Sponsor

[MajestyJo]

My first sponsor said to me one day " You traded your Alcoholism for I i'sm.

Never heard this put exactly this way before, but it is so true. When I get full of "Me, Myself and I" then I am back playing the "god" of my life!

They say that the root of my disease is selfishness and self-centeredness. It is so easy to slip back into old ways if we don't keep that spiritual connection, and for me, it is contact with friends who will be honest with me when I can't be honest with myself.

My sponsor keeps me honest.

[honeydumplin]

This is a March Wisdom for Today reading.
Just so strong, I wanted to share it.

Recovery Readings - 3/27

Wisdom for Today
There was a time for me when life was filled with doubts, but recovery changed much of that. There is something really wonderful about sitting down with old-timers who share how doubt was removed when he or she decided to turn their life over to the care of God, as they understand Him. But there is one thing that will bring doubt back quickly, and that is self-centered fear. This is the fear that says we are not getting what we want or what we deserve. This is the self-centered fear that will lead us into resentment. It is the fear that opens the door to let doubt back into our lives.

I know that when I open this door even a crack, I open the door to dozens and dozens of opportunities for my disease to play with my emotions and mess with my thinking. When I open this door to self-centered fear, I begin to want what I want; and I want it all right now. This type of thinking can get me into more trouble than anything else. When I allow myself to feel dissatisfied and cheated by life, I am quick to want to give up. I am quick to build resentment, and I am quick to get back into stinking thinking. However, when I make a conscious decision to turn my will and life over to God each morning, I leave no room for doubt and open the door only to faith. Do I close the door to self-centered fear each morning?

Meditations for the Heart
Each of us in recovery draws on images to strengthen our resolve to stay clean and sober. One image that has been very helpful for me is to think of the Red Sea . When I begin to feel surrounded by the troubles of life, I imagine myself standing by the Red Sea with the hordes of evil about to pounce upon me and then having the sea parted by God’s power. I gain a sense of renewed strength and renewed hope. I am provided with a new path where I can cross safely to the other side. Yes, I have an active imagination; but the reality is that this is what happens in recovery. When I am surrounded by the noise and confusion of life, if I call on God for help and talk to others in the program, new options for dealing with my problems open up to me. I am given new choices and I am guided safely to another place, a place where life does not seem so difficult. Do I have an image of God’s power and strength to draw on?

Petitions to my Higher Power
God,
In gratitude I can look out on my day without doubt, because I know You are always near. Should I become surrounded by the noise and confusion of life today, quiet me and let me see Your power working in my life to lead me safely to a new place. Help me to accept the tasks that I have in this day, and increase in me a strength and faith that only You can provide.

Amen.

[honeydumplin]

I don't know about the rest of you, but holidays are a time when I'm around people that I'm usually not around. In this mix of people that ordinarily do not mix, it is imperative that I practice as much sanity as humanely possible. In preparation for a house full of people today, I'm grateful to have run across this passage, and wanted to share it.

Taking a Time Out
You Are Not Crazy

Most of us feel a little crazy from time to time. Periods of high stress can make us feel like we’re losing it, as can being surrounded by people whose values are very different from our own. Losing a significant relationship and moving into a new life situation are other events that can cause us to feel off kilter. Circumstances like these recur in our lives, and they naturally affect our mental stability. The symptoms of our state of mind can range from having no recollection of putting our car keys where we eventually find them, to wondering if we’re seeing things clearly when everyone around us seems to be in denial of what’s going on right in front of their eyes. For most of us, the key to survival at times like these is to step back, take a deep breath, and regain our composure. Then we can decide what course of action to take.

Sometimes a time-out does the trick. We take a day off from whatever is making us feel crazy and, like magic, we feel in our right mind again. Talking to an objective friend can also help. We begin to see what it is about the situation that destabilizes us, and we can make changes from there. At other times, if the situation is particularly sticky, we may need to seek professional help. Meeting with someone who understands the way the human mind reacts to stress, loss, and difficulty can make us feel less alone and more supported. A therapist or a spiritual counselor can give us techniques that help bring us back to a sane state of mind so that we can affect useful changes. They can also mirror our basic goodness, helping us to see that we are actually okay.

The main purpose of the wake-up call that feeling crazy provides is to let us know that something in our lives is out of balance. Confirm for yourself that you are capable of creating a sane and peaceful reality for yourself. Try to remember that most people have felt, at one time or another, that they are losing it. You deserve a life that helps you thrive. Try and take some steps today to help you achieve more balance and a little less crazy.

--
"Words of truth and love are strong medicine."