also need to be careful how we use affirmations; discounting our emotions
won't make feelings go away. If we're angry, it's okay to have that feeling.
That's part of how we get and stay healthy.

Today, I will refuse to accept shame from others or myself for feeling my
feelings.

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

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

Energy Secrets: The Ultimate Well-Being Plan
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2005/December/feature5.html

Links to Mindfulness & Being Present
<http://www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_fourth.htm#mindfulness>

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

A Complete Genius
by Alan Cohen

   While meandering through a bookstore, I discovered a wealth of books
for dummies and idiots. You have probably seen the many volumes directed
at stupid people, such as Computers for Dummies and Complete Idiot's
Guide to Dating. I even saw Complete Idiot's Guide to Near-Death
Experiences! There are hundreds of titles in each of these very popular
series, and the number is growing rapidly.

   I was struck by how readily we identify ourselves as dummies and idiots.
Obviously we think we are stupid, and these books will help. I wonder what
would happen if I published a similar series for geniuses, such as Golf for
Sages or The Complete Genius's Guide to Home Repair. I have a hunch
they wouldn't sell very well at all. Not because we are not geniuses.
Because we have been trained to regard ourselves as stupid.

   When I was little, I sat on my front porch one morning and sang several
rousing verses of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." A few days later I
overheard my mother casually tell someone, "Alan has a foghorn voice."
That idea made an impression on me, and I did not sing for many years.
After all (at that age), your mother knows everything, and if she said I
couldn't sing, I couldn't sing.

   Perhaps you had a similar experience. Perhaps early in life you adopted a
thought about yourself that defined you as small, ugly, incapable, or
unlovable. Most of us did. And perhaps you went on to live as if that
identity was true. And perhaps, like many, you collected a pool of tears in
your heart and went through life hurting because you wished you could be
more.

   You are more. The genius you were born as, still lives, and can be
reactivated at any moment. Genius is your reality and the dark
programming is your adopted personality. When Abraham (through Esther
Hicks) was challenged, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks," Abraham
answered, "You have no idea what an old dog you are!" Who you were
before you learned self-defeating tricks, is still very much available and
eager to come forth and shine.

   There is a story in the annals of education about an elementary school
teacher who arrived on the first day of school and perused her class
roster. Next to each child's name was the number of a very high I.Q.
"126, 135, 140," Miss Everett read aloud, eyebrows raised. "Thank
goodness I finally got a bright class!"

   Miss Everett went on to stimulate the loftiest abilities in her wiz-kids.
She gave them challenging projects, took them on field trips, and offered
them leeway to explore their work in creative ways. At the end of the
semester all the students earned A's and B's. The day after report cards
came out, the principal called her into his office and asked, "Miss Everett,
what did you do with these kids?"
"What do you mean?" she asked innocently.

   "You took some of the lowest-functioning students in the school and
turned them into geniuses!"

   "I don't understand what you're talking about," the teacher replied.
"These kids were bright when I got them. Here, just look at their I.Q.'s
in my roll book."

   The principal scanned her roster and replied, astonished, "Miss Everett,
these are their locker numbers!"

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

An Abundant Life
by Robin Crow

Neither a lofty degree of intelligence
nor imagination nor both together go
to the making of genius.
Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius.

-- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

In one way or another we're all seeking ways to find happiness and
fulfillment. And we all know that success alone doesn't bring happiness.

Mother Teresa said that the greatest poverty was spiritual, not physical.
It's easy to measure our material wealth, but to gauge spiritual wealth we
have to look at our lives as a whole. How do we value our life and the lives
of others? What are the depths of our relationships? Have we used our gifts
for the good of others as well as ourselves? How well do we love? Happiness
is not a byproduct of circumstances, but rather a spiritual place we can tap
into regardless of our circumstances.

LOOKING WITHIN
Our culture teaches us constantly to raise our standards for happiness. It's
partially human nature, but our focus on material things makes matters a lot
worse. Hundreds of times every day we are bombarded with advertisers telling
us that if we wear the right clothes, use the right shampoo, drive the right
car, or associate with the right people we will be happy.

When we buy our first 15-inch-screen television, we feel good for a while.
Over time we discover that it no longer satisfies our demand for quality; we
have now raised our standards for what is acceptable. So we set our sights
on a bigger and more expensive television that meets our current definition
of acceptable. This time it's a 27-inch set with a better picture and sound.
For a while it seems like this is as good as it gets. But then we start
asking ourselves, "What if I had a high-definition big-screen television?
What if I had a DVD player? What if I had a surround-sound system?" For a
while we're satisfied until we started thinking we need one for the bedroom
and begin the process all over again. It's a trap. These things may provide
a brief illusion of contentment, a sense of comfort and security, but they
will never bring lasting happiness.

It is second nature to thirst for a full and rewarding life, but we often
look in the wrong places. If our quest for material wealth is based on what
we can get instead of what we can give, then we will be left empty. What
happens after the high has worn off from the things we buy? We must look
within ourselves, not outside to TVs and cars and gadgets, for real
happiness. For only when we learn to change our inner world does our outer
world also begin to change.

Happiness is not a state to arrive at but, rather,
a manner of traveling.      -- Samuel Johnson

We have all sorts of ideas about what will make us happy. What will it take?
Winning the lottery? Being admired by others? Becoming a millionaire? Riding
the perfect wave? Performing the perfect concert? These might be worthy
endeavors, but when you think it through it becomes clear that they will
never bring the kind of lifelong happiness we desire -- a rich, fulfilling
satisfaction through good times and bad.

But, Robin, you ask, what about a those six-thousand-square foot custom
homes or those romantic vacations in Tahiti? What about sending our children
to the best colleges? What about a solid financial foundation built on an
impressive investment portfolio? Are you telling me I can't have those
things and be happy? You already know part of the answer.

You can certainly find happiness with -- or without -- those things, but
they will never make you happy by themselves. From what I've seen both in my
own life and in the lives of people around me, when you become wealthy
whatever traits you have will simply be intensified. If you are an angry
person without money, you will become even angrier with money when things
don't go your way. If you are generous when you have very little, then you
will be very generous when you have a lot.

Looking back on the last twenty years of touring, I figure I've driven more
than a million miles. All this travel time has given me a lot of time to
ponder the question of happiness. I've met all kinds of people -- rich and
poor, young and old. After all those miles and all those encounters, it's so
obvious to me that lasting happiness never comes from outside
circumstances -- like making money, finding romance, becoming famous, or
gaining power.

TRUE SUCCESS
The most important message I wish to convey is this: True success, the kind
that leads to real happiness, is measured by who we become as people. Here's
a story to make my point: Christmas is big deal in our family. My children
spend months anticipating how much fun they're going to have and, of course,
what great new gifts they might receive. Nancy and I try to plan ahead,
because we have so many relatives and friends to think about, not to mention
our four children. We have five people on staff, plus ten or so interns to
think about as well. On top of all that I try to mail out gifts to some
clients whom I also consider to be friends. Two Christmases ago I picked
thirty-two people who fit that description. Some of those people I hadn't
seen for a while, and others I see almost every week.

When Christmas is over I confess that I'm not very good at writing thank-you
letters -- partly because I've never learned the art of writing a short but
sweet thank you. My other excuse is that I'm always too busy. Both my
excuses are lame. But I tell you this to make a point: out of the thirty-two
people whom I sent gifts, I received two thank you letters. Here's the
irony: the two people who took the time to write and say thanks are perhaps
the two busiest of the thirty-two. They're the two to who have more demands
on their time and who have the most intense schedules. Ironically, they are
also the most famous of the thirty-two. The two people that wrote thank-you
letters to me are not people I see very frequently. I believe they wrote
those thank-you letters because they are in the habit of going the extra
mile for others. They know that small gestures go a long way.

Those two people were Dolly Parton and Naomi Judd. This is not to say that
the others where the least bit rude; they are all friends whom I like and
respect. Plus, I hadn't sent them the gifts expecting anything in return.
They were simply sent in the spirit of Christmas. But having said that,
those two letters got me thinking about who Dolly and Naomi are as people.
Their small acts of courtesy and thoughtfulness go hand in hand with why
they are so successful with their careers and why they're so successful as
people. It was a great reality check for me. They've inspired me to step up
and be more giving to others. It also got me thinking how small acts of
kindness can make other people feel so good. You never know how important a
little positive reinforcement can be to someone.

I can live for two months on a good compliment.     -- Mark Twain

LOVE AND SUCCESS
We all need to be loved. When I first struck out on my own I was determined
to show my parents and my friends a thing or two. Subconsciously I was
thinking, "When I become a big rock star, then they'll love me more!" In
fact, I believed that when I became rich and famous everyone would love me.
During my twenties that thought pattern became the driving force in my life.
It became my identity. My people skills left a lot to be desired, so I
looked to my musical abilities to somehow fill in and bring love to my door.

This approach is filled with flaws, of course. It kept me from looking at
what kind of person I really was or at my need to become a better person.
Instead my obsession with musical success escalated as I threw myself into
my work. Now this in and of itself isn't a bad thing. To have a burning
desire to succeed in something is one of the most fundamental keys to
success. The irony is, if we don't learn how to love and become someone who
can be loved, then we're missing the entire point.

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom
all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have a faith that can move mountains,
but have not love, I am nothing.
If I give all I possess to the poor
and surrender my body to the flames,
but have not love, I gain nothing.
-- 1 Corinthians 13:2

How many times have we heard stories about famous people who seemed to have
everything going for them, yet whose lives spun totally out of control --
sometimes even driving them to suicide? A person can easily spend years
striving for success for all the wrong reasons. When I was in my twenties
the driving force behind my desire to be a guitarist was the need to draw
attention to myself. I believed that attention would lead to love and that
would lead to happiness. It was a totally flawed plan, yet so many people
live their lives using just that blueprint. They work and work so that they
will be loved, yet they have no time for love!

If you achieve great wealth at the expense of your health, what do you have?

If you acquire power and fame, yet you never see your children, what do you
have?

If your career becomes more important than your wife or husband, what do you
have?

Wouldn't you rather be broke and have a house full of love than have lots of
money and no love? A house without love has no foundation. It's just a
matter of time until the wind begins to blow and it all comes crashing down.
If you fill your heart with love for others, that love becomes the
foundation you build on, and it's a foundation of solid rock.

To love for the sake of being loved is human,
but to love for the sake of loving is angelic.
-- Alphonse De Lamartine

Jesus was right! "Many who are first shall be last and many who are last
will be first." "It is better to give than receive." "The meek shall inherit
the earth:' These paradoxical statements seem simple enough, but are hard
words to swallow when we're trying to get ahead in life. We put all our
energy into striving for a better life, but why are we so unhappy and
discontent with life in the fast lane - or the me lane?

Familiar acts are beautiful through love.   -- Percy Bysshe Shelley

It's one of the universal laws of life: Before we receive love, we must give
love. Before we receive a smile we must give a smile. Before we can receive
a blessing we must give a blessing. Jesus said it another way: "He who sows
sparingly shall reap sparingly, and he who sows generously shall reap
generously." This scripture reminds us of the law of giving and receiving.
When we believe our lives are filled with abundance and prosperity, then we
will know abundance and prosperity. But again, in order to receive
abundantly we must give abundantly. When we learn to be truly generous, we
find ourselves being swept along in the flow of abundance.

So often people live with a mindset of scarcity; they become fearful. This
stops them cold in their tracks when it comes to expending energy to help
others. I know so many people just like that. Our culture provides us all
with so many images of scarcity. Thoughts of running out of food or out of
fuel or of the economy going under bring fear into everyone's minds.

Think about it. God wouldn't have allowed our planet to be populated with
billions and yet deny them the ability to feed and shelter themselves. Nor
would God have created a world in which one person's gain would be another's
loss. I believe the resources we need are here in abundance if we are
willing to cultivate an attitude of trust. Spiritual abundance is always
about letting go. The irony is that having a belief in scarcity is always
about holding on out of fear. That's when we get caught up in a vicious
circle that becomes so hard for us to break: the more fearful we are, the
harder we hold on, and the harder we hold on, the more fearful we become.
But once we do break through to a belief in unlimited bounty then we let go
and enjoy more abundance than we ever dreamed was possible.

This article is excerpted from Jump and the Net Will Appear, ©2002, by Robin
Crow. Reprinted with permission of the publisher, New World Library.
www.newworldlibrary.com

About the Author:
Robin Crow is an author, speaker, entrepreneur, and one of the world's most
innovative guitarists. He has forged an extraordinary career, releasing nine
albums, performing more than two thousand concerts, and appearing on
national television dozens of times. Robin continues to appear before
audiences of thousands throughout the country with his unique blend of
speaking and musical performance. Robin lives on his farm in Franklin,
Tennessee, with his wife and four children. For information about Robin Crow
performances and Dark Horse Recording, visit www.robincrow.com and
www.darkhorserecording.com

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

Addicts Fate

At night as I ready to retire
I praise my God for the desire
To change the paths I once traveled
My life in drugs and alcohol was all raveled
I was so long in my addictions
Many twisted thoughts and convictions
I knew I had to change
Get down and rearrange
But I was powerless you see
I was god and the world
Revolved around me
All my efforts to stop
Were fertile attempts
I was so caught up
In self centeredness
Most of my life I did miss
But I prayed to my God
The keeper of the gate
For God in heaven knows
I thought it was to late
Was I to die and addicts fate
He sent and angel to hold my hand
Drop everything do you understand
No I cried I'm scared and so alone
Then go to a meeting and call them home
They will stand by you
So you will not be alone
I've got many chores and I need you
You can be happy and no longer blue
I'll take your broken spirit and fix it
If you only surrender and not quit
This struggle is mine for ever more
I'll heal the man and settle the score

Daniel M Corkery
7/30/2000
PAPACORK@...
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer

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

A saddened heart is not made happier with a change of place.
Written by a Reader:
Capt. Michael Hobson who is serving our country
while stationed in Kunsan, South Korea

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

Life is speaking to us and encourages us to have compassion and
love in every kind of experience, because that's God's will for us.
God is compassion and love, no matter what.
So, as we open up to the experience of God's love,
we extend compassion to others, including those who challenge us.
When we see others in this light, we then can see it in ourselves.
We are forgiven as we forgive.
As we bring the light of understanding and compassion to someone else,
we move into the light of understanding and compassion ourselves.
Mary Manin Morrissey

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

When one door closes, God opens a window.
Anonymous

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

You don't love a woman because she is beautiful,
but she is beautiful because you love her.
  Anonymous

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

The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am,
then I can change.
Carl Rogers

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

At the deepest level, it's real love and care that people crave.
Give those things, and you'll receive them.
Through your caring deeds and actions,
you'll truly make your mark on the world.
Doc Childre and Howard Martin, The HeartMath Solution

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

ABC = Acceptance Belief Change

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

ADDICT = Angry Dishonest Deceitful Insane Careless Thinking

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

HELP = Hope Encouragement Love Patience

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

ACTION = Any Change Towards Improving Ones Nature

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
www,health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Monopoly
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/monopoly.html

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

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

December 17
When I have done all the footwork I know to do
and things are still not working out,
I know today that it is time to meditate.
I have faith that my answer is still to come.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

My Tribute to Recovery

I open up my eyes and see
The gift of life was given free
No longer drowning in my tears
Released from the darkness of my fears
The choice was always up to me
I hold the key to how I feel
My immense passion for life is real
No longer lost in desperate void
No barren pain of spirit destroyed
Oh, what a lore to reveal
Each day a new page to unfold
Each night new memories to hold
No longer dreading each new sun
No shame from duties left undone
Life is like stories yet to be told
Trials will surely come I know
I'll be just fine if I learn to let go
No longer slamming my head against the wall
No feelings I must control or fall
Hardships will pass and I will grow
So, come walk this way if you might
Lay down your weapons, give up the fight
Serenity awaits you bountiful and free
Become the person you want to be
Don't go alone, together we'll be all right

By Rhonda N. Tampa, FL

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 brief history of ³God² in Narcotics Anonymous
N.A. Way Magazine 7/1999
www.na.org/naway/en/naway163-10.htm

  Spenders Anonymous - About us...
  A 12-Step Fellowship
www.spenders.org/aboutsm.html

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

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

*~*~*~*~*~*Earthgroup Marathon Meetings ROCK*~*~*~*~*~*

EARTH GROUP NA  presents

2006 NEW YEARS MARATHON
"SHARING AND CARING THE NA WAY"


Beginning at 6PM. December 31st. we will have 18hours
of non stop meetings.  Guest speakers will share
at Midnight and 10:30 AM. E.S.T.

Come and join us and share with other addicts from around
the world on one of the hardest nights of the year to stay clean.

The coffee will be hot, plenty of chairs, and lots of virtual Hugs
waiting. Spend the night with friends and family who care and
share the NA Way...

Join us at Join
www.earthgroupna.org
and click on chatroom or a direct link is
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.pl?id=114117

For more information contact Diane K. at chat@...

I will be at the midnight meeting on New Years Eve :)     Scott

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

Just For Today
December 17                          Service motives

"Everything that occurs in the course of NA service must be
motivated by the desire to more successfully carry the message
of recovery to the addict who still suffers."  Basic Text p. xvi

  Our motives are often a surprise to us. In our early days of recovery,
they were almost always a surprise! We've learned to check our motives
through prayer, meditation, the steps, and talking to our sponsor or other
addicts. When we find ourselves with an especially strong urge to do or
have something, it's particularly important to check our motives to find
out what we really want.

  In early recovery, many of us throw ourselves into service with great
fervor before we have started the regular practice of motive-checking.
It takes awhile before we become aware of the real reasons for our
zeal. We may want to impress others, show off our talents, or be
recognized and important. Now, these desires may not be harmful in
another setting, expressed through another outlet. In NA service,
however, they can do serious damage.

  When we decide to serve NA, we make a decision to help addicts find
and maintain recovery. We have to carefully check our motives in service,
remembering that it's much easier to frighten away using addicts than to
convince them to stay. When we show them game-playing, manipulation, or
pomposity, we present an unattractive picture of recovery; However, the
unselfish desire to serve others creates an atmosphere that is attractive
to the addict who still suffers.

Just for today: I will check my motives for the true spirit of service.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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


This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

ONLY TWO SINS

. . .there are only two sins; the first is to interfere with  the growth
of another human being, and the second is to interfere with one's
own growth.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 542

Happiness is such an elusive state.  How often do my "prayers" for
others involve "hidden" prayers for my own agenda?  How often is my
search for happiness a boulder in the path of growth for  another,
or even myself?  Seeking growth through humility and acceptance
brings things that appear to be anything but good, wholesome and vital.
Yet in looking back, I can see that pain, struggles and setbacks have all
contributed eventually to serenity through growth in the program.

I ask my Higher Power to help me not cause another's lack of growth
today - or my own.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden December 17th

A.A. Thought for the Day

The way of faith is, of course, not confined to A.A. it
is for everybody who really wants to live.  But many
people can go through life without much of it.  Many
are doing so, to their own sorrow.  The world is full
of lack of faith.  Many people have lost confidence in
any meaning in the universe.  Many are wondering if it
has any meaning at all.  Many are at loose ends.  Life
has no goal for many.  They are strangers in the land.
They are not at home.  But for us in A.A., the way of
faith is the way of life.  We have proved by our past
lives that we could not live without it.
Do I think I could live happily without faith?

Meditation for the Day

"He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and the good,
and sends the rain on the just and the unjust."  God
does not interfere with the working of natural laws.
The laws of nature are unchangeable, otherwise we
could not depend on them.  As far as natural laws
are concerned, God makes no distinction between
good and bad people.  Sickness or death may strike
anywhere.  But spiritual laws are also made to be
obeyed.  Our choice of good or evil depends on
whether we go upward to true success and victory
in life or downward to loss and defeat.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may choose today the way of the spiritual
life.  I pray that I may live today with faith and hope
and love.

"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.

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 17, 2005

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

Nurturing Ourselves

Many of us have been so deprived of nurturing that we think it's silly or
self-indulgent. Nurturing is neither silly nor self-indulgent; it's how we
show love for ourselves. That's what we're striving for in recovery - a
loving relationship with ourselves that works, so we can have loving
relationships with others that work.

When we hurt, we ask ourselves what we need to help us feel better. When we
feel alone, we reach out to someone safe. Without feeling that we are a
burden, we allow that person to be there for us.

We rest when we're tired; eat when we're hungry; have fun or relax when our
spirits need a lift. Nurturing means giving ourselves gifts - a trip to the
beauty salon or barbershop, a massage, a book, a new jacket, or a new suit
or dress. It means a long, hot bath to forget about our problems and the
world for a few moments when that would feel good.

We learn to be gentle with ourselves and to open up to the nurturing that
others have to offer us.

As part of nurturing ourselves, we allow ourselves to give and receive
positive touch - touch that feels appropriate to us, touch that is safe. We
reject touch that doesn't feel good or safe and is not positive.

We learn to give ourselves what we need in a gentle, loving, compassionate
way. We do this with the understanding it will not make us lazy, spoiled,
self centered, or narcissistic. Nurtured people are effective in their work
and in their relationships.

We will learn to feel loved by ourselves so much that we can truly love
others and let them love us.

Today, I will nurture myself. I will also be open to the nurturing that I
can give to others and receive from them.

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

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

The Magical Power of Acceptance
and Letting Go, or Let Go or Get Dragged
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2005/December/feature4.html

Links to Love Relationships
Links to Mindfulness & Being Present
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_fourth.htm#relationships

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

What to Ask For
Alan Cohen

"A man walks into a restaurant with a large ostrich and sits down
at a table to have breakfast. The man orders a stack of pancakes,
and the ostrich orders the same. The bill comes to $15.95. The man
reaches into his pocket and empties all his bills and change, which
equals exactly $15.95 plus a 15% tip.

The following week the man returns to the restaurant with the
ostrich and the same waitress comes to his table. This time he
orders bacon and eggs, and so does the ostrich. The bill comes to
$19.50. He reaches into his pocket and takes out exactly $19.50
plus a 15% tip.

A week later he comes in again with the ostrich. They both have
the same meal. The same waitress presents a check for $18.75.
The man empties his pockets and reveals exactly that amount plus
the appropriate tip.

By this time the waitress is quite curious. "I am astounded, sir,
that you take this ostrich to breakfast every week, and that you
always have the exact amount of money," she explains. "How do
you do that?"

"It's an amazing story," he answers. "Several years ago I was
cleaning my basement and I found an old bottle. When I opened it,
a genie emerged. He told me I could have two wishes. My first wish
was to always have enough money to buy anything I wanted. Now,
wherever I go, I simply reach into my pocket and the exact amount
of money is there. I buy all my meals this way; I have also bought a
car, house, and vacations - no matter how much anything costs, I have
the exact amount in my wallet or checkbook."

"That's astonishing!" replies the waitress. "And what was your second
wish?"

"To marry a chick with long legs."

This story teaches a profound truth: Be conscious of what you are
asking for. You can pray for something specific and get it. Or you can
pray for a quality of life, and get that. Praying for specifics is risky,
for you are dictating a form. Praying for essence guarantees reward,
for you are seeking an energy. Emerson noted that a wise man in a storm
prays not for the end of the storm, but for the end of fear.

I know a woman who intensely wanted a relationship. She found a magazine
photo of a handsome man and posted it on her refrigerator as a sort of
treasure map. Within a short time she met a good-looking guy similar to
the fellow in the photo and started a relationship with him. After a while
she discovered he was an alcoholic, which ultimately ruined their
relationship. Then she went back and looked at her treasure map photo and
saw that her dream man had a drink in his hand. She would have done better
to focus on the kind of man she sought and the energy of the relationship
that matched her heart's desires.

Rather than dictating a specific object as your goal, designate a quality of
experience. Sure, you can pray or strive for a particular mate, job, or
house, and get it. But you may find something lacking about it. You will
find
far more joy if you set your intention for the essence of relationship, job,
or home you desire, and how you want to feel about it. If you had a
relationship that was deeply fulfilling, replete with joy and passion, would
the specifics matter that much? Get clear on where you want to go, and let
God fill in the blanks about how to get there."

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

Enhance

Your life by letting go
of worry and regret
Smooth out the wrinkles of your days
by doing things you love
Take time to consider
yourself
amid the pullings and pushings
of duty, work, routine and obligations

Enhance your mind by Stopping
the rush of worrying, anxious thoughts
crowding the waking moment
Look inwards to the heart
Ask it this question:
"Is this the best I can do for myself at this moment?"
Listen to the answer
Give yourself a break
Let go of guilt (it's a useless thing)
Don't harbour any expectations

Make one commitment today
Enjoy this moment
and the next
to enhance
your heart, mind, body and soul
be your true self: calm, content, accepting
You have only one ~
Enhance it!

Love
Stella

© 2003 Stella Raymonde Savoie Johnson
stellaraymonde@...

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

Blessings Today

I choose blessings today
For in all things
I am happy
To say
God
Is
My maker
My only hope
He alone gives me
Today strength to cope
Each day is full of blessings
If I just look I will find
So many blessings
Will never bind
They will open
Doors for us
To walk through
Blessing for
Both me and you
Nothing will happen
As bad as our using days
I count my blessings
Within so many
A ways
It is an honor
To offer my hand
Inside recovery we
One and all understand
For God has helped me
To count my blessings and see
Even bad days help us to appreciate
When the good days come they are never to late
So count your blessings as you make your way
For if our mind is open we will see them today
Blessing are both good and bad for me
Today I am blessed just to be free
So let the hard times come
We shall endure
God will bless
Us for sure

Daniel M Corkery
12/13/2002
PAPACORK@...
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer/

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

For many of us, the holiday season can present a particular challenge
around having a feeling of connection to God in the midst of
great expectation around family relationships that don't necessarily
receive the same attention through the year.
Sometimes our historical relationships do not feel supportive to us.
But a light-filled moment comes when we say,
³No one else's opinion about me can determine my worth.
My value comes from being a daughter or son of God.²
If we have a strong partnership with God,
we can see that criticism does not need to diminish us in any way.
We do the diminishment by how we respond to it.
Instead, when what looks like criticism comes our way,
we can pray about it, and then choose to see it in the light of helpfulness.
Mary Manin Morrissey

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

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.
It turns what we have into enough, and more.
It turns denial into acceptance,
chaos to order,
confusion to clarity.
It can turn a meal into a feast,
a house into a home,
a stranger into a friend.
Gratitude makes sense of our past,
brings peace for today,
and creates a vision for tomorrow.
Melody Beattie

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

Change is the end result of all true learning.
Change involves three things:
First, a dissatisfaction with self- a felt void or need;
second, a decision to change-to fill the void or need;
and third, a conscious dedication to the process of growth and change
- the willful act of making the change; Doing Something.
  Dr. Leo Buscaglia

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

Picture your body as a structure, with four rooms;
a physical, a mental, an emotional, and a spiritual room.
Do not live in just one room at a time,
but go into every room every day;
even if it is to only open a window and let in fresh air...

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

Love is the light that dissolves all walls
between souls, families and nations.
Paramahansa Yogananda

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

God put me on earth to accomplish a number of things;
right now I'm so far behind I will live forever.

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

FAITH = Fantastic Adventures In Trusting Him

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

SPONSOR = Sharing Person Offering Newcomer Support Of Recovery

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

SIT = Stay In Today

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

Sometimes you just have to wait...

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
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To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
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and write unsubscribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
www,health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Microwave Recovery
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/microwave.html

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

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

December 16
Whatever I am thinking right now
is creating how I am feeling.
I turn to positive and loving thoughts
because I choose to feel good. written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

Not Even Legal

I wanted to be accepted
And known as very cool
I partied with the best of them
And acted like a fool

Just on the weekends
Sounded great to me
If only it was that easy
In N.A.  I would not be

My life was a mess
Nothing was going right
All I did was use more drugs
And get in many fights

I didn't have any faith
I thought there was no hope
But I knew there had to be more
Than just using dope

I came to the rooms of N.A.
At nineteen years of age
With a great deal of fear
Not to mention all the rage

I thought I was too young
Totally to hardcore
To be classified as an addict
And for drugs to work no more

I didn't relate to everything
There were some things I didn't do
But if I had stayed out longer
I'm sure I would have too

I found some other people
Young and staying clean
That had been where I'd been
And seen what I'd seen

Reservations I had
About turning twenty-one
Turned into anticipation
Of having clean ole‚ fun

I work very hard
On every step I do
I have a sponsor and a home-group
And do service work too

I have my whole life
To look forward to now
With the help of my Higher Power
And Sponsor to show me how

So when a newcomer comes in
And wants to stay off drugs
I can offer my experience
And a whole lot of hugs

I don't know what comes next
I live Just For Today
All I can do is stay clean
And not forget to pray

Hi, my name is Leah and I've been clean for 2 years, 10
months and 11 days. I wrote this poem when I was in my
first year about Youth in Recovery. I hope you like it.
jap_leah@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Creative action
N.A. Way Magazine 7/1999
www.na.org/naway/en/naway163-9.htm

In Loving Service
www.bosewell.com/inlovingservice.htm

N.A. Archives
www.mwbr.net/narchive/carena/recovery/

*~*~*~*~*~*Earthgroup Marathon Meetings ROCK*~*~*~*~*~*

EARTH GROUP NA  presents

2006 NEW YEARS MARATHON
"SHARING AND CARING THE NA WAY"


Beginning at 6PM. December 31st. we will have 18hours
of non stop meetings.  Guest speakers will share
at Midnight and 10:30 AM. E.S.T.

Come and join us and share with other addicts from around
the world on one of the hardest nights of the year to stay clean.

The coffee will be hot, plenty of chairs, and lots of virtual Hugs
waiting. Spend the night with friends and family who care and
share the NA Way...

Join us at Join
www.earthgroupna.org
and click on chatroom or a direct link is
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.pl?id=114117

For more information contact Diane K. at chat@...

I will be at the midnight meeting on New Years Eve :)     Scott

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

Just For Today
December 16                   Where there's smoke...

"Complacency is the enemy of members with substantial clean time.
If we remain complacent for long, the recovery process ceases."
   Basic Text p. 80

  Recognizing complacency in our recovery is like seeing smoke in a room.
The "smoke" thickens when our meeting attendance drops, contact with
newcomers decreases, or relations with our sponsor aren't maintained.
With continued complacency; we won't be able to see through the smoke
to find our way out. Only our immediate response will prevent an inferno.

  We must learn to recognize the smoke of complacency. In NA, we have
all the help We need to do that. We need to spend time with other
recovering addicts because they may detect our complacency before we
do. Newcomers will remind us of how painful active addiction can be. Our
sponsor will help us remain focused, and recovery literature kept in easy
reach can be used to extinguish the small flare-ups that happen from
time to time. Regular participation in our recovery will surely enable us
to see that wisp of smoke long before it becomes a major inferno.

Just for today: I will participate in the full range of my recovery;
My commitment to NA is just as strong today as it was in the
beginning of my recovery.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

A CLASSIC PRAYER

Lord, make me a channel for thy peace --
that where there is hatred, I may bring love --
that where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness --
that where there is discord, I may bring harmony --
that where there is error, I may bring truth --
that where there is doubt, I may bring faith --
that where there is despair, I may bring hope --
that where there are shadows, I may bring light -
that where there is sadness, I may bring joy. Lord,
grant that I may seek rather to comfort than to be comforted -
to understand, than to be understood -
to love, than to be loved.
For it is by self-forgetting that one finds.
It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.
It is by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life.
Amen.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 99

No matter where I am in my spiritual growth, the St. Francis prayer
helps me improve my conscious contact with the God of my
understanding.  I think that one of the great advantages of my faith
in God is that I do not understand Him, or Her, or It.  It may be that
my relationship with my Higher Power is so fruitful that I do not have
to understand.  All that I am certain of is that if I work the Eleventh
Step regularly, as best I can, I will continue to improve my conscious
contact, I will know His will for me, and I will have the power to carry
it out.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden / December 16th

A.A. Thought for the Day

The way of A.A. is the way of faith.  We don't get the
full benefit of the program until we surrender our lives
to some Power greater than ourselves and trust that
Power to give us the strength we need.  There is no
better way for us.  We can get sober without it.  We
can stay sober for some time without it.  But if we are
going to truly live, we must take the way of faith in God.
That is the path for us.  We must follow it.
Have I taken the way of faith?

Meditation for the Day

Life is not a search for happiness.  Happiness is a
by-product of living the right kind of a life, of doing
the right thing.  Do not search for happiness, search
for right living and happiness will be your reward.
Life is sometimes a march of duty during dull, dark
days.  But happiness will come again, as God's smile of
recognition of your faithfulness.  True happiness is
always the by-product of a life well lived.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may not seek happiness but seek to do
right.  I pray that I may not seek pleasure so much as
the things that bring true happiness.

"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.

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 16, 2005

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

Taking Care of Ourselves Emotionally

What does it mean to take care of myself emotionally? I recognize
when I'm feeling angry, and I accept that feeling without shame or
blame.

