TODAY'S GIFT - SEPTEMBER 2014

[MajestyJo]

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

The sign must come like dawn. You cannot see its arrival, but know when it is there.
–Diane Wakoski

Let us take a break, sit by the river, and watch the current quietly flow. Let's just think, for a moment, about where the current is going, the shores it will brush on its way, the clouds reflected on its surface, the animals that come to drink from it, the bobbers it gently nudges downstream.

Our lives sometimes seem like the river, wandering to the west, the south, back toward the east, seemingly without direction at all. Yet we can take comfort in this thought for, like the river, we are always headed in the direction we are meant to go. Without trying, without knowing, we are part of the larger pattern of things, and we nourish many others just by passing through their lives.

What shores will my life touch today?

Through the internet, I touch more than I ever did prior to recovery. Good things came to me as a result of being in recovery.

[MajestyJo]

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

Hope is the thing with feathers
that perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.
—Emily Dickinson

We often hum and sing to ourselves because it makes us feel content. It is the melody itself that makes us feel good - words and thoughts do not matter.

Having hope for ourselves and for our universe is like having a melody always moving inside us. The melody may be calm or exciting, but most of all it brings with it beauty and a sense of peace. Hope can overcome the need for words and thoughts and promises. Hope is the melody that keeps us going, the hum that continues even when there are no words to the song. Hope is not a melody we think about - it must come when we believe in the goodness of our world. If we have faith in a power greater than ourselves, we will be able to find the melody of hope inside us at all times.

What is my hope for today?

What is my hope? Just to get through the next 24 hours. It is much easier to live then endure 24 hours.



Change your thoughts, transform your life. J. Johnson

There is huge power in the words that we speak everyday. Whether we choose to believe it or not, everything about us comes from within first. Every word that we express outwardly, and every view or belief system comes as a result of what we think, which eventually comes out when we verbalize. So, we should make an effort to think and speak in a positive nature, in order to see more positive outcomes in our lives.

[MajestyJo]

Thursday, September 18, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

I will, I will accept myself
With hope and fear and wonder
And what I have joined together
Let no man put asunder.
—Dory Preven

There is a wonderful freedom in acceptance. When we accept ourselves, with all our imperfections, we can then begin to accept others just as they are. This is especially exciting when we apply this discovery to our own families. A family is like a bouquet of flowers arranged in a common vase. Each flower is different. One might be blue, one white, one a rose, one a chrysanthemum. But each adds to the beauty of the whole bouquet and enhances the vase that holds it.

It isn't important that we know why one flower is blue and one white. We don't have to understand how a rose becomes a rose to appreciate the arrangement. We just accept it for what it is. Acceptance of others does not mean agreement or approval. How boring if we only accepted those who reflected our own ideas and opinions! How dull to look upon a bouquet of exactly the same flowers.

Today, will I accept the differences between us as part of our beauty together?

We accept each other for who we are in the moment, not for who we were and who we may become. I have two sisters and we are all different, very much so. Yet though we look different, you can tell we are sisters when ou get us in the room together.

[MajestyJo]

Friday, September 19, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

Young man, the secret of my success is that at an early age I discovered I was not God.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes

Sometimes, in our families, we try to get parents or brothers or sisters to treat us the way we want them to, to do things we want them to. When they're upset or angry with us, we try to get them to stop, rather than allow them to be angry.

But our feelings are ours alone, and we are responsible only for how we feel. Those around us are not the cause of our feelings. We are.

This knowledge is a big responsibility, because we know we cannot blame others for our bad moods. But it is a fact. And this fact is also a wonderful freedom for us, for it means that we also have the power to make ourselves happy, no matter what goes on around us.

How can I make myself happy today?

Love that, to my chagrin I had to learn that I was trying to play god with my life and that of others. It is called having 'control' issues.

How can I be 'happy' in today? Make the decision to be happy! Let go of worry, anxiety, fear, stress, and walk in faith, trust in God to lead me through the day, and be happy, no matter what the day brings. It can't be too bad if I turn it over to my God before I start out and remember to give thanks at night.

