Today's Gift for Families...for July 2014

[MajestyJo]

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.
—Rachel Carson

Beauty is everywhere. It is in the daisies, in the lavender wildflowers, in the new green grass of spring. As we walk through life, noticing such beauty strengthens us. It reminds us of the spiritual creative force alive in this world. On better days, we can feel our own creativity gaining power from such beauty. On harder days, nature's sunset can help us step out of our suffering for a moment to be comforted and inspired by its splendor.

Even storms, in their wild and angry way, show us a power greater than ourselves. Such awesome beauty is beyond our understanding, and yet it is part of the earth we live on.

What lessons will nature teach me today?

One thing I learned was that the Creator, our God, made the heavens and the earth, along with the animals, insects, and marine life before He created Man.

Instead of thinking I was the last and not important, I had to look at appreciate what Nature had to tell and give to me. If God made them, He must value them just as much as He Loves and Cares for me.

If I keeping seeing an animal, insect, or water creatures, I go on my computer and do a search "What are the healing properties of" and then I ask myself what do I have to learn from this. If something continues to be placed in front of me, it is something I need to address.

http://www.whats-your-sign.com/animal-totems.html

For me it was looking into my china cabinet and finding a figurine of an owl that came from my aunt who is deceased. I got the thought to bring it out and put it beside my computer.

http://www.whats-your-sign.com/animal-symbolism-owl.html

http://www.whats-your-sign.com/images/OwlMeaningOwlSymbolism.jpg

[MajestyJo]

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

Now my soul hath elbowroom.
—William Shakespeare

If we spend too much time together we are bound to grow weary of one another. This would happen regardless of who the other person was. In a family, we need some time apart to pursue other interests and friendships. We may be able to meet many needs for each other, but there will be some we cannot meet. If we press too hard upon one another we will cramp our life together.

Our needs for space aren't just physical. Freedom to think and feel what seems appropriate for us, to be alone if we want, is a large part of our lives together. Only with this kind of freedom is love possible. Love requires freedom. We need to value each other, and at the same time realize that no one person or family can fill us with all life has to offer.

What are my own freedoms at home?

Love the quote. Something I had to make room for in my own space, especially when I was in a relationship or with my son when he is around.

I have the freedom to be me. I am free from the bondage of my dis-ease. I wasn`t aware that I was codependent, and that it was an addiction. I read the preface to the Melody Beattie book, `Codependent No More` and ran to the nearest Al-Anon meeting. There was no codependent meeting in my area. Living my life through others, especially family, made me as sick as my As.

[MajestyJo]

Thursday, July 3, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

You are here for a purpose. There is not a duplicate of you in the whole wide world; there never has been, there never will be. You were brought here now to fill a certain need. Take time to think that over.
—Lou Austin

No other person is exactly like you or me. No one can do exactly what we can, or touch another person in exactly the way we can. Out of all the people who could have been created, we were chosen to be a part of this time and place.

We are needed to fulfill a plan, in our families as well as in our relationships. Knowing we have unique abilities, we will spend less time feeling jealous of what others can do.

Through our dreams and yearnings, God shows us who we can be. It is up to us to have the courage to follow that dream with action.

What unique gift can I offer the world today?

Service always helped me. Service outside my group when I was under 2 years sober. Right from the beginning, I did service in my group and community.

It gave me purpose and direction in my life.

[MajestyJo]

Friday, July 4, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

In Micronesian, there's a word, kukaro, which has no corresponding word in English. When people say they are going to kukaro, they mean they are going to relax, sit around, and hang out. They are being, not doing.
—Eli and Beth Halpern

As children, our best times are often trips to an amusement park, fishing at the lake, camping, or just sitting idly under a tree. These make the best memories, and times sitting around a campfire roasting marshmallows or having a root beer after a family outing seem to bring out the love we share.

We don't seem to be accomplishing anything at these times. No chores are getting done around the house, no schoolwork, no repairs, and no moneymaking.

But these times of peace, relaxation, and a sense of endless time of being, not doing, may be essential to our ability to get other things done later. Certainly we are most receptive to our feelings, new ideas, and unplanned adventures at these moments. Maybe we should add kukaro to our vocabulary.

What timeless thing can I do today?

Like the sound of the word `kukaro` and it sounds like something that will test the tides of time. It is okay to just be, I don`t always have to be doing.

A lot would depend on where I hung out and who I was with as to whether I could find the true meaning of the word.