I recognize when I'm feeling hurt, and I accept those feelings
without attempting to punish the source of my pain. I recognize
and feel fear when that emotion presents itself.

I allow myself to feel happiness, joy, and love when those emotions
are available. Taking care of myself means I've made a decision that
it's okay to feel.

Taking care of my emotions means I allow myself to stay with the
feeling until it's time to release it and go on to the next one.

I recognize that sometimes my feelings can help point me toward
reality, but sometimes my feelings are deceptive. They are important,
but I do not have to let them control me. I can feel, and think too.

I talk to people about my feelings when that's appropriate and safe.

I reach out for help or guidance if I get stuck in a particular
emotion.

I'm open to the lessons my emotions may be trying to teach me. After
I feel, accept, and release the feeling, I ask myself what it is I want
or need to do to take care of myself.

Taking care of myself emotionally means I value, treasure, explore,
and cherish the emotional part of myself.

Today, I will take care of myself emotionally. I will be open to, and
accepting of, the emotional part of myself and other people. I will
strive for balance by combining emotions with reason, but I will not
allow intellect to push the emotional part of myself away.

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

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

Love, Ego and The Purpose Of Life
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2005/December/feature3.html

Links to Abundance and Prosperity
<http://www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_fourth.htm#abundance>

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

Acceptance
by Roberta Maisel

Acceptance is a major theme of world religions. In modern life, however,
acceptance is always tension-filled and problematic. The urge to fix,
change, and improve pops up at every turn. Reinhold Neibuhr summed up this
tension in his Serenity Prayer, written in 1934: "God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I
can, and wisdom to know the difference." Not surprisingly, this elegant
prayer has become the mantra of Alcoholics Anonymous, spoken collectively at
the start of AA meetings. It could just as well be a prayer spoken at a
marriage ceremony, at the birth of a child, or by a head-of-state during an
inaugural address.

In exploring acceptance, the following Neibuhr-inspired questions come to
mind. They are not questions with easy answers but rather thinking points
that may stay with you for years, churning, provoking, and waiting for the
right moment to find resolution:

. What personal qualities are you unable to change, and, therefore are
forced to accept?

. What personal qualities are you unwilling to give up? What are the
consequences of this?

. What traits or behaviors in your adult children are you unable to
change? -- unwilling to try to change?

. What is your moral position regarding the attempt to change another
person, even (or especially) your own child?

. What is the relationship between self-acceptance and acceptance of your
adult child?

Pondering acceptance can lead us into some rich, many-veined mines.
Extracting the ore, however, is often difficult. We are obliged to accept
the fact of our aging and the inevitability of our death -- easy to say,
hard to do. A major function of religion is to help us to explain, rehearse,
and prepare for death. We are the only species that knows that death is
inevitable; it comes with the package. It colors our lives in big and little
ways. A healthy acceptance of aging and death allows us to cherish our time
on earth and to work to improve and fine-tune those things that can be
improved. Our relationship with our adult children may be one of those
things.

We are also obliged to accept the facts of our individual histories. We
cannot change, much as we might want to, our birthplace in a small town in
the Ozarks or a railroad flat in New York City. We can change our attitudes
to our past but not the facts of our past. If our parents were seriously
overweight, never learned to read, or were wheelchair bound, if our younger
brother was killed in action, if our sister got pregnant at 15 and had a
baby -- these chunks of our history have made their mark in our historical
panorama, and these people have taken their place in our life's cast of
characters.

In addition to the unchangeable facts of our histories are the often
implacable "givens" of our bodies. For all practical purposes, we are unable
to change genetically-based traits -- our musical ear (or lack of it), for
example. Coming to terms with physical infirmity, self-defined imperfection
and what we might define as "stigma" can involve a lifetime of hard work. A
6'2" woman or a 5'2" man in Anglo-American culture may stand out in a crowd
as too tall or disappear in a crowd as too short. Neither one can
significantly change his or her height. They were dealt a certain hand by
their DNA, or, if you like, by God. Accepting that hand is a formidable goal
towards which to work. Self-acceptance allows our lifework to be useful,
integrated and fulfilling. It allows our unique beauty -- yours and mine --
to unfold freely.

There are many parts of ourselves that we may be able to look at not just
with acceptance but with awe and wonder. Look at your hands, for example.
These two exquisitely deft instruments of manipulation are whole and able.
There are hundreds of things you do with them every day. Your opposable
thumbs represent millions of years of mammalian/simian/human evolution. With
them you can wrap a birthday present, give a friend a permanent, write a
shopping list, practice the violin, hold a baseball bat, button your jacket,
knot your tie, sand the turned legs of a country table, weave a rug or
hammer a nail. Your life is immensely improved because you have opposable
thumbs. Pay homage to them every once in a while; look at them in wonder.
Then consider your feet.

After you have done this for your magnificently nuanced physical
apparatus -- even if parts of it are too small or too large or not working
up to code -- then consider your heart. Not the muscular machine that beats
within your chest but the part of you that feels, empathizes, and loves. We
call this "organ" the heart because it is quintessentially vital for
spiritual life, just as the blood-pumping heart stands at the forefront of
physical life and death. Consider the heart as it relates to acceptance --
of ourselves and our loved ones and especially of our adult children.

By means of this heart we are able to stretch ourselves beyond basic animal
satisfaction of immediate needs. We can see and hear and feel the needs of
others with very different histories from our own. We have suffered in
various ways, so we conclude that others -- perhaps all others -- have
suffered as well. Author and critic G.K. Chesterton put it this way: "We are
all in the same boat in a stormy sea, and we owe each other a terrible
loyalty."' Can we feel compassion for our adult children's suffering instead
of denying it or fighting it? Can we accept our adult children's suffering
even when we, their parents, are partly responsible for it?

This last is a tall order. It suggests that we open a wound -- or, perhaps,
create a new wound -- a wound that may throb and bleed. But the more
profoundly you understand your children's suffering, the more you can accept
them and love them.

The following three "if-then" hypotheses are another expression of this
connection:

. If you can accept yourself as you are, then you will be able to accept
your adult child the way she is.

. If you are able to accept your adult child the way he is, then you will be
able to be a friend to him.

. If you are a friend to your adult child, then you will love her freely,
openly, and without impediments and she, in turn, can love you much the same
way.

This article is excerpted from All Grown Up, ©2001, by Roberta Maisel.
Reprinted with permission of the publisher, New Society Publishers.
www.newsociety.com

About the Author:
ROBERTA MAISEL is a volunteer mediator with Berkeley Dispute Resolution
Service in Berkeley, California. She is an enthusiastic parent of three
grown children and, at various times in her life, has been a school and
college teacher, antique shop owner, piano accompanist, and political
activist working with and for Central American refugees, homeless people and
Middle East peace. More recently she has given talks and workshops on aging,
living with loss, and getting along with adult children. When she became
widowed in 1993 at the age of 58, her life changed direction and she found
what she thinks of as a new calling -- writing. Her children have been a
deep source of inspiration and insight.

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

The Three Who Are One

There once was a being who for a while called itself
Frank. Frank was a spiritual person. He talked of
spirituality to everyone. He thought of himself as a
teacher, and of course, he was. Frank thought he had
a "dark side", which he mostly kept to himself.
Occasionally, he wore it like a crown. Of course, he
had great reason to have this side. He had an awful
childhood with many traumatizing events. He did not
receive what he needed as a child. He did not talk
about this to many. He kept it buried, deep inside.
This way, he did not have to deal with it and could
pretend that he had. He did not want anyone, least
of all himself, to think less of him by knowing his
secrets. After all, he knew all the spiritual talk, and
was very good at pretending to walk it.

There once was a being who for a while called itself
Henrietta.  Henrietta was a spiritual person. She talked
of spirituality to everyone. She thought of herself as a
teacher, and of course, she was. Henrietta thought she
was a deeply wounded being, which she thought she
kept mostly to herself. Actually, she wore it like a crown.
Of course, she had great reason to have these wounds.
She did not receive what she needed as a child. She
thought that by talking about this she could deal with
it. She wanted everyone to know her secrets. This way,
they would understand why she was the way she was and
accept her as the wounded self she knew she was. After
all, she knew all the spiritual talk, and walked it as long as
it allowed her to hold on to her wounded identity.

There once was a being who for a while called itself
George. George was a spiritual person. He rarely spoke
on spiritual topics. He knew he was a teacher, and of
course, he was. George quietly lived his life, feeling and
radiating peace. He had a childhood like everyone else.
He remembered only the love. He received what he
needed from inside. Many saw his peace, and came and
asked him how he was able to feel peace, no matter what.
When they asked, he told them. He had no attachment to
whether they believed his way or not. Many came to do so,
learning from his example. He did not know much spiritual
talk. He only knew love. He only knew who he was and
he lived it.

author unknown

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

GOD, make me a better person.

Teach me to understand people,
no matter how big or small they may appear to be by my estimate.
Show me where I have hidden my own defects of character
instead of me finding defects in others.

Teach me to listen to what people have to say;
to answer their questions unselfishly and fairly,
or just to simply reply with kindness.
Keep me from interrupting people,
or contradicting them when they speak.
Make me, as courteous and tolerant to others,
as I would expect them be to me.

Forbid that I should spread poison gossip;
don't let me laugh at others mistakes
or resort to shame or ridicule when people displease me.
May I never punish or condemn others, for my own selfish satisfaction,
or to show I have more power than them.

Let me not tempt others to lie, deceive or harm people.
And guide me, hour by hour, to demonstrate by all that I say and do,
that honesty will produce a stronger character and ultimately, happiness.

Reduce, I pray, this evilness in me, for it is my greatest enemy.
And when I feel out of patience with myself,
help me God, to hold back a vicious tongue.
May I ever be mindful that people are people,
and I should not impose on them, the judgement left for You, alone.
Let me not rob others, of the opportunity to make choices and decisions for
themselves.

Bless me, with the willingness to give, when the request is reasonable.
And the courage to deny things I know, from my experiences, can bring harm
by any measure.

Loan me, Your Wisdom, to have pure motives in all my affairs or endeavors.
And fit me, God, to be an instrument of Love and Respect, so others will
imitate me.

Amen
(Richard M, Criminals & Gangmembers Anonymous)
www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous

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

Masks Removed

Gradually the masks were removed
This is how I improved
Exposing the man deep inside
Yet right behind him
I saw a boy run and hide
Scared and trembling
He peeked out
The child hiding
Had so much doubt
He was to be seen and not heard
This really seemed so absurd
The man stood strong
He would not move
Protecting the little boy
The man stood tall
It would take a lot of work
To get to the bottom of it all
Many masks were exposed
And put aside
One of the strongest
Was false pride
Working the steps
I dug real deep
Even found something's
Good I decided to keep
A fourth step
Exposed many defects
Searching and fearless
I dug real deep
I then admitted to God
Myself and my sponsor
Then prayed for
The defects to be removed
Many masks were then exposed
That is the way this story goes
I no longer needed to hide
Behind defects like anger
Lying and false pride
Humbly I prayed for
My short comings
To be removed
Then this man
Rose up
Improved

Daniel M Corkery
11/8/2000
PAPACORK@...
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer/

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

It All Starts Today

I must remain steadfast,
And always stand tall,
I stay on my journey,
And pray I won't fall.

For God, He has given
This moment to me,
To love and to cherish,
To try to stay free.

Those shackles that bound me,
Locked up all alone,
A cell of my making,
My sins to atone.

I had no direction,
No map for my life,
Just wicked and evil,
And chained to my strife.

Then suddenly it happened,
I found a new way,
My life's getting better,
It all starts today.

Sharlett Hunt ©
Sharlette863@...

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

Never forget that we are more than what we do.
We are more than anything that we teach.
We are more than what we say.
We are more than we could ever express.
   Always keep in mind that the highest good will prevail
and your main job is simply to cooperate with it.
   It's ironic, but that is the key
to being truly in control -- cooperation.

John-Roger
(From: Spiritual Warrior, The Art of Spiritual Living)

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

Many of us believe we have full awareness
of who we are as God's daughters and sons.
But all of us see only a minor fraction of our potential.
If we can stand in the wonder,
awe and mystery of the yet unknown,
we will know that for all the sense of the miracle
that any of us have ever experienced,
it's a fraction of what's possible.
And if we stay true to our spiritual practice,
our connection with God's power and God's presence will grow.
Today is the day to stay in the practice.
  Mary Manin Morrissey

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

Those who anger you, conquer you.

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

Many people are either unwilling or unable to suffer the pain
of giving up the outgrown which needs to be forsaken.
Consequently they cling, often forever,
to their old patterns of thinking and behaving,
thus failing to negotiate any crisis,
to truly grow up and to experience the joyful sense of rebirth
that accompanies the successful transition into greater maturity.
M. Scott Peck

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

It's my business to do God's Business
and it's His Business to take care of my business.

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

Serenity is not freedom from the storm,
but peace amid the storm.

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

Prayer: don't bother to give God instructions,
just report for duty.

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

How come you're always running around looking for God?
He's not lost.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
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and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
www,health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer’s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

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

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org

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

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

MaMa
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/mama.html

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

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

December 15
Today I am experiencing all of my life.
It is exciting to be alive in each moment.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

To Whom It May Concern
By Brian Hazard

I felt the urge to correspond
But didn't know to who
So since you're always watching, God
I thought I'd write to you
I don't have flashy things to say
Or anything to preach
But sitting down and writing this
Helps keep me in your reach

I won't ask for serenity
Or food to fill my plate
I won't ask for surrender
As I have in sorry states

Instead I'll pray correctly
'Cause what I want makes me sick
So I'll ask you grant me something
But this time, God

You pick
:-)

September 14, 2000
written by ~ Brian H
quik_fix@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Finding the spirit in spirituality
N.A. Way Magazine 7/1999
www.na.org/naway/en/naway163-8.htm

A Lesson in Life
www.geocities.com/alaura1942/ALessonInLife.html

Symptoms of Inner Peace
www.geocities.com/alaura1942/SymptomsOfInnerPeace.html

*~*~*~*~*~*Earthgroup Marathon Meetings ROCK*~*~*~*~*~*

EARTH GROUP NA  presents

2006 NEW YEARS MARATHON
"SHARING AND CARING THE NA WAY"


Beginning at 6PM. December 31st. we will have 18hours
of non stop meetings.  Guest speakers will share
at Midnight and 10:30 AM. E.S.T.

Come and join us and share with other addicts from around
the world on one of the hardest nights of the year to stay clean.

The coffee will be hot, plenty of chairs, and lots of virtual Hugs
waiting. Spend the night with friends and family who care and
share the NA Way...

Join us at Join
www.earthgroupna.org
and click on chatroom or a direct link is
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.pl?id=114117

For more information contact Diane K. at chat@...

I will be at the midnight meeting on New Years Eve :)     Scott

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

Just For Today
December 15                                The joy of sharing

"There is a spiritual principle of giving away what we have been given
in Narcotics Anonymous in order to keep it. By helping others to stay
clean, we enjoy the benefit of the spiritual wealth that we have found."
  Basic Text p. 47

  Time and again in our recovery, others have freely shared with us what
was freely shared with them. Perhaps we were the recipients of a
Twelfth Step call. Maybe someone picked us up and took us to our first
meeting. It could be that someone bought us dinner when we were new. All
of us have been given time, attention, and love by our fellow members. We
may have asked someone, "What can I do to repay you?" And the answer
we received was probably a suggestion that we do the same for a newer
member when we were able.

  As we maintain our clean time and recovery, we find ourselves wanting to
do for others the things that someone did for us, and happy that we can.
If we heard the message while in a hospital or institution, we can join
our local H & I subcommittee. Perhaps we can volunteer on the NA help line.
Or we can give of our time, attention, and love to a newcomer we are
trying to help.

  We've been given much in our recovery. One of the greatest of these
gifts is the privilege of sharing with others what's been shared with us,
with no expectation of reward. It's a joy to find we have something that
can be of use to others, and that joy is multiplied when we share it. Today
we can do so, freely and gratefully.

Just for today: I have been given much in my recovery, and I am
deeply grateful for it. I will take joy in being able to share it with
others as freely as it was shared with me.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

"THY WILL, NOT MINE"

. . . when making specific requests, it will be well to add to each one of
them this qualification. ". . . if it be Thy will. "
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 102

  I ask simply that throughout the day God place in me the best
understanding of His will that I can have for that day, and that I be
given the grace by which I may carry it out. As the day goes on, I can
pause when facing situations that must be met and decisions that must
be made, and renew the simple request: "Thy will, not mine, be done."

  I must always keep in mind that in every situation I am responsible
for the effort and God is responsible for the outcome. I can "Let Go
and Let God" by humbly repeating: "Thy will, not mine, be done."
Patience and persistence in seeking His will for me will free me from
the pain of selfish expectations.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden / December 15th

A.A. Thought for the Day

Service to others makes the world a good place.
Civilization would cease if all of us were always and
only for ourselves.  We alcoholics have a wonderful
opportunity to contribute to the well-being of the
world.  We have a common problem.  We find a
common answer.  We are uniquely equipped to help
others with the same problem.  What a wonderful
world it would be if we took our own greatest
problem and found the answer to it and spent the
rest of our lives helping others with the same
problem in our spare time.  Soon we would have
the right kind of a world.
Do I appreciate my unique opportunity to be of service?

Meditation for the Day

Today can be lived in the consciousness of God's
contact, upholding you in all good thoughts, words,
and deeds.  If sometimes there seems to be a
shadow on your life and you feel out of sorts,
remember that this is not the withdrawal of God's
presence, but only your own temporary unwillingness
to realize it.  The quiet gray days are the days for
doing what you must do, but know that the
consciousness of God's nearness will return and be
with you again, when the gray days are past.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may face the dull days with courage.
I pray that I may have faith that the bright days
will return.

"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.

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

It's okay to have and feel our feelings--all of them.

  Years into recovery, we may still be battling with ourselves
about this issue. Of all the prohibitions we've lived with,
this one is potentially the most damaging and the most long-lived.
  Many of us needed to shut down the emotional part of
ourselves to survive certain situations. We shut down the
part of us that feels anger, sadness, fear, joy, and love. We
may have turned off our sexual or sensual feelings too.
Many of us lived in systems with people who refused to
tolerate our emotions. We were shamed or reprimanded for
expressing feelings, usually by people who were taught to
repress their own.

  But times have changed. It is okay now for us to
acknowledge and accept our emotions. We don't need to
allow our emotions to control us; neither do we need to
rigidly repress our feelings. Our emotional center is a
valuable part of us. It's connected to our physical well-
being, our thinking, and our spirituality.

  Our feelings are also connected to that great gift, instinct.
They enable us to give and receive love.
  We are neither weak nor deficient for indulging in our
feelings. It means we're becoming healthy and whole.

Today, I will allow myself to recognize and accept
whatever feelings pass through me. Without shame, I will
tune in to the emotional part of myself.

Today's meditation comes from the book
The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie copyright 1990

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

Secrets of the Lost Mode of Prayer
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2005/December/feature1.html

Links to Self Improvement ­ Body
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_fifth.htm#self

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

An Affair to Remember
by Alan Cohen

"Every problem comes to you with a gift in its hands."
-- Richard Bach

A third party has no power to break up a healthy relationship. No one can
come between you and your partner unless something has already come between
you and your partner. A mate having an affair is not the cause of a breakup;
it is a symptom of a breakdown in the fabric of the primary relationship.
From the Big Love perspective, an affair is not a cause for condemnation of
self or other; it can be the most valuable wakeup call of a lifetime.

The most important question to ask of a partner who has strayed is: "What
were you looking for that you were not finding in your primary
relationship?" There are two possible answers: (1) What he wanted was
available at home, but he did not have the vision, willingness, or ability
to see and claim it. Perhaps he bumped up against a fear of intimacy, or he
did not have the communication skills or emotional depth to work through the
issues; or (2) the home relationship simply did not have the substance for
longevity, the partners were not (or are no longer) well matched, or the
relationship was in some way toxic. The affair, then, was an unconscious
statement that something was not right with the primary relationship.

In either case, the affair coming to light is a blessing. If the love at
home was real, both partners now have the opportunity to go deeper, tell
more truth, heal the issues that were troubling them, and create a
partnership that transcends what both were settling for. Like a broken bone,
when a fractured relationship heals, it grows stronger than it was before
the break, strongest at the point where it knit.

If there was not a lot of substance to the relationship in the first place,
or the partners grew irrevocably in different directions, it is probably a
blessing that one partner took the step to leave. The affair set into motion
a series of events that forced you to tell more truth and ultimately
freed both of you to get on with your lives. Granted, it would have been
more gentle if the person who strayed came forward with direct
communication, but, as the saying goes, actions speak louder than words. Our
bodies communicate what our words do not, and if your wife took her body to
another man's bed, she is making a statement that cannot be denied.

The only thing worse than an affair that comes to light is an affair that
does not come to light. Yes, there was pain and upset in the aftermath of
the revelation, but consider the alternative: You could have gone on for
many years trudging through a half-relationship, your issues buried and your
hearts weeping, never confronting the issues that were slowly killing you.
Rejoice that you can now take the next step toward going deeper with each
other, or moving apart. At least you have the truth on your side now.

Don't waste a moment blaming the third party. Who he is, or how she
connected with you or your partner, and the details of the drama are of
little importance in the face of the gifts and lessons available to you and
your partner. Truth be told, it could have been anyone. If you or your
partner wanted to leave, there are millions of people to run to, and if it
wasn't Sally or John, it would have been Sue or Bill. The name, face, and
story are far less significant than the who. And if there have been several
or more outside partners, it really doesn't matter, for in such a case you
can see quite clearly that the behavior was about the mate who strayed, not
the third parties.

Meanwhile, the third party has her own inner work to do. Why she would
choose to get involved with someone who is married or in a relationship is
something she needs to look at and come to terms with. But one thing is
clear: That is none of your business. The less time and energy you spend
analyzing, judging, or punishing the partner who strayed or the third party,
the more time and energy you will have to make the experience work on behalf
of your own growth and the evolution of your relationship. Attempting to
blame a third party is a tactic of distraction that takes the spotlight off
of you and your partner. Bring your introspection back home, for it is there
that you will find healing.

An individual who is satisfied in a relationship cannot be seduced, nor will
she seek diversions. There may be momentary attractions, but if you and your
partner have a Big Love and the willingness to connect in depth, the
fulfillment both of you seek is present and available. Commitment is not
something you create by saying words; it is an experience of the heart, and
passing flirtations have no power over Big Love.

There is a principle in organic gardening that is true of relationships:
Pests are less likely to attack plants that are growing in healthy soil. You
can administer all kinds of pesticides or organic deterrents, but your best
defense against intruders is to nourish the soil from which the plant
derives its essential nutrients. Given a healthy foundation, plants develop
a natural immune system superior to external additives.

Translated into human relationship, the best way to ensure a committed
relationship is to keep feeding your partnership with truth, love, and
intimacy. These attributes are not ones that you should expect to get from
your partner (although you do): they are investments you make in your
relationship. The quickest route to hell in a relationship is to expect your
partner to fill your emptiness, and the most direct way to heaven is to give
what you want to receive. You only receive what you give, and you receive it
in the giving.

So it comes to this: you can thank and bless the third party as your teacher
and awakener. Certainly this was not their intention, but it is the gift you
choose to make of him or her. The third party pointed out aspects of
yourself, your partner, and your relationship that you may never have
discovered, or at least not for a long, long time. Bless and release the
third party and get on with the business of building the kind of
relationship you truly desire. Use the affair to create a Big Love with your
partner that goes far beyond what shaky love offered, or use the affair to
deepen loving yourself or create a more meaningful partnership with another
at a later time. Everything serves, and an affair is no exception.

About The Author:
Alan Cohen is the author of 15 popular inspirational books, including the
award-winning A Deep Breath of Life. To order Alan's new novel My Father's
Voice or request a free catalog of Alan's books, tapes, and seminars, call
1-800-462-3013 or visit Alan's web site at www.alancohen.com. For info on
upcoming events, contact 455A Kukuna Road, Haiku, HI 96708, (800) 568-3079,
email: admin@...

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

GOD'S EMBROIDERY

When I was little, my mother used to sew a great deal. I would
sit at her knee and look up from the floor and ask what she was
doing. She informed me that she was embroidering. As from
the underside I watched her work within the boundaries of
the little  hoop that she held in her hand, I complained to her
that it sure looked messy from where I sat.  She'd smile at me,
look down and gently say, "Son, you go about your playing and
when I am finished with my embroidering, I will put you on my
knee and let you see it from my side." I would wonder why she
was using some dark threads along with the bright ones and why
they seemed so jumbled from my view.

A few minutes would pass and then I would hear Mother's voice
say, "Son come sit on my knee." This I did only to be surprised
and thrilled to see a beautiful flower or sunset. I could not
believe it, because from underneath it looked so messy. Then
mother would say to me. "My son, from underneath it did look
messy and jumbled, but you did not realize that there was a
plan on the top. It was a design. I was only following it. Now
look at it from my side and you will see what I was doing."

Many times through the years, I have looked up to heaven and
said, "Father what are You doing?" He has answered, "I am em
broidering your life." I say, "But it looks like such a mess to me.
It seems so jumbled. The threads seem so dark. Why can't they
all be bright?" The God seems to tell me, "My child, you go
about your business of doing My business, and one day I will
bring you to Heaven and put you on my knee and you will see the
plan from My side."

AUTHOR UNKNOWN

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

Resentments

I choose repeatedly to swell to anger and hurt,
I allow myself to mull it over,
And over
  And over
Though the act of pain is done, I am not finished with it.
IT IS MINE AND I KEEP IT.
But it is unhealthy,
It keeps me sick
  I push God away with it.
I must embrace Him,
I will choose to allow Him the hurt,
To give Him the pain,
I will allow the ultimate surgeon to open the wound,
For He will perform the healing.
He will always give me life anew.
  As He cleansed the lepers He will cleanse me.
He will make me new again,
I will accept His gift of comfort,
His peace!
  His Love,
   His serenity.
For I will become willing to give it all to Him,
To lock it away for His safe keeping,
Not allowing IT to invade my very being,
  For I am His,
   And today He is mine
IT no longer belongs to me,
For I have let it go,
So I may make the choice to GROW!!!

written by ~ Patti Kelli
pattikelli@...

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

"Above all, be true to yourself,
and as surely as day follows night,
you can't be false to anyone."
Nido Qubein, ne William Shakespeare

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

"Of all the creature of earth, only human beings can change their patterns.
Man alone is the architect of his destiny...
Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds,
can change the outer aspects of their lives."
William James

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

I once was annoyed with a rude store clerk until I discovered
that she'd recently experienced a personal tragedy.
That taught me that when we know people's stories,
we feel compassion instead of judgment.
And everybody has a story.
Mary Manin Morrissey

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

The wise student hears of the Tao and practices it diligently.
The average student hears of the Tao and gives it thought now and again.
The foolish student hears of the Tao and laughs aloud.
If there were no laughter, the Tao would not be what it is.
Lao Tsu, Tao Te Ching

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

We set the sail;
God makes the wind.

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

Begin to weave
and God will Give you the thread.

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

When God says "no", it's because
He has something better in store for you.

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

The task ahead of us
is never as great as the Power behind us.

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

I'll do my dreaming with my eyes wide open,
and I'll do my looking back with my eyes closed.
Tony Arata

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

If you find a path with no obstacles,
it probably doesn't lead anywhere.
Unknown

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
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To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
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and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
www,health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Low Carb
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/lowcarb.html

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

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

December 14
Today I can look back with love in my heart,
knowing that every moment,
every experience of my life has been necessary,
valuable and significant.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

What if everyone right now stopped and listened to theirs hearts,
  yes stopped and listened to their hearts beat?
Felt its rhythm? Felt its power?

We all have this power keeping us alive.
All living beings have this in common.

Try it. Right now.

Breathe peace into the area where your heart lives.

Breathe peace out into the world.

Breathe love into the area where your heart lives.

Now breathe love out into the world.

Now feel that space where your heart lives stretch a little bigger to let
more love in.

Breathe in love to fill that space.

Breathe in love to fill your entire body.

Breathe out love to fill our world.
I am bringing more awareness to my breathe today,
knowing I can change how I feel with just one breath.
Today I choose to breathe in thoughts of love
and breathe it out into the world.

Namaste, Ruth
an excerpt from "Time For Peace"
spirithaven@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Seeking understanding
N.A. Way Magazine 7/1999
www.na.org/naway/en/naway163-7.htm

12 Step Tools
www.members.aol.com/_ht_a/sobertransitions/tools.html

The Gift
www.dennisjhopkins.com/Poems/Poem221.html

*~*~*~*~*~*Earthgroup Marathon Meetings ROCK*~*~*~*~*~*

EARTH GROUP NA  presents

2006 NEW YEARS MARATHON
"SHARING AND CARING THE NA WAY"


Beginning at 6PM. December 31st. we will have 18hours
of non stop meetings.  Guest speakers will share
at Midnight and 10:30 AM. E.S.T.

Come and join us and share with other addicts from around
the world on one of the hardest nights of the year to stay clean.

The coffee will be hot, plenty of chairs, and lots of virtual Hugs
waiting. Spend the night with friends and family who care and
share the NA Way...

Join us at Join
www.earthgroupna.org
and click on chatroom or a direct link is
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.pl?id=114117

For more information contact Diane K. at chat@...

I will be at the midnight meeting on New Years Eve :)     Scott

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

Just For Today
December 14                  Addiction, drugs, and recovery

"Addiction is a physical, mental, and spiritual disease that affects
every area of our lives."     Basic Text p. 20

  Before we started using, most of us had a stereotype, a mental image of
what addicts were supposed to look like. Some of us pictured a junkie
robbing convenience markets for drug money. Others imagined a paranoid
recluse peering at life from behind perpetually drawn drapes and locked
doors. As long as we didn't fit any of the stereotypes, we thought, we
couldn't be addicts.

  As our using progressed, we discarded those misconceptions about
addiction, only to come up with another: the idea that addiction was about
drugs. We may have thought addiction meant a physical habit, believing
any drug that didn't produce physical habituation was not "addictive:' Or
we thought the drugs we took were causing all our problems. We thought
that merely getting rid of the drugs would restore sanity to our lives.

  One of the most important lessons we learn in Narcotics Anonymous is
that addiction is much more than the drugs we used. Addiction is a part
of us; it's an illness that involves every area of our lives, with or
without
drugs. We can see its effects on our thoughts, our feelings, and our
behavior, even after we stop using. Because of this, we need a solution
that works to repair every area of our lives: the Twelve Steps.

Just for today: Addiction is not a simple disease, but it has a simple
solution. Today, I will live in that solution: the Twelve Steps of recovery

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
I can't afford to buy gifts for my family.
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

"I WAS SLIPPING FAST"

We A.A.'s are active folk enjoying the satisfactions of dealing with
the realities of life, . . . So it isn't surprising that we often tend to
slight serious meditation and prayer as something not really
necessary.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 96

I had been slipping away from the program for some time, but it took a
death threat from a terminal disease to bring me back, and particularly
to the practice of the Eleventh Step of our blessed Fellowship.
Although I had fifteen years of sobriety and was still very active in the
program, I knew that the quality of my sobriety had slipped badly.
Eighteen months later, a checkup revealed a malignant tumor and a
prognosis of certain death within six months.  Despair settled in when I
enrolled in a rehab program, after which I suffered two small strokes
which revealed two large brain tumors.  As I kept hitting new bottoms
I had to ask myself why this was happening to me.  God allowed me to
recognize my dishonesty and to become teachable again.  Miracles
began to happen.  But primarily I relearned the whole meaning of the
Eleventh Step.  My physical condition has improved dramatically, but
my illness is minor compared to what I almost lost completely.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden / December 14th

A.A. Thought for the Day

The way of A.A. is the way of service.  Without that, it
would not work.  We have been "on the wagon" and hated
it.  We have taken the pledge and waited for the time to
be up with impatience.  We have tried in all manner of
ways to help ourselves.  But not until we begin to help
other people do we get full relief.  It is an axiom that
the A.A. program has to be given away in order to be
kept.  A river flows into the Dead Sea and stops.  A river
flows into a clear pool and flows out again.  We get and
then we give.  If we do not give, we do not keep.
Have I given up all ideas of holding A.A. for myself alone?

Meditation for the Day

Try to see the life of the spirit as a calm place, shut away
from the turmoil of the world.  Think of your spiritual home
as a place full of peace, serenity, and contentment.  Go to
this quiet, meditative place for the strength to carry you
through today's duties and problems.  Keep coming back
here for refreshment when you are weary of the hubbub
of the outside world.  From this quietness and communion
comes our strength.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may keep this resting place where I can
commune with God.  I pray that I may find refreshment
in meditation on the Eternal.

"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.

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 14, 2005

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

Clear Thinking

Strive for clear thinking. Many of us have had our thinking clouded by
denial. Some of us have even lost faith in ourselves because we've spent a
degree of time in denial. But losing faith in our thinking isn't going to
help us. What we need to lose faith in is denial.