[MajestyJo]

Saturday, September 20, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

Education should be the process of helping everyone to discover his uniqueness.
—Leo Buscaglia

We are each special, which means there is not another person just like ourselves. Nobody looks just like us. Nobody's voice sounds quite like our own. And nobody thinks through a story just like we do.

Each of us has been created for a special purpose. Maybe it's for what we'll teach a friend, or the way we'll help a sister or a brother. Every day will give us chances to offer our special talents to others. Our being alive is God's way of proving that we're important to the family, the neighborhood, and the world.

What important task lies before me today?

My tasks are to go to the market today and go to the library. I promised my son a favour, and he is deserving because he has cooked dinner all week. I want to pick up some green onions, bok choy and bean sprouts to make fried rice. Yesterday was in bed most of the day, so hopefully, I can get the do things done in today.

[MajestyJo]

Sunday, September 21, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

Silently one by one
in the infinite meadows of heaven
Blossomed the lovely stars,
the forget-me-nots of angels.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Tales told about the stars reflect a lot about the people who tell them. The constellation now called Orion was once called Hippolyta. Hippolyta was one of the Amazon queens. The Amazons were women warriors who had four leaders instead of one: two older women and two younger women. Everyone could benefit from the experience and wisdom of the older and the strength and vigor of the younger.

After Hippolyta died, they named this constellation for her to honor her and remind themselves of her wisdom and bravery.

We can draw a good lesson from the value the Amazons placed on the contribution each one could make, no matter how young or old. When we remain alert to the possibility of learning from people we hadn't seriously considered as teachers, we are reminded of our often forgotten value to others.

What can I offer in wisdom or strength to others today?

For me the greatest wisdom is that is one day at a time. Just for today, I choose not to use people, places, and things. When I was new in recovery, about a 3 months, I heard this man say, "I told myself, any man can stay sober for one day, so I keep coming back to prove that I am not a fool. He had 25 years of sobriety to my knowledge at the time. In today he is blind and still sober, I haven't heard of his passing. I was blessed to speak at his group's 40 year anniversary and was blessed by having him thank me for sharing my story. That was over 10 years ago, what goes around comes around. He was a gift to my sobriety many times over. You just never know.

[MajestyJo]

Monday, September 22, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

Kindness and intelligence don't always deliver us from the pitfalls and traps.
—Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

Being human means we'll have hard times along with pleasant ones. Whether with friends, at school, or at home, we'll find reasons for sadness or anger as easily as for laughter. In every part of our lives, we're offered just what we need for growth.

Being the best we know how to be doesn't mean we'll escape confusion or pain. Through the troubling times we learn to trust in a Higher Power; we learn patience; we learn to let go and let God decide outcomes. The troubling times offer us growth and serenity, our keys to happiness.

What hidden gifts will I find in today's troubles?

Some of many more posted on the site:

90 TOOLS FOR SOBRIETY

1 ) Stay away from that first drink, taking the 1st step daily.
2 ) Attend AA, or the fellowship of your choice, regularly and get involved.
3 ) Progress is made ONE DAY AT A TIME.
4 ) Use the 24 Hour plan.
5 ) Turn your "dis-ease" to a sense of ease. Picture yourself as "recovered."
6 ) Do first things first.
7 ) Don't become too tired.
8 ) Eat at regular hours.
9 ) Use the telephone. (not just after the fact but during too.).
10) Be active - don't just sit around. Idle time will kill you.
11) Use the Serenity Prayer.
12) Change old routines and patterns.
13) Don't become too hungry.
14) Avoid loneliness.
15) Practice control of your anger.
16) Air your resentments.
17) Be willing to help whenever needed.
18) Be good to yourself, you deserve it.
19) Easy does it.
20) Get out of the "IF ONLY" trap.
21) Remind yourself HOW IT WAS. Your last drunk, the feelings etc. Picture better alternatives.
22) Be aware of your emotions. Reason about them.
23) Help another in his/her recovery, extend your hand, listen.
24) Try to turn your life and your will over to your Higher Power.
25) Avoid all mood-altering drugs, read labels on all medicines.
26) Turn loose of old ideas.
27) Avoid drinking situations/occasions.
28) Replace old drinking buddies with new AA buddies.
29) Read the Big Book.
30) Try not to be dependent on another (sick relationships). Be independent or inter-dependent.
31) Be grateful, and when you're not, make a GRATITUDE list.
32) Get off the "Pity Pot"...the only thing you'll get is a ring
around your bottom if you don't.
33) Seek knowledgeable help when troubled and or otherwise.
34) Face it! You are in control of your destiny.
35) Try the 12 and 12, not just 1 and 12 or 1, 12 and 13!
36) Let go and Let God.
37) Use the "God box." (Write down your worries and problems. Put them in the God box. Once you've done so, you can no longer think about them for that day. Use God's answers: yes, no, or wait, I have something better in store for you. Don't forget to say thanks.
38) Find courage to change through the example of others who have.
39) Don't try to test your will power. When in doubt, DON'T. (Or don't, yet.)
40) Live TODAY, not YESTERDAY, not TOMORROW - projection is planning
the results before anything even happens.
41) Avoid emotional involvements the first year - you end up putting
the other person first and lose sight of "your" program.
42) Remember, YOU ARE NOT YOUR DIS-EASE. So, take it easy on yourself.
43) Rejoice in the manageability of your new life.
44) Be humble--Humility is not in thinking of yourself more, but in
thinking more of yourself less often. Watch the ego.
45) Share your experience, strength and hope as much as possible and as creatively as possible.
46) Cherish your recovery.
47) Dump your garbage regularly - GIGO = Garbage In Garbage Out.
48) Get plenty of "restful" sleep.
49) Stay sober for you - not someone else - otherwise it won't work.
50) Practice rigorous honesty with yourself and others.
51) Progress is made ONE DAY AT A TIME, not 10 years in one day!
55) Make no major decisions the first year.
56) Get a sponsor and use him/her.
57) Know that no matter what your problems, someone's had them before.
Don't be afraid to share, as a problem shared is one 1/2 solved.
58) Strive for progress not perfection.
59) When in doubt ask questions. The only stupid question is the one
not asked.
60) Use prayer and meditation.
61) Maintain a balance: spiritual, physical, emotional and mental.
62) Don't use other substances as a maintenance program.
63) Learn to take spot check inventories.
64) Watch out for the RED FLAGS ... things that give excuses for poor
behavior and inevitable relapse.
65) Know that its okay to be human ... just don't drink over it.
66) Be kind to yourself; it's about time, don't you think?
67) Don't take yourself so seriously - take the dis-ease seriously!
68) Know that whatever it is that's causing pain - it shall pass.
69) Stay as far away from the DRY DRUNK SYNDROME as humanly possible.
70) Don't give away more than you can afford oo, your sobriety comes
first and must be the number 1 priority. Protect it at all costs.
71) Take down those bricks from the wall around you; you'll be able to
see the daylight better. Let people know who you are.
72) Get a home group and attend it regularly.
73) Know that the light at the end of the tunnel is not an oncoming
train, but actually a ray of hope. Drop the negativity.
74) Know that you are not alone, that's why the "We" is in the steps.
75) Be willing to go to any lengths to stay and be sober.
76) Know that no matter how bleak and dark your past may be, your
future is clean, bright and clear if you don't drink today.
77) Stay out of your own way.
78) Don't be in a hurry--remember "TIME = Things I Must Earn".
79) Watch the EGO. "EGO = Ease God Out".
80) Protect your sobriety at all costs. Keep the light on you.
81) Learn to listen, not just hear. Be open-minded and nonjudgmental.
82) Know that if your insides match your outsides, everyone looks good.
83) If the rest of the world looks bad, check yourself out first.
84) Gratitude is in the attitude.
85) When all else fails ... punt! Up the number of meetings!!!
86) Remember FEAR = FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL!
87) If they knew better, they'd do better. Think about letting things go.
88) Handle what you can and leave the rest, don't overtax yourself.
You can only accomplish so much in a given 24 hours.
89) Honesty and consistency are key factors in recovery.
90) Let the little kid in you out - learn how to laugh from the gut.