It reminds me of the word `kook` which my drunken father called me when I tried to get him out of his chair and into his bed so he wouldn`t set the house on fire around my son and myself. I would be in my bed and an hour later he was back up getting a drink. There was no rest, and many days I went to work with very little sleep. I had to drive 18 miles to and from work. It eventally got me fired from my job. It was his fault and I carried a resentment with no thought that I had been drinking too. It was always about that other person. Some of that timeless went to far back and leaves an unhappy memory. Very glad I don`t have to go there in today.

[MajestyJo]

Saturday, July 5, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

In uplifting, get underneath.
—George Ade

A sandpile in the summer is deceiving. The topmost sand burns hot on our feet. But as we push down toward the center, we come to a damp, cool place that soothes and oozes between our toes.

The nature of most things is not revealed at the surface. Like the sandpile, many people and situations we encounter are, on the surface, downright uncomfortable. The reward is in digging deeper-to the essential goodness, the core or meaning, the true friend. It takes time, a little knowledge, and abundant trust that we will not be burned.

What have I discovered by digging a little lately?

That I needed an attitude adjustment. I was giving up and not caring what happens to me. Seemed like there was so much wrong, including my thinking, that there wasn`t much of me visible and it was all about what is going to happen next. Needed to affirm my faith and trust, and know that my God is in charge. If He brings me to it, He will see me through it, no matter what it is.

I was sharing with my son on the phone yesterday and told him what was happening, and he said, ``...and then there is me. `` I said, `There is always you.` I love him. I just don`t like his choices. I am powerless over him and his actions and all I can do is pray and leave him in HIS God`s Hands.

[MajestyJo]

Sunday, July 6, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

Forgiveness is all-powerful. Forgiveness heals all ills.
—Catherine Ponder

Getting mad at someone, a friend perhaps, is normal. Everybody gets mad sometimes. But when we stay mad for very long, it ruins all the fun we'd planned on having throughout the day. Staying mad multiplies. Sometimes it seems we are mad at the dog, our mom, and another friend, even the TV.

Forgiving the people we're mad at works like magic. We don't even have to forgive them out loud. We can forgive them in our own minds. The result is the same. Pretty soon the whole day looks bright again. When we're mad, we are the ones who suffer most.

Who can I forgive today, and make my day a better one?

Recovery always begins with me. If I can't forgive myself how can I truly and honestly forgive someone else.

Many times words are said and taken personal when they are not meant to be. That doesn't mean I can't ask for forgiveness for hurting the other person, even if I feel justified. A really tuffy for me, because I have a firm belief in self expression, but it is not good if it is done at the expense of another.

It is best to agree to disagree.

[MajestyJo]

Monday, July 7, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

I found words to every thought I ever had, but one . . .
—Emily Dickinson

What kinds of thoughts can't be put into words? We feel lost in space, mind-boggled by how small and big the stars are. We are sure and unsure about death, its blank and steady stare. Or we have done something that makes us feel both good and bad. Sometimes we hate someone we love, but we aren't sure what hate is, or love. We are scared of crowds and afraid of being abandoned, always alone. Sometimes we just want to laugh and cry, and when words fail we expect someone to know what our silences mean.

What are some ways I try to express my feelings without using words?

Body language can speak volumes. A smile speaks all languages. A hand that is offered, a door that is held open, an ear that listens, and the list goes on and on.

[MajestyJo]

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

Hurry, hurry has no blessing.
—Swahili Proverb

In a busy family there is a lot of activity. We sometimes feel imprisoned by all the work, school, extracurricular activities, housework, meetings, and special events. In the press to do it all, we may lose our peace because of the hurry. We rush to eat; we rush to work; we rush to get there on time. Much of this cannot be helped. But hurry has no blessing, as the proverb goes. We can create quick tempers and a lot of frustration if we try to hurry too much.

When we allow enough time to slow things down, we give ourselves a chance to enjoy what we're doing, and to develop along spiritual lines. Inner peace depends on our keeping a balance in all the things we do. Only then can we feel the joy that comes from having enough time to do things quietly and smoothly, and value the inner peace that comes when we do not hurry.

How can I take my time today and enjoy myself?
Can`t enjoy what you don`t have time for.

[MajestyJo]

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

A mother is not a person to lean on, but a person to make leaning unnecessary.
—Dorothy Canfield Fisher

A strong, healthy tree is one which is free to grow straight and tall. A weak tree often must lean against another for support. It is not that different with people. We are not healthy and strong when we must always lean on another to support us.