We didn't resort to denial - either of someone else's problem or our own -
because we were deficient. Denial, the shock absorber for the soul, protects
us until we are equipped to cope with reality.

Clear thinking and recovery don't mean we will never resort to denial.
Denial is the first step toward acceptance, and for most of our life, we
will be striving to accept something.

Clear thinking means we don't allow ourselves to become immersed in
negativity or unrealistic expectations. We stay connected to other
recovering people. We go to our meetings, where peace of mind and realistic
support are available. We work the Steps, pray, and meditate.

We keep our thinking on track by asking our Higher Power to help us think
clearly - not by expecting Him, or someone else, to do our thinking for us.

Today, I will strive for balanced, clear thought in all areas of my life.

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

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

Choosing a Good Therapist
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2005/November/vissell.htm

Links to Self Improvement - Mind & Spirit
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_fifth.htm#self2

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

Awareness is Power
by Dan Millman

Life is a great school, and nature is the ultimate teacher, but without
awareness, or free attention, we miss life's teachings. Awareness transforms
life experience into wisdom and confusion into clarity. Awareness is the
beginning of all growth.

Learning is more than knowing something new; rather, it involves doing
something new. The process of learning naturally involves errors. Masters
make as many mistakes as anyone; but they learn from them. To correct and
learn from an error, you need to become aware of it. Awareness of a problem
is the beginning of the solution.

Body mind masters are willing to make fools of themselves, to accept their
feelings of embarrassment or awkwardness, to begin anew and continue
practicing.

The usual measure of progress in a sport is the results: if you win the
match, sink the putt, accomplish your goal, then everything seems fine, but
if you lose, you know something is wrong. Awareness transforms that vague
"something" into a specific action you can correct or improve. As Lily
Tomlin once said, "I always wanted to be somebody, but maybe I should have
been more specific."

     Most problems precisely defined are already partially solved.

   - Harry Lorayne

If awareness were an intellectual capacity, then infants couldn't learn. But
awareness extends far beyond conceptual understanding to a whole-body
sensitivity arrived at through direct experience. Trying to learn or improve
a skill without specific awareness is like trying to apply a postage stamp
without adhesive -- it won't stick.

Learn to think with the whole body.

  - Taisen Deshimaru, Swordmaster

In training, as in life, errors are always with us. Learning is a process of
refining errors to the point where they no longer prevent our desired goal.
Errors exist even in our space program, but they have been minimized to an
almost invisible level. Even the "perfect 10.0" routines of Olympic gymnasts
contain errors, but they are small enough to be considered irrelevant.
Smaller errors make the master.

On our journey to mastery, become aware of weaknesses as well as strengths.
Awareness of our weaknesses enables us to strengthen them and improve
consistently. Awareness of our strengths breeds confidence and satisfaction.

Awareness, Disillusion, and Success
Awareness heals, but healing isn't always pleasant. Like a heavy drinker's
first realization that "I am an alcoholic", awareness may be painful, but it
frees us from illusion and empowers growth.

During my first few months training in the martial art of Aikido, I felt
frustrated. Proper execution of the Aikido movements requires relaxation
even while under attack. In the face of this demand to relax, I began to
notice tension in my shoulders. At first I thought the training was making
me tense. In fact, it seemed I was more tense than ever. But I came to
realize that I was only becoming aware of tension I had always carried.

This awareness, while troubling, allowed me to see and move beyond my
tension tendencies and to learn dynamic relaxation.

As my freshmen on the Stanford gymnastics team became more aware of their
errors, they would tell me in frustration how they "used to be better in
high school" and were "going downhill". This concerned me -- until I saw
films of them the year before, when it became obvious that they had improved
radically. Now aware of their errors, they had raised their standards.

This feeling that you are "getting worse" is a sign of growing awareness.
When writers are able to read their last draft and see their weaknesses,
their writing progresses. Awareness in sport, in relationships, in any
learning, often entails a momentary drop in self-esteem, a dent in
self-image. But this willingness to clearly see and acknowledge our many
mistakes -- to doggedly but temporarily make a fool of ourselves -- opens
the door to body mind mastery. When we feel like we're "getting worse", we
are finally ready to get much better.

Whole-Body Awareness
Most of us are willing to see our physical mistakes. The path of body mind
mastery also entails the willingness to acknowledge our mental and emotional
foibles -- to see ourselves in a less flattering light. We all have shadow
qualities, traits that are still immature or underdeveloped. These traits
often remain hidden -- especially from ourselves and our conscious awareness
only to surface momentarily in times of upset, pressure, or crisis.

We resist awareness of mental and emotional weaknesses because it's easier
to see physical errors -- you can visually observe the results. If you swing
and miss the baseball, slice the golf shot, or serve into the net, for
example, it's pretty obvious that you are making an error. Emotional and
mental weaknesses are much more difficult to observe because the results of
such weaknesses aren't as obvious or immediate.

We also identify more closely with our minds and emotions than we do with
our bodies. Most people are more reluctant to acknowledge mental or
emotional illness than physical illness. It stings more when we're called
stupid or immature than when we're called physically awkward. What we
identify with, we tend to defend.

An ice-cream vendor, pushing his cart through a park, stopped to listen to
someone sermonizing. As the speaker yelled, "Down with Fascism! . . . Down
with Communism . . . Down with big government!" the ice-cream vendor nodded
and smiled in agreement. But his expression suddenly soured and he walked
off, muttering under his breath, when the speaker added, "Down with ice
cream!"

Awareness is like sunlight over a dark well. You don't see the creatures
crawling around down there until the light of awareness shines directly on
them. This leads to humility, compassion, and freedom. Many of us, when
faced with a relationship crisis or difficulty, have seen parts of ourselves
we're not too crazy about. The same kind of awareness emerges in the fires
of training and competition. After many years as an athlete and coach (and
husband and father) I've had many opportunities to recognize my own
foolishness. It's never easy on my self-esteem, but these moments of insight
and acceptance have been essential to the progress I've made as an athlete
and human being.

     Then the time came
     when the risk it took
     to remain tight in a bud
     was more painful than
     the risk it took to blossom.

   - Anais Nin

For children, errors are natural; nearly all of what young children do is
make errors -- learning to walk, drink from a glass, or ride a bike. Kids
wet their pants, fall over, drop things. Yet they learn with a pace beyond
nearly any adult. Once you drop your defenses and become "like little
children" on your journey toward mastery, your learning accelerates.

Opening to the light of awareness provides a significant leap up the
mountain path toward the peaks of body mind mastery.

The Growth of Awareness
Awareness, like everything else, is subject to the law of natural order,
expanding from the gross (noticing you've just stubbed your toe) to the
subtle (noticing that your energy and attention are out of balance). The
following story illustrates the respect for refined awareness common in the
East, especially in the martial arts traditions:

An old samurai warrior knew his time on earth was nearing an end and wished
to bequeath his sword to the brightest of his three sons. He designed a
test.

He asked a friend to hide just inside his barn, above the doorway, and gave
him three small bags of rice. He then invited each son inside, one at a
time.

The first son, after feeling the rice bag fall on his head, drew his sword
and cut the bag in half before it hit the ground.

The second son halved the bag even before it hit his head.

The third son, sensing something amiss, declined to enter the barn -- and so
earned his father's sword.

   I learned to speak as I learned to skate or cycle: by doggedly making a
fool of myself until I got used to it.

     - George Bernard Shaw

Beginners, by definition, are not yet aware of their errors in a particular
skill. One sage reminds us, "We're all ignorant; only on different
subjects." No matter what our accomplishments in certain areas of life,
we're all beginners as we enter new territory.

The Margaret Analogy
At Oberlin College, I once had the pleasure of coaching a dedicated diver
named Margaret. Her progressive growth of awareness in learning a particular
dive parallels the stages we all go through in training -- and in daily
life.

After her first attempt at a dive, she had no awareness of what she had done
wrong and had to rely entirely on my feedback.

After several attempts, she could recount what she had done incorrectly
after the dive was finished and the errors had been made.

Before long she was becoming aware of her errors during the dive.

Finally, in one attempt, her awareness was integrated with body, mind, and
emotions before the dive, and the errors were corrected before they were
made. The dive was beautiful.

This example has profound implications for daily life, because we go through
the same process in all kinds of learning situations. In athletics or in
everyday life, self-awareness on all levels -- physical, emotional,
mental -- must touch the core of your being, to the point of catalyzing a
change in behavior. Intellectual awareness alone isn't enough.

Now comes a key point: Although we can indirectly influence our mind and
emotions, we have little or no direct control over thoughts or feelings,
which rise and pass like weather fronts. We have significantly more control
over our behavior -- despite what we are, or are not, thinking or feeling.
In fact, our behavior (how we move our arms, legs, and mouth) is the only
thing we can directly control. This is a great secret of success.

This article was excerpted from "Body Mind Mastery" ©1999 by Dan Millman.
Reprinted with permission of New World Library, Novato, CA, USA 94949.
www.newworldlibrary.com

About The Author:
Dan Millman is a former world trampoline champion, marital arts instruction,
gymnastics coach, and faculty member at Stanford, U.C. Berkeley, and Oberlin
College. Dan's books have inspired million of people in twenty languages
worldwide. He is the author of the well-known classic The Way of the
Peaceful Warrior. His most recent book, Living on Purpose, is published by
New World Library, www.newworldlibrary.com. For information, about Dan
Millman's work, visit his website at www.danmillman.com.


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

Self-Love
written by Robert Schuller

"A rebirth of Self-worth awaits you.  When that
happens you will be:
Poised, not tense ...
Confident, not confused ...
Bold, not timid ...
Enthusiastic, not bored ...
Successful, not failing ...
Energetic, not fatigued ...
Agreeable, not cantankerous ...
Positive, not negative ...
Self-forgiving, not self-condemning ...
Self-respecting, not self-disgusting.

Now, for your exercise today, repeat the affirmations
of the positive descriptions for your life... I am poised,
I am confident, etc.  I AM!  The two most important
words that can shape your life.  I am loved.  I am wanted.
I am important.  I am God's!

Discover true self love.  Come alive!  Get motivated!
Discover God and all that He has for you today.  God is alive,
whether you believe in Him or not.  God loves you, whether
you love yourself or not.  It's a happy day today because God
loves me, I love myself too!

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

WHEN THE WHOLE WORLD STINKS

Do you remember the story of the sailor who
over-imbibed and fell asleep at his table? His
buddies smeared a bit of strong smelling cheese
dip on his mustache, which caused him to wake up
and look around. He sniffed and then walked
outside, sniffed again and came back in, walked
out and back in one more time and finally sat back
down in his seat. "It's no use," he said to his friend,
"the whole world stinks!"

    Ever felt that way? We have all experienced
bad days and horrible situations. We've felt
trapped, helpless and, at times, hopeless. We
may have even believed that the whole world
stinks.

But I like the tremendous way one woman has
learned to approach living. She grew up in
extreme poverty, but was privileged to be in a
Sunday School class taught by a young woman
named Alice Freeman Palmer, who was later to
become president of Wellesley College. One
Sunday, the teacher asked the children to find
something beautiful in their homes, and then tell
the other children about it the next week.

The following Sunday, when the little girl was
asked what she found that was beautiful at home,
she thought of her impoverished condition and
replied, "Nothing. There's nothing beautiful where
I live, except ... except the sunshine on our baby's
curls."

Years later, long after Mrs. Palmer's untimely
death, her husband was lecturing at a university
in the western United States. He was approached
by a distinguished looking woman who fondly recalled
that she had been a member of his wife's Sunday
School class. "I can remember that your wife once
asked us to find something beautiful in our homes,
and that I came back saying the only beautiful thing
I could find was the sunshine on my sister's curls.
But that assignment your wife made was the turning
point in my life. I began to look for something
beautiful wherever I was, and I've been doing it
ever since." That one suggestion turned her life around.

If you have been thinking your "whole world stinks,"
the daily habit of looking for something beautiful can
help you see the good that is in the world, and
transform your hope into enough positive energy
to build a life that counts.

Steve Goodier

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

A Promise

I am more powerful than all the combined armies of the world.
I have destroyed more men than all the wars of the nations.
I have caused millions of accidents and wrecked more homes
than all the floods, tornadoes and hurricanes put together.
I am the world's slickest thief,
I steal billions of dollars each year.
I find my victims among the sick and poor alike,
the young, the strong and the weak.
I loom up to such proportions,
that I cast a shadow over a field of labor.
I am relentless, insidious and unpredictable.
I am everywhere, in the home, on the street,
in the factory, in the office, on the sand and in the air.
I bring sickness, poverty and even death.
I give nothing and take all.
I am your worst enemy.
I am alcohol.
I am patient and I am waiting.

Anonymous

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

A GIMMICK TO GET US OUT OF THE DUMPS
By Bill W.


(The following was written by Bill W., co-founder of
Alcoholics Anonymous for "The Road Back©", a bimonthly
publication by the Dublin, Ireland, group in June 1980, and
is reprinted there-from.)

I think we oldsters who have put the A.A. booze cure to such
severe tests, yet still find we lack emotional sobriety, are
probably the spearhead for the next major development in
AA - the development of something like real maturity and
balance (which is to say, humility) in our relations with ourselves,
with our fellows and with God. Those adolescent urges for top
approval, perfect security and the perfect romance, urges
quite appropriate to age 17, prove to be an impossible way of
life at 47 or 57.

Since AA began, I've taken immense wallops in all these
departments because of my failure to grow up, emotionally
and spiritually. How painful it is to keep insisting on the
impossible, and how painful to discover that we have the cart
before the horse. Then comes the final agony of seeing how
wrong we are, but still finding ourselves unable, seemingly, to
get off the merry-go-round.

Problem of Everyone. How to translate right intellectual
conviction into right emotional results and so into easy, happy,
active and good living - that's not only the neurotic's problem.
It's the problem of life itself for all who have got to the
point of willingness to hew to right principles. Even then, as
we hew away, peace and joy still elude us. That's the place so
many of us AA oldsters have come to. How shall the unconscious
- from which our fears, compulsions and phony aspirations still
stream - be brought into line with what we actually believe,
know and want? How to convince our dumb, raging and hidden
"Mr. Hyde" becomes the final task.

I've recently become to believe this can be done. I believe so
because I began to see many benighted ones, folks like you and
me, commencing to get results.

Last fall, depression, having no really rational cause at all, took
me to the cleaners. I began to be scared that I was in for
another five-year chronic spell. Considering the grief I've had
with depression, it wasn't a bright prospect.

I kept asking myself, "Why can't the twelve steps work to
release depression?" By the hour I stared at the St. Francis
prayer.. It's better to understand than to be understood. It's
better to love than be loved.. It's better to comfort than to be
comforted." Here was the formula. But why didn't it work?

Suddenly I realized what the matter was. My basic flaw had
always been dependence, absolute dependence, on people or
circumstances to supply me with prestige, security and romance.
Failing to get these, according to my still childish dreams and
specifications, I had fought for these things. And when defeat
came, so did depression. There wasn't a chance of making the
outgoing love of Francis a workable and joyous way of life until
these fatal and really absolute dependencies were cut away.

Because I had undergone a little spiritual development the
absolute quality of these frightful liabilities had never before
been so starkly revealed. Therefore, reinforced by what grace
I could secure in prayer, I found I must exert every ounce of
will and action to cut off these emotional dependencies upon
people, upon A.A. - indeed upon any set of circumstances whatever.
Then, only then, would I be free to love as Francis could.
Emotional or instinctual satisfactions, I saw, were really the
extra dividends of having love, offering love and expressing
love appropriate to each relation of life.

Must Offer Love To God. Plainly, I could not avail myself of
God's love until I was able to offer it back to Him by loving
others as He would have me. And I couldn't possibly do that
so long as I was victimized by my dependencies. For dependencies
meant demand; demand for possession and control of people
and conditions.

While the words "absolute dependency" may look like a gimmick,
they were the ones that triggered my release into my present
stability and quietness of mind which I am now trying to
consolidate by having love and offering love, regardless of
the return.

This is the primary healing circuit; our outgoing love of God's
creation and His people, by which we avail ourselves of His
love for us. But the real current can't flow until our
dependencies are broken at depth. Only then can we have a
glimmer of what adult love really is.

Spiritual calculus, you say? Not a bit of it. Watch any A.A. of
six months working on a new 12th step case. If the case says,
"the hell with you," the 12th stepper smiles and turns to another
case. He doesn't feel frustrated or rejected. If his case
responds and starts to give love and attention to other
alcoholics, but returns none to the sponsor, then the sponsor
is happy anyway. He still doesn't feel rejected.

And when his case turns out in later time to be his best friend
(or romance), then the sponsor is joyful. But his happiness and
joy were by-products, and no more. The real stabilizing thing
was having the offering of love to that strange drunk on the
doorstep. That was Francis at work, powerful and practical,
minus dependency and minus demand.

In my first six months of sobriety, I worked hard with many
alcoholics. Not one responded, but they kept me sober. It wasn't
a question of their giving me anything. Stability came out of
giving, not of receiving.

Thus I think it will work out with emotional sobriety. If we
examine every disturbance we have, great or small, we can
find at the root of it some sort of unhealthy dependency and
consequent demand. Let us hack away at these chains, begging
God's help. Then we shall be set free to love. We shall then be
able to 12th step ourselves and others into emotional sobriety.

I haven't offered you a single new idea - just a gimmick that
has started to unhook my several "hexes" at depth. My brain
no longer races compulsively in either elation, grandiosity or
depression. I have been given a quiet place in bright sunshine.

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

What Better Time

What better day than today
To love the brothers and sisters
As we strive real hard to give it away
What better chance then right now
To find those who are suffering
And teach them the principals of
H. O. W.
What better way to touch others
Then by our truth
By our honesty
and
Our humility
As we share our experience
Strength and hope
Telling the dying how we cope
With reality
Telling them
How we now see
What better day then today
To love the new comers
With understanding
Compassion
Forgiveness
Prayer
Vision
Faith
What better day then today
To turn around
And give it away
When all they want
Is peace today
Those of us who
Suffered
Can say
This is how we do it
Just for today

Daniel M Corkery
11/5/2000
DMCDREAMER1@...
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer/

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

Grace

From the kiss of dawn to the caress of night
let the kindness of your words,
the courage of your heart and
the strength of your spirit
bless the light of day.

© Copyright 1999
Terri McPherson
tmcphers@...
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
www.wisehearts.com/lfc.htm

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

Whatever I see without is a reflection of what
I have first seen within my own mind.
I always project into the world
the thoughts, feelings and attitudes
which preoccupy me. I see the world differently
by changing my mind about what I want to see.
Gerald Jampolsky

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

Choices are the hinges of destiny
Edwin Markham

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

Practice appreciating for the first fifteen minutes
you are awake every day.....
Appreciation first thing in the morning
-- is one of the most valuable efforts you can make
to create more heart coherence in your system
and release you from old attitudes that no longer serve you.
Doc Childre

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

I am part of all that I have met.
Ulysses, from Homer's 'Odyssey'

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

Do your best and then sleep in peace.
  God is Awake.

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

God has a Purpose and Plan for me
that no one else can fulfill.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The Will of God will never take you to
where the Grace of God will not keep you.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Your Eye on Him*~*~*~*~*~*~*

We are responsible for the effort,
not the outcome.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Light To Someone Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
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To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
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and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
www,health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Walk the Walk
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/walk.html

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

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

December 13
Today I am willing to share all of me with another human being.
I am willing to trust that this process
will free me from the burdens of my past.
I am ready to let go.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

An Addicts Child's Legacy

Please son don't be like me, don't fulfill my legacy.
I pray God, give my boy his own destiny, don't end up like me.
Looking for addicts on street corners, drugs for sale,
Just to be another dealer in jail.
Addictions the next step, no pride left, a body's' up for grabs,
So skinny, so sad, but true-,
Doesn't matter, she's a part of me too.
Please son don't be like me, God, I pray you let him be...
A happy guy, a "regular joe",
Not out trying to fill a space, so dark and unknown.
A man with faith in his heart and love in his eyes,
Never having to ask the regretful "whys".
And give him your grace as he makes lifes mistakes.
Please son, don't be like me,
I'm asking this in my new sobriety.
Please God, send this message for me,
Cause I'm writing this from a cell in jail and my boy's only three...
And by the way, God, thanks for setting me free!

Alicia Pettola #237608
steps2serenity@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Am I a human being having a spiritual experience
or a spiritual being having a human experience?
N.A. Way Magazine 7/1999
www.na.org/naway/en/naway163-6.htm

Taking A Trip
www.geocities.com/alaura1942/TakingATrip.html

Favorite Slogans
www.recoverygreetings.com/slogans.html

*~*~*~*~*~*Earthgroup Marathon Meetings ROCK*~*~*~*~*~*

EARTH GROUP NA  presents

2006 NEW YEARS MARATHON
"SHARING AND CARING THE NA WAY"


Beginning at 6PM. December 31st. we will have 18hours
of non stop meetings.  Guest speakers will share
at Midnight and 10:30 AM. E.S.T.

Come and join us and share with other addicts from around
the world on one of the hardest nights of the year to stay clean.

The coffee will be hot, plenty of chairs, and lots of virtual Hugs
waiting. Spend the night with friends and family who care and
share the NA Way...

Join us at Join
www.earthgroupna.org
and click on chatroom or a direct link is
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.pl?id=114117

For more information contact Diane K. at chat@...

I will be at the midnight meeting on New Years Eve :)     Scott

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

Just For Today
December 13                                   Membership

"There is only one requirement for membership, the desire to
stop using."   Basic Text p. 9

  We all know people who could benefit from Narcotics Anonymous.
Many people we encounter from all walks of life-our family members,
old friends, and co-workers-could really use a program of recovery
in their lives. Sadly, those who need us don't always find their way
to our rooms.

  NA is a program of attraction, not promotion. We are only members
when we say we are. We can bring our friends and loved ones to a meeting
if they are willing, but we cannot force them to embrace the way of life
that has given us freedom from active addiction.

  Membership in Narcotics Anonymous is a highly personal decision. The
choice to become a member is made in the heart of each individual addict.
In the long run, coerced meeting attendance doesn't keep too many
addicts in our rooms. Only addicts who are still suffering, if given the
opportunity, can decide if they are powerless over their addiction. We
can carry the message, but we can't carry the addict.

Just for today: I am grateful for my decision to become a member of
Narcotics Anonymous.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

A SAFETY NET

Occasionally. . . We are seized with a rebellion so sickening that we
simply won't pray.  When these things happen we should not think
too ill of ourselves.  We should simply resume prayer as soon as we
can, doing what we know to be good for us.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 105

Sometimes I scream, stomp my feet, and turn my back on my
Higher  Power.  Then my disease tells me that I am a failure, and
that if I stay angry I'll surely get drunk.  In those moments of
self-will it's as if I've slipped over a cliff and am hanging by one
hand.  The above passage is my safety net, in that it urges me to
try some new behavior, such as being kind and patient with myself.
It assures me that my Higher Power will wait until I am willing
once again to risk letting go, to land in the net, and to pray.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden / December 13

A.A. Thought for the Day

We come now to A.A. fellowship.  It is partly group
therapy.  It is partly spiritual fellowship.  But it is
even more.  It is based on a common illness, a common
failure, a common problem.  It goes deep down into our
personal lives and our personal needs.  It requires a
full opening up to each other of our inmost thoughts
and most secret problems.  All barriers between us
are swept aside.  They have to be.  Then we try to help
each other get well.  The A.A. fellowship is based on a
sincere desire to help each other get well.  The A.A.
fellowship is based on a sincere desire to help the
other person.  In A.A. we can be sure of sympathy,
understanding, and real help.  These things make the
A.A. fellowship the best that we know.
Do I fully appreciate the depth of the A.A. fellowship?

Meditation for the Day

The Higher Power can guide us to the right decisions if
we pray about them.  We can believe that many details
of our lives are planned by God and planned with a wealth
of forgiving love for the mistakes we have made.  We can
pray today to be shown the right way.  We can choose the
good, and when we choose it, we can feel that the whole
power of the universe is behind us.  We can achieve a real
harmony with God's purpose for our lives.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may choose aright today.  I pray that I may
be shown the right way to live today.

"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.

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 13, 2005

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

Giving

Don't be afraid of giving.

For a while, we may need to back off from giving as we learn to
discern the difference between healthy giving and caretaking,
which leave us feeling victimized and others feeling resentful.

This is a temporary spot.

To be healthy, to do our part in this spiritual way of life, to be
part of the endless cycle of the Universe, guided by our Creator,
we need to give and receive.

Both parts are important.

What is healthy giving?

This is a fine lined behavior each of us must seek to understand
for ourselves. It is giving that feels good and does not leave us
feeling victimized.

It is giving that holds the giver and the receiver in high esteem.

It is giving based on a desire to do it rather than from a sense
of guilt, pity, shame, or obligation.

It is giving with no strings attached. Or it is giving based on a
clean, direct contract.

Whether it is giving our time, efforts, energy, comfort, nurturing,
money, or ourselves, it is giving that we can afford.

Giving is part of the chain of giving and receiving. We can learn to
give in healthy ways; we can learn to give in love. We need to keep
an eye on our giving, to make sure it has not crossed the line into
caretaking. But we need to learn to give in ways that work for us
and others.

Today, God, guide me in my giving. Help me give to others in healthy
ways. Help me give what feels right, what feels good, what feels clean,
and what I can afford.

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

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

God Did Not Desert You, Alan Cohen
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2005/November/cohen.htm

Links to Creating a Soulful home
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_fifth.htm#home

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

Discover Silence
From Precious Solitude by Ruth Fishel

  "Silence is a tool, a context for direct personal, intuitive
understanding Of how things are...Its great overriding value
is the support it provides for insight; its immediate evidence
is, it's a relief!"
Sylvia Boorstein

  From the moment we wake up in the morning until the moment
we fall asleep at night, our lives are almost always filled with
noise.  Our sleep is even filled with noise, although we aren't
aware of it.  There's a good chance that most of the sounds
we hear around us come from many of the following: refrigerator
motors, telephones, airplanes, radios, TVs, cars, trucks, doors
slamming, door bells, water running, computers, printers, faxes,
photocopy machines, dogs barking, children playing, answering
machines, alarms, microwave buzzers, air conditioners, videos
and so much more!  Depending on where you live there might be
babies crying, trains whistling, backhoes roaring, or even saws
whining.  We become so conditioned to a great deal of this noise
that we are barely aware of it.  When is the last time that you
were aware of your refrigerator's motor, for example?  It's
always on but we usually become aware only when it stops.  Only
in the silence can we hear something missing.

  Some of us are more sensitive to noise than others.  I have a
hard time when a clock is ticking, no matter how lightly.  When I
am away from home and hear a clock at night, I have to hide it
under a cushion in order to fall asleep.   But whether we consciously
hear noise or not, it is there and we are far less serene when it is
within our hearing range.

  Take a machine noise break!  Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. write,
"Silence comes to heal the blows of sound."  It is wonderful just
to be quiet and  hear the birds or the waves, the barely audible
sound of a grasshopper, or the rustle of leaves being lifted by
the breeze.  Silence heals us from the wounds of which we are
barely aware.  Take a walk into the woods and listen to the sounds
of nature. Walk in a field of wild flowers or along the shore.
Climb up a mountain or into a valley. Listen to the corn or palm
leaves swaying.

  If you can't leave the house, turn off the telephone and put your
answering machine all the way down.  Turn off the refrigerator
for 10 minutes.  Don't turn on the TV, radio or computer. Remove
yourself from the sound of a ticking clock or any other repetitive
noise.  It can't do any harm and the silence will be amazingly
peaceful.

   Author Sylvia Boorstein calls silence the fence for wisdom.  I
love that image!  I can see myself climbing over a fence from a
place full of noise to a deliciously silent space where I effortlessly
tune in to creativity and wisdom.

  Mahatma Gandhi said that in the attitude of silence the soul finds
the path in a clearer light.  What is elusive and deceptive resolves
itself into crystal clearness.  He believed that our life is a long and
arduous quest after Truth.

  If it is not possible to find time for silence during the day, wait
for everyone to go to sleep, or wake up a few minutes before
everyone else.  Be with yourself in silence.  A few moments of
silence can start your day off with inner peace or end a hectic day
with serenity.

Today I will nurture my soul by taking at least ten minutes to
connect with the peace and tranquility of silence.

written by ~ Ruth Fishel
spirithaven@...
www.spirithaven.com


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

Who packs your parachute?

Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us, we miss what is
really important.  We may fail to say hello, please, thank you, congratulate
someone on something wonderful that has happened to them, give a
compliment, or just do something nice for no reason.
   Charles Plumb, a US Naval Academy graduate, was a jet pilot in Vietnam.
After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air
missile.  Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands.  He was
captured and spent 6 years in a communist prison. He survived the ordeal
and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience.

   One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at
another table came up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in
Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk.  You were shot down!"
"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb.
"I packed your parachute," the man replied.

   Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude.  The man grabbed his hand and
said, "I guess it worked!"

   Plumb assured him, "It sure did.  If your chute hadn't worked, I
wouldn't be here today."

   Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about that man.  Plumb kept
wondering what the man might have looked like in a Navy uniform. He
wondered how many times he might have seen him and not even said good
morning, how are you or anything, because you see, he was a fighter pilot
and the man was just a sailor.  Plumb thought of the many hours that sailor
had spent in the bowels of the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds and
folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time the fate of
someone he did not know.

   Now Plumb asks his audience, "Who is packing your parachute?"  Everyone
has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day.

   Plumb also points out that he needed many kinds of parachutes when his
plane was shot down. As you go through your week, month, and even New
Year..... recognize the people who have packed your parachute and enabled
you to get where you are today!

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

Teach Me

Teach me, God, so that I might know
The way to change and the way to grow.
Give me the words to ask You how
To handle the here and live in the now.

Tempt me not with the valleys of death,
Give me freedom from fear in every breath.
And though mistakes I make in my daily life,
Deliver me from aiding strife.

Understand me, God, as I am now
And show me the furrows I need to plow.
To reach my goal as a ripening food,
So I might feed others all that is good.

Fill me with energy known as the Power,
Until I come to rest at the midnight hour.

from the book: Twelve Step Prayer Book - Second Edition


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

Big Book reading mistakes:

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our loves had become
unmanageable.

2. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our wives had become
unmanageable.

3. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become
unmentionable.

4. Sought through prayer and medication...

5. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong probably
admitted it.

6. What? An order?? I can't go through with it!!!

7. We will comprehend the word cemetery and we will know peace.

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

Uptight Before Christmas

Uptight before Christmas, all through these rooms
alcoholics were stricken with holiday gloom.
They prayed, "Santa, please make us happy, joyous & free,
bring us candy and presents and serenity."
Greed filled their minds and envy their hearts
and someone said, "It's time for the meeting to start!"
"Does anyone have a topic for discussion tonight?"
Every face in the place turned wintery white!
They lost all self-seeking, self-pity and self-will
when down through the chimney came the ghost of St. Bill!
He chuckled and said as he sat himself down
"Call the White House and tell 'em there's a new Dubya in town."
Then he looked through a Big Book and said with a tear,
"Wow! No one rewrote this after all these years!
"Clean house, help your neighbor, be loving and kind,
"and don't take the first drink one day at a time.
""How could a message as simple as this
"be realized, analyzed and intellectually dismissed?
"There lies the reason this ghost has arrived:
to re-give a gift that has saved all your lives!"
Then he set up a big screen and a DVD
so every lost soul in the meeting could see.
He played a movie of drunks at their best and their worst,
what is and what was when blessed and cursed.

There were scenes of a housewife passed out at a bar,
a respectable businessman wrecking his car,
a fight in a kitchen, a fight in bed,
a fight at a reception between newlyweds.
An empty bottle, a desperate man
alone in a motel with a gun in his hands.
He puts down the gun and picks up the phone
and whimpers and blubbers, "Honey, let me come home."
She hangs up as she tells him, "Don't call here anymore."
He reaches for the phone book and falls to the floor.
Somehow that phone book seems to capture his gaze:
it's open to a number under the "A"'s.
Then all of the people in the movie converged
on the poor side of town in the basement of a church.
Driven together in a willing herd
to hear of hope and deliver the word.

The ghost of Bill W. turned off the TV
and said, "The first word of the first step is 'we'.
"I suggest you start there and see where you go.
"Be thorough and fearless, and please-take it slow!
"Let faith set the tone, let love make the mood
"and as for a topic...how about 'gratitude?
"Just don't drink, go to meetings and pray
"and be glad you're alive and sober today.
"Be a good woman, be a good man
"and be of service whenever you can.
"Be a good mother, be a good dad
"and try to be good to your kids when they're bad.
"Be a good husband, be a good wife...
"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good life!"