-adapted from ideas by Bob
__________________

[MajestyJo]

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

When we do the best we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or the life of another.
—Helen Keller

It is a great loss when we underestimate the importance of our efforts in the life of another. One man, who had to spend some time in a hospital, waited day after day to receive a card or a telephone call from those who cared. Some people, who he expected to call or write, did not. Others, who the man had not felt close to, and whom he did not expect to hear from, surprised him with their concern. He came to place greater value on those who had cared enough to call or send a card.

A little act, the best we have at that moment, makes a big difference to the person on the other end. Knowing this helps us make sure that all our acts, even the smallest, are as good as we can make them, because they all make a difference.

What small acts of those around me have made a difference to me?

When I have felt down or going through a difficult time, I often get a phone call, someone appears at my door, or I meet up with someone at the mall or on the way to the mall. I call it Divine Intervention. Even if the person isn't sober in today, they carry a great message to me. To use is to lose. It is a good for me to hear any time.

Just now, posting this, the song playing on the TV is the song "Keeper of the Stars" just find it very comforting.

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/tracy...fthestars.html

[MajestyJo]

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

Notice the difference between what happens when a man says to himself, I have failed three times, and what happens when he says, I'm a failure.
—S. I. Hayakawa

What happens to us when we call ourselves names like "failure" or "dummy"? We feel we're no good and never will be. We want to stop trying because we think we'll flub up again.

But what if we begin to use different words to describe the same results? It won't change the results, but it will change us. And it will change the way we see our actions and ourselves.

Just by changing the words we use we can feel better about ourselves. Saying, "I've failed three times," means we'll try again and again and again until we succeed. It means we know God doesn't make any failures or dummies. It means God is always with us, loving us and helping us, even when trying seems difficult.

What can I change my thinking about today?

Lately, I realize that I have been giving my pain too much power. I have allowed others to dictate what I should do and not do, and I realized I had a resentment, which meant more prayer, so that part is good.

[MajestyJo]

Thursday, September 25, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

Things don't turn up in this world until somebody turns them up.
—James A. Garfield

We could learn from the bears in the woods how to turn up opportunities. To nourish themselves, they turn over logs and stumps to get insects. When they smell honey, they will climb a tree after it, and when they see berries they will move branches aside to get at them.

Like the bears, we need to turn up things for ourselves. Perhaps we can enter a drawing or writing contest. Maybe we can try out for a team sport or the orchestra. By doing this, we take risks, which foster our growth and build confidence, and we turn our lives into fulfilling adventures.

Why wait for opportunity to knock when we can knock at opportunity's door. Whatever our interests, finding ways to enjoy them can make the most out of the opportunities around us.

What opportunities are available to me today?

My opportunity was the fact that the sun was shining. As long as I stay awake, I can see the door.

[MajestyJo]

Friday, September 26, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

There is no hope of joy except in human relations.
—Antoine de Saint Exupery

It is hard to imagine being really joyful and excited without our family and friends. We can imagine a birthday party with no one but us attending. Even if we got many gifts, we would feel empty if there were no one around with whom to share our excitement.

Our joy comes from each other. Even the hard times furnish us with wonderful memories for later in life. We share the good and the bad, and the rewards of both. When our lives together seem too difficult, when it's too hard to share, too crowded to think, when there are too many disagreements, we can find comfort by looking at one another once again and seeing all the ways we are truly alike, and what we share every moment that we sometimes take for granted--our food, our thoughts, the very air we breathe.

What are the things we share right now?

So grateful when people share, they trigger a memory, something else that I had forgotten and bring up something else that was so deeply buried, it hadn't floated to the top, and even when I dug, it eluded me. I found myself through others. For them, I am grateful.

[MajestyJo]

Saturday, September 27, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

Let me fly, says little birdie,
Mother, let me fly away.
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Don't we all want to fly away? Isn't there a better place out there away from home? The boy can't fly, but he can climb a tree and ride the wind. The girl, high on imaginary wings, flies to her own land of dreams. Even mothers and fathers, together and alone, need to fly - away from work, house, and the everyday same old things. But we all need to return as well. We need to know that home is the one safe place to land, that there we can rest, recover our strength, tell our tales to family and friends.