This doesn't mean it isn't healthy to accept help. But the best help we can get or give is that which enables us to do things without it. Sometimes we think we lose a relationship when others don't need our help, or when we don't need theirs all the time. The reverse is true. Only when we are each strong enough to stand on our own can we really share the kind of help, which allows both, helped and helper to be independent.

Have I been giving the right kind of help?

A good question! Learned in recovery it was best to pray and ask that THEIR God give them what that someone needed , when it was good for them, my God's Will, not mine.

When I do for someone else, I can be playing God with their life.

If we enable and care take, they are unable to help themselves and they become codependent. A caretaker can be acting out in their own disease. They need someone to care for, to fix, and a distraction which helps them to not look at themselves. They want a leaner, because they want to lean too.

[MajestyJo]

Thursday, July 10, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

What a man thinks of himself, that is which determines, or rather indicates, his fate.
—Henry David Thoreau

Let us think of ourselves as made of dust, and allow us to be as proud of it as if it were true. For dust is everywhere. We see it in solemn rooms streaked by sun, dancing like fine angels in a cathedral light. It is the stuff of life. And it drifts down on fancy tables where the richest people eat. It cannot be denied a place. And it returns time and a time again like the seasons. It is one of the wonders of the world. And when no one sees or cares, it finds a secret corner in which to keep a solitary peace. It intends no harm. We find it at home on old leather books, the ones that preserve our noblest thoughts.

And from where we stand, it seems that even the stars are made of it. When we feel low, unworthy, or useless, let's remember that these feelings are only a small but important part of us, that even great things are made of small parts, and that we, as whole beings, are always greater than the sum of these parts.

What feelings am I made of today?

Well my isn't very old, didn't wake up until 4:30 p.m. My feelings today were resentment that I was told that I can't walk downtown and back, and I was a good girl and took the bus. My trips are only to be 2 or 3 a week.

I had a lot of gratitude and love when I met up with my friend and had a visit with her.

Felt relief when my son called to say he wasn`t coming by after work.

Felt motivated to call the eye doctor (having trouble seeing to read) and my foot specialist. I cancelled the chiropractor`s appointment and re-booked it for Friday.

Felt blessed to have quiet time with my God.

Felt grateful for the good weather about 70 deg. F.

Feel calm and peaceful when I listen to music. When I am reading and posting, I like the music without the words. When I need to hear the words, I am guided to jazz or old classic country.

Feel sad that my son chooses to stay in his addiction.

Most of all, I am grateful that I can feel.

What I am in today, is a person living in the moment, trying to be the best `me`I can be in today.

[MajestyJo]

Friday, July 11, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

Always think of what you have to do as easy and it will become so.
—Emile Corie

How we think about the activities before us is very important. If we think cleaning the garage is hard, dirty, and no chance for fun, that's just how it will feel. We'll be tired before we even begin. However, if we approach it like a treasure hunt, expecting to rediscover some long-forgotten treasures, we'll enjoy the task. In fact, it will feel like a game.

The thoughts we carry in our minds determine whether our tasks are fun or not. What good fortune it is that we can control those thoughts. If we approach an assignment for school or a job believing that we're able to do it, that it's not too hard for us, we'll finish with ease. Our thoughts determine our successes. In this way, our lives are in our own hands.

How much better can I make my life today?

A bowed head always makes the task a little easier.

[MajestyJo]

Saturday, July 12, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

We love the things we love for what they are.
—Robert Frost

Once there was a little girl who had a stuffed frog named Jeremy. Jeremy went everywhere with the girl - to imaginary picnics with her other dolls, to school, on trips, and, once, even into the bathtub! Every night, Jeremy slept cradled in her arms.

Over time, Jeremy grew old and tattered. He had lost an eye, and he limped because the girl used to use one of his legs as a handle, and it had gotten crushed. His nose was a little mangled too, from being dragged on the ground.

But the girl loved that frog; no matter how bedraggled he looked. And he never did anything. He was just always there. He was just Jeremy, and she loved him for that.

Today, that girl is a young woman and has outgrown childish things. But in her bedroom, you'll still find Jeremy, tattered and repaired, asleep on her bed. She still loves him dearly, for what he is.

Who do I love, and why?

Love the title, it is hard to look at how much I missed and lost to active addiction. I am surprised I still have the little figurine of a little girl and her dog. I think it represented my past and losing my dog because he started running after cars and attacked a man on a bicycle. I got it for perfect attendance at Sunday School.