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

Peace is possible.
Each moment that one individual chooses peace inside,
the whole of humanity moves forward.
We each have the ability and responsibility
to become peacemakers in our daily lives.
John Morton

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

Courage isn't the absence of fear;
it's the dealing with it.
Randall

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

However far the stream flows, it never forgets its source.
Nigerian Proverb

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

Your miracles are an inside job.
Go there to create the magic that you seek in your life.
Wayne Dyer

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

No matter what is happening in your life,
know that God is Waiting for you with open Arms.

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

We can never really go where God is not,
and where He is, all is well.

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

I am God's Melody of life and
He Sings His Song through me.

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

God Promises a safe landing,
not a calm passage.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Slime Ball
http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/slimeball.html

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

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

December 12
There is something special waiting for me to do with this day.
I know that when it is time
I will be inspired from a place deep within myself.
I trust that I will know what to do when the time is right.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

I'm Free at Last

The many years I've wasted, yet,
Those times that I'll not soon forget,
The past is gone, I can't relive,
The knowledge that I must forgive.

With mile after mile of misery,
Regret, far as the eye can see,
A life so filled with tales af woe,
And sorrows man should never know.

Whichever way the wind would blow,
Would steal my heart and off I'd go.
The hurt I caused so many then,
I never cared if foe or friend.

It lives with me, this thing called, "past",
With all the things that never last,
This moment lives in time, you see,
It's more than just a memory.

My hope is just to linger still,
And live each moment as I will,
I'm free at last,  I found a way,
To just be happy, day by day!

Sharlett Hunt  12/11/04 ©
Sharlette863@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Terima kasih banyak banyak
Bahasa Melayu for³Thank you very, very much²
N.A. Way Magazine 7/1999
www.na.org/naway/en/naway163-5.htm

Quotations to Ponder in Our Recovery
http://www.geocities.com/alaura1942/QuotationsRecovery1.html

From Your Higher Power
http://www.geocities.com/alaura1942/FromYourHigherPower.html

Love
http://www.geocities.com/alaura1942/Love.html

*~*~*~*~*~*Earthgroup Marathon Meetings ROCK*~*~*~*~*~*

EARTH GROUP NA  presents

2006 NEW YEARS MARATHON
"SHARING AND CARING THE NA WAY"


Beginning at 6PM. December 31st. we will have 18hours
of non stop meetings.  Guest speakers will share
at Midnight and 10:30 AM. E.S.T.

Come and join us and share with other addicts from around
the world on one of the hardest nights of the year to stay clean.

The coffee will be hot, plenty of chairs, and lots of virtual Hugs
waiting. Spend the night with friends and family who care and
share the NA Way...

Join us at Join
www.earthgroupna.org
and click on chatroom or a direct link is
http://client0.sigmachat.com/sc.pl?id=114117

For more information contact Diane K. at chat@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Just For Today
December 12                  Fear of change

"By working the steps, we come to accept a Higher Power's will....
We lose our fear of the unknown. We are set free." Basic Text p. 16

  Life is a series of changes, both large and small. Although we may
know and accept this fact intellectually, chances are that our initial
emotional reaction to change is fear. For some reason, we assume that
each and every change is going to hurt, causing us to be miserable.

  If we look back on the changes that have happened in our lives, we'll
find that most of them have been for the best. We were probably very
frightened at the prospect of life without drugs, yet it's the best thing
that's ever happened to us. Perhaps we've lost a job that we thought
we'd die without, but later on we found greater challenge and personal
fulfillment in a new career. As we venture forth in our recovery, we're
likely to experience more changes. We will outgrow old situations and
become ready for new ones.

  With all sorts of changes taking place, it's only natural to grab hold of
something, anything familiar and try to hold on. Solace can be found in a
Power greater than ourselves. The more we allow changes to happen at
the direction of our Higher Power, the more we'll trust that those
changes are for the best. Faith will replace fear, and we'll know in our
hearts that all will be well.

Just for today: When I am afraid of a change in my life, I will take
comfort from knowing that God's will for me is good.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

OVERCOMING LONELINESS

Almost without exception, alcoholics are tortured by loneliness.
Even before our drinking got bad and people began to cut us off,
nearly all of us suffered the feeling that we didn't quite belong.
AS BILL SEES IT, p. 90

The agonies and the void that I often felt inside occur less and
less frequently in my life today.  I have learned to cope with
solitude.  It is only when I am alone and calm that I am able to
communicate with God, for He cannot reach me when I am in
turmoil.  It is good to maintain contact with God at all times, but
it is absolutely essential that, when everything seems to go wrong,
I maintain that contact through prayer and meditation.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden / December 12th

A.A. Thought for the Day

Clergymen speak of the spiritual fellowship of the church.
This is much closer to the A.A. way than mere group therapy.
Such a fellowship is based on a common belief in God and a
common effort to live a spiritual life.  We try to do this in
A.A.  We also try to get down to the real problems in each
others lives.  We try to open up to each other.  We have a
real desire to be of service to each other.  We try to go
deep down into the personal lives of our members.
Do I appreciate the deep personal fellowship of A.A.?

Meditation for the Day

Love and fear cannot dwell together.  By their very natures,
they cannot exist side by side. Fear is a very strong force.
And therefore a weak and vacillating love can soon be routed
by fear.  But a strong love, a love that trusts in God, is sure
eventually to conquer fear.  The only sure way to dispel fear
is to have the love of God more and more in your heart and soul.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that love will drive out the fear in my life.  I pray that
my fear will flee before the power of the love of God.

"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.

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 12, 2005

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

God's Will

Each day, ask God what God wants us to do today; then ask God to help.
A simple request, but so profound and far reaching it can take us
anywhere we need to go.

Listen: all that we want, all that we need, all the answers, all the help,
all the good, all the love, all the healing, all the wisdom, all the
fulfillment of desire is embodied in this simple request. We need say
no more than Thank You.

This Plan that has been made for us is not one of deprivation. It is one
of fullness, joy, and abundance. Walk into it.

See for yourself.

Today, I will ask God to show me what God wants me to do for this day,
and then ask for help to do that. I will trust that is sufficient to take me
into light and joy.

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

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

Spiritual Technology
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2005/November/opinion.htm

Links to Love and Relationships
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_fifth.htm#relationships2

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

  Being Aware of Our Gift
by Marilyn C. Barrick, Ph.D.

Each of us has the opportunity to accept and welcome the gift of living
fully in the present. When we awaken to the eternal here and now, we feel
alive, mobilized, our senses quickened. Each moment fully experienced
becomes an integral part of the sculpting of our future. As we live today,
we create our tomorrows.
Today we may choose to be happy, cheerful and kind, to do our creative best
at work, to relax in play. We may embrace life, accept and learn from the
good and the not-so-good moments, appreciate and understand our family,
friends and colleagues and support and forgive one another when difficulties
arise.

All of these choices represent a creative way of living the fullness of our
day. When we spend a day that way, we feel great when we go to bed. We have
done our part to create a happy, productive tomorrow.

By contrast, if we spend the day grumbling, groaning, sad, depressed,
resentful, withdrawn, fearful or angry, we're not having a very good
today -- and we are definitely not creating a good tomorrow.

Think about it. We are offered many choices. We choose how we perceive and
handle life's happenings. We choose how we want to respond to each
experience in our life. With every choice we carve another aspect of our
future.

Pain as an Essential Inner Teacher
We can actually reach a point where a sudden happening and the accompanying
loss or pain is not such a big deal. We accept that pain is simply a part of
life. We cut our finger, and it heals. We lose friends and gain new ones. We
smart from the hurt of someone's unkind action and either work it out with
that person or decide to let it go. Wounds, losses, pain -- yes, they do
hurt, but pain itself is a part of the healing process.

Think of people who are born without pain receptors, who do not feel pain.
They often injure their bodies terribly. They can put their hand on a hot
stove and not feel it and come away with the tissue totally burned. So pain
is a teacher; pain is a warning; pain is a signal. It's a type of inner
radar that says, "Hey, there's something happening you need to pay attention
to."

As the Tibetan Master, Djwal Kul, once said, "Pain has no dominion over you,
but pain is an essential teacher.... Embrace her, move through her, beyond
her and find your manifest reality."'

When we are faced with pain, we may choose to explore it, to understand it
and to learn the soul lesson inherent in it. The secret is keeping our heart
open. Think of the avatars and the saints. They kept their hearts open even
when they suffered great pain. Jesus and Gautama kept their hearts open.
Padre Pio, Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa kept their hearts open. We may
choose to walk in their footsteps.

As we allow ourselves to realize we are wounded, to be aware of the pain and
go deeper and deeper to its source, we reach deep into the well of our being
to release old hurts, old poisons. That's why we embrace pain. It's not
because we love the fact that it hurts. Nobody likes to hurt. But we choose
to embrace pain because it's a piercing, an opening of a wound that allows
the hurtful poison to be released. Then we can let it heal.

Think about that for a minute. Isn't it true that we tend to hold on to what
we have? Even if it's poisonous, at least it's familiar. So we hold on to
old wounds, old ideas, old grudges by thinking about them, recreating them.
Whether it is a person, a lifestyle, family, friends or simply our way of
doing things -- whatever we hold on to gives us pain when it goes its way.
When we release our attachment, we feel surcease from the pain.

Being Awake
The Buddha as the Enlightened One taught nonattachment because he understood
this process. How did he get there? Through communion with God and his
determination to be awake. The Buddha said we all need to be awake! We need
to be awake to greet the new day -- with new eyes, new perspective, new
hopes and dreams.

We deny ourselves this awakened state when we stay stuck in our pain. Our
awareness doesn't extend beyond the pain and the fixed ideas we may have
about what is causing it. Or it may be that we try to hide from our
feelings, from fully experiencing the pain. When we do this, we feel upset,
tense, boxed in. Yet it is a box of our own making.

It's as if we are holding tightly to the past with our eyes firmly shut to
the present. Of course, with closed eyes, we can't see the new day, the new
opportunity, the possibility of a lesson learned, a gain of new perspective.
What to do? We may choose to open our eyes, even as we open our hearts and
turn on the awareness of our five outer senses and our sixth sense -- our
intuition.

What is intuition anyway? It's that sense of inner knowing that comes from
being "awake." Buddha's state of awakeness is not as far from our grasp as
we might think. It is the awakening of our soul to inner perceptions, inner
truths, inner wisdom. You have probably experienced this state many times in
your life without even realizing it. It's a part of our spiritual nature
that we sometimes take for granted. Life sure is a lot easier when we allow
our intuition to guide us.

Of course, this doesn't mean that difficult life situations are always going
to "come up roses." But every time we meditate, pray, contemplate and take
positive action, we learn and grow. Our victories strengthen our faith, and
defeats bring lessons our souls need to learn.

Either way, when we choose to be awake, aware and grateful in the present
moment, we offer ourselves the best opportunity for happiness today. In so
doing, we create a better tomorrow. And you know what? We may catch a
glimpse of the angels smiling.

Humor in the Ups and Downs of Life
Our sense of happiness also has to do with the way we choose to look at
misfortune. We may look only at the downside or we may choose to discover an
upside. The choice is up to us.

Do you remember the folktale of the old man whose only horse disappeared?
When his friends tried to console him, the old man said, "How do you know
this isn't a lucky omen?"

Sure enough, after several months, the lost horse came back home accompanied
by another excellent horse. Now he had two fine steeds. When the old man's
friends congratulated him on his good luck, he replied, "How do you know
that's not a bad omen?"

Sure enough! One day the old man's son fell off the horse and broke his leg
severely. It left him crippled. When the old man's friends called to tell
him how sorry they were, he responded, "How do you know this isn't a good
omen?" As the story goes, shortly after the man's son broke his leg, all the
young men in the land were ordered into the army to fight a war far away.
However, the old man's son, lame from his accident, was spared.

We could carry this story on and on. It illustrates the ups and downs of
life, which we may view as misfortune or opportunity, depending on the way
we look at them. Some times the seemingly tragic or insolvable dilemma of
today is only a prelude to a great opportunity of tomorrow -- especially
when we choose to look at it that way.

When we accept the misfortunes of today as a potential blessing for
tomorrow, we put in motion positive energy that helps make it happen. It's
like noticing the silver lining of the clouds -- when the clouds move on, we
discover the sun has been shining brightly all the time. In our inner world,
we begin to move the storm clouds along by focusing on loving, creative
thoughts and feelings.

Another way of nurturing a hopeful attitude in the present is to keep your
sense of humor alive and well. A good laugh relaxes our body and mind even
as it lifts our spirits. A sense of humor about the slightly ridiculous
aspects of life generates laughter, and the joyful energy of laughter brings
a brighter perspective.

When we stay in the here and now of the present, we find more laughter and
fewer tears. The problem for many of us is that we bury the tears of
yesterday and carry them into our tomorrows. Instead, let's choose to cry
when we are hurt, smile when we are happy and welcome each new day with hope
and humor.

Now you might be thinking, "I don't usually wake up feeling hopeful and
humorous. In fact, until I get my first cup of coffee, it's better if I
don't talk to anybody." Let's take a look at this: You could moan and groan
all day -- especially if you discover you are out of coffee.

Or you could see the funny side of the drama: "Hmmm, here I am basing my
whole day on passing feelings and a cup of coffee. That's pretty
ridiculous!" Cartoonists are masters at taking the minor mishaps of our
lives and satirically showing us the humor of our ways.

What does it take to cultivate a sense of humor about our mishaps?
Perspective. Adopting an attitude of positive expectancy instead of gloom
and negative pronouncements.

I remember a friend who had limited finances. When she was in dire need, she
would always say, "I'm expecting a check." One time I asked her, "Who from?"
She said, "I don't know, but I'm expecting a check."

The delightful truth of this story is that this woman would suddenly get
checks out of nowhere. Money seemed to drop from the skies in envelopes
addressed to Ruth Farnam. It was as if once she set her consciousness with
positive expectation and perfect faith, the universe complied.

Planting Seeds of Love and Hope
People have written and talked about this phenomenon as having a "positive
mental attitude. " I believe it is a natural law of the universe that
whatever we send out to life returns to us. We know this from our
interactions with people every day. When our heart is full of love,
everything seems to move along harmoniously. When we put out negative vibes
and verbiage, we get it right back. We would do well to follow Thumper's
advice in the movie, Bambi. "If you can't say somethin' nice, don't say
nuthin' at all!"' The lesson here: Whatever we send out, we get back. Karma
is our teacher!

Each of us puts on many faces, sometimes all in the course of a day. We take
on different outlooks depending on our circumstances, companions, thoughts
and desires. As Piero Ferucci puts it, "Life may appear to us at any time as
a routine, a dance, a race, an adventure, a nightmare, a riddle, a
merry-go-round, etc."'

In a word, we have the opportunity to see life as a cup half-full or a cup
half-empty. When we see our cup of life half-empty and draining, we feel
drained and empty. When we see our cup of life half-full and filling, we
feel energized and overflowing. It is all a matter of the perspective we
choose.

This article is excerpted from Sacred Psychology of Change, ©2000, by
Marilyn C. Barrick, Ph.D. Reprinted with permission of the publisher, Summit
University Press. Tel. 1- 406-848-9500. ww.tsl.org

About the Author:
Marilyn C. Barrick, Ph.D. , clinical psychologist and workshop leader,
specializes in inner-child work, relationship counseling, dream analysis,
Gestalt techniques, spiritual self-help exercises and EMDR trauma release
therapy. Dr. Barrick's popular book, Sacred Psychology of Love was the first
in her series on spiritual psychology. Sacred Psychology of Change is the
second book in the series. (Dr. Barrick's other books.) For additional
information, Dr. Barrick invites you to visit her web site at
www.spiritualpsychology.com

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

Keys To Personal & Spiritual Growth

1. Attention - being disciplined and committed to make and take
the time to explore who we are.

2. Intention - being clear, positive, and purposeful in all that
we do.

3. Intuition - becoming more open, aware, impersonal, inclusive,
universal, and relaxed and playful.

4. Tension - recognizing and accepting the signs of transition.
Remember: if there is no tension, there is no growth.

5. Meditation - using this tool to progressively connect with our
senses, calm the mind, contemplate abstract qualities and then
use intuition to connect with the divine.

6. Action - acting through awareness, and not just reacting.
Having some disciplined routines. "Intuit and Do it."

7. Acceptance - learning to embrace everything with gratitude, as
all is divine. Resistance creates separation.

8. Mind Development - broadening our minds, strengthening our
will, developing more awareness and focus.

9. Taming our Emotions - becoming aware of and acknowledging
emotions, learning not to react to them, and exploring them for
insights.

10. Physical Responsibility - honoring our bodies and the natural
laws that govern our physical form.

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

A Work of Art

  Edward Fischer writes in Notre Dame Magazine (February, 1983),
that a leper in Fiji followed the leading of his twisted hands.
He became an internationally known artist. "My sickness I see as
a gift of God leading me to my life's work," he said. "If it had
not been for my sickness, none of these things would have
happened."

  As a young girl, Jessamyn West had tuberculosis. She was so sick
that she was sent away to die. During that time she developed her
skill as a writer and authored numerous novels in her lifetime.

  That great author Flanner O'Connor suffered numerous ailments --
lupus struck her at 25 and she walked only with the aid of
crutches for the final fourteen years of her life. She noted,
however, that this illness narrowed her activities in such a way
that she had time for the real work of her life, which was
writing.

  Some people succeed in spite of handicaps. Others succeed because
of them. The truth is... our problems help to make us what we
are. Those who suffer often learn the value of compassion. Those
who struggle often learn perseverance. And those who fall down
often teach others how to rise again. Our troubles can shape us
in ways a care-free existence cannot.

  A story is told of an Eastern village which, through the
centuries, was known for its exquisitely beautiful pottery.
Especially striking were its urns; high as tables, wide as
chairs, they were admired around the globe for their strong form
and delicate beauty.

  Legend has it that when each urn was apparently finished, there
was one final step. The artist broke it -- and then put it back
together with gold filigree.

  An ordinary urn was then transformed into a priceless work of
art. What seemed finished wasn't... until it was broken.

  So it is with people! Broken by hardships, disappointments and
tragedy, they can be either discarded or healed. But when mended
by a hand of infinite patience and love, the finished product
will be a work of exquisite beauty -- a life which could only
reach its completeness after it was broken.

  If you feel broken remember... you are a work of art! And you may
not actually be complete until the pieces are reassembled and
bonded with a golden filigree of love.

Copyright 1999 by Steve Goodier

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

  Walk With Me

Walk with me by my side
Together we can walk the road
In me your deepest thoughts confide
Letting go of the fear lightens the load.

We can help each other on the spiritual path
Guiding the way as you will discover
Learning to live and maybe even to laugh
The person inside you will surely recover.

The road to freedom is through the fear
Through trials and pains you will grow
Reaching out for help God is always near
The way out of the darkness will begin to show .

Walk with me by my side
Together we can make the stand
Happiness awaits I must confide
Recovery works hand in hand.

Ellen Lucivero 1997
drmctcher@...

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

Slogans That A.A. Rejected

1) I want patience NOW!
2) Be optimistic, it pisses off pessimists!
3) Do you see a problem with consuming something called "Good SHIT"?
4) Life may sometimes suck but it beats the hell out of the alternative.
5) Do something DIFFERENT for a CHANGE!
6) Slips don't just happen, so let's call them Jumps!
7) Birds of a feather drink coffee and smoke cigarettes together!
8) God is in you and me, so please stop getting him stoned!
9)  If you think a person is a jerk give them a break, you're really not
         that bad!
10)  He who refuses to learn shouldn't teach!
11)  Don't be so smug, a drug is a drug is a drug!
12)  Get High on Nature, EAT DIRT!
13)  Smiles are contagious, infect someone who doesn't deserve it.
14)  "Man, this coin can't even get me on the bus!"
15)  If I looked like you, I would have Drank too!
16)  Don't blame me, You enabled me!!
17)  You may be in recovery, but your still stupid.
18)  "And I thought I was bad!!"
19)  HUG  (Have Undisclosed Gun)
20) A.A. "Alcoholics Anonymous?  I thought this was the Auto Club!"

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

Humble Thyself
Mary Manin Morrissey

"There's a story about a wealthy fellow who goes to a
Zen monastery seeking the secret to life.  But instead
of listening to the Master, the fellow does nothing but
speak of his accomplishments.

The Zen Master pours the man a cup of tea as he continues
his monologue. Suddenly, the man looks down, and sees his
teacup overflowing onto the saucer and down the table.
'What's wrong with you?' he bellows at the Zen Master.
'The tea is overflowing all over the place!'

The Zen Master responded: 'The secret of life is having
some emptiness so that the Universe can give you its gift.'

The man was so full of himself, that he had no room for God.
Have you created space for a miracle to occur? If our cup is
always full, what can be poured into it?"

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

Thought is the blossom;
language the bud;
action the fruit behind it.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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

"Few are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows,
the censure of the colleagues, the wrath of their society.
Moral courage is a rarer commodity
than bravery in battle or great intelligence.
Yet it is the one essential, vital quality for those
who seek to change a world that yields most painfully to change.
Each time a person stands up for an idea,
or acts to improve the lot of others,
or strikes out against injustice,
(s)he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope,
and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and
daring,
those ripples build a current that can sweep down
the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."
Robert F. Kennedy

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

DETACH =
Dont
Even
Think
About
Calling
Him/Her

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

Unless commitment is made,
there are only promises and hopes...
but no plans.
Peter Drucker

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

If just one person can be helped
we have done our job
in carrying the message to those who suffer.

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

If you feel far away from God,
guess who moved?

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

Fear knocked.
Faith answered.
No one was there.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

What you have been given is God's Gift to you.
What you become is your Gift to God.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A LIGHT To Someone*~*~*~*~*~*~*

12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
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Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
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Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

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New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Serenity
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/serenity.html

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

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

December 11
The world can not change overnight, nor can I.
Just one step at a time, one day at a time,
I'm exactly where I need to be
to get to exactly where I am going.
I trust this process today.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

12 Tips For Successful Meetings

1. Atmosphere: Offer unconditional support, love and
     acceptance; talk to newcomers.

2. Structure: Begin and end the meeting on time;
     adhere to traditional format.

3. Focus: Honestly and consistently share experience,
     strength and hope.

4. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions: Practice the
     Steps and Traditions; show commitment to the
     program.

5. Sponsors: Have them available and willing to help
     others.

6. Abstinent members: Show commitment to abstinence
     and physical recovery; qualify when sharing; show
     enthusiasm for program.

7. Program spoken here: Focus on program basics and
     solutions; practice principles before
     personalities; don't allow cross talk.

8. Literature: Use and display only Conference-
     approved literature.

9. Service: Show enthusiasm, encouragement and
     support.

10. Rotation of service: Have reliable,
     responsible and committed members in service
     positions; honor abstinence requirements; hold
     regular group conscience meetings.

11. Service above the group level: Promote
     participation at intergroup and other service body
     activities.

12. Fellowship: Come early and stay late; reach
     out to members between meetings; socialize with
     members outside the meeting.

Reprinted from Lifeline Magazine, March 2000

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Recovery without God
N.A. Way Magazine 7/1999
www.na.org/naway/en/naway163-4.htm

Recovery Word Search
www.recoverygreetings.com/newsletter/amazing.html

Children Are Worth Saving HOME PAGE
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/7836/main.html

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

Just For Today
December 11                          Misery is optional

"No one is forcing us to give up our misery." Basic Text p. 29

  It's funny to remember how reluctant we once were to surrender to
recovery. We seemed to think we had wonderful, fulfilling lives as using
addicts and that giving up our drugs would be worse than serving a life
sentence at hard labor. In reality, the opposite was true: Our lives were
miserable, but we were afraid to trade that familiar misery for the
uncertainties of recovery.

It's possible to be miserable in recovery, too, though it's not necessary.
No one will force us to work the steps, go to meetings, or work with a
sponsor. There is no NA militia that will force us to do the things that
will free us from pain. But we do have a choice. We've already chosen
to give up the misery of active addiction for the sanity of recovery.
Now, if we're ready to exchange today's misery for even greater peace,
we have a means to do just that-if we really want to.

Just for today: I don't have to be miserable unless I really want to be.
Today, I will trade in my misery for the benefits of recovery.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

A DAILY REPRIEVE

What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance
of our spiritual condition.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 85

Maintaining my spiritual condition is like working out every day, planning
for the marathon, swimming laps, jogging.  It's staying in good shape
spiritually, and that requires prayer and meditation.  The single most
important way for me to improve my conscious contact with a Higher
Power is to pray and meditate.  I am as powerless over alcohol as I am
to turn back the waves of the sea; no human force had the power to
overcome my alcoholism.  Now I am able to breathe the air of joy,
happiness and wisdom.  I have the power to love and react to events
around me with the eyes of a faith in things that are not readily
apparent.  My daily reprieve means that, no matter how difficult or
painful things appear today, I can draw on the power of the program
to stay liberated from my cunning, baffling and powerful illness.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden / December 11th

A.A. Thought for the Day

Doctors think of the A.A. fellowship as group therapy.
This is a very narrow conception of the depth of the
A.A. fellowship.  Looking at it purely as a means of
acquiring and holding sobriety, it is right as far as it
goes.  But it doesn't go far enough.  Group therapy is
directed toward the help that the individual receives
from it.  It is essentially selfish.  It is using the
companionship of other alcoholics only in order to stay
sober ourselves.  But this is only the beginning of real
A.A. fellowship.  Do I deeply feel the true AA. fellowship?

Meditation for the Day

Most of us have had to live through the dark part of our
lives, the time of failure, the nighttime of our lives, when
we were full of struggle and care, worry and remorse,
when we felt deeply the tragedy of life.  But with our
daily surrender to a Higher Power comes a peace and joy
that make all things new.  We can now take each day as a
joyous sunrise-gift from God to use for Him and for other
people.  The night of the past is gone, this day is ours,

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may take this day as a gift from God.  I pray
that I may thank God for this day and be glad in it.

"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.

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 11, 2005

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

Affirmations

One of our choices in recovery is choosing what we want to think - using our
mental energy positively.

Positive mental energy, positive thinking, does not mean we think
unrealistically or revert to denial. If we don't like something, we respect
our own opinion. If we spot a problem, we're honest about it. if something
isn't working out, we accept reality. But we don't dwell on the negative
parts of our experience.

Whatever we give energy to, we empower.

There is magic in empowering the good, because whatever we empower grows
bigger. One way to empower the good is through affirmations: simple positive
statements we make to ourselves: I love myself... I'm good enough... My life
is good...I'm glad I'm alive today... What I want and need is coming to
me... I can...

Our choice in recovery is not whether to use affirmations. We've been
affirming thoughts and beliefs since we were old enough to speak. The choice
in recovery is what we want to affirm.

Today, I will empower the good in myself, others, and life. I'm willing to
release, or let go of, negative thought patterns and replace them with
positive ones. I will choose what I want to affirm, and I will make it good.

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

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

The New Golden Rules, An Essential Guide to Spiritual Bliss
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2005/November/feature4.html

A Conversation Marianne Williamson
www.inlightimes.com/archives/2000/04/williamson.htm

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

They're Playing Your Song

By Alan Cohen
author of "Living from the Heart."

When a woman in a certain African tribe knows she is pregnant,
she goes out into the wilderness with a few friends and together
they pray and meditate until they hear the song of the child.
They recognize that every soul has its own vibration that
expresses its unique flavor and purpose. When the women
attune to the song, they sing it out loud. Then they return
to the tribe and teach it to everyone else.

When the child is born, the community gathers and sings the
child's song to him or her. Later, when the child enters
education, the village gathers and chants the child's song.
When the child passes through the initiation to adulthood,
the people again come together and sing. At the time of
marriage, the person hears his or her song.

Finally, when the soul is about to pass from this world, the
family and friends gather at the person's bed, just as they
did at their birth, and they sing the person to the next life.

When I have shared this story in my lectures, a fair amount
of people in the audience come to tears. There is something
inside each of us that knows we have a song, and we wish
those we love would recognize it and
support us to sing it.

In some of my seminars I ask people to verbalize to a partner
the one phrase they wish their parents had said to them as a
child. Then the partner lovingly whispers it in their ear. This
exercise goes very deep, and many significant insights start
to click. How we all long to be loved, acknowledged, and
accepted for who we are!

In the African tribe there is one other occasion upon which
the villagers sing to the child. If at any time during his or her
life, the person commits a crime or aberrant social act, the
individual is called to the center of the village and the people
in the community form a circle around them. Then they
sing their song to them.

The tribe recognizes that the correction for antisocial behavior
is not punishment; it is love and the remembrance of identity.
When you recognize your own song, you have no desire or need
to do anything that would hurt another.

A friend is someone who knows your song and sings it to you
when you have forgotten it. Those who love you are not fooled
by mistakes you have made or dark images you hold about
yourself. They remember your beauty when you feel ugly; your
wholeness when you are broken; your innocence when you feel
guilty; and your purpose when you are confused.

One summer when I was a teenager I went to visit my cousin
and her family in Wilmington, Delaware. One afternoon she
took me to the community pool, where I met a man who
changed my life. Mr. Simmons talked to me for about ten
minutes. It wasn't what he said that affected me so deeply;
it was how he listened to me. He asked me questions about
my life, my feelings, and my interests.

The unusual thing about Mr. Simmons was that he paid
attention to my answers. Although I had family, friends,
and teachers, this man was the only person in my world who
seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say and valued
me for who I was.

After our brief conversation I never saw him again. I probably
never will. I'm sure he had no idea that he gave me the gift
of a lifetime. Maybe he was one of those angels who show up
for a brief mission on earth, to give someone faith, confidence,
and hope when they most need it.

If you do not give your song a voice, you will feel lost, alone,
and confused. If you express it, you will come to life. I have
also done a workshop exercise in which everyone in the room
is given a piece of paper with the name of a simple song on it,
such as "Mary Had a Little Lamb" or "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little
Star." In the whole group there are perhaps eight different
songs, and a half-dozen people have the same song named
on their paper.

Each person is then asked to mill around the room while they
whistle or hum their song. When they find someone else
playing the same song, they stay together until they find
everyone who is singing that song. Thus they create small
groups that serve as touchstones for the duration of
the program. Life is very much like this exercise. We attract
people on a similar wavelength so we can support each other
to sing aloud. Sometimes we attract people who challenge us
by telling us that we cannot or should not sing our song in
public. Yet these people help us too, for they stimulate us
to find greater courage to sing it.

You may not have grown up in an African tribe that sings
your song to you at crucial life transitions, but life is always
reminding you when you are in tune with yourself and when
you are not. When you feel good, what you are doing matches
your song, and when you feel awful, it doesn't. In the end,
we shall all recognize our song and sing it well. You may feel
a little warbly at the moment, but so have all the great
singers. Just keep singing and you'll find your way home.

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

Do you want a miracle in your life? The first condition
of any miracle is a state of emptiness, a place of receptivity.
We're not just rehashing and rehearsing what's been.
We're not struggling with the what-is.  We're pausing.
We're getting quiet and opening up.  We're creating a sense
of spaciousness for a deeper awareness and connection,
altering the daily habit of our lives.  We create that space of
receptivity through prayer.

Mary Manin Morrissey

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

Countdown to Recovery

10 Alcoholics, all in a line.  One got to thinking --
    Then there were Nine.

9 Alcoholics, one said, "Wait!  A near beer can't hurt!"
  Then there were eight.

8 Alcoholics, lookin' up to heaven.  One cut out meetings --
  Then  there were seven.

7 Alcoholics, doing service for kicks.  One started grumbling --  
  Then there were six.

6 Alcoholics, glad to be alive.  'Til one smoked pot --
  Then there were five.

5 Alcoholics, greeters at the door.  One played the Big Shot --  
  Then there were four.

4 Alcoholics, for fun and for free.  One's case was "different" --  
  Then there were three.

3 Alcoholics, knowing what to do.  One rewrote the Big Book --
  Then there were two.

2 Alcoholics, having some fun.  One started lying --
  Then there was one.

1 Alcoholic, talking to HP.  "If only one is sober --
  I'm glad that it's me!"

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

       I keep my paint brush with me
       Wherever I may go,
       In case I need to cover up
       So the real me doesn't show.

       I'm so afraid to show you me,
       Afraid of what you'll do - that
       You might laugh or say mean things.
       I'm afraid I might lose you.

       I'd like to remove all my paint coats
       To show you the real, true me,
       But I want you to try and understand,
       I need you to accept what you see.

       So if you'll be patient and close your eyes,
       I'll strip off all my coats real slow.
       Please understand how much it hurts
       To let the real me show.

       Now my coats are all stripped off.
       I feel naked, bare and cold,
       And if you still love me with all that you see,
       You are my friend, pure as gold.

       I need to save my paint brush, though,
       And hold it in my hand,
       I want to keep it handy
       In case someone doesn't understand.
       So please protect me, my dear friend
       And thanks for loving me true,

       But please let me keep my paint brush with me

      Unknown Author

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

Look past the body, past the personality, past the behavior,
into the window of one another's souls.
There we make a connection.
The God in me recognizes and honors the God in you.
Mary Manin Morrissey

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

"The miracle is not to walk on water,
but to walk with love on earth -
as if your feet are kissing the ground.

