God is not a cosmic bellboy.--Harry Emerson Fosdick

We have to laugh when we look back at the times we treated God like our servant. Who did we think we were, ordering God to do something for us? But we got away with it. God even did some of the things we asked.
Now we know that our Higher Power is not a servant. As we work the Steps, we know we don't give orders to our Higher Power. We don't expect God to work miracles every time we'd like one. We're asking our Higher Power to lead us. After all, who knows what is best for us - our Higher Power or us?
Our Higher Power has many wonderful gifts for us. Our Higher Power will show us goals, help us live in love and joy, and give us strength.

Prayer for the Day
Higher Power, show me ways to help others as You've helped me. I'm grateful that You love me and help me.

Action for the Day
Today, I'll make a list of times my Higher Power has helped me out of trouble.

"Keep It Simple", by Anonymous

Today's thought from Hazelden is:

I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.
--Alcoholics Anonymous (The AA Big Book)

Newcomer

Nothing much seems to have changed for me lately. I still have the same problems and issues I had months ago.

Sponsor

The Serenity Prayer asks me "to accept the things I cannot change." I used to think that meant things were never going to change - and that I'd better accept it! Now I realize not only that everything is capable of being changed, but also that change is a fact of reality and I can't stop it. What the phrase "to accept the things I cannot change" means to me today is that there are many things that only my Higher Power can change. That doesn't mean things won't change, only that I can't force them to. I have the courage to do my part; I have faith that change takes place in my Higher Power's time.

I can't be sure I'm going to be offered a particular job; but I can shower, dress appropriately, show up for the interview on time, and represent my capabilities with honesty and dignity. If I'm persistent in these efforts, the right job will come in time. Or perhaps I'd like my weight to change. I can't control the numbers on my scale, but if I exercise and eat moderately, over time a moderate body will show up.

Our Higher Power's timetable often differs from our own; accepting that is a source of serenity.

Today, I let my Higher Power work in my life. I have the courage to have faith.


"If You Want What We Have", by Joan Larkin

This is a good one...

Reflection for the Day
Someone once defined the ego as "the sum total of false ideas about myself." Persistent reworking of the Twelve Steps enables me to gradually strip away my false ideas about myself. This permits nearly imperceptible but steady growth in my understanding of the truth about myself. And this, in turn, leads to a growing understanding of God and other human beings. Do I strive for self-honesty, promptly admitting when I'm wrong?

Today I Pray
God, teach me understanding; teach me to know truth when I meet it; teach me the importance of self-honesty, so that I may be able to say, sincerely, "I was wrong," along with, "I am sorry." Teach me that there is such a thing as a "healthy ego" which does not require that feelings be medicated by mood-alterers. May I slowly, on my tightrope, move toward the ideal of balance, so I can do away with the nets of falsehood and compulsion.

Today I Will Remember
To keep my balance.

"A Day At A Time", by Anonymous

Living in the Present

One day at a time,

This is enough.

Do not look back and grieve over the past.

For it is gone. . .

And do not be troubled about the future.

For it has not yet come.

Live in the present, and make it so beautiful.

That it will be worth remembering.

"The 12 Step Prayer Book", Volume 2

by Bill P. and Lisa D.

Cunning, baffling, powerful...

And without help, it is too much

for us. As we can see in this sad

case..

I'm going slightly mad,...

In the right hand column and down a little bit, you'll find my blogroll.. Click on "Hand in hand with the Spirit of the Universe".. Check it out.. Its a really good one..

Fear

Fear is only an illusion. It is the illusion that creates the feeling of separateness - the false sense of isolation that exists only in your imagination.--Jeraldine SoundersWe are only alone in our minds. In reality, we are each contributing and necessary parts offering completion to the wholeness of the universe. Our very existence guarantees our equality, which, when fully understood, eases our fears. We have no reason to fear one another's presence, or to fear new situations when we realize that all of us are on equal footing. No one's talents are of greater value than our own, and each of us is talented in ways exactly appropriate to our circumstances.Freedom from fear is a decision we can choose to make at any time. We can simply give it up and replace it with our understanding of equality with all persons. Taking responsibility for our fear, or our freedom from it, is the first step to a perspective promising healthier emotional development.
If I am fearful today, it's because I have forgotten the reality of my existence. I am equal to all the people in my world, and we are necessary to one another.

"The Promise of a New Day" by Karen Casey and Martha Vanceburg

Best Prayer I Have Heard In A Long Time...

Heavenly Father, Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year -old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slowly through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity. L et us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.

Amen.

Quote of the Day

...All things... that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.--Matthew 7:12In the midst of active addiction, the drug dictates how we relate to others: on good days, overly cautious, boastful, and effusive; on bad days, nasty, negative, rude, sometimes cruel. Recovery means being aware that others are affected by our behavior. And that only abstinence grants us the freedom to choose our actions.When we first go into recovery, we are terrified by the openness we feel emotionally. We often feel wide open to others. We don't have the drugs to hide behind. We don't have a way to manipulate our moods and to make sure we are acting in the "right" manner. It is a new feeling, and often frightening, to realize that our moods have been so manipulated by our using.But as our spiritual life grows, we find a new peace. We learn to trust ourselves and others in a new way. With the help of our Higher Power and others in recovery, we become confident that our love and good intentions are lasting. Our love, joy, and sharing are beginning to seem real, and straight from the heart. Soon, we will feel proud of the way we treat others.Today give me the courage to treat other people the way I would like to be treated.