The thing I treasure is all the butterflies I have been given at anniversaries and for just because presents. They came in many forms put represented the change in me. My one sponsor said, `When you came into recovery, you were wrapped into a cocoon, and you have grown into a beautiful butterfly. My favourite is a monarch butterfly made with feathers.

[MajestyJo]

Sunday, July 13, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

When you have to make a choice and don't make it, that is in itself a choice.
—William James

There are times when it's hard to make a decision. When we go to the fair, for instance, we may want to do more things than we have time for, so we don't know what plans to make. Waiting to decide until we see what the fair has to offer is one choice. Not deciding because we're afraid of what may happen is also a choice. We may find ourselves thinking so much about what could happen that we miss all the exciting things going on around us.

It's necessary to keep in mind that any course of action is a decision, but no decision is irreversible. We are free to do what we decide, and are freed by the awareness that whatever we do is based on our own decision and no one else's.

What important decisions shall I make without fear today?

The best thing I can do for my recovery is to look at myself instead of focusing on others. Remember the slogan, `Live and Let Live,` I can`t take a proper inventory and have an understanding of myself if I keep saying, `I am not as bad as they are.`

[MajestyJo]

Monday, July 14, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

Happiness is not a matter of events; it depends upon the tides of the mind.
—Alice Meyvell

It's thought that Abe Lincoln once said, "We're as happy as we make up our minds to be." In other words, we decide to be happy. Bad weather, lost toys, broken plans, even angry friends don't have to ruin our own happiness unless we let them. We're always in control of our own thoughts and feelings, and happiness is a feeling we can choose even when others around us have chosen to be angry or sad. Even when the day is gloomy and none of our plans are working out, we can still be cheerful if we decide to be. How lucky we are that someone else can't decide for us how to feel. We'd be nothing more than robots if that were true.

Am I ready to make this day a happy one?

I am responsible for my own happiness, happiness comes from within.

[MajestyJo]

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

I was forced to live far beyond my years when just a child. Now I have reversed the order and I intend to remain young indefinitely.
—Mary Pickford

We can all learn to change our lives so the child within each of us can live in balance with the people we have become. We can learn to give the child a voice, let the child play, let the child express needs and fears and pleasures.

We might look at our old baby pictures for a valuable lesson. We will see pictures of ourselves on rocking horses, grinning and waving; pictures of ourselves with our most precious toy - a crude metal car, perhaps; pictures of ourselves rolling in the grass. The lesson we learn is that it doesn't take much to make this child happy - even today.

We keep our own happiness safe inside us to call on whenever we need it, as long as we keep a healthy relationship with the child within. When we nourish the child, we can be assured the child will also nourish us.

What simple thing will make me happy today?

One thing that makes me happy today is the fact that I can choose to turn my music on, have a choice as to what music I listen to, and I can choose not to have the music or the TV on.

Prior to recovery, I had to fill that space. I didn't realize it was a void within me that had the hunger, and it had to be filled with something. I could hide and shut down if I had something to divert me or help me shut down and shut off. When you do that, you shut off the good and the not so good feelings, and when that happened, there was no happiness.

[MajestyJo]

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

Let a joy keep you. Reach out your hands and take it when it runs by.
—Carl Sandburg

There is a song that says joy is like the rain. It comes across our windowpane and then goes away again. When joy comes knocking at our window we can reach out and let it in. Joy comes to us in many ways - through deep laughter, through games played together in a spirit of fun and sharing. Singing together, skating, and being around a campfire are all ways we share joy. Yet joy can also be felt alone.

Each moment of joy we reach for strengthens our spirits. Joyful memories can sustain us through days of long hard work. Like rain, joy comes and goes; yet its nourishment keeps our spirits alive.

How can I share my joy today?

Unfortunately, not feeling too much joy n the moment as I am in a lot of pain. The nice thing is that when I come on line and share on the site, it helps me to get out of the pain.

It is a joy for me to be able to come and share each day.

[MajestyJo]

Thursday, July 17, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

When you feel rejected, start accepting yourself, and then go out and accept someone.
—Sondra Ray

There was once a mother who felt rejected when her children grew up and needed to separate from her. She felt hurt when they pushed her away and no longer wanted all the love and caring that she wanted to give them. She thought, What's wrong with me?

Encouraged by her friends, she began to ask herself another question: What's right with me? The more answers she found to that question, the better she liked herself. The better she liked herself, the more she was able to see her children's need to separate from her as their own natural and healthy urge for independence, and not the result of her shortcomings.