We must remember
that our presence
alone is a miracle.

We must learn to say
'Yes' to the miracles of life."

Thich Nhat Hanh

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

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
Mother Teresa

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

Responsibility: Your Response to God's Ability.

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

Just accept, don't expect

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

If you aren't happy today, what are you waiting for?

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

He who cannot forgive others destroys the bridge
over which he himself must pass.
George Herbert

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

A student asked Soen Nakagawa during a meditation retreat,
"I am very discouraged. What should I do?"
Soen replied, "Encourage others."
Excerpted from Essential Zen

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

People travel to wonder at the
height of the mountains,
at the huge waves of the seas,
at the long course of the rivers,
at the vast compass of the ocean,
at the circular motion of the stars,
and yet they pass by themselves
without wondering.
St. Augustine

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
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and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
www,health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Leadership
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/leadership.html

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

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

December 10
Today I trust the positive and loving people
to whom I am attracted.
Today I am free to share from my heart,
knowing that what I say will be treated with love and respect.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

I believe that deep within every human being lies the true essence
of our being, a spark of life and love, a pure spark of energy that
gives us all our sameness. Each experience thereafter establishes
our uniqueness.

Each moment and experience of life after birth either kindles or
covers this spark. But no matter what we experience even if we can
no longer feel this spark, no matter how many layers and layers of negative
experiences have covered and buried our spark of life, it can never be
completely extinguished.

From THE JOURNEY WITHIN: A Spiritual Path to Recovery by Ruth Fishel
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Through prayer and meditation
N.A. Way Magazine 7/1999
www.na.org/naway/en/naway163-1.htm

Go to your Soul
www.wisehearts2.com/gts.htm

Choosing a Response
www.eccentrix.com/members/wisehearts/CR.htm

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

Just For Today
December 10                                       Winners

"I started to imitate some of the things the winners were doing.
I got caught up in NA. I felt good...."      Basic Text p. 223

  We often hear it said in meetings that we should "stick with the
winners:' Who are the winners in Narcotics Anonymous? Winners are
easily identified. They work an active program of recovery, living in the
solution and staying out of the problem. Winners are always ready to
reach their hands out to the newcomer. They have sponsors and work
with those sponsors. Winners stay clean, just for today.

  Winners are recovering addicts who keep a positive frame of mind.
They may be going through troubled times, but they still attend meetings
and share openly about it. Winners know in their hearts that, with the
help of a Higher Power, nothing will come along that is too much to handle.

  Winners strive for unity in their service efforts. Winners practice
putting "principles before personalities:' Winners remember the
principle of anonymity, doing the principled action no matter who is
involved. Winners keep a sense of humor. Winners have the ability to
laugh at themselves. And when winners laugh, they laugh with you, not
at you.

  Who are the winners in Narcotics Anonymous? Any one of us can be
considered a winner. All of us exhibit some of the traits of the winner;
sometimes we come very close to the ideal, sometimes we don't. If we
are clean today and working our program to the best of our ability, we
are winners!

Just for today: I will strive to fulfill my ideals. I will be a winner.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

I'm new "What plans do I make for the holidays?"
I have NO experience at staying clean for the holidays,
I feel like using now because my life is a wreck
How do I stay clean?
PLEASE reach back and help me.

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

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

VITAL SUSTENANCE

Those of us who have come to make regular use of prayer would no
more do without it than we would refuse air, food, or sunshine.  And
for the same reason.  When we refuse air, light or food, the  body
suffers.  And when we turn away from meditation and prayer, we
likewise deprive our minds, our emotions, and our intuitions of vitally
needed support.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS p. 97

  Step Eleven doesn't have to overwhelm me.  Conscious contact with
God can be as simple, and as profound, as conscious contact with
another human being.  I can smile.  I can listen.  I can forgive.  Every
encounter with another is an opportunity for prayer, for acknowledging
God's presence within me.

  Today I can bring myself a little closer to my Higher Power.  The more
I choose to seek the beauty of God's work in other people, the more
certain of His presence I will become.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden / December 10th

A.A. Thought for the Day

Our drinking fellowship was a substitute one, for
lack of something better.  At the time, we did not
realize what real fellowship could be.  Drinking
fellowship has a fatal fault.  It is not based on a
firm foundation.  Most of it is on the surface.  It
is based mostly on the desire to use your companions
for your own pleasure, and using others is a false
foundation.  Drinking fellowship has been praised
in song and story.  The "cup that cheers" has become
famous as a means of companionship.  But we realize
that the higher centers of our brains are dulled by
alcohol and such fellowship cannot be on the highest
plane.  It is at best only a substitute.
Do I see my drinking fellowship in its proper light?

Meditation for the Day

Set for yourself the task of growing daily more and
more into the consciousness of a Higher Power.  We
must keep trying to improve our conscious contact with
God.  This is done by prayer, quiet times, and communion.
Often all you need to do is sit silent before God and let
Him speak to you through your thought.  Try to think
God's thoughts after Him.  When the guidance comes,
you must not hesitate, but go out and follow that guidance
in your daily work, doing what you believe to be the right
thing.

Prayer for the Day I pray that I may be still and know
that God is with me.  I pray that I may open my mind to
the leading of the Divine Mind.

"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.

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

Stop Tricking Yourself

Even the best of us get tricked from time to time.
Someone comes along
and impresses us with magic.
Later we discover it wasn't magic, just illusions.

Sometimes the issue isn't that people
were trying to trick us.
We tricked ourselves.
We saw what we wanted to see,
regardless of what reality was.
Then, when reality started to creep in,
we told ourselves if we held our breath and didn't feel our feelings
and hoped long and hard enough, reality would change.

We don't have to get mad at ourselves when we get tricked,
even if we've fooled ourselves.
We need to see and acknowledge the truth
and become aware of what reality is.

Don't let your embarrassment over finding yourself
in a bad situation cloud your view of yourself.
Sometimes all we need to do is acknowledge the truth,
including the truth about how we feel.
In a few days or a few months,
the solution will become clear.

When all the illusions drop away,
that's when real magic begins.
You'll be guided along your path.

God, help me remember that when I admit and accept the truth,
I'll be given the power and guidance to change.

Melody Beattie ©

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

18 Principles of a Spiritual Life
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2005/November/feature3.html

Links for Wellness
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_health.htm#wellness

Links for Learning and Growth
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_learning.htm

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

Healing Through Love
by Marilyn Innerfeld

The magnificence and perfection of each of us simply is. We do not have to
become monks in order to lead spiritual, healthy lives. We do not have to be
vegetarians, or wear flowing robes, or sit in meditation for hours each day.
There is no spiritual "path," because everything is spiritual and all
choices are equal. We can work and be parents, husbands, wives, daughters,
sons, brothers and sisters, honoring Self and others in each moment. No one
is greater than another, for we are all the same. We are here because we
chose to experience Self as God. And we all are God.

What we should always honor is our responsibility to Self. We can choose to
experience each day in peace, in order to communicate with the silence
within. We can choose to honor the physical and never harbor it any ill
will. We can choose to perceive ourSelves as perfect, just as we can choose
to see perfection in all things and all people.

Imagine how wonderful it would be if we could visit medical professionals
and, rather than asking, "What is wrong?" they would ask instead, "What is
your experience?" This simple dialogue would enable us to maintain personal
power, rather than diminish our role as a partner and healer. It would also
remove judgment, for illness is not "wrong"; it is simply a creation through
choice. As we embrace responsibility for Self, we learn to make choices in
selfLove.

When we love ourSelves, we cannot fool ourSelves into believing we are what
we are not. Many people perceive their realities so differently from their
truth. When asked, many clients tell me that they drink so much water each
day, and yet, when pushed to count the number, some barely get to four
glasses per day. Many people purchase nutritional supplements and forget to
take them; many eat unhealthful foods, thinking they are fooling someone
outside of themSelves; and many are in denial of their emotional make-up,
refusing to see their reactions to others as the truth of who they are.

As we acknowledge that we are God, we then embrace responsibility for each
moment of our lives. We have always created our lives, but when we
understand and accept our power, we begin to choose to live in joy...and
love.

Health and well-being are experienced through choice. We should never take a
moment of our lives for granted; nor should we take anything for granted,
for that matter. We can always choose to make the time to honor the people
in our lives, as well as the environment we have chosen. Most importantly,
we should honor the magnificence of Self.

If you are suffering from any ailment in this moment, know in your heart
that it exists as your Teacher. You are the Student. You can choose to learn
from your creation of illness by looking into your heart. Discern your
choices of selfLove prior to this moment. Accept the responsibility for this
perfect creation. Acknowledge your experience as it is. Honor yourSelf from
this moment forth, on all levels of mind, body and spirit. Choose to live
fully and powerfully. And celebrate being you!

When experiencing love, you recognize the perfection of Self and the
perfection of All. We can all choose to learn to release judgment of
everyone and everything around us. Why is it that, when we look upon a tree
with damaged branches, we accept the tree as it is with its perceived
imperfection, yet, in many instances, when we look upon another person we
judge as imperfect, we turn away? As you come into the acceptance of your
own perfection, you cannot help but see perfection in all things.

Self-empowerment offers you all the tools you need to create wellness in
your body. There is no one outside yourSelf who can heal you, although many
can help you release the physical symptoms of your creation. It is important
to recognize that, as creator of your illness, you are equally the healer of
your illness. The root cause should be addressed, and it is important to
face your choices of self-diminishment and to release them once and for all,
in order to move into the rest of your life in harmony and balance.

Stop looking outside yourSelf for answers. You have all the answers within
your heart. We each, as human Beings who have chosen this physical
existence, are here with great purpose. Choose to accept yourSelf
unconditionally, and then embrace the choices necessary to change your life
and the experience of selfLove. Illness is nothing more than an experience
of life and living. You have the power to change the choices which brought
forth this experience and live in total joy and love.

Learn to flow in joy each moment. Release judgment of Self and others.
Appreciate the small wonders of your life. Share good thoughts and release
all other thoughts. Honor your body and your soul. Choose activities which
bring you joy. Accept and embrace your power and use it purposefully and
honorably. Share your love, and love yourSelf. And as this way of choosing
to live each moment of your day becomes a pattern for your life, know that
you will not only heal yourSelf, but you will heal all others...through
love.

This article was excerpted from Healing Through Love, ©2003, by Marilyn
Innerfeld.  Reprinted with permission of the publisher, Healing Arts
Publishing. www.ExpandedLiving.com

About the Author:
Marilyn Innerfeld is co-founder of The Worldwide Center located in
Evergreen, Colorado. She is a medical intuitive, a certified hypnotherapist,
and a long-time member of the International Association of Counselors and
Therapists. Marilyn has studied nutritional therapies as well as Chinese
medicine. She has a mastery of past-life regression in her work as a
hypnotherapist, but is currently focused on total wellness through the
elimination of present-life issues and blocks. Marilyn has healed from
cancer and uses her personal experience to assist her in her work. Visit the
Center's website at www.ExpandedLiving.net

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

WHERE IS GOD?

He was just a little boy, on a weeks first day. He was wandering
home from Sunday school and dawdling on the way.

He scuffed his shoes into the grass, he found a caterpillar. He found a
fluffy milkweed pod and blew out all the "filler."

A birds nest in a tree overhead, so wisely placed on high. Was just
another wonder that caught his eager eye.

A neighbor watched his zig zag course and hailed him from the lawn;
asked him where he'd been that day and what was going on.

"I've been to Bible school" he said and turned a piece of sod.  He picked
up a wiggly worm replying, 'I've learned a lot of God"..

"M'm very fine way" the neighbor said,"for a boy to spend his time."
"If you tell me where God is, I'll give you a brand new dime."

Quick as a flash the answer came.  Nor were his accents faint.
"I'll give you a dollar, mister, if you can tell me where God ain't."

Author Unknown

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

This too shall pass
Learn To Embrace Change
by Jim Donovan

  The only constant is change. If there's one thing we can count on in our
life it is that whatever is going on now, will change. We live in an
ever-changing universe. Everything in our world, including our very bodies
is changing. The cells in your body are totally replaced every seven
years. The seasons change as do governments, businesses, cultures, the
sun, moon, stars, and, of course, us. Unfortunately, it is our nature to
resist change of any kind. I don't know about you, but I find this a bit
strange. We are trying to resist change in an ever-changing universe.
Unsuccessfully, I might add. The fear of change and fear of the unknown
is so strong in some people that they will remain in abusive  relationships,
unhealthy environments, dead end jobs and many other self-destructive
situations, rather than face the unknown.

  If you want to have a successful, happy and productive life, you must
learn to accept, even welcome or embrace change. I know it can be
difficult. We become comfortable with the status quo, going along on our
path feeling fine and all of a sudden  wham!  something happens to upset
our apple cart. It can be something as serious as the loss of a loved one
or a job or home. It may be a minor upset like rain on your vacation or a
broken date. Whatever the situation, change or circumstance we must
learn to handle it or we may be immobilized by it.

  The best way I know of to deal with challenging situations is to ask
better questions. Ask questions like what good about this? Or, how can I
best cope with this situation? Or, how can I make the best of this? I
remember once being fired from my job at a TV production company.
When the boss told me I was no longer need, I thanked them. You should
have seen the look on his face. He expected me to be angry and was
stunned at my response. I viewed my losing the job as the opportunity I
was waiting for. He gave me the push I needed to start my own business
and I've never looked back. Of course, it may be prudent to seek outside
help, especially in serious situations. Don't be afraid to reach out for
help. Our society has a support system for almost any challenge you may
be facing. If all else fails, in a changing situation, remember the wisdom
of the quote above: This to shall pass.

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

A Quest

I started on a journey
Not so long ago;
I¹m not sure where I¹m going--
Only my Higher Power knows.

The way this travel takes me,
I am not really sure--
I put my faith and trust in God;
I know he keeps me pure.

The coming days are filled with tests,
The answers are unclear--
My trust in God will keep me strong
On this rough and bumpy road.

To help me keep my focus
And not take on too big a load

This journey that I¹m on
This way for a better life
Is the only way for me to go
For a happier, saner life.

I started on a journey
Not so long ago
I¹m not sure where I¹m going
But when I get there
You¹ll be the first to know.

On this day I can accept myself
My journey¹s just begun.

By Joe H.,
Marshall, MI
kgilbert@...

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

Lord of the light, Spirit of the Universe, Master of my Soul.

Thank you for loving me, nurturing me, guiding me,
restoring this vessel whole.

Thanks for the life, the love, and the gifts,
you bestow on this pilgrims despair.

Thank you for caring and carrying my burdens
and teaching my heart how to care.

Thanks for your patient, enlightening conscience,
that self will no longer denies.

Thank you for honesty, sincerity, uprightness,
and desire to walk in the light.

Thanks for accepting me, when I was unacceptable,
and loving me when I could not love.

Thank you for gratitude, a spiritually awakened attitude,
and the twelve steps inspired from above.

Guy B.
11/24/00
gfboggs@...

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

Peace is possible.
Each moment that one individual chooses peace inside,
the whole of humanity moves forward.
We each have the ability and responsibility
to become peacemakers in our daily lives.
John Morton

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

Just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to
doesn't mean they don't love you the best way they know how.
Unknown

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

The bond that links your true family is not one of blood,
but of respect and joy in each other's life.
Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof.
Richard Bach

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

"If we believe in the rebirth of our civilization...
then clearly this renaissance must begin
in the chambers of our own hearts...
We cannot wait for society to change,
or for our institutions to be renewed.
We, as individuals, must assume responsibility
for our own personal transformation."
Georg Feuerstein

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

Keep your recovery first,
to make it last.

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

This is a selfless program,
not a selfish program.

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

There are no victims,
only volunteers.

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

Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

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

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
www,health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

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

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

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

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

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

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

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

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

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

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Just Say No
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/justsayno.html

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

The weekly meeting topic is:
Each month we will share on a step and spiritual principles of the step.
Since it is December the 12th month, PLEASE share on the 12th step
If you haven¹t done the 12th step with your sponsor
Please share on Service, Selflessness and Commitment.....

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

(((Family))) a BIG hug to you ALL
I am guilty and have not posted on the weekly topic
in a LONG time, I am grateful for those who have
contributed and helped lift my spirits by carrying the message.
Sometimes I carry the message,
Sometimes the message carrys me.
I think it is VERY important for me to share on this topic
the 12th step, Service, Selflessness and Commitment
at this point in time, before the holidays.
They told me if I had the step in my life and I wasn't sharing on it,
Then I was STEALING, and if you steal you lose.
We can only keep what we have by giving it away.
From where I came from,
96 lbs., homeless, penniless, hopeless, worthless
compared to where I am today, by the Grace of God
It is a MIRACLE,
Spiritual awakenings were many along the way

When the people in the Rooms of NA remembered my name at my second meeting
That was a spiritual awakening!

When people in the meeting asked me for my phone # and called me
even though I didn't call you.
That was a spiritual awakening!

When you nominated me to have a commitment at a group
That was a spiritual awakening!

When someone asked me to read How it Works at their birthday celebration
That was a spiritual awakening!

When I had a little over 90 days clean and it was the end of the day
and I didn't think about using that whole day
That was a spiritual awakening!

There were many spiritual awakenings along the way
The 12th step talks about Having had a spiritual awakening
as a result of the steps.
When I came in the rooms, I thought  so badly about myself,
that I thought that this program would work for you but it wouldn't
work for me.
The spiritual awakening that I had as a result of the steps
was that this program worked for me.
When I say I am an addict named Scott
I am letting you know I WAS a loser, who kept on trying
and YOU people believed in me and wanted to help me in my recovery.

The second part of this step talks about that we "TRIED" to carry this
message to addicts and practice these principles in all of our affairs.
In steps 10, 11, and 12 the 3 most important words from those steps are
10- CONTINUED  , 11- IMPROVE  , 12- TRIED
This shows us, that it is about PROGRESS not perfection
and that this is a process not an event.

There are many ways that I can carry "THE" message
not my message, "THE message"

What is "THE message",
"THE message" is......
That an addict
ANY addict
Can Stop using
lose the desire to use
and find a new way to live.


I can carry "THE message" by being in a meeting and listening.

I can carry "THE message" by being in a meeting
and sharing that I want to use.
How is that carrying the message?
Because I am WILLING not to use (by sharing)
more than I want to use!!!!

I can carry "THE message" by making myself AVAILABLE to
someone in need, a newcomer or an oldtimer

I can carry "THE message" by LISTENING to someone,
so many times we ask people "How are you?"
and we don't even stick around and listen for the answer
we just keep walking.

I can carry "THE message" by ALWAYS saying YES when the
fellowship asks something from me.

I can carry "THE message" by GIVING people rides to and from meetings

I can carry "THE message" by being AVAILABLE for the
meeting after the meeting

I can carry "THE message" by being involved in SERVICE.
As many different people are in the rooms of our 12 step fellowships
Just that many ways, are there to be involved in service,
The most important thing is that we as individuals
find an area that we are comfortable with and participate.
(Homegroup service, Coffee, secretary, chairperson, treasurer, greeter,
or being there for the newcomer and calling them each day to let someone
know that YOU care!!! Area or District service, Hospitals and
Institutions,Public Information, Events and Activities, Conventions
Committees, Literature Review and Outreach are just a few other ways
to get involved)

The other part of this step talks about that we "TRIED"
to practice these principles in all of our affairs.
Its real easy to work the program on a good day.
Its real easy to be grateful when ya got a pocketful of money.
But how are you are working it when things get tough.
Once again, this is a program of progress,
and sometimes in order to make progress, we regress.
We take one step forward and 2 steps back,
But with the love of the people, that God puts in our lives
who encourage us to take the next step, and He puts the path beneath
our feet. We make it through, and then learn to be there for the next guy.
It was told to me if you cant practice these principles in ALL of your
affairs, then you have too many affairs!!!!

I am hoping that others in this group will jump in and share their GIFTS
with the 12th step or the alternative topics.
This is the SEASON and the GIFT is in the GIVING!!!!!

If nobody told you that they love you today,
I do,
BUT also check who you are hanging out with!!!!


Keep Stepping
AND Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ cleandate 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

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

December 9
I have the right to have my needs met.
In order to have them met,
I am expressing them to the people who can help me today.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

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

God laid down his hand that day
And directed a car crash
She slowly opens up her eyes
And is granted with her life
Her life begins anew that day
With people standing by
To guide her through recovery steps
To find a different way.
The baby steps she started with
She slowly makes her change
With situations that baffled her
A Higher Power gained
One day at a time
Let go let God
More will be revealed
The slogans all have meaning now
That makes her life so real
She learns to live, to love once more
From a painful knowledge gained
It's growth that came from deep within
A growth from all her pain
She lives her life sober now
One day at a time
And sees the beauty from within
She loves herself again
caring Sharing Growing strong
Given strength where she was blind
A tiny seed was planted firm
And slowly does unwind.......
To show us beautiful woman inside!
Someone special,someone caring,someone lovable someone kind...

Dianna Harrison-Jones
ex_123@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

On the spiritual path
N.A. Way Magazine 7/1999
www.na.org/naway/en/naway163-1.htm

Dr. Bob: A Tribute
www.silkworth.net/grapevine/drbob_tribute.html>

Click here RIGHT NOW
www.dailymotivator.com/memberflash/rightnow.html

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

Just For Today
December 9                                    Listening

"This ability to listen is a gift and grows as we grow spiritually life
takes on a new meaning when we open ourselves to this gift."
  Basic Text p. 102

   Have you ever watched two small children carry on a conversation? One
will be talking about purple dragons while the other carries on about the
discomfort caused by having sand in one's shoes. We sometimes encounter
the same communication problems as we learn to listen to others. We may
struggle through meetings, trying desperately to hear the person sharing
while our minds are busy planning what we will say when it's our turn to
speak. In conversation, we may suddenly realize that our answers have
nothing to do with the questions we're being asked. They are, instead,
speeches prepared while in the grip of our self-obsession.

   Learning how to listen-really listen-is a difficult task, but one that's
not beyond our reach. We might begin by acknowledging in our replies what
our conversational partner is saying. We might ask if there is anything we
can do to help when someone expresses a problem. With a little practice,
we can find greater freedom from self-obsession and closer contact with
the people in our lives.

Just for today: I will quiet my own thoughts and listen to what someone
else is saying.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

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

The weekly meeting topic is:

Each month we will share on a step and spiritual principles of the step.
Since it is December the 12th month, PLEASE share on the 12th step
If you haven¹t done the 12th step with your sponsor
Please share on Service, Selflessness and Commitment.....

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

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

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

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

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

INTUITION AND INSPIRATION

. . . we ask God for inspiration, an intuitive thought or a decision. We
relax and take it easy. We don't struggle.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 86

I invest my time in what I truly love.  Step Eleven is a discipline that
allows me and my Higher Power to be together, reminding me that, with
God's help, intuition and inspiration are possible.  Practice of the Step
brings on self-love.  In a consistent attempt to improve my conscious
contact with a Higher Power, I am subtly reminded of my unhealthy
past, with its patterns of grandiose thinking and false feelings of
omnipotence.  When I ask for the power to carry out God's will for me,
I am made aware of my powerlessness.  Humility and a healthy self-love
are compatible, a direct result of working Step Eleven.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

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

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

A.A. Thought for the Day

The way of A.A. is the way of fellowship.  We have
read a good deal about fellowship and yet it is such
an important part of the A.A. program that it seems
we cannot think too much about it.  Human beings
were not meant to live alone.  A hermit's life is not
a normal or natural one.  We all need to be by
ourselves at times, but we cannot really live without
the companionship of others.  Our natures demand it.
Our lives depend largely upon it.  The fellowship of
A.A. seems to us to be the best in the world.
Do I fully appreciate what the fellowship of A.A.
means to me?

Meditation for the Day

We are all seeking something, but many do not know
what they want in life.  They are seeking something
because they are restless and dissatisfied, without
realizing that faith in God can give an objective and
a purpose to their lives.  Many of us are at least
subconsciously seeking for a Power greater than
ourselves because that would give a meaning to our
existence.  If you have found that Higher Power, you
can be the means of leading others aright, by showing
them that their search for a meaning to life will end
when they find faith and trust in God as the answer.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that my soul will lose its restlessness by finding
rest in God.  I pray that I may find peace of mind in the
thought of God and His purpose for my life.

"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.

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

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 09, 2005

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

Asking for Help

It's okay to ask for help.

One of the most absurd things we do to ourselves is not asking for
the help we need from a friend, a family member, our Higher Power,
or the appropriate resource.

We don't have to struggle through feelings and problems alone. We
can ask for help from our Higher Power and for support and
encouragement from our friends.

Whether what we need is information, encouragement, a hand, a
word, a hug, someone who will listen, or a ride, we can ask. We can
ask people for what we need from them. We can ask God for what
we need from God.

It is self-defeating to not ask for the help we need. It keeps us
stuck. If we ask long and hard enough, if we direct our request to
the right source, we'll get the help we need.

There is a difference between asking someone to rescue us and
asking someone in a direct manner for the help we need from him
or her. We can be straightforward and let others choose whether
to help us or not. If the answer is no, we can deal with that.

It is self-defeating to hint, whine, manipulate, or coerce help out
of people. It is annoying to go to people as a victim and expect them
to rescue us. It is healthy to ask for help when help is what we need.

"My problem is shame," said one woman. "I wanted to ask for help in
dealing with it, but I was to ashamed. Isn't that crazy?"

We who are eager to help others can learn to allow ourselves to
receive help. We can learn to make clean contracts about asking
for and receiving the help we want and need.

Today, I will ask for help if I need it - from people and my Higher
Power. I will not be a victim, helplessly waiting to be rescued. I will
make my request for help specific, to the point, and I will leave room
for the person to choose whether or not to help me. I will not be a
martyr any longer by refusing to get the help I deserve in life - the
help that makes life simpler. God, help me let go of my need to do
everything alone. Help me use the vast Universe of resources
available to me.

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

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

SETTING OUR PRIORITIES
To be sure of where you are, check with the map of your heart.
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2001/March/vissell.htm

Soulful Insight
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_health.htm#insight

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

Creativity Brings Hope
by Matthew Fox

Where does our hope lie? Where shall we ground ourselves for continuing on
and changing our ways radically? Can we be confident that creativity is the
key to our survival and sustainability as a species?

Creativity is who we are, creativity can redeem and save our species. I
agree with Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés that "all women and men are born
gifted." All we need to do is release this creativity, get out of its way,
as M. C. Richards used to say. Estés also believes that "a woman's creative
ability is her most valuable asset." I believe that is true of men as
well -- it is the most valuable asset of our species.

What are we waiting for? Let us remove the obstacles, let go of the guilt,
and get moving. We have nothing to lose but our pessimism and cynicism, for,
as Otto Rank warned us, "pessimism comes with the repression of creativity."
Creativity is not in short supply. There is an abundance of it, plenty to go
around. It has always been this way. From the original fireball to the birth
of the atoms, galaxies, supernovas, stars, sun, planets, earth and her
marvelous creatures. We humans are latecomers to the creative universe, but
we are powerfully endowed with creativity.

Some of my hope comes from the realization, growing daily, of how perilous
our situation is on this planet. As more and more people get out of denial
and the addictions denial puts us in and come to realize the danger that our
unsustainable species is in, there will be action and there will be grounds
for hope. This sounds paradoxical, and it is: Our very despair is a cause of
hope, for despair often results in breakdown, and breakdown results in
breakthrough. Our systems are breaking down today -- all of them. And we
feel it. All our professions, all our religions, all our politics and
economic and educational establishments need reinventing. They all lack
feminine energy, wisdom energy. They lack cosmology and creativity.

This gives hope -- that the Divine can and will return in a more balanced
form to our species. It will return through a coming alive of our love of
life and a response to the pain so omnipresent on our planet. This response
will precipitate an outbreak of creativity. If we can use justice and
compassion as contours to contain and to critique the use of creativity,
then what we give birth to will serve other generations and other species
instead of destroy them. Then the Spirit will be at work once again,
creating and re-creating, co-working with humankind.

Creativity is a Choice
Let us not deceive ourselves or live in a silly illusion about our
creativity. Creativity is a choice. (In theological terms, it is grace and
works operating together. It is an option to live a life with grace.)
Creativity is not a particular gift given to certain people only. It is a
personal choice and a cultural choice. An individual choice and a family,
professional, and societal choice, and at this time in our history it is a
species choice. We choose whether to let creativity flow or not -- in our
educational systems, our media, our politics, our economics, our religions,
our very psyches. In theological terms, it is a matter of letting the Spirit
in, the Christ in, the Buddha nature in.

I believe Sri Aurobindo had this in mind when he predicted a "coming dawn"
for the resurrection of poetry itself -- provided we tap into a "larger
cosmic vision" that would and could release the "Divine possibilities" of
our species. Perhaps Hildegard of Bingen, the twelfth-century abbess,
mystic, scientist, and artist, put it best when she said:

God has gifted creation with everything that is necessary. . . .
Humankind, full of all creative possibilities, is God's work.
Humankind is called to co-create. . . .
God gave to humankind the talent to create with all the world.

Just as the person shall never end, until into dust
they are transformed and resurrected,
just so, their works are always visible.
The good deeds shall glorify, the bad deeds shall shame.

It is true that we are a species that can say "NO" to our potential. We can
choose not to develop our creativity and that of our children; we can choose
to turn our creativity over to others and to institutions that appear more
imposing than ourselves. Yes, we can use our creativity for demonic
purposes -- even to deny our powers of creation is to serve demonic powers
that will willingly fill the gap. Yes, we can resist evolution -- even our
own. And our bad deeds will shame. And our species will end, bringing down
much beauty with it.

But I do believe, and I am sure the reader believes, that humankind can opt
instead for the "good deeds that glorify". We must. The Spirit of Creativity
is expecting us to do so. Creation is waiting for our response.

This article is excerpted from Creativity, ©2002, by Matthew Fox. Reprinted
with permission of the publisher, Jeremy P. Tarcher / Putnam, a member of
Penguin Putnam Inc. www.penguinputnam.com

About the Author:
Matthew Fox has devoted his career to unleashing the suppressed mystical and
life-affirming traditions within Christianity and other faiths. His theology
of Creation Spirituality the belief that we are born in "original
blessing"-earned him the headline making censure of the Vatican, who
officially "silenced" Fox in 1989 and precipitated his dismissal by the
Dominican Order in 1995. Now an Episcopal priest, Fox is the author of more
than twenty books. He lives in California.

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

What We Share...

When we share laughter, there's twice the fun;
When we share success, we've surpassed what we've done.
When we share problems, there's half the pain;
When we share tears, a rainbow follows rain.
When we share dreams, they become more real;
When we share secrets, it's our hearts we reveal.
If we share a smile, that's when our love shows;
If we share a hug, that's when our love grows.
If we share with someone on whom we depend,
that person is always family or friend.
And what draws us closer and makes us all care,
Is not what we have, but the things we share

Unknown

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

Be Ready
Virjinja

When neediness is abandoned,
along with filling other's expectations...
something quite amazing opens up.
Enter now into spiritual growth and expansion,
the place to fill your empty cup.

Never does this happen via invitation,
but rather by Divine appointment...
the opportunity has always been available,
only waiting on your decision to join in.

The new era you choose to enter
is defined by notable enhancements...
the inability to create havoc and distress ~
with driving desires for the higher attributes,
not for the less.

An amazing aura projects from within,
drawing close like moths to flame...
kindred spirits with kindred goals,
moving in unison in these higher roles.

Being ready for life like this...
creates a domino effect, leading only to bliss.
Attaining with each other the place of higher accord...
occurs naturally when communing with the Lord.

Be ready by having a change of heart.
Only be willing ~ this is the way for you to start.

(Copyright ©  2002 ~ Virginia Santoro ~ All Rights Reserved)

Morning Musings...
is a nondenominational, daily inspirational newsletter,
delivered to its subscribers Monday thru Friday,
and a single Weekender edition.
It is born of the meditations and experiences of the author.
Its purpose is to honor God in all expressions, and to
offer healing, compassion, peace and love to the reader.
MorningMusings@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

No Time For Sadness

I was feelin so sad, my computer was broke,
Drinking way too much coffee, trying not to chain smoke,
When a call from my friend, so happy and gay
Told me of a picnic that's happening today.
I said, "I'm not going," tried every excuse.
She just wouldn't let me, so what was the use?
I reluctantly got dressed, got into my clothes,
And that's how it works, as everyone knows.
There's days that I'm down, and can't reason why.
These feelings may come, I may start to cry.
The friends that I have make blues fade away.
There's no time for sadness in my life today!