"Body, Mind, and Spirit" by Anonymous

Store hours have been changed:

We're going to start closing at 5:30pm, so that we can make to a 6pm meeting.. I hope u understand.. Sobriety first..:)

Quote of the Day

Be aware of yourself and validate your experience. Pay attention to your world, to what's happening, and why. . . . Feel your strength. Value it, and use it.
--Alexandra G. Kaplan

To truly exist in the here and now, we need to feel ourselves in the present. We need to enter each moment without the excess baggage of the past, nor the anticipation of the future.

How do we think or feel in the present? Take away thoughts of other times and we may feel lost and confused. It takes time to learn to live in the present and to trust it. We need to learn that, for as long as we're in the present, we exist. We are.

Imagine the moment as a brand new car. All we need to do is open the door, hop in, and drive away. For that moment, our thoughts will not be focused on cars we used to own or on those we're going to buy in the future. Instead, for that moment, we are in the here and now. That's how each of our moments can be: fresh and clean and exciting.

I can sit in the driver's seat and experience each moment as it occurs. Therein lies my strength.

"Night Light" By Amy Dean

Store hours have been changed:

Tuesday through Friday
10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday
11:00 am to 4:00 pm

Big Book Quote

"Our ideas did not work. But the God idea did."

Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 52

Its me Amy

Its ready!! Online shopping for Carry The Message Recovery Store..

Check it out..

http://carry.the.message.googlepages.com/carrythemessage

--
xoxo,
AmyG

I ate ur cookie

Admitting our faults is not always easy..

Change in Store Hours

Please take note of the new store hours.. These are temporary.. If you have any questions or special orders, feel free to call me @ (408) 413 - 8585. Thanx, xoxo..

The Monster

This is how I felt today...

PAWS

Post Accute Withdrawal Syndrome - There is no cure.. And the only remedy is to utilize the tools we learn in recovery.. I figure, the more I know about my disease, the better.. Now, I'm not saying self-knowledge is the cure, but awareness is useful..

PAWS seems to rear its ugly head aound 14 days, 30-60 days, 6 months, and a year into sobriety. Its that intense emotional urge to.. act out; use; etc. We feel squirly, irritable, and off balance..

I just celebrated 1 year of sobriety (don't get all excited.. I've been here before).. I just opened a recovery store, I have lots of sober friends, I pray in the morning, at night, and throughout the day, I work the steps, talk to my sponsor.. But it was a week since I had been to a meeting.. I'm doing ALMOST everything I'm supposed to be doing..

I had a using dream last night.. It was SO real.. I woke up thinking I totally blew it!! My heart was pounding, I was sweating.. It scared the ---- outta me..

Cunning, baffling, and powerful!! Was that a sign from God, telling me to get my butt to a meeting? Or a chemical imbalance in my brain (PAWS)? Whatever it was I got to work.. First thing I did was call my sponsor and talked about it.. Then I went outside to meditate and connect with my Higher Power.. Then I got myself to a meeting.. And guess what? I heard EXACTLY what I needed to hear..

The moral to this story is this.. This is a 24 hour program.. It doesn't matter how much time you have.. Any wise oldtimer will tell you that he is not any further away from that first drink as you or me.. We must stay vigilant and guard against this disease.. Our lives are at stake.. Its like a monster that never sleeps, waiting, watching.. Don't give in.. And never give up..

Website Update

Check out the new stuff I put on the website.. I still have more to update, but it's time to put my daughter and me to bed. G'nite...

Update

I'll be updating the website tonight with new pics of products.. Be sure to check it out.. See y'all at the shop..

Website

Check out my new website:
http://carry.the.message.googlepages.com/carrythemessage

Let me know what you think..

Procrastination

Can you relate? I know I can.. One of my character defects i'm still working on.. Its PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION folks.. I'll get soon I'm sure..

Mood Rings

Mood rings with recovery messages are also available at my store.

Strength..

Humility..

Other messages are available.. Come in and see..

Swarovski Crystal Bracelet

Come check out this lovely piece. Perfect for Christmas..

Another Member of the Carry The Message Recovery Store Staff

My store hours are:

Wednesday and Thursday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11:00 am to 7:00pm.

Come and see me and Lucky..

My Business Card

Happy Birthday

My sobriety birthday was yesterday. 11/10/07. I'm 1 yr old. If you have a sobriety birthday this month or in December.. Send your info via the comment section and I would love to post it. Thanks.

Recovery Girl

It's finally open! I opened the door of my small recovery store on 10/5/07. It may be small, but I'm proud.. If you're in the area, come see me.. I'm located on the corner of Church St and Welburn Ave inside the Marketplace Pottery Outlet in Gilroy, CA.