Our home is safe and comfortable, but if we never leave, even for a short while, we will never take the action necessary to bring our dreams to life.

What small comfort might I give up for today in order to make a dream come true?

Haven't gotten to the complete isolation state yet, the only thing that really isolates me is the weather. I qualify for Darts, but I don't think sitting around and waiting one to two hours waiting to be picked up is not joyful. If I had joy, waiting especially if it is cold, takes all the enjoyment out of the day. i.e. My bridge club closes after the game, it is a dark parking lot, and hard to find. Most time I would be able to get a ride, but often people are going the other way. The last time I went to an AA meeting, I couldn't get a ride home. A guy told me it wasn't AA's job to get me a ride home. What ever happened to that thing they called service.

It is sad that after 10 minutes, the sister that lives closest to me, I run out of things to say after 10 min. The other sister, we can talk for an hour.

[MajestyJo]

Sunday, September 28, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

One is happy as a result of one's own efforts, tastes, a certain degree of courage, self-denial to a point, love of work, and, above all, a clear conscience. Happiness is no vague dream, of that I now feel certain.
—George Sand

"We always go get a hot fudge sundae after the school choir concert," the girl said. Her parents laughed because their daughter said always, and they had only gone to a school choir concert once. Then the parents realized that the girl really had a great idea.

"Yes," the mother said, "we always get a sundae because we like to make up new traditions. We'll have to be sure and do it tonight so we don't let the tradition fall apart before it even gets started!"

They all laughed together and started debating which restaurant had the best hot fudge sundae.

We all need to have special traditions with our families. We need celebrations that have nothing to do with official holidays. Family holidays can mean so much more to us sometimes because they celebrate our shared experiences in life and become the source of happy memories for a lifetime.

What tradition can I start today?

Love this question, one that I was taught early. A lady said, "I had to learn to live the traditions so I could live long enough to work a live the Steps."

For me it has been Traditions 3, which qualified me to be in the rooms of recovery and give purpose to my life.

http://www.******************/forums...ead.php?t=5672

Tradition 7 was to tell me that I could no longer rob Peter to pay Paul and that I had to be responsible. As someone said, "Don't give away more than you can afford to lose."

http://www.******************/forums...ead.php?t=1834

Check out the Traditions, they make for an interesting read, especially the questionnaire which asks you if you are working them in your life to their full capacity.

[MajestyJo]

Monday, September 29, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

When people envy me I think, Oh God, don't envy me, I have my own pains.
—Barbra Streisand

A forest is full of many different kinds of trees--they are all sizes and shapes and shades of color. It is hard to imagine a pine tree wishing it was an oak. Or a fir tree envying the birch its white bark. Instead, each tree catches raindrops and reflects the sunshine in its own way.

We often find ourselves envying someone else. We think they have more money or more friends. We see them as better looking or luckier in some way than we are.

It is so easy to overlook our own gifts when we do this. We get fooled by what looks good and forget that all human beings have some weaknesses and pain, just like we do. Like the trees in the forest, we each have our own unique beauty and talents to offer. If we believe in ourselves, rather than envy those around us, we will grow green and tall in our own way.

What qualities do I have that someone might envy?

A friend envied the way I could talk and put pictures on when I posted. She felt she couldn't do it. She had the message, she just did't think she could say them like me. She didn't realize she didn't need to, she had her own story in her own way. I have a way with words, but she had a great way with people.

She did things I couldn't do. I went into jail and did face to face, but she worked behind the scenes. She worked in soup kitchens, went on walks for aids and women's rights, and so much more. We each have a gift. It is God given.

[MajestyJo]

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

The house, the stars, the desert--what gives them their beauty is something that is invisible.
—Antoine de Saint Exupery

What makes our home special? Is it the shape of it, or whether or not we have carpeting? Probably not.

More likely, what makes us love a place is how we feel when we are there. Home is the familiarity of pleasant smells, activities, and special people.

And when we are caught by the beauty of the stars, isn't it something that happens inside us - the breathtaking feeling of joy that is so hard to describe? The beauty of a day or a special person in our lives cannot be captured, but it can fill and warm our hearts.

Can I measure beauty today by what I feel inside?