Sharlett Hunt  2002
Sharlette863@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

In Pure Love

God does not live high above
He dwells in us
In pure love
Love not centered
By lust or greed
Like many flowers
From one seed
God sits with us
Around our table
He speaks through us
As He makes us able
To help our brothers and sisters
Along this new way
He speaks through us
When we say
In pure love
God does not live above
To live and to love our fellow man
To have a heart to understand
God will break the chains of addiction
He will fill us with a conviction
For the new comers
Who sit at our tables
Listen to what we say
God will bless your new way
God does not live high above
He dwells with us
In pure love
We have a burden
For those still suffering
As we offer our heart and hand
In pure love
To understand
We have been where your at
You no longer have to be alone
Make our program
Your new home
Cause we give it
In pure love

Daniel M Corkery
11/2/2000
DMCDREAMER1@...
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer/

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When we cannot bear to be alone,
it means we do not properly value the only companion
we will have from birth to death - ourselves.
Eda LeShan

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

...our life crises tell us that we need to break free of beliefs
that no longer serve our personal development.
These points at which we must choose to change
or to stagnate are our greatest challenges.
Every new crossroads means we enter into a new cycle of change
- whether it be adopting a new health regimen or a new spiritual practice.
And change inevitably means letting go of familiar people and places
and moving on to another stage of life.
Caroline Myss, PH.D., Anatomy of the Spirit

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Realize that now, in this moment of time, you are creating.
You are creating your next moment based on
what you are feeling and thinking.
That is what's real.
We can let go of the unconscious belief that being anxious about the past
or the future will somehow protect us
and instead reprogram our cells with new ways of responding.
Doc Childre

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Faith is not trying to believe something regardless of the evidence.
Faith is daring to do something regardless of the consequences."
Sherwood Eddy

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

What you are afraid to do is a clear indicator
of the next thing you need to do.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Learn to Let Go.
That is the key to happiness.
Buddha

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Worry is like a rocking chair --
it gives you something to do
but it doesn't get you anywhere.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

For my shortcomings, I delegate;
for my strengths, I congratulate.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit" is intended to give readers ,
inspiring and thoughtful messages. To help fulfill our primary
purpose which is to carry the message to the alcoholic/addict
who still suffers. A spiritual adventure, a journey inwards this
has a vision of opening and touching, each and everyone,
with the Loving Power and Presence of the Spirit within."
We invite you to share the writings by forwarding today's
message to others. Share "12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit"
with friends and loved ones: Please keep passing this along to
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giving it away." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily  e-zine
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~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

Al-Anon/Alateen
www.al-anon.org

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
www.draonline.org

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Hugs
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/hugs.html

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*LAUGHTER Is HEALING*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The weekly meeting topic is:
Each month we will share on a step and spiritual principles of the step.
Since it is December the 12th month, PLEASE share on the 12th step
If you haven¹t done the 12th step with your sponsor
Please share on Service, Selflessness and Commitment.....
to share please visit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

December 8
It feels so good to accept myself just as I am today.
All my thoughts and actions and emotions
are right where they belong.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Solitary Child

Solitary Child, why is it you cry?
My mother has left me without saying why.
I sit in the darkness so no one can see,
Cause maybe they all just forgot about me.

The feelings that came from inside of me then,
Are with me forever, though I was just ten.
Loneliness, rejection, now how can this be?
When I know the first age I felt this was three.

I became an old lady before I was four,
That night when my grandfather came through the door.
He took away my innocence and left me so cold,
No wonder it seems that I always was old.

Throughout my whole lifetime, there was such abuse,
When beat down so low, I said, What is the use?
Nobody to love me, no family to care,
I looked for a friend and no one was there.

Not happy, not sad, just empty inside,
Then I met Jim Beam and we went for a ride.
Booze made me happy, it made me a clown,
My kids, who are grown now, don't want me around.

This child that is born with the stars in its eyes,
Deserves to be loved and be held when it cries.
Then maybe they won't become adults like me,
Who still cry in the night, and still pray to be free.

  Sharlett Hunt    11/25/03
Sharlette863@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Home Group  Cartoon
N.A. Way Magazine 4/1999
www.na.org/naway/en/naway162-15.htm

Sunlight of the Spirit
www.sunlightofthespirit.org

Teen Savers
www.teensavers.com/

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Just For Today
December 8                          Calling a defect a defect

"When we see how our defects exist in our lives and accept them, we
can let go of them and get on with our new life."  Basic Text p. 33-34

   Sometimes our readiness to have our character defects removed
depends on what we call them. If misnaming our defects makes them
seem less "defective;' we may be unable to see the damage they cause.
And if they seem to be causing no harm, why would we ever ask our Higher
Power to remove them from our lives?

   Take "people pleasing;' for example. Doesn't really sound all that bad,
does it? It just means we're nice to people, right? Not quite. To put it
bluntly, it means we're dishonest and manipulative. We lie about our
feelings, our beliefs, and our needs, trying to soothe others into
compliance with our wishes.

   Or perhaps we think we're "easygoing" But does "easygoing" mean we
ignore our housework, avoid confrontations, and stay put in a comfortable
rut? Then a better name for it would be "laziness;' or "procrastination;'
or "fear"

   Many of us have trouble identifying our character defects. If this is
the case for us, we can talk with our sponsor or our NA friends. We
clearly and honestly describe our behavior to them and ask for their help
in identifying our defects. As time passes, we'll become progressively
better able to identify our own character defects, calling them by their
true names.

Just for today: I will call my defects by their true names. If I have
trouble doing this, I will ask my sponsor for help.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The weekly meeting topic is:
Each month we will share on a step and spiritual principles of the step.
Since it is December the 12th month, PLEASE share on the 12th step
If you haven¹t done the 12th step with your sponsor
Please share on Service, Selflessness and Commitment.....
to share please visit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

LOOKING OUTWARD

We ask especially for freedom from self-will, and are careful to
make no requests for ourselves only. We may ask for ourselves,
however, if others will be helped.  We are careful never to pray
for our own selfish ends.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 87

As an active alcoholic, I allowed selfishness to run rampant in
my life.  I was so attached to my drinking and other selfish habits
that people and moral principles came second.  Now, when I pray for
the good of others rather than my "own selfish ends," I practice a
discipline in letting go of selfish attachments, caring for my fellows
and preparing for the day when I will be required to let go of all
earthly attachments.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden / December 8th

A.A. Thought for the Day

The length of time of our sobriety is not as important
as its quality.  A person who has been in A.A. for a
number of years may not be in as good mental condition
as a person who has only been in a few months.  It is a
great satisfaction to have been an A.A. member for a
long time and we often mention it.  It may sometimes
help the newer members, because they may say to
themselves, "If they can do it, I can do it."  And yet
the older members must realize that as long as they live,
they are only one drink away from a drunk.
What is the quality of my sobriety?

Meditation for the Day

"And greater works than this shall ye do."  We can do
greater works when we have more experience of the
new way of life.  We can have all the power we need
from the Unseen God.  We can have His grace, His spirit,
to make us effective as we go along each day.  Opportunities
for a better world are all around us.  Greater works can we
do.  But we do not work alone.  The power of God is behind
all good works.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may find a rightful place in the world.  I pray
that my work may be made more effective by the grace of
God.

"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.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*You Are A Miracle*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 08, 2005

You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Melody Beattie ©

Valuing Our Needs

When we don't ask for what we want and need, we discount ourselves. We
deserve better.

Maybe others taught us it wasn't polite or appropriate to speak up for
ourselves. The truth is, if we don't, our unmet wants and needs may
ultimately come back to haunt our relationships. We may end up feeling angry
or resentful, or we may begin to punish someone else for not guessing what
we need. We may end the relationship because it doesn't meet our needs.

Intimacy and closeness are only possible in a relationship when both people
can say what they want and need. Sustained intimacy demands this.

Sometimes, we may even have to demand what we want. That's called setting a
boundary. We do this not to control another person, but to gain control of
our life.

Our attitude toward our needs is important too. We must value them and take
them seriously if we expect others to take us seriously. When we begin to
place value and importance on our needs we'll see a remarkable change. Our
wants and needs will begin to get met.

Today, I will respect the wants and needs of others and myself. I will tell
others, my Higher Power, and myself what I want and need. I will listen to
what they want and need too.

©1990, Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved. No portion of this
publication may be reproduced in any manner without the written permission
of the publisher.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Ego Strikes Back
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2001/March/cohen.htm

General Links for the Soul
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories.htm#general

Links to Family, Parenting & Community
www.soulfulliving.com/linkcategories_fourth.htm#family

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Trusting What You Feel
by Julie Tallard Johnson

I am going to share with you a secret. A family secret. It's one of those
secrets no one has to tell you to keep - you just know not to speak about
it. I am beginning with a family secret (you may have one like it) because
often where there are secrets, there are treasures to be found. For me, the
treasure was my intuition. There's a good chance that much of your intuitive
power lies hidden inside you, like a treasure waiting to be discovered.

I knew this secret for a long time, but I didn't fully understand what I
knew until my early twenties. When I was seven years old I began to have
this sense, this feeling, that someone was missing in our family. Every time
we gathered for our occasional family dinner or for a holiday I would be
very aware of this missing presence. I would look around me at the dinner
table, asking myself, Who is missing? and Where is this feeling coming from?
Years later, when I began to keep a journal, I would write these experiences
down. Even though this perception was persistent, I never spoke about it to
anyone.

Where in our culture are we taught how to respond to such feelings? Not in
most schools, churches, or homes. However, there was a time when people were
taught to value, trust, and develop these feelings. There was a time - and I
believe it is returning - when young people entering their teens were given
special instruction to develop their intuitive and spiritual powers. They
were taught to understand their bodies not only as muscle, blood, and bone,
but also as energy and containers of the spirit. They learned how to use
their own intuitive experiences to reveal the truth about themselves and
their world. Understanding these mystical truths was an essential part of
the journey to adulthood in ancient cultures.

This ability to access inner wisdom is still valued and practiced in some
areas of the world. As Arnold Mindell, author of The Shaman's Body,
explains, intuitive wisdom relies on being deeply attuned to the body.

   "Indigenous healers have taught that the quality of life depends upon body
sensations that are linked to dreams and the environment, to what I call the
'shaman's body.' According to medicine people living in native settings
around the world, and to mystical traditions, the shaman's dreaming body,
when accessed, is a source of health, personal growth, good relationships,
and a sense of community."

What Mindell refers to as the shaman's body I will call the energy body. To
understand the language of the energy body - your intuition - is to find
great strength, wisdom, and freedom.

When I was a teenager, I had no such understanding - but my energy body was
constantly sending me signals just the same. I began to notice that I was
often aware of things that were hidden under the surface of my everyday
interactions with other people. I had a strong sense of what others were
feeling; I felt as though I was seeing into other people's secret worlds and
glimpsing their hidden treasures. I seemed to know a lot more about what was
going on around me than people were telling me. I often had psychic dreams -
dreams that gave me more insight into what was happening in my life. And
perhaps the most perplexing signal, the sensation that someone was missing
from our family, only increased as the years went by.

At age twenty-five, I had an opportunity to test the validity of this
particular feeling. My father was visiting me, and it felt like the right
time to share my secret. I began by telling my father what I understood at
the time about intuition (I had by that time investigated this topic in a
variety of ways). I told him of the many intuitive markers in my life, when
my feeling sense - my wisdom body - had alerted me to the truth about
something. And finally I described my intuitive experiences during family
time.

He listened and I could sense his heart open to me. He sat very still with
his full attention on me as I spoke. Then I asked him the question that had
troubled me since childhood: Did he have any other children? His answer was
open and kind. I could see that in this moment he, too, needed to speak his
truth. He told me that, yes, he had another daughter. She was born when I
was seven years old.

I felt such love as the truth in my heart was finally validated by my
father. He gave me the greatest gifts a father can give - his truths and his
recognition. A weight I carried in my heart and body lifted, and a great
peace entered and filled me. We sat and ate together, but nothing at that
meal tasted as sweet and wonderful as my father's honesty.

So much came together for me then. This validation of my intuition opened a
door within me that has remained wide open ever since. The truth really does
set one free. Now I was free to fully trust my intuitive self. I knew that
there would always be truth to be discovered if I had the wisdom and courage
to listen for it. Now I was free to decide what it meant to me to have a
half sister. Later in my life, I would go in search of her.

The gift of intuition didn't come without its problems. Being intuitive
often meant experiencing an overload of psychic energy from my surroundings,
which sometimes made life more painful and difficult. Nothing in my formal
education or spiritual practice taught me how to use and control my
intuition. As a teenager, it helped me a great deal to begin a meditation
practice and to consult the I Ching. I also found it useful to write down my
dreams and reflect on their meaning. I kept a journal of my psychic as well
as my more mundane life experiences.

Yet, this was not enough. These practices did not speak directly enough to
my intuitive feelings and experiences. They didn't advise me about how to
use my own energy body, or how to respond to the energy of other people, or
how to recognize intuitive wisdom. Books on intuitive development, such as
Caroline Myss's Anatomy of the Spirit, didn't come out for another fifteen
years.

I was already in my mid-thirties when my spiritual adviser and psychologist
told me about a local psychic and healer who taught a yearlong psychic
development class. At the age of thirty-five, I attended this class and
finally got the instruction I needed. A void in my life was being filled. I
came to understand so much about myself, my feelings, and my intuitive
body - my wisdom body. I felt so strongly that the material in the class
should be shared with more people that I began to teach the class myself,
and to this day I continue to teach it.

These are subjects of great importance not typically taught to young people.
Many of the teenagers I come in contact with are troubled by social anxiety
and feeling overly sensitive. Some speak about feeling some kind of
"instinct," but they doubt themselves too much to act on it. Many talk about
getting "signs" but are not sure how to interpret them. All of these
concerns can be alleviated dramatically by understanding and developing your
intuition.

EVERY ONE OF US HAS INTUITION
To some degree, you and every other person on earth has this spiritual
perception, this skill. For me it was very intense; for others it is quite
subtle. It doesn't matter if it is strong or faint - what matters is that
you learn how to listen to it.

Some Basics about Intuition
It doesn't benefit anyone for you to be less than you are. To not use your
intuition is to be less than you are. To not know and live by your own
truths is being less than you are. To ignore your energy body is being less
than you are. To be everything that you are, and were meant to be, you need
to begin by understanding some basic truths about everyone's intuitive
powers.

   Truth One: Intuition is an ability that we are all given at birth.

   Truth Two: You have a right to develop and use your intuitive/psychic
ability, particularly at this pivotal time in your life.

   Truth Three: Your intuition is your direct connection to spirit (God,
Higher Power, the Creator, Goddess, Buddha, the Tao, etc.).

   Truth Four: Your intuition is part of the creative energy that flows
through us all and through everything.

   Truth Five: Your intuition increases as your understanding and love for
yourself and others increases.

   Truth Six: Emotional intensity is part of your intuitive nature.

   Truth Seven: Your intuitive/psychic journey is meant to make you feel
powerful and good about yourself.

   Truth Eight: When you use your intuition, it benefits everyone.

   Truth Nine: Some people are more easily able to use their intuition, just
as some are more able with music, but everyone can develop his or her
intuition.

   Truth Ten: Intuitive wisdom and intuitive/psychic development are not New
Age"; they are very "Old Age," respected and taught in ancient cultures in
many forms.

In our culture, it can be difficult to access and trust our intuition.
Shakti Gawain, author of Developing Your Intuition, offers this explanation:

   "One of the reasons that many of us do not learn to trust and follow our
intuition is that we are taught from an early age to try to accommodate
those around us, to follow certain rules of behavior, to suppress our
spontaneous impulses, and to do what is expected of us."

Sound true to you? In school we are constantly reminded to accommodate
teachers and authority, to follow the rules, and to suppress our intense
emotions - in essence, to do exactly what is expected of us. While these
guidelines have an obvious purpose and are in some measure necessary for us
all when we are in school, the fact is that they do hinder our intuitive
abilities. When we habitually look outside ourselves for direction, we don't
get to exercise an important life skill: that of listening for - and acting
on - our own inner wisdom.

We all need the help and guidance of others. But never should you follow the
advice of others when it means to ignore your own inner guidance. There are
times when teachers are wrong. Sometimes a friend's advice is misguided.
Clergymen and others in positions of trust or authority can abuse their
power. We need to listen to our inner guidance while we consider the advice
and direction of others. When our inner voice says "No" or "Think about it
first," we must listen to it, and find out what it is trying to tell us. As
you develop the intuition that is inside of you and learn to think more for
yourself, you can go out into the world more aware, confident, and strong.

A Quiz: How Intuitive Are You?
This quiz uses a scoring system to give you a general idea of where you fall
right now within a range of intuitive awareness.

There are twenty-three statements below for you to read and respond to. On a
separate sheet of paper, write the numbers 1 through 23 in a vertical
column. Read each statement. Then, next to the number on your paper that
corresponds to that statement, write the word that best describes how often
you experience what the statement says. Choose one of these words for your
answer: often, sometimes, or rarely.

   1.. I am aware of others' feelings.
   2.. I experience social anxiety.
   3.. I sense things before they happen.
   4.. I remember my dreams.
   5.. I have recurring dreams.
   6.. I am afraid of some of my feelings.
   7.. I experience a lot of coincidences.
   8.. I have gut feelings about decisions.
   9.. Friends seem to come to me a lot for advice.
   10.. I know my dreams mean something.
   11.. I have been told that I am too sensitive, that I overreact.
   12.. I have deja vu experiences.
   13.. I believe I am intuitive.
   14.. I believe or sense that a greater power watches over me and helps me.
   15.. I am scared of what I know.
   16.. I have sensed things were going to happen before they did.
   17.. I have high self-esteem.
   18.. I can speak up for myself to my peers.
   19.. I can speak up for myself to adults.
   20.. I know how to ask for advice.
   21.. I have a strong sense of purpose; I know what I am going to do with
my life.
   22.. I use drugs and/or food to avoid my thoughts and feelings.
   23.. I know when someone is not telling the truth.
Now use the following list to assign points to each of your answers.
Determine your score by adding up all the points. Give yourself:

   1 point for each time you wrote "rarely"
   2 points for each time you wrote "sometimes"
   3 points for each time you wrote "often"

If you scored 23 to 35:
You aren't often aware of or tuned in to your intuition. You may sense some
inner voice inside of you but you're not sure how to access it. Possibly you
don't feel very good about yourself or trust the way you do feel, but this
will improve quickly as you practice the exercises in this book. The first
step for you will be to start uncovering your hidden intuition and making it
more available to you. Soon you will begin noticing a stronger awareness of
yourself and your surroundings. You will find that you trust your intuitive
self more often and feel more energized and positive. Keeping a journal
while you read this book will be very helpful.

If you scored 36 to 58:
You are often in touch with your intuitive sense, although you may not fully
understand what it all means. Some people may experience you as
oversensitive but friends are likely to come to you for advice because you
often have good insight into their problems. You may experience some social
anxiety due to your very real sensitivity to the energy around you. You may
not always trust or understand your abilities. You may oscillate between
times when you have very good feelings about yourself (high self-esteem) and
times when you bottom out and your self-esteem is very low.

You will quickly benefit from this book because you will find the guidance
contained here makes you feel safer, more balanced, and more confident in
your intuitive abilities.

If you scored 59 to 69:
You are very aware that you have psychic abilities although you have not
received instruction on how to skillfully use them. Your self-esteem is
fairly high most of the time and you are ready for and excited about using
the guidance in this book. Your confidence and skills will build quickly as
you work through the activities in the ensuing chapters.

Before we go any further, I would like to be clear about what I mean when I
use the word psychic. Psychic comes from the Greek word psyche, which is
translated as "the soul." It is defined as "sensitive to nonphysical or
supernatural forces." So, to be psychic means to be able to hear the
language of the soul, to understand the language of energy. It is not about
fortune telling, although having a sense of what the future holds may be a
skill of a gifted psychic. Our psychic abilities enable us to tap into the
wisdom and power of our souls and energy bodies, and to open up to the
spiritual world.

Keeping A Psychic Journal
You may want to keep a special psychic journal. Use your journal to document
and reflect on your psychic experiences, your dreams, and your intuitive
insights.

If you want the truth,
I'll tell you the truth:
Listen to the secret sound,
which is inside you.

-- Rumi, SUFI POET

Opening the Door: A Beginning Meditation
Use this exercise to open the door to communication with your body, and its
energy. It is adapted from a variety of yoga practices, which assist you in
awakening the vital energy that is in you.

   Lie comfortably on your back on the floor, on a yoga mat or rug, with
pillows under your neck and knees. Place your hands loosely at your sides or
on top of your belly. For a few moments simply lie still, breathing and
relaxing while at the same time staying in tune with your body. Instead of
daydreaming, notice the sensations of your body . . . the rhythm of your
breathing, the touch of clothes against your skin, the images that appear in
your mind's eye . . . relax, breathe, and remain present, just lying on the
floor, relaxed yet present. Notice the different parts of your body and,
without judgment, bring your awareness to them. Begin with your legs,
relaxing them even more, letting them rest from their constant exertion. Now
bring your awareness to your waist and lower torso, perhaps noticing the
breath and how it makes the belly rise and fall . . . Notice the arms
relaxed at your sides; allow them to sink into the floor. Relax even more .
. . yet maintain a presence in the body. Bring your awareness to your entire
torso and then up to your chest. Notice your spine and relax it into the
floor . . . continue to breathe and relax. Notice your shoulders and neck,
inviting them too to relax as you bring your awareness to them ... Allow
your head to rest heavily on the pillow, breathing and relaxing in awareness
of your body . . .

After a few minutes of this relaxed presence in your body, take a moment to
notice what it feels like to be alert and relaxed at the same time . . .
without judgment (no right and wrong), just notice. Rest as long as you like
in this state of awareness. Then take a couple of deep breaths and sit up.
You may want to take a moment to write what you experienced in your journal.

This article was excerpted from Teen Psychic, ©2003, by Julie Tallard
Johnson. Reprinted with permission of the publisher, Bindu Books, a division
of Inner Traditions Intl.  www.innertraditions.com

About the Author:
JULIE. TALLARD JOHNSON is the author of The Thundering Years and I Ching for
Teens. She is a psychotherapist and mentor of teens and young adults. She
lives in Spring Green, Wisconsin.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Heaven and Hell
     A man and his dog were walking along a road.  The man was
enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that
he was dead.  He remembered dying, and that the dog had
been dead for years.  He wondered where the road was leading
them.  After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall
along one side of the road.  It looked like fine marble. At the
top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the
sunlight. When he was standing before it, he saw a magnificent
gate in the arch that looked like mother of pearl, and the
street that led to the gate looked like pure gold.  He and the
dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man
at a desk to one side.  When he was close enough, he called out,
"Excuse me, where are we?"

    "This is heaven, sir," the man answered.

   "Wow!  Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked.

   "Of course, sir.  Come right in, and I'll have some ice water
brought right up." The man gestured, and the gate began to open.

   "Can my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in, too?" the
traveler asked.

    "I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets."

    The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road
and continued the way he had been going.

   After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came
to a dirt road which led through a farm gate that looked as if it had
never been closed.  There was no fence.  As he approached the gate,
he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.

    "Excuse me!" he called to the reader. "Do you have any water?"

   "Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there"  The man pointed to a place
that couldn't be seen from outside the gate.  "Come on in."

    "How about my friend here?" the traveler gestured to the dog.

     "There should be a bowl by the pump."

    They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old
fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it.  The traveler filled the
bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog.
When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man
who was standing by the tree waiting for them.

    "What do you call this place?" the traveler asked.

    "This is heaven," was the answer.

    "Well, that's confusing," the traveler said.  "The man down the
road said that was heaven, too."

    "Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates?
Nope. That's hell."

   "Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?"

   "No. I can see how you might think so, but we're just happy that
they screen out the folks who'll leave their best friends behind."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Frail Old Angel

Last night I had a dream.
It had a tale to tell.
I dreamed I saw an angel...
Poor thing, he wasn't feeling well.

His body bruised and battered.
His wings were ripped and torn.
This angel could hardly walk...
He looked so tired and worn.

I walked right up to him to ask -
"Angel? How can this be?"
He turned around and paused a bit.
Then spoke these words to me.

"I'm your Guardian Angel.
A great task as you can see.
You've run amok most all your life.
Look what you've done to me."

"These bruises are from shielding you
In times both dire and ill.
Those alcoholic bouts and drugs you've used...
I've often paid the bill."

"You see my wings are ripped and torn.
How often they have flown you from evils unaware.
Each mark has it's own story
Of deadly wounds destroyed."

"You made me wish more than once
That I was unemployed.
If only you could make it
Standing on your own."

"Oh, don't you fret or worry.
But please try to remember...
I'm getting old and frail."

I could not believe all I had heard.
Let alone, how much he cared.
I wept upon his shoulder.
Then left him in dispair.

The next day I sat and pondered.
Should I really try?
And in the distance I thought I heard...

A frail old angel cry.

Author Unknown

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Interior Art

I am the sculptor of my own interior
I may borrow materials
And techniques from others
But in the end, as at the beginning
I form myself from the raw depths at my disposal:
The origins of who I am, my own clean colours.
I mold them together, trim off the excess
Intuit what fits, discard the rest
An ongoing process
An artwork in progress
A  daily delight
In originality.

With love
Stella
© 2002 Stella Raymonde Savoie-Johnson

stellaraymonde@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Some people have a belief that every tree,when it burns,
gives back the colors that went into its making-
they see in the flaming logs the red of many sunsets,
the purple of early dawn,
the silver of moonrise
and the sparkle of the stars.
So it is with us: what we have accepted into our hearts
and made a permanent part of ourselves
is given back in times of trial...
Fulton J. Sheen

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Even the thought of giving,
the thought of blessing or a simple prayer
has the power to affect others.
Deepak Chopra

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

There is a distance between believing the Truth
and embodying that Truth.
We may know that we are children of God with divine capacities,
but until we act on that belief, it remains a foggy awareness.
Using spiritual practices moves us from believing in God
to becoming aware of the reality of God moving in and through us.
Mary Manin Morrissey

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"To cure jealousy is to see it for what it is,
a dissatisfaction with self."
Joan Didion

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"You are all you will ever have for certain."
June Havoc

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Be not afraid of going slowly;
be afraid only of standing still.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

What is right for one soul may not be right for another.
It may mean standing on your own and
doing something strange in the eyes of others.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Truly loving means letting go
of unrealistic expectations.
It means full acceptance...
even celebration of another's personhood.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Life might be able to be understood backwards,
but it must be lived forwards.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit" is intended to give readers ,
inspiring and thoughtful messages. To help fulfill our primary
purpose which is to carry the message to the alcoholic/addict
who still suffers. A spiritual adventure, a journey inwards this
has a vision of opening and touching, each and everyone,
with the Loving Power and Presence of the Spirit within."
We invite you to share the writings by forwarding today's
message to others. Share "12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit"
with friends and loved ones: Please keep passing this along to
online recovery friends  "We can only keep what we have by
giving it away." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily  e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
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write subscribe in the subject line.

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or go to the website and unsubscribe
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~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

Al-Anon/Alateen
www.al-anon.org

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
www.draonline.org

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

A recovering alcoholic is shipwrecked miles out to sea. He winds up on
an uncharted, deserted island and has to make the best of it.
Five years  later, he finally spots a ship out on the horizon and stokes up
his bonfire  to get its attention.

The captain of the ship, another recovering  alcoholic, sees the fire
and immediately changes course towards the  island.  Meanwhile,
he grabs his binoculars and studies the situation.  He sees a
guy waving and running frantically up and down the beach, beard
hanging down to his knees, and he also spots three small structures
at the edge of the trees. The castaway is rescued, taken below, and is
given  a meal and some time to rest, and is sent up to see the captain.

"So, are you glad to be rescued?"

"Oh, yeah, you bet. I've been praying for  years for somebody to come
along."

"How long were you on the  island?"

"Five looooong years! !"

"All by yourself?"

"Yes.  All alone for five long years."

"Well," observes the captain, "It looks like you didn't do too badly for
yourself. I saw three huts on the island.  Did you build them?"

"Oh, yes!" the Castaway responds proudly. "I built  them with my own two
hands! See the one on the right? That was my house, my home. That's
where I lived!  And the one on the left, that's my home group!"

"Your home group? You're by yourself for five years and you built yourself
a home group! That's fantastic! What a strong statement of faith and
dedication
to your program! I'm proud of you! What a testimony of experience, strength
and hope!
But what about the hut in the middle?"

"Oh," the Castaway frowns, "That's my old home group;
I didn't like the way they ran things."


Love and Hugs!!
Dyanne
deve880886@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*LAUGHTER Is HEALING*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The weekly meeting topic is:
Each month we will share on a step and spiritual principles of the step.
Since it is December the 12th month, PLEASE share on the 12th step
If you haven¹t done the 12th step with your sponsor
Please share on Service, Selflessness and Commitment.....
to share please visit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  December  7
Today I know that I can get through anything
that happens in this day with the help of my Higher Power.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Recovery

Recovery is Stopping
The running-around, the escaping
The crazy thoughts by healing the Brain
The mood swings by healing the Body
Sitting more with the Self
than with everyone else

A nourishing Diet
A spiritual Connection
A loose handle on others' pains and passions
A closer look at yours

Listening to Wisdom coming from wise mouths
Hearing your Inner Child
When it fears to cry out
For all the times you did not listen

Finding a Recovery Buddy
To discuss, cry, share, learn from
Drain away the Old Anger
Feel again the Old but New-everyday Pain
What is it saying?

'Let go. I have taught you the lessons
It's time to heal and to know
Time to begin a new life
Where do you want to go?'

Make it happen! Get motivated!
If you can't then find out why
Get the resources. Look out there
then come back home to yourself
That's where it begins
That's where it ends

Love
Stella

© 2003 Stella Raymonde Savoie Johnson
stellaraymonde@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Editorial reply To ³Symposium: NA Comes of Age²
N.A. Way Magazine 4/1999
www.na.org/naway/en/naway162-13-b.htm

How One AA Wife Lives the 12 Steps
By Lois W., Bill W.¹s wife
www.silkworth.net/aahistory/lois_12steps.html

An Interview With Dr. Paul
www.silkworth.net/grapevine/drpaul1995.html

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Just For Today
December 7                                Surviving our emotions

"We use the tools available to us and develop the ability to survive
our emotions."   Basic Text p. 30

  "Survive my emotions?" some of us say. "You've got to be kidding!" When
we were using, we never gave ourselves the chance to learn how to
survive them. You don't survive your feelings, we thought-you drug them.
The problem was, that cure" for our unsurvivable emotions was killing us.
That's when we came to Narcotics Anonymous, started working the
Twelve Steps and, as a result, began to mature emotionally.

  Many of us found emotional relief right from the start. We were tired
of pretending that our addiction and our lives were under control; it
actually felt good to finally admit they weren't. After sharing our
inventory with our sponsor, we began to feel like we didn't have to deny
who we were or what we felt in order to be accepted. When we'd
finished making our amends, we knew we didn't have to suffer with guilt;
we could own up to it and it wouldn't kill us. The more we worked the NA
program, the better we felt about living life as it came to us.

  The program works today as well as it ever did. By taking stock of our
day, getting honest about our part in it, and surrendering to reality, we
can survive the feelings life throws our way. By using the tools available
to us, we've developed the ability to survive our emotions.

Just for today: I will not deny my feelings. I will practice honesty
and surrender to life as it is. I will use the tools of this program
to survive my emotions.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The weekly meeting topic is:
Each month we will share on a step and spiritual principles of the step.
Since it is December the 12th month, PLEASE share on the 12th step
If you haven¹t done the 12th step with your sponsor
Please share on Service, Selflessness and Commitment.....
to share please visit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

MORNING THOUGHTS

Ask Him in your morning meditation what you can do each day for the
man who is still sick.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 164

For many years I pondered over God's will for me, believing that
perhaps a great destiny had been ordained for my life.  After all,
having been born into a specific faith, hadn't I been told early that
I was "chosen"?   It finally occurred to me, as I considered the
above passage, that God's will for me was simply that I practice
Step Twelve on a daily basis.  Furthermore, I realized I should do
this to the best of my ability.  I soon learned that the practice aids
me in keeping my life in the context of the day at hand.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden / December 7th

A.A. Thought for the Day

When people come back to A.A. after having a slip,
the temptation is strong to say nothing about it.  No
other A.A. member should force them to declare
themselves.  It is entirely up to them.  If they are
well grounded in A.A., they will realize that it's up
to them to speak up at the next meeting and tell
about their slip.  There is no possible evasion of this
duty, if they are thoroughly honest and really desirous
of living the A.A. way again.  When they have done it,
their old confidence returns.  They are home again.
Their slip should not be mentioned again by others.
They are again a good member of A.A.  Am I tolerant
of other people's mistakes?

Meditation for the Day

It is in the union of a soul with God that strength, new life,
and spiritual power come.  Bread sustains the body but we
cannot live by bread alone.  To try to do the will of God is
the meat and support of true living.  We feed on that
spiritual food.  Soul starvation comes from failing to do so.
The world talks about bodies that are undernourished.
What of the souls that are undernourished?  Strength and
peace come from partaking of spiritual food.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may not try to live by bread alone.  I pray
that my spirit may live by trying to do the will of God as
I understand it.

"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.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*You Are A Miracle*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 07, 2005

You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Melody Beattie ©

When the Time is Right

There are times when we simply do not know what to do, or where to go, next.
Sometimes these periods are brief, sometimes lingering.

We can get through these times. We can rely on our program and the
disciplines of recovery. We can cope by using our faith, other people, and
our resources.

Accept uncertainty. We do not always have to know what to do or where to go
next. We do not always have clear direction. Refusing to accept the inaction
and limbo makes things worse.

It is okay to temporarily be without direction. Say, "I don't know," and be
comfortable with that. We do not have to try to force wisdom, knowledge, or
clarity when there is none.

While waiting for direction, we do not have to put our life on hold. Let go
of anxiety and enjoy life. Relax. Do something fun. Enjoy the love and
beauty in your life. Accomplish small tasks. They may have nothing to do
with solving the problem, or finding direction, but this is what we can do
in the interim.

Clarity will come. The next step will present itself. Indecision,
inactivity, and lack of direction will not last forever.

Today, I will accept my circumstances even if I lack direction and insight.
I will remember to do things that make myself and others feel good during
those times. I will trust that clarity will come of its own accord.

©1990, Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved. No portion of this
publication may be reproduced in any manner without the written permission
of the publisher.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Courageous Love
When someone's in a negative mood,
it takes courage to reach out with love
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2001/April/vissell.htm

Heart For Children
www.inspiringthots.net/movie/heart4children.php

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

UNDERSTANDING OUR EMOTIONS

By Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D.

Of all our natural human experiences, our emotions are the most
misunderstood.   Almost every day, I work with people who aren't in
touch with their feelings.  They don't understand their emotions.
They try to get control of their feelings, or understand them, or heal
them, or reconnect with them.  They sometimes expend great effort to
experience them and express them in ways that are at least harmless.

It is a common belief that if one becomes fully aware of one's
feelings, that somehow the quality of their lives will become better.
This belief is often created and perpetuated by psychotherapists of
all types and persuasions.  Frankly, I think that such a belief is not
only inaccurate, but also rather useless.

Consider some of the alternative views of feelings and emotions.

Emotions (or feelings) are natural and regular physiological changes
within our bodies, to which we attach labels such as "fear" or "anger"
or "guilt" or "joy" or whatever.

Feelings are never "rational" or "reasonable."  They are only bodily
changes which are sufficiently dramatic enough to be noticed.  They
are not "good" or "bad." They are never "right" or "wrong." They
simply occur.  They just are.

The "purpose" of emotions is to provide each of us with energy.
Feelings have no other purpose or meaning other than to signal us that
we want or need something, and at the same time, provide us with the
energy to pursue the fulfillment of that need.

If we are not aware of feelings, it is usually because we aren't
paying attention, or they are such small changes, we don't notice
them.  Many of us spend a great deal of time not feeling anything,
because our bodies are in balance or the ongoing changes are so
subtle, we aren't aware of them.

Nobody else can know or experience your feelings.  You are the only
one who can know when you are hungry, sexual, needy, happy, disgusted,
delighted, angry or frightened.  Nobody else is an expert on your
feelings.  Only you are.

Many feelings need not be acted upon or even expressed.  Sometimes
it is OK just to acknowledge that you are experiencing feelings
without doing anything with the energy they generate.
Feelings are never dangerous.  Feelings may signal us that some
dangerous event is happening in our bodies, but all by themselves,
emotions are always neutral or beneficial phenomena.  They just happen
within us, and like the weather, are not under our control.

We do exercise choices about what we do, or how we use our emotional
energy.  The behavior we choose as a way of expressing our emotions
may or may not be beneficial to us or anyone else.

Feelings never need to be "fixed."  In fact, feelings are never
"broken."  Attempting to fix them is pointless, if not down right
self-destructive.  Nothing has to be done about emotions, except
perhaps to enjoy their variety, intensity and richness they offer.
Without emotions, our lives would be colorless and empty.

Feelings are not designed to hinder or paralyze us from action.
They are for motivating us and energizing us to live, breathe, move
and experience life.  They are needed to help us do what we need to
do, not provide us with a handy excuse for not doing something, e.g.
"I don't fly in an airplane because I'm anxious."  At best, use your
anxious energy to motivate you to buy an airline ticket and get on the
plane.

In a healthy person, "feeling good" is not a priority.  Experiencing
one's life fully, with all the emotions we human's have, is the top
priority.  Feeling happy is of equal value as feeling say...angry.
When we use our emotional energy skillfully and powerfully to create
the kind of quality of life we desire...that is the best way to
understand and develop a passionate, active lifestyle.  And our
emotions empower us to do precisely that.

About the Author:
Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D. has 30+ years experience as a Life Coach and
Licensed Psychologist.  He is available for coaching in any area
presented in "Practical Psychology."  As your Coach, his only agenda
is to assist you in creating the lifestyle you genuinely desire. The
initial coaching session is free.  Contact him: (970) 568-0173 or
E-mail: DrLloyd@... or LJTDAT@....

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Sioux Indian Story"

"My grandfather took me to the fish pond on the farm
when I was about seven, and he told me to throw a
stone into the water. He told me to watch the circles
created by the stone. Then he asked me to think of
myself as that stone person.

"You may create lots of splashes in your life but the
waves that come from those splashes will disturb the
peace of all your fellow creatures," he said.

"Remember that you are responsible for what you put
in your circle and that circle will also touch many other
circles. You will need to live in a way that allows the
good that comes from your circle to send the peace of
that goodness to others. The splash that comes from
anger or jealousy will send those feelings to other circles.
You are responsible for both."

That was the first time I realized each person creates
the inner peace or discord that flows out into the world.
We cannot create world peace if we are riddled with
inner conflict, hatred, doubt, or anger. We radiate the
feelings and thoughts that we hold inside, whether we
speak them or not. Whatever is splashing around inside
of us is spilling out into the world, creating beauty or
discord with all other circles of life.

Unknown

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Nature of Life

Compassion for a crying child comes from the depth of our own childhood
where once, so long ago, we cried.

How profound, those feelings of shared sorrow, loss, fear, anger and
confusion, that move us to give of ourselves when
understanding is our only motivation.

From the poverty of tears we learn the richness of laughter.

From the scarcity of love we learn the abundance of loving.

From the darkest clouds we learn to bask in the warmth
of the brightest days.

From the destitution of spirit we learn to polish the diamonds in our
souls.

May the love in your soul, embrace your heart and fill your mind with the
knowledge that where you are today, no matter how sad the emotion or
how difficult the situation, is where you need to be.

Copyright © 1999
Terri McPherson
tmcphers@...
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
www.wisehearts.com/lfc.htm

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Such Deep Despair

It wasn't very long ago,
I felt such deep despair and woe.
I prayed to a God I thought I knew,
Who hated me for the things I'd do.
In tears I prayed, just let me die,
For life had seemed to pass me by.
All I ever did was fail.
God let me die, send me to hell.
I didn't want another drink,
To smoke a joint or even think,
And then, some Power unknown to me
Picked me up and helped me see.
That I'm not bad, I'm only sick.
There was a way, that I could pick.
To take one day, and try to live,
A life of truth, that He would give.
He put me in a room of friends,
Who shared how life, on truth depends.
They told me that if I'd admit,
I'm powerless, my pain would quit.
My eyes were opened, as there spoke,
Of how they too, had spirits broke.
They shared how they had landed there.
With broken hearts, and deep despair.
They asked me to keep coming back,
and let them show the love I lacked.
Then suddenly I realized,
that these were angels in disguise.
Keep coming back, they said to me.
We'll show you love, then you will see.
There's One with power, who will manage your life.
He'll ease the pain of inward strife.
They said a way of life we'll show,
Take it easy and just let go.
They took me by the hand and said,
This is the Way, That we were lead.
Now I thank God with every breath,
He didn't fulfill my request for death.
I thank Him for His blessed Grace,
For I have finally found my place.
To be in rooms, both far and wide.
To ever more, with God abide.

ODAAT
Written by: Rebecca B.
rbowlin14@...
©2002

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Be Quiet Spirit

Be quiet spirit it's time to rest
In life today you've given your best
Gave your hand to the new man
Done your best at home to understand
Applied the steps  through out your day
Now it's time for me to pray
Be quiet spirit it's time to rest
All day long you have been blessed
If God grants us another day
We shall go out and give it away
Let us pray and go to sleep
We gave it away so we could keep
In His grace all through this day
So now my spirit I will say
Be quiet it's time to rest

Daniel M Corkery
11/2/2000
DMCDREAMER1@...
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

You must change in order to survive.
Pearl Bailey

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The need for change bulldozed a road down the center of my mind.
Maya Angelou

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Each day comes bearing its own gifts.  Untie the ribbons.
Ruth Ann Schabaker

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It takes as much courage to have tried and failed
as it does to have tried and succeeded.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Freedom is not free.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

With freedom comes responsibility.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

To whom much is given,
much is required.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

You can't think your way into right living...
you have to live your way into right thinking.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit" is intended to give readers ,
inspiring and thoughtful messages. To help fulfill our primary
purpose which is to carry the message to the alcoholic/addict
who still suffers. A spiritual adventure, a journey inwards this
has a vision of opening and touching, each and everyone,
with the Loving Power and Presence of the Spirit within."
We invite you to share the writings by forwarding today's
message to others. Share "12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit"
with friends and loved ones: Please keep passing this along to
online recovery friends  "We can only keep what we have by
giving it away." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily  e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
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write subscribe in the subject line.

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this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
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or go to the website and unsubscribe
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~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

Al-Anon/Alateen
www.al-anon.org

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
www.draonline.org

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Forest
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/forest.html

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*LAUGHTER Is HEALING*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The weekly meeting topic is:
Each month we will share on a step and spiritual principles of the step.
Since it is December the 12th month, PLEASE share on the 12th step
If you haven¹t done the 12th step with your sponsor
Please share on Service, Selflessness and Commitment.....
to share please visit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

December 6
I feel lighter and better about myself when I don't procrastinate.
Today I am discovering the freedom of
completing at last one thing that I don't put off.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Low in the High

This is my truth today
To which I can no longer deny
I have proven time and again
There is no life in getting high

I was given the choice
A different path I would have picked
But the path I chose was one of pain
I stand before you today an addict

I never would have thought
One could hold so much shame
But I truly never intended
To become what I became

The child once joyful
Found the path of misery
One hit, one fix, one pill, one drink
Will take away your need for glee

It keeps you in its grip
Inside are all your tears
But they never see the light
They are silenced by your fears

Your thoughts are all quieted
Your thinking is not level
You will sell all that you have
And then your soul to the devil

To never feel again
Inside your soul lies bleeding
You have to go to lengths
For the love that you are needing

It takes over your heart
It takes over your head
It takes over your being
And then it leaves you dead

written by ~ KAREN H
KSAK@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

To ³What types of addiction does NA treat, anyway?²
N.A. Way Magazine 4/1999
www.na.org/naway/en/naway162-13.htm

Inner Bonding, Grace Through Growth
www.innerbonding.com/index.lasso

The Complete Serenity Prayer
www.thecompleteserenityprayer.com/presentation.html

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Just For Today
December 6                               Romance and recovery

"Relationships can be a terribly painful area."    Basic Text p. 78

  Love is like an elixir for some of us. The excitement of a new lover, the
intrigue of exploring intimacy, the sense of release we get from allowing
ourselves to become vulnerable-these are all powerful emotions. But we
can't forget that we have only a daily reprieve from our addiction.
Holding onto this daily reprieve must be the top priority in any
recovering addict's life.

  We can become too involved in our relationship. We can neglect old
friends and our sponsor in the process. Then, when things get difficult,
we often feel that we can no longer reach out to those who helped us prior
to our romantic involvement. This belief can lay the groundwork for a
relapse. By consistently working our program and attending meetings, we
ensure that we have a network of recovery, even when we're deep in a
romance.

  Our desire to be romantically involved is natural. But we mustn't forget
that, without our program, even the healthiest relationship will not guard
us against the strength of our addiction.

Just for today: In my desire for romance, I will not ignore my recovery.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The weekly meeting topic is:
Each month we will share on a step and spiritual principles of the step.
Since it is December the 12th month, PLEASE share on the 12th step
If you haven¹t done the 12th step with your sponsor
Please share on Service, Selflessness and Commitment.....
to share please visit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

SELF-ACCEPTANCE

We know that God lovingly watches over us.  We know that when we
turn to Him, all will be well with us, here and hereafter.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 105

  I pray for the willingness to remember that I am a child of God, a
divine soul in human form, and that my most basic and urgent life-task
is to accept, know, love and nurture myself.  As I accept myself, I am
accepting God's will.  As I know and love myself, I am knowing and
loving God.  As I nurture myself I am acting on God's guidance.

  I pray for the willingness to let go of my arrogant self-criticism,
and to praise God by humbly accepting and caring for myself.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden / December 6th

A.A. Thought for the Day

People who have had a slip are ashamed of themselves
--- sometimes so ashamed that they fear to go back to
A.A.  They develop the old inferiority complex and tell
themselves that they are no good, that they have let
down their friends in A.A., that they are hopeless, and
that they can never make it.  This state of mind is perhaps
worse than it was originally.  They have probably been
somewhat weakened by their slip.  But their A.A. training
cannot ever be entirely lost.  They always know they can
go back if they want to.  They know there is still God's
help for them if they will again ask for it.
Do I believe that I can never entirely lose what I have
learned in A.A.?

Meditation for the Day

Nobody entirely escapes temptation.  You must expect it
and be ready for it when it comes.  None of us is entirely
safe.  You must try to keep your defenses up by daily
thought and prayer.  That is why we have these daily
meditations.  You must be able to recognize temptation
when it comes.  The first step toward conquering temptation
always is to see it clearly as temptation and not to harbor
it in your mind.  Dissociate yourself from it, put it out of
your mind as soon as it appears.  Do not think of excuses
for yielding to it.  Turn at once to the Higher Power for help.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may be prepared for whatever temptation may
come to me.  I pray that I may see it clearly and avoid it with
the help of God.

"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.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*You Are A Miracle*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 06, 2005

You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Melody Beattie ©

Letting Go of Shame

Many of us were victimized, sometimes more than once. We may
have been physically abused, sexually abused, or exploited by the
addictions of another.

Understand that if another person has abused us, it is not cause
for us to feel shame. The guilt for the act of abuse belongs to the
perpetrator, not the victim.

Even if in recovery we fall prey to being victimized, that is not
cause for shame.

The goal of recovery is learning self-care, learning to free
ourselves from victimization, and not to blame ourselves for
past experiences. The goal is to arm ourselves so we do not
continue to be victimized due to the shame and unresolved
feelings from the original victimization.

We each have our own work, our issues, and our recovery tasks.
One of those tasks is to stop pointing our finger at the perpetrator,
because it distracts us. Although we hold each person responsible and
accountable for his or her behavior, we learn compassion for the
perpetrator. We understand that many forces have come into play
in that person's life. At the same time, we do not hold on to shame.

We learn to understand the role we played in our victimization, how
we fell into that role and did not rescue ourselves. But that is
information to arm us so that it need not happen again.

Let go of victim shame. We have issues and tasks, but our issue is
not to feel guilty and wrong because we have been victimized.

Today, I will set myself free from any victim shame I may be
harboring or hanging on to.

©1990, Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved. No portion of this
publication may be reproduced in any manner without the written
permission of the publisher.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Animals and Spirituality
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2001/April/cyberweave.htm

Assume The Visionary Position , By Alan Cohen
www.inlightimes.com/archives/2004/11/alan-cohen.htm

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lessons, Lessons, Lessons!
by Roddy White

Greetings.
Lessons, lessons, lessons! What on Earth are we here for? You
guessed it lessons. Lessons are the meaning of Life. Now,'l know some of
you, myself included, feel that lessons must be painful to be appreciated or
remembered. Contrary to popular belief, not all lessons have to be painful.
Some can even be fun. It's all in the 'moral to the story'. Life gives us
wonderful examples to follow ... allow me to illustrate.

Learning From Animals

I work on an organic farm which has some truly remarkable animals. These
animals are my friends and are treated with the same respect I would treat a
fellow human. In return for my caring, these creatures have afforded me the
opportunity to learn some marvelous lessons.

Lesson 41: "Unseyi-shness."
A gallant red rooster taught me the meaning of
unselfish chivalry. I watched this gorgeous bird scratch up a grub from the
ground. Instead of gobbling it up as I expected, he called a hungry hen over
and allowed her to eat the grub from between his feet. I was under the
illusion that only lactating mothers did this for their young ... red
roosters can be just as unselfish. Why can't we all take a page from this
rooster's book? That was my lesson for the day and it was delightful and
memorable.

I have learned other lessons from God's creatures. A tiny, green tree-frog
taught me the importance of tenderness. I rescued it and he or she sat upon
my finger resting there, grateful to me for the tender mercy I had shown it.
I coaxed it to hop, but it would not leave the sanctuary of my hand. In that
instant, I became humbled by the helplessness of that little creature and
all creatures at the mercy of mankind. Animals, you see, can be our
teachers. We need only recognize their wonderful ability to live in the now
absolute and their total and complete innocence and trust they place in the
source or God as you call it. They know instinctively what is. We, on the
other hand, must learn it ... or is it 'unlearn it"? Maybe that is one of
our grandest lessons: to get back to that divine state of simply "knowing"
as animals do, what really matters. To rid ourselves of all the competitive
fear-based garbage we've been led to believe as Truth. To realize that
Heaven or Hell can be right now!

Grow Up

What exactly do I mean by grow up? Simply this. To put aside all our petty,
foolish nonsense such as materialism, greed, power-crazing, hatred and
self-pride and live much as our animal teachers. The American Indians did
it, before we came along. They didn't even know what "Green Paper" was. They
didn't need it. Only civilized man needs it. Where has it taken us? When you
stray from the teachings of nature into the dark world of materialism you
pay a price. That price is Chaos. You mess up the natural order of things.
You pollute. You destroy. You create waste. That has been the unfortunate,
painful lesson of the past two thousand years of civilization. We, as
civilized human beings have all been a party to it. It would take something
of other worldly proportions to open our eyes, and then it may be too late.

"Yeah, yeah, I hear you; as long as I got mine." We were saying that as we
slaughtered the last buffalo. That ME MODE attitude will surely lend to our
undoing. Is it really that impossible to change? Not if the will is there.
If the will to change is there, then anything is possible. This planet could
become a haven and a Heaven. You wouldn't have to die and go to some "better
place" - this would be a "Better Place!" There would be very little pain and
suffering for all creatures. All would live in Peace and Prosperity. There
would be food plentiful. The time spent on making war and making money would
be spent on making peace and food. There would be pure water to drink and
clean air to breathe. The "old technology" that was used for materialism
would be replaced with the New Age Technology of peace, health and
prosperity without greed, pollution, or war.

The Rooster Lesson

These fine, gallant red roosters have already learned what we haven't in the
past two millennia ... to get along with each other. It is a fallacy that
roosters fight all the time...by breeding them in captivity for this
purpose, man has perpetuated this myth.

In reality, these birds not only get along with each other but serve as
"Group Teachers" for the young. I watch in awe and amazement as an older
established rooster will pair off with a young group of male birds and bond
with them, teaching them everything he knows. Even when they reach
adulthood, there is no petty bickering, no personality clashes and no ego
trips. They all share the same food, they all share the same life. The only
real competition with them is with Nature; and Nature, or God, is "their"
teacher.

Maybe someday we can all live like we once did before fear got hold of us.
Before the Greed Demons got us ... before we fell from grace - the 'grace of
innocence', the grace of a Big Red Rooster.

Reminds me of words to a song I heard when I was growing up: 'Maybe I'll be
there to shake your hand ... maybe I'll be there to share the land.' I hope
we all will.

About The Author:
Roddy White works on an organic farm and is totally dedicated to the
positive transformation of this planet. Roddy can be reached at: P.O. Box
1235, Thonotosassa, FL, 33592.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Play Your Cards

"How do you like the hand you've been dealt?
Are you able to play it with savvy and stealth?

Are you careful and crafty, as you work with your cards?
Or do you curse them and think you won't get very far?

More royalty would be the best thing for me.
What am I supposed to do with these deuces and threes?

From what I have seen when I've sat at the table...
Every hand is a winner, every player is able.

Take the cards you've been dealt, no matter what they look like...
Work them out of a bust, with strategy and insight.

Never curse the hand that you hold, for it rightly assures...
That you're still in the game, play your best, make your move."

Copyright 1999
by Virginia Santoro
Virginia is the author of a wonderful light nourishing and nurturing,
spiritual and inspirational daily email known as Morning Musings, to
subscribe please email her at MorningMusings@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ups and Downs

It is when I am down in the valley
Looking up to the mountain
That simple things in life
Seem overwhelming
That's when I pray
For each valley
Has a lesson for me
To learn and grow through
With each down there is an up
If I stick to the fight when I'm hit
I may get the victors cup
God helps me to try today
Valleys help me grow
They never last forever
I will soon know
I will be on top again
I never stay down for long
Recovery has taught me a new song
If I remain open and willing I'll see
My God is near watching me
I have people to share
My feelings with
I am not alone anymore
I hardly question what for
Life is always full of lessons
Each day has its own share
My job is to endure and show others
I love them and this man
Is one who will care
We are all blessed
To live in recovery today
The biggest blessing
Is to give it away

Daniel M Corkery
12/5/2002
DMCDREAMER1@...
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This life and all its experiences
are for your upliftment and
to assist you in your journey home to God.
John-Roger
(From: The Way Out Book)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

You can start finding your own divine love when you start loving others.
But that doesn't count until you can love yourself.
John-Roger

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

You see the glass half empty, or you can see it half full."
You can focus on what's wrong in your life,
or you can focus on what's right.
But whatever you focus on, you're going to get more of.
Creation is an extension of thought.
Think lack, and you get lack.
Think abundance, and you get more.
Marianne Williamson

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

God is ready the moment you are.
Emmet Fox

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The beginning of love is
to let those we love be perfectly themselves
and not to twist them to fit our own image.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

We don't receive wisdom;
we must discover it for ourselves after a journey
that no one can take for us or spare us.
  Proust

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Change is what happens when the pain of holding on
becomes greater than the fear of Letting Go.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Let us not look back in anger,
nor forward in fear,
but around us in awareness.
James Thurber

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
Wayne Dyer

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Joy is what happens when we allow ourselves to recognize
how good things really are.
Marianne Williamson

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit" is intended to give readers ,
inspiring and thoughtful messages. To help fulfill our primary
purpose which is to carry the message to the alcoholic/addict
who still suffers. A spiritual adventure, a journey inwards this
has a vision of opening and touching, each and everyone,
with the Loving Power and Presence of the Spirit within."
We invite you to share the writings by forwarding today's
message to others. Share "12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit"
with friends and loved ones: Please keep passing this along to
online recovery friends  "We can only keep what we have by
giving it away." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily  e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
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write subscribe in the subject line.

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this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
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or go to the website and unsubscribe
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~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

Al-Anon/Alateen
www.al-anon.org

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
www.draonline.org

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Ego Deflation
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/egodeflation.html

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*LAUGHTER Is HEALING*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The weekly meeting topic is:
Each month we will share on a step and spiritual principles of the step.
Since it is December the 12th month, PLEASE share on the 12th step
If you haven¹t done the 12th step with your sponsor
Please share on Service, Selflessness and Commitment.....
to share please visit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

December 5
Today is full of miracles!
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Breaking My Chains

Breaking my chains     Stop the cycle!
Within these walls, planning big things.
Get released, life wasn't easy like I dreamed.
Damn! So I'm back again. Where is my future?
I just left there, now what to do here?
Living on the "Inside" is killing my desire.
I'm confused, feelin on fire, reality is razor wire.
I confess, feelin lighter.
Spared for what? Saved again, question is, what's my new plan?
Break my chains can't do time again!
My son visits, man this ain't livin.
He's hurten, he's scared, at only 3 years.
Love, it's so hard for us to care.
He cries "Mommy come home!" I can't, all alone my heart quietly dies.
Break my chains before I go insane!
Within myself, within these walls, just realized I didn't have it.
I fight for my life, my addictions screams, "You can't leave me!"
A mother, a sister, a daughter I have inside.
A junkie, a thief, a liar, why won't she die?
Stop, but how? I'm changin now.
Life a never ending game of twister, I'll loose.
Lovin myself enough to choose, can't use.
Anonymous friends, the only way insanity will end.
Breaking my chains
Forever this time, not just again!

Alicia Pettola #237608
Written while incarcerated at York CI.
Recovery now is my only hope.
steps2serenity@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Convention controversy
N.A. Way Magazine 4/1999
www.na.org/naway/en/naway162-10.htm

Paths To Sanctuary Gardens
www.angelsink.com/path.htm

Relationship Guide Index
www.relationshipweb.com/odat/odatind.htm

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Just For Today
December 5                        Those who want to recover

"We have seen the program work for any addict who honestly and
sincerely wants to stop [using drugs]"    Basic Text p. 10

  How do we know when someone honestly and sincerely wants to stop
using drugs? The truth is that we don't know! Because we cannot read
minds or know another's motives and desires, we simply have to hope for
the best. We may talk to a newcomer at a meeting and think we'll never
see them again, only to find them several years later doing well in their
recovery. We may be tempted to give up on someone who keeps relapsing
or doesn't get clean right away, but we must not. No matter how unwilling
someone may seem, a simple fact remains-the addict is at a meeting.
  We may never know the results of our Twelfth Step work; it is not up
to us to gauge the willingness of a newcomer. The message we carry is a
part of us. We carry it everywhere and share it freely, leaving the
results to a Power greater than ourselves.

Just for today: I will share my recovery with any addict, anywhere,
anytime, and under any circumstances. I will leave the results to my
Higher Power.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The weekly meeting topic is:
Each month we will share on a step and spiritual principles of the step.
Since it is December the 12th month, PLEASE share on the 12th step
If you haven¹t done the 12th step with your sponsor
Please share on Service, Selflessness and Commitment.....
to share please visit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A SENSE OF BELONGING

Perhaps one of the greatest rewards of meditation and prayer is
the sense of belonging that comes to us.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 105

That's what it is - belonging!  After a session of meditation I knew
that the feeling I was experiencing was a sense of belonging because
I was so relaxed.  I felt quieter inside, more willing to discard little
irritations.  I appreciated my sense of humor.  What I also experience
in my daily practice is the sheer pleasure of belonging to the creative
flow of God's world.  How propitious for us that prayer and meditation
are written right into our A.A. way of life.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ December 5th

A.A. Thought for the Day

In spite of all we have learned in A.A., our old way of
thinking comes back on us, sometimes with overwhelming
force, and occasionally some of us have slips.  We forget
or refuse to call on the Higher Power for help.  We seem
to deliberately make our minds a blank so far as A.A.
training goes, and we take a drink.  We eventually get
drunk.  We are temporarily right back where we started
from.  Those who have had slips say unanimously that they
were no fun.  They say A.A. had taken all the pleasure out
of drinking.  They knew they were doing the wrong thing.
The old mental conflict was back in full force.  They were
disgusted with themselves.  Am I convinced that I can
never get anything more out of drinking?

Meditation for the Day

Give something to those who are having trouble, to those
whose thoughts are confused, something of your sympathy,
your prayers, your time, your love, your thought, your self.
Then give of your own confidence, as you have had it given
to you by the grace of God.  Give of yourself and of your
loving sympathy.  Give your best to those who need it and
will accept it.  Give according to need, never according to
deserts.  Remember that the giving of advice can never
take the place of giving of yourself.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that as I have received, so may I give.  I pray that
I may have the right answer for those who are confused.

"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.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*You Are A Miracle*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 05, 2005

You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Melody Beattie ©

Difficult People

Few things can make us feel crazier than expecting something
from someone who has nothing to give. Few things can frustrate
us more than trying to make a person someone he or she isn't;
we feel crazy when we try to pretend that person is someone
he or she is not. We may have spent years negotiating with
reality concerning particular people from our past and our present.
We may have spent years trying to get someone to love us in a
certain way, when that person cannot or will not.

It is time to let it go. It is time to let him or her go. That
doesn't mean we can't love that person anymore. It means
that we will feel the immense relief that comes when we stop
denying reality and begin accepting. We release that person to
be who he or she actually is. We stop trying to make that person
  be someone he or she is not. We deal with our feelings and walk
away from the destructive system.

We learn to love and care differently in a way that takes reality
into account.

We enter into a relationship with that person on new terms -
taking our needs and ourselves into account. If a person is
addicted to alcohol, other drugs, misery, or other people, we
let go of his or her addiction; we take our hands off it. We give
his or her life back. And we, in the process, are given our life and
freedom in return.

We stop letting what we are not getting from that person control
us. We take responsibility for our life. We go ahead with the
process of loving and taking care of ourselves.

We decide how we want to interact with that person, taking reality
and our own best interests into account. We get angry, we feel hurt,
but we land in a place of forgiveness. We set him or her free, and
we become set free from bondage.

This is the heart of detaching in love.

Today, I will work at detaching in love from troublesome people
in my life. I will strive to accept reality in my relationships. I
will give myself permission to take care of myself in my relationships,
with emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual freedom for both
people as my goal.

©1990, Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved. No portion of this
publication may be reproduced in any manner without the written
permission of the publisher.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Valley of Understanding
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2001/April/feature2.htm

Reality Check , by Alan Cohen
www.inlightimes.com/archives/2004/09/alan-cohen.htm

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Here & Now: The Perfect Teacher
by Pema Chödrön

    We can meet our match with a poodle
    or with a raging guard dog,
    but the interesting question is - what happens next?

Generally speaking, we regard discomfort in any form as bad news. But for
practitioners or spiritual warriors - people who have a certain hunger to
know what is true - feelings like disappointment, embarrassment, irritation,
resentment, anger, jealousy, and fear, instead of being bad news, are
actually very clear moments that teach us where it is that we're holding
back. They teach us to perk up and lean in, when we feel we'd rather
collapse and back away. They're like messengers that show us, with
terrifying clarity, exactly where we're stuck. This very moment is the
perfect teacher, and, lucky for us, it's with us wherever we are.

Those events and people in our lives who trigger our unresolved issues could
be regarded as good news. We don't have to go hunting for anything. We don't
need to try to create situations in which we reach our limit. They occur all
by themselves, with clockwork regularity.

Each day, we're given many opportunities to open up or shut down. The most
precious opportunity presents itself when we come to the place where we
think we can't handle whatever is happening. It's too much. It's gone too
far. We feel bad about ourselves. There's no way we can manipulate the
situation to make ourselves come out looking good. No matter how hard we
try, it just won't work. Basically, life has just nailed us.

It's as if you just looked at yourself in the mirror, and you saw a gorilla.
The mirror's there; it's showing "you", and what you see looks bad. You try
to angle the mirror so you will look a little better, but no matter what you
do, you still look like a gorilla. That's being nailed by life, the place
where you have no choice except to embrace what's happening or push it away.

Most of us do not take these situations as teachings. We automatically hate
them. We run like crazy. We use all kinds of ways to escape - all addictions
stem from this moment when we meet our edge and we just can't stand it. We
feel we have to soften it, pad it with something, and we become addicted to
whatever it is that seems to ease the pain. In fact, the rampant materialism
that we see in the world stems from this moment. There are so many ways that
have been dreamt up to entertain us away from the moment, soften its hard
edge, deaden it, so we don't have to feel the full impact of the pain that
arises when we cannot manipulate the situation to make us come out looking
fine.

Meditation is an invitation to notice when we reach our limit, and to not
get carried away by hope and fear. Through meditation, we're able to see
clearly what's going on with our thoughts and emotions, and we can also let
them go. What's encouraging about meditation is that even if we shut down,
we can no longer shut down in ignorance. We see very clearly that we're
closing off. That in itself begins to illuminate the darkness of ignorance.
We're able to see how we run and hide, and keep ourselves busy, so that we
never have to let our hearts be penetrated. And we're also able to see how
we could open and relax.

Basically, disappointment, embarrassment, and all these places where we just
cannot feel good, are a sort of death. We've just lost our ground
completely; we are unable to hold it together and feel that we're on top of
things. Rather than realizing that it takes death for there to be birth, we
just fight against the fear of death.

Reaching our limit is not some kind of punishment. It's actually a sign of
health that, when we meet the place where we are about to die, we feel fear
and trembling. A further sign of health is that we don't become undone by
fear and trembling, but we take it as a message that it's time to stop
struggling and look directly at what's threatening us. Things like
disappointment and anxiety are messengers telling us that we're about to go
into unknown territory.

Our bedroom closet can be unknown territory for some of us. For others, it's
going into outer space. What evokes hope and fear for me is different from
what brings it up for you. My aunt reaches her limit when I move a lamp in
her living room. My friend completely loses it when she has to move to a new
apartment. My neighbor is afraid of heights. It doesn't really matter what
causes us to reach our limit. The point is that sooner or later it happens
to all of us.

The first time I met Trungpa Rinpoche was with a class of fourth graders who
asked him a lot of questions about growing up in Tibet and about escaping
from the Chinese Communists into India. One boy asked him if he was ever
afraid. Rinpoche answered that his teacher had encouraged him to go to
places like graveyards that scared him and to experiment with approaching
things he didn't like. Then he told a story about traveling with his
attendants to a monastery he'd never seen before. As they neared the gates,
he saw a large guard dog with huge teeth and red eyes. It was growling
ferociously and struggling to get free from the chain that held it. The dog
seemed desperate to attack them. As Rinpoche got closer, he could see its
bluish tongue and spittle spraying from its mouth. They walked past the dog,
keeping their distance, and entered the gate. Suddenly the chain broke and
the dog rushed at them. The attendants screamed and froze in terror.
Rinpoche turned and ran as fast as he could - straight at the dog. The dog
was so surprised that he put his tail between his legs and ran away.

We can meet our match with a poodle or with a raging guard dog, but the
interesting question is - what happens next?

The spiritual journey involves going beyond hope and fear, stepping into
unknown territory, continually moving forward. The most important aspect of
being on the spiritual path may be to just keep moving. Usually, when we
reach our limit, we feel exactly like Rinpoche's attendants and freeze in
terror. Our bodies freeze and so do our minds.

How do we work with our minds when we meet our match? Rather than indulge or
reject our experience, we can somehow let the energy of the emotion, the
quality of what we're feeling, pierce us to the heart. This is easier said
than done, but it's a noble way to live. It's definitely the path of
compassion - the path of cultivating human bravery and kindheartedness.

In the teachings of Buddhism, we hear about egolessness. It sounds difficult
to grasp: what are they talking about, anyway? When the teachings are about
neurosis, however, we feel right at home. That's something we really
understand. But egolessness? When we reach our limit, if we aspire to know
that place fully - which is to say that we aspire to neither indulge nor
repress - a hardness in us will dissolve. We will be softened by the sheer
force of whatever energy arises - the energy of anger, the energy of
disappointment, the energy of fear. When it's not solidified in one
direction or another, that very energy pierces us to the heart, and it opens
us. This is the discovery of egolessness. It's when all our usual schemes
fall apart. Reaching our limit is like finding a doorway to sanity and the
unconditional goodness of humanity, rather than meeting an obstacle or a
punishment.

The safest and most nurturing place to begin working this way is during
formal meditation. On the cushion, we begin to get the hang of not indulging
or repressing, and of what it feels like to let the energy just be there.
That is why it's so good to meditate every single day and continue to make
friends with our hopes and fears again and again. This sows the seeds that
enable us to be more awake in the midst of everyday chaos. It's a gradual
awakening, and it's cumulative, but that's actually what happens. We don't
sit in meditation to become good meditators. We sit in meditation so that
we'll be more awake in our lives.

The first thing that happens in meditation is that we start to see what's
happening. Even though we still run away, and we still indulge, we see what
we're doing clearly. One would think that our seeing it clearly would
immediately make it just disappear, but it doesn't. So for quite a long
time, we just see it clearly. To the degree that we're willing to see our
indulging and our repressing clearly, they begin to wear themselves out.
Wearing out is not exactly the same as going away. Instead, a wider, more
generous, more enlightened perspective arises.

How we stay in the middle, between indulging and repressing, is by
acknowledging whatever arises without judgment, letting the thoughts simply
dissolve, and then going back to the openness of this very moment. That's
what we're actually doing in meditation. Up come all these thoughts, but
rather than squelch them or obsess with them, we acknowledge them and let
them go. Then we come back to just being here. As Sogyal Rinpoche puts it,
we simply "bring our mind back home".

After a while, that's how we relate with hope and fear in our daily lives.
Out of nowhere, we stop struggling and relax. We stop talking to ourselves
and come back to the freshness of the present moment.

This is something that evolves gradually, patiently, over time. How long
does this process take? I would say it takes the rest of our lives.
Basically, we're continually opening further, learning more, connecting
further with the depths of human suffering and human wisdom, coming to know
both those elements thoroughly and completely, and becoming more loving and
compassionate people. And the teachings continue. There's always more to
learn. We're not just complacent old fogies who've given up and aren't
challenged by anything anymore. At the most surprising times, we still meet
those ferocious dogs.

We might think, as we become more open, that it's going to take bigger
catastrophes for us to reach our limit. The interesting thing is that, as we
open more and more, it's the big ones that immediately wake us up and the
little things that catch us off guard. However, no matter what the size,
color, or shape is, the point is still to lean toward the discomfort of life
and see it clearly rather than to protect ourselves from it.

In practicing meditation, we're not trying to live up to some kind of
ideal - quite the opposite. We're just being with our experience, whatever
it is. If our experience is that sometimes we have some kind of perspective,
and sometimes we have none, then that's our experience. If sometimes we can
approach what scares us, and sometimes we absolutely can't, then that's our
experience. "This very moment is the perfect teacher, and it's always with
us" is really a most profound instruction. Just seeing what's going on -
that's the teaching right there. We can be with what's happening and not
dissociate. Awakeness is found in our pleasure and our pain, our confusion
and our wisdom, available in each moment of our weird, unfathomable,
ordinary everyday lives.

About The Author:
Pema Chödrön is an American Buddhist nun and one of the foremost students of
Chögyam Trungpa, the renowned meditation master. She is the resident teacher
at Gampo Abbey, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, the first Tibetan monastery in
North America established for Westerners. She is also the author of "The
Wisdom of No Escape" and "Start Where You Are". This article was excerpted
with permission from her book "When Things Fall Apart", ©1997. Reprinted by
arrangement with Shambhala Publications, In., Boston. www.shambhala.com

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Through me let there be
a warm smile and a caring heart.
Through me let there be
a willingness to listen
and a readiness to understand.
Through me let there be
dependability, steadfastness
trust and loyalty.
Through me let there be
compassion forgiveness,
mercy and love.
Through me let there be
every quality I find
Oh Lord, in thee.

Roy Lessin

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tough Love

There is a love that we must show
This love sometimes is tough
It's letting go of loved ones
who haven't had enough.
It hurts so bad to see them go
down roads of great destruction
but if we don't, we're sure to be
Their way to growths obstruction
God help us stay out of your way
and live each day to show
That there is a solution
By simply letting go.

written by: Rebecca B.
rbowlin14@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Start Of Recovery

At the start of my recovery
My life was full of discovery
It was not easy
Make no mistake
In the beginning
It's all take and take
Working the steps
One by one
One day at a time
In the beginning was not fun
Then we arrive at making amends
We are blessed in life
Now we have many new friends
That's when we really start to live
We turn to the new comers
Give and give
We share our experience
Strength and hope
We then can teach
Newcomers how we cope
What a blessing we all can see
When we turn and help others to live free
This gives us strength
In our own walk
We do so much more
Then just talk the talk
We are blessed
We are happy, joyous and free
As we watch God work
And set others free
For God is the one
Who sets drunks right
We just share every
Morning, noon and night
How God has helped us
With our fight
This new life
We have been given
Is a great chance
To be living

Daniel M Corkery
11/3/2000
DMCDREAMER1@...
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer/

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The principles you live by create the world you live in;
if you change the principles you live by,
you will change your world.
Blaine Lee

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

You create your thoughts.
Your thoughts create your intentions.
Your intentions create your reality.
Dr. Wayne Dyer

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

What we see depends mainly on what we look for.
  John Lubbock

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

If I have seen farther than others,
it is because I was standing on the shoulders of giants.
Isaac Newton

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The brook would lose its song
  if we removed the rocks.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The ultimate lesson all of us have is unconditional love,
which includes not only others but ourselves as well.
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Saying Hello to the unknown takes faith.
Saying Goodbye to the familiar takes courage.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Now it is time for us to focus on what happens next.
The more we delve into how we got where we are,
the more we stay where we were.
The more we analyze what is not working, the more things do not work.
And the more we consider how we would like it to be,
the more things become as we would have them.
The choice is ours.
Alan Cohen

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

We come equipped with everything we need to experience a
powerful life full of joy, incredible passion, and profound peace.
The difficult part is giving ourselves permission to live it.
Deborah Rosado Shaw

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit" is intended to give readers ,
inspiring and thoughtful messages. To help fulfill our primary
purpose which is to carry the message to the alcoholic/addict
who still suffers. A spiritual adventure, a journey inwards this
has a vision of opening and touching, each and everyone,
with the Loving Power and Presence of the Spirit within."
We invite you to share the writings by forwarding today's
message to others. Share "12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit"
with friends and loved ones: Please keep passing this along to
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~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

Al-Anon/Alateen
www.al-anon.org

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
www.draonline.org

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Drunks Edition
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/drunksedition.html

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*LAUGHTER Is HEALING*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The weekly meeting topic is:
Each month we will share on a step and spiritual principles of the step.
Since it is December the 12th month, PLEASE share on the 12th step
If you haven¹t done the 12th step with your sponsor
Please share on Service, Selflessness and Commitment.....
to share please visit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

December 4
I am getting to know myself today.
I accept who I am today.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Remembering

In a corner all cuddled
Small, fragile, tears puddle
Innocence cost
Many years lost
Tough exterior
So inferior
Many masks worn, many roles played
Inside feeling all decayed
A lost cry
Always High
  Wanting to die
Had enough
Not so tough
Beaten and broken
Hearing words spoken
Six steps upward
Four steps downward
Still two ahead
I¹m not dead
No longer numb
The feelings have come
Naked and exposed
A process disclosed
Within a raging storm
So difficult to conform
This too will pass
Hope it willŠfast
Peace and tranquility will flow
Just hang on for the rainbow!
Kelly-(viequessoon@...)


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Island meetings, NA conventions Šand fellowship development?
N.A. Way Magazine 4/1999
www.na.org/naway/en/naway162-9.htm

Different
www.recoverygreetings.com/puzzles/flp002.html

The Only Way Up PUZZLE
www.recoverygreetings.com/puzzles/flp003.html

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Just For Today
December 4                          God's will, not ours

"We know that if we pray for God's will we will receive what is best
for us, regardless of what we think."     Basic Text p. 44

  By the time we came to NA, our inner voices had become unreliable and
self-destructive. Addiction had warped our desires, our interests, our
sense of what was best for ourselves. That's why it's been so important
in recovery to develop our belief in a Power greater than ourselves,
something that could provide saner, more reliable guidance than our own.
We've begun learning how to rely on this Power's care and to trust the
inner direction it provides us.

  As with all learning processes, it takes practice to "pray only for
knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry that out." The
selfish, ego-driven attitudes we developed in our addiction are not cast
off overnight. Those attitudes may affect the way we pray. We may
evenfind ourselves praying something like, "Relieve me of this character
defect so I can look good:

  The more straightforward we are about our own ideas and desires, the
easier it will be to distinguish between our own will and our Higher
Power's will. "Just for your information, God;' we might pray, "here's
what I want in this situation. Nonetheless, I ask that your will, not
mine, be done." Once we do this, we are prepared to recognize and
accept our Higher Power's guidance.

Just for today: Higher Power, I've learned to trust your guidance,
yet I still have my own ideas about how I want to live my life.
Let me share those ideas with you, and then let me clearly
understand your will for me. In the end, let your will, not mine,
be done.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The weekly meeting topic is:
Each month we will share on a step and spiritual principles of the step.
Since it is December the 12th month, PLEASE share on the 12th step
If you haven¹t done the 12th step with your sponsor
Please share on Service, Selflessness and Commitment.....
to share please visit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Meditation of the Day
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
www.open-mind.org/Daily/

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
www.gatewayrehab.org/December.html

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

STEPPING INTO THE SUNLIGHT

But first of all we shall want sunlight; nothing much can grow in the
dark.  Meditation is our step out into the sun.
AS BILL SEES IT, p. 10

       Sometimes I think I don't have time for prayer and meditation,
forgetting that I always found the time to drink.  It is possible to
make time for anything I want to do if I want it badly enough.  When
I start the routine of prayer and meditation, it's a good idea to plan
to devote a small amount of time to it.  I read a page from our
Fellowship's books in the morning, and say "Thank You, God," when I
go to bed at night.  As prayer becomes a habit, I will increase the
time spent on it, without even noticing the foray it makes into my
busy day.  If I have trouble praying, I just repeat the Lord's Prayer
because it really covers everything. Then I think of what I can be
grateful for and say a word of thanks.

       I don't need to shut myself in a closet to pray. It can be done
even in a room full of people.  I just remove myself mentally for an
instant.  As the practice of prayer continues, I will find I don't need
words, for God can, and does, hear my thoughts through silence.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden / December 4th

A.A. Thought for the Day

If we allow an alcoholic thought to lodge in our minds
for any length of time, we are in danger of having a slip.
Therefore we must dispel such thoughts at once, by
refusing their admittance and by immediately putting
constructive thoughts in their place.  Remember that
alcohol is poison to you.  Remember that it is impossible
for you to drink normally.  Remember that one drink will
lead to others and you will eventually be drunk.  Remember
what happened to you in the past as a result of your drinking.
Think of every reason you have learned in A.A. for not taking
that drink.  Fill your mind with constructive thoughts.
Am I keeping my thoughts constructive?

Meditation for the Day

Always seek to set aside the valuations of the world that
seem wrong and try to judge only by those valuations that
seem right to you.  Do not seek the praise and notice of the
world.  Be one of those who, though sometimes scoffed at,
have a serenity and peace of mind that the scoffers never
know.  Be one of that band who feel the Divine Principle in
the universe, though He be often rejected because He
cannot be seen.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may not heed too much the judgment of the
world.  I pray that I may test things by what seems right to
me.

"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.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*You Are A Miracle*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Today's Thought
DECEMBER 04, 2005

You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Melody Beattie ©

Letting Go

"How much do we need to let go of?" a friend asked one day.

"I'm not certain," I replied, "but maybe everything."

Letting go is a spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical process, a
sometimes mysterious metaphysical process of releasing to God and
the Universe that which we are clinging to so tightly.

We let go of our grasp on people, outcomes, ideas, feelings, wants,
needs, desires - everything. We let go of trying to control our
progress in recovery. Yes, it's important to acknowledge and
accept what we want and what we want to happen. But it's equally
important to follow through by letting go.

Letting go is the action part of faith. It is a behavior that gives
God and the Universe permission to send us what we're meant to
have.

Letting go means we acknowledge that hanging on so tightly isn't
helping to solve the problem, change the person, or get the
outcome we desire. It isn't helping us. In fact, we learn that
hanging on often blocks us from getting what we want and need.

Who are we to say that things aren't happening exactly as they
need to happen?

There is magic in letting go. Sometimes we get what we want soon
after we let go. Sometimes it takes longer. Sometimes the specific
outcome we desire doesn't happen. Something better does.

Letting go sets us free and connects us to our Source.

Letting go creates the optimum environment for the best possible
outcomes and solutions.

Today, I will relax. I will let go of that which is upsetting me the
most. I will trust that by letting go, I have started the wheels in
motion for things to work out in the best possible way.

©1990, Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved. No portion of this
publication may be reproduced in any manner without the written
permission of the publisher.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The True Perfectionist , Alan Cohen
www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2001/May/cohen.htm

Worth It , by Alan Cohen
www.inlightimes.com/2004/08/alan-cohen.htm

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Digging in the Dung
by Ajahn Brahm

When I was a schoolteacher, my attention was drawn to the student in my
class of thirty who came bottom in the end-of-year exams. I could see that
he was depressed as a result of his performance, so I took him aside.

I said to him: 'Someone has to come thirtieth in a class of thirty. This
year, it happens to be you who has made the heroic sacrifice, so that none
of your friends have to suffer the ignominy of being bottom of the class.
You are so kind, so compassionate. You deserve a medal.'

We both knew that what I was saying was ridiculous, but he grinned. He
didn't take it as such an end-of-the-world event any more.

He did much better the next year, when it was someone else's turn to make
the heroic sacrifice.

Unpleasant things, like coming bottom of our class, happen in life. They
happen to everyone. The only difference between a happy person and one who
gets depressed is how they respond to disasters.

Imagine you have just had a wonderful afternoon at the beach with a friend.
When you return home, you find a huge truckload of dung has been dumped
right in front of your door. There are three things to know about this
truckload of dung:

   1.. You did not order it. It's not your fault.
   2.. You're stuck with it. No one saw who dumped it, so you cannot call
anyone to take it away.
   3.. It is filthy and offensive, and its stench fills your whole house. It
is almost impossible to endure.
In this metaphor, the truckload of dung in front of the house stands for the
traumatic experiences that are dumped on us in life. As with the truckload
of dung, there are three things to know about tragedy in our life:

   1.. We did not order it. We say 'Why me?'
   2.. We're stuck with it. No one, not even our best friends, can take it
away (though they may try).
   3.. It is so awful, such a destroyer of our happiness, and its pain fills
our whole life. It is almost impossible to endure.
There are two ways of responding to being stuck with a truckload of dung.
The first way is to carry the dung around with us. We put some in our
pockets, some in our bags, and some up our shirts. We even put some down our
pants. We find when we carry dung around, we lose a lot of friends! Even
best friends don't seem to be around so often.

'Carrying around the dung' is a metaphor for sinking into depression,
negativity, or anger. It is a natural and understandable response to
adversity. But we lose a lot of friends, because it is also natural and
understandable that our friends don't like being around us when we're so
depressed. Moreover, the pile of dung gets no less, but the smell gets worse
as it ripens.

Fortunately, there's a second way. When we are dumped with a truckload of
dung, we heave a sigh, and then get down to work. Out come the wheelbarrow,
the fork, and the spade. We fork the dung into the barrow, wheel it around
the back of the house, and dig it into the garden. This is tiring and
difficult work, but we know there's no other option. Sometimes, all we can
manage is half a barrow a day. We're doing something about the problem,
rather than complaining our way into depression. Day after day we dig in the
dung. Day after day, the pile gets smaller. Sometimes it takes several
years, but the morning does come when we see that the dung in front of our
house is all gone. Furthermore, a miracle has happened in another part of
our house. The flowers in our garden are bursting out in a richness of
colour all over the place. Their fragrance wafts down the street so that the
neighbours, and even passers-by, smile in delight. Then the fruit tree in
the corner is nearly falling over, it's so heavy with fruit. And the fruit
is so sweet; you can't buy anything like it. There's so much of it that we
are able to share it with our neighbours. Even passers-by get a delicious
taste of the miracle fruit.

'Digging in the dung' is a metaphor for welcoming the tragedies as
fertilizer for life. It is work that we have to do alone: no one can help us
here. But by digging it into the garden of our heart, day by day, the pile
of pain gets less. It may take us several years, but the morning does come
when we see no more pain in our life and, in our heart, a miracle has
happened. Flowers of kindness are bursting out all over the place, and the
fragrance of love wafts way down our street, to our neighbours, to our
relations, and even to passers-by. Then our wisdom tree in the corner is
bending down to us, loaded with sweet insights into the nature of life. We
share those delicious fruits freely, even with the passers-by, without ever
planning to.

When we have known tragic pain, learnt its lesson, and grown our garden,
then we can put our arms around another in deep tragedy and say, softly, 'I
know.' They realize we do understand. Compassion begins. We show them the
wheelbarrow, the fork, and the spade, and boundless encouragement. If we
haven't grown our own garden yet, this can't be done.

I have known many monks who are skilled in meditation, who are peaceful,
composed and serene in adversity. But only a few have become great teachers.
I often wondered why.

It seems to me now that those monks who had a relatively easy time of it,
who had little dung to dig in, were the ones who didn't become teachers. It
was the monks who had the enormous difficulties, dug them in quietly, and
came through with a rich garden that became great teachers. They all had
wisdom, serenity and compassion; but those with more dung had more to share
with the world. My teacher, Ajahn Chah, who for me was the pinnacle of all
teachers, must have had a whole trucking company line up with their dung at
his door, in his early life.

Perhaps the moral of this story is that if you want to be of service to the
world, if you wish to follow the path of compassion, then the next time a
tragedy occurs in your life, you may say, 'Whoopee! More fertilizer for my
garden!'

This article was excerpted from Opening The Door Of Your Heart, ©2004, by
Ajahn Brahm. (Forthcoming North American edition, "Who Ordered this
Truckload of Dung?: Inspiring Wisdom for Welcoming Life's Difficulties"
published by Wisdom Publications, www.wisdompubs.org ) Reprinted with
permission of the publisher, Lothian Books, Australia. www.lothian.com.au

About the Author:
Ajahn Brahm is the abbot of Bodhinyana Monastery in Western Australia and
the Spiritual Director of the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. He is
widely regarded as a meditation master with great insight and humor, known
for his inspiring and enlightening talks. He regularly teaches in Australia,
Malaysia and Singapore and visits many other countries as a guest teacher
and motivational speaker. For the past twenty one years, he has taught the
timeless Buddhist philosophy to Westerners from all walks of life, led
meditation groups in Australian prisons, and counseled the distressed, the
sick and the bereaved.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Embracing the New
Meditation by Orin and DaBen

I pay attention to all the energy
about me right now.
I feel the surface I am sitting or lying on.
I hear the sounds around me.
I feel my body.
I relax my body as I
bring my awareness to it.

I center my awareness
in the present moment,
the source of my power.
My mind is clear and alert.
My emotions are flowing and serene.

I focus upon my breath.
It moves through my body
bringing me life and energy.
I follow the flow of my breath.
I bring my breath all the way
down to my feet.

I feel new energy and aliveness
touching every part of my body
with every breath I take.

I picture my spine supple and flexible.
My spine reflects my open and
flexible attitude.

I am open to new people coming into my life.
I invite new ideas into my mind.
I am willing to experience more joy
and love than I ever imagined possible.
I picture the future being positive
and wonderful.

I ask now for anything that is not
for my higher good
to release itself from me.

I ask now for anything that
represents my higher good
to come to me now.

I embrace the new.
I release the old easily
when it is no longer part
of my path and purpose.

I am willing to see the world in new ways.
I look at many different viewpoints
and remain open to new perspectives.

I open to the wonder of the world
like a child.
I see the world through new eyes
every time I look at it.
I always see something beautiful.

I trust that the world is safe
and that it is always working
FOR me and WITH me.

I release all my limits
and embrace the new.

I know that every day I am becoming
a more beautiful and perfect light.

About The Authors
This meditation was "given" by Orin and DaBen, both timeless beings of love
and light, channeled by by Sanaya Roman and Duane Packer. For a free
subscription to their newsletter which includes messages from Orin and
DaBen, write to: LuminEssence, P.O. Box 1310, Medford, OR 97501. Phone:
541-770-6700. Visit their website at www.orindaben.com This meditation is
reprinted from their website with permission.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

My Declaration of Self-Esteem

    The following was written in answer to a 15-year-old
girl's question, "How can I prepare myself for a fulfilling
life?"

    I am me.

    In all the world, there is no one else exactly like me.
There are people who have some parts like me but no one adds
up exactly like me. Therefore, everything that comes out of
me is authentically mine because I alone choose it.

    I own everything about me - my body, including
everything it does; my mind, including all my thoughts and
ideas; my eyes, including the images of all they behold; my
feelings, whatever they might be - anger, joy, frustration,
love, disappointment, excitement; my mouth and all the words
that come out of it - polite, sweet and rough, correct or
incorrect; my voice, loud and soft; all my actions, whether
they be to others or myself.

    I own my fantasies, my dreams, my hopes, my fears.

    I own all my triumphs and successes, all my failures
and mistakes.

    Because I own all of me, I can become intimately
acquainted with me in all my parts. I can love me and be
friendly with me in all my parts. I can then make it
possible for all of me to work in my best interests.

    I know there are aspects about myself that puzzle me,
and other aspects that I do not know. But as long as I am
friendly and loving to myself, I can courageously and
hopefully look for the solutions to the puzzles and for ways
to find out more about me.

    However I look and sound, whatever I say and do, and
whatever I think and feel at a given moment in time is me.
This is authentic and represents where I am at that moment
in time.

    When I review later how I looked and sounded, what I
said and did, and how I thought and felt, some parts may
turn out to be unfitting. I can discard that which is
unfitting and keep that which proved fitting, and invent
something new for that which I discarded.

    I can see, hear, feel, think, say and do. I have the
tools to survive, to be close to others, to be productive,
to make sense and order out of the world of people and
things outside of me.

    I own me and therefore I can engineer me.

    I am me and I am okay.

By Virginia Satir from Chicken Soup for the Soul
Copyright 1993 by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They

It doesn't matter how long
You've been in the hold
Happiness comes from inside
Not from the drugs they sold

They did what they could
To keep my soul in pain
They tried to keep me sick
To live my life in shame

They did not think
That I would ever rise
But my star will shine
In the darkest of skies

They try to take away
They try to steal my desire
But they will not stop me
Nor steal my fire

They claim that they care
They claim they are my friend
But they are not to be found
When I hit my bitter end

No matter how they tried
To keep my back against the wall
I just kept coming back
Not a stumble, not a fall

You need someone To help carry the rod
You needn't loo around
just look to God

Someday I'll be on top
And they'll know I was right
The only way for me to win
Never quit nor give up the fight

written by ~ KAREN H
KSAK@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sharing

Share, why can't I share the awful life I had?
The misery and pain I caused, It cannot be so bad.
It hurts to even think about the awful life I led,
A world consumed with alcohol, complete despair and dread.
My children, who I hurt the most, my gifts from God, I say,
And they were left to face the world, the day I went away.
My dad would sit and cry at night, so scared that I would die.
My family hung their heads in shame, for they did not know why.
I spent a lot of time in jail, that should have made me see.
I was doing harm to others, while completely hurting me.
The pattern of my life was set, all I did was drink.
Though thoughts ran rampant in my head, I couldn't really think.
Then, one day, it came to me, like lighting from the sky.
I didn't have to drink at all, I didn't have to die.
An honorable judge who sent me to the program of AA,
Helped me get my spirit back, showed me a better way.
My spirit's filled with joy today, I'm thrilled from head to toe,
I've changed in, oh, so many ways, I'm learning how to grow.
The beauty that I see today is so hard to ignore.
The grace of God has given me a life that I adore!

copywrite@2002
Sharlett Hunt
Sharlette863@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Lord will drench you with His showers,
but He will dry you with His sun.
Czech Proverb

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them.
Brendan Francis

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

In each of us are places where we have never gone.
Only by pressing the limits do you ever find them.
Dr. Joyce Brothers

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

God has made many doors
opening into the truth which he
opens to all who knock upon
them with hands of faith.
Kahlil Gibran

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sing on my wall reads:
"Good morning, This is your Higher Power speaking.
I will not be needing your help today."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

We win half the battle when we make up our minds
to take the world as we find it,
including the thorns.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It is not the YETS we have to worry about...
it's the AGAINS.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Do the math....Count your blessings.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Light To Someone Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Make Your Blessings Count

~*~*~*~*Trust God, Clean House, Help Others*~*~*~*~

12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit" is intended to give readers ,
inspiring and thoughtful messages. To help fulfill our primary
purpose which is to carry the message to the alcoholic/addict
who still suffers. A spiritual adventure, a journey inwards this
has a vision of opening and touching, each and everyone,
with the Loving Power and Presence of the Spirit within."
We invite you to share the writings by forwarding today's
message to others. Share "12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit"
with friends and loved ones: Please keep passing this along to
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or go to the website and unsubscribe
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~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Adult Children of Alcoholics
www.AdultChildren.org

Al-Anon/Alateen
www.al-anon.org

Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
www.artsanonymous.org

Clutterer¹s Anonymous
www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
www.ca.org

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
www.codependents.org

Crystal Meth Anonymous
www.crystalmeth.org

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship forŠ
www.debtorsanonymous.org

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
www.draonline.org

Eating Disorders Anonymous
www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Emotions Anonymous
www.emotionsanonymous.org

Families Anonymous
www.familiesanonymous.org

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Hepatitis C Anonymous
www.hcvanonymous.com

HIV Anonymous
www.hivanonymous.com

The Marijuana Anonymous
www.marijuana-anonymous.org

Methadone Anonymous
www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official  Homepage
www.na.org

Nar-Anon is a family support group
www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
www.oa.org

Parents Anonymous
www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
www.rsaws.org

Recovering Couples Anonymous
www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
www.saa-recovery.org

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
www.slaafws.org

Shoplifters Anonymous
www.shopliftersanonymous.org

Suicide Anonymous
www.geocities.com/samemphis

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
www.siawso.org

Workaholics Anonymous
www.workaholics-anonymous.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

     (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels  with only one wing  (\o/\o/)
      /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.groups-beta.google.com/group/12-Step-Soul-Food-for-the-Spirit

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit

Dogma
www.recoverycartoons.com/html/new2004/dogma.html

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*LAUGHTER Is HEALING*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The weekly meeting topic is:
Each month we will share on a step and spiritual principles of the step.
Since it is December the 12th month, PLEASE share on the 12th step
If you haven¹t done the 12th step with your sponsor
Please share on Service, Selflessness and Commitment.....
to share please visit
www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

December 3
I am beginning to trust myself today.
There is  a place deep within me that tells me that
I am okay and guides me along my path in recovery
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at www.spirithaven.com or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
www.spirithaven.com
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Looking Inward

Broken dreams, broken heart
Sitting alone thinking where to start

So many times trying to stand on her own
Her wings all tattered from places she¹s flown

Telling herself she¹s afraid to believe
That there still is a life and future to retrieve

So many times she¹s tried only to fail
Again and again she tells the same tale

Seeking only people she thinks will understand
Never believing she could be giving others a helping hand

She finally gets up and tries to recall
Have I ever really stood up to stand straight and tall

She thinks because of what she did in her past
She could never move forward and have it last

Is it possible to really recover?
Can she do it alone and not lean on another

Finally she knows that for as long as she may live
It¹s only herself that she has to forgive

written by Donna's Mom in MA
donnamz812@...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Once a camelŠ
N.A. Way Magazine 4/1999
www.na.org/naway/en/naway162-8.htm

Dr. Bob Grapevine Articles
www.silkworth.net/grapevine/grapevine_drbob.html

  Bill W. Grapevine Articles
www.silkworth.net/grapevine/grapevine_billw.html

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Dear Friends,
I've asked before; I'm pleading now. Today please make the time to
call your two Senators and your Congressional representative,
expressing your desire for the American government to help stop the
genocide in Darfur. To read more about this human slaughter and how
you personally can help stop it, go to www.savedarfur.org.
All you have to do is make one call. To find out the contact info for
your Senators and Congressman, go to www.congress.org , or you can
call the U.S. capital switchboard at (877) 762-8762 or (202) 224-
3121.

To make your case stronger when speaking to your Congresspeople
or their aids, you might want to make these points:

1. The U.S. should help build the African Union Security Force
     (Congress recently cut out the $50 million dollars from the federal
     budget that would have been used for this purpose).
2. There needs to be an expanded U.N. security force in Darfur
3. The U.S. should support a no-fly zone to protect civilians
4. The Darfur Peace and Accountability Act should be passed in the
     House of Representatives
5. We want President Bush to talk about this issue whenever and
     however possible, to awaken the American people to the horror of this
     situation and to our moral responsibility to address it.

It has been said that if one hundred people in each Congressional
district in the U.S. had contacted their representatives about the
Rwandan genocide, then that would have generated the political will
to stop it. The Rwandan horror is being repeated today in the Sudan,
and the U.S. is not yet doing everything we can to help. Not even
close.

Dante's famous quote resonates: "There is a special place in hell
reserved for those who, in times of moral crisis, remain neutral."
Genociate in the Sudan is a moral crisis of the first degree. And we
can stop it. Amen.

Please help spread the word....
Thanks. All my best,
Marianne Williamson

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Take A Stand*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Just For Today
December 3                            Vision without limits

"Perhaps for the first time, we see a vision of our new life."
  Basic Text p. 34

  In our addiction, our vision of ourselves was very limited. Each day, we
went through the same routine: getting, using, and finding ways and means
to get more. And that's all we could reasonably expect for the duration of
our lives. Our potential was limited.

  Today, our prospects are changed. Recovery has given us a new vision of
ourselves and our lives. We are no longer trapped in the endlessly gray
routine of addiction. We are free to stretch ourselves in new ways, trying
out new ideas and new activities. In doing so, we come to see ourselves in
a new way. Our potential is limited only by the strength of the Higher
Power that cares for us-and that strength has no limits.

  In recovery, life and everything in it appears open to us. Guided by our
spiritual principles, driven by the power given us by the God of our
understanding, our horizons are limitless.

Just for today: I will open my eyes to the possibilities before me.
My potential is as limitless and as powerful as the God of my
understanding.Today, I will act on that potential.

Just For Today Daily Meditation is the property of Narcotics Anonymous ©
1991 by World Service Of