Our good points may seem undesirable to others, but that's not our fault. Sometimes, too much of a good thing can be inappropriate, but that doesn't make it bad.

What's right with me today?

If you name it, in today, I would probably have to claim it or give it some deep thought!

[MajestyJo]

Friday, July 18, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

The great end of life is not knowledge but action.
—Thomas Huxley

Sometimes we have good ideas about how to make things better. We might know we need to spend more quality time with others. We might know it would be better if mealtime was not so hectic and really became a time for sharing the day's events. Knowing what needs to happen is part of the process of change. But we have to put that knowledge into action.

All our good intentions, no matter what they may be, do not really mean anything until we move into action. A hug is better than a thought of love; a story read together is better than a wonderful vacation that did not get past the planning stage, just as a finished house is something we can live in, while the blueprint is soon forgotten. When we act on our ideas, we put ourselves into the world as a force for change.

What change can I set loose in the world today?

For me, love and compassion. As the Bible says, "Do onto others as you would have them do unto you."

[MajestyJo]

Saturday, July 19, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

Trust takes time. If you don't invest it, then you don't get it.
—Anonymous

Trusting other human beings is like planting a garden. First we must choose where to plant - is the soil healthy, is it open to sunlight? We would not plant seeds on rocks that are hard and un-giving. In the same way, we need to choose friends who are trustworthy, who are like rich soil open to planting and sunlight.

Then we need to plant the seeds of time and care. If we share some of our feelings and are welcomed, we will know it is safe to share more. We can share ourselves in our own time - even a garden grows slowly, and can take only so much sun and rain in one day.

Having trust in someone feeds the spirit. Trust also gives us the courage to be beautiful, like the flowers of our gardens.

Am I brave enough to trust others and to be worthy of their trust?

I was told that trust had to be earned. I trusted until that person proved me wrong and did something to break my trust. In order for me to trust them again, they had to show me that they were trust worthy. I try in today to not do what I did in the past. I don't let one person's actions be the barometer which I applied to all people. Every one is a person onto themselves, and I try not to put everyone under the same umbrella.

[MajestyJo]

Sunday, July 20, 2014
You are reading from the book Today's Gift
It is terribly amusing how many different climates of feeling one can go through in a day.
—Anne Morrow Lindbergh

When we travel by canoe down a river we can notice the changes that take place. In one spot the river is wide and the water moves slowly. Around the next bend the river narrows and the current speeds up. Ahead of us we see rapids waiting to test our skill.

Our feelings can also change as quickly as the river. We may have times in our day when we feel good about ourselves. Then, all of a sudden, someone may tease us about something. We begin to feel like the scared canoeist shooting the rapids for the first time. How wonderful it is to know that we are never given a test we can't handle, that everything that happens in our lives is for the sake of our growth, and that we are watched over at all times by God.

How can I use today's obstacles for my own growth?

It shows me that I need my God to lead and guide me through the obstacles.

Quite often an obstacle is rooted in the past and I need to go deeper to find a solution. I need to heal and look how I can learn from my past by seeing what not to do! ;)

So much of recovery is grief work, and obstacles are something we need to acknowledge, process and let go of. Any change is a grieving process.

http://www.childhoodbraintumor.org/information-for-patients-and-families/support-articles/item/60-grief-101-some-common-facts-and-characteristics-of-grief

[MajestyJo]

Monday, July 21, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

Dependency (on another human being) is the inability to experience wholeness or to function adequately without the certainty that one is being actively cared for by another.
—M. Scott Peck

No matter what we may think, overdependence on another can be very unloving because it drains others of any chance for personal growth. Those of us who have been dependent on other people are so busy acquiring love that we ourselves have no energy left to truly give love. It's as if we're starving and scrambling for every little bit of love we can find, with no thought to offering it to others. No wonder they often quickly get tired of us.

We can't force or expect others to do things with us, talk to us, or love us. The way to be surely loved is to be worthy of it. We can work at being worthy by exercising our freedom to feel and do things without others' permission, and to allow them the same opportunity.

What can I do on my own today?

Over the years, I have found myself depending too much on my son. I had to plan alternative plans, and call different services that were available, instead of expecting him to do for me.

I had Helping Hands for 8 years. He said, "Don't worry mum, I'll do it for you. As his disease grew, it became a "I'll do it when I feel like it." I don't like the lack of good cleaning practices, so don't want to call them again, but I need to look for an alternative. I am hoping with the physio, I will be able to do more myself.

Over the years, I had to give myself permission to go out for a walk on a sunny day, just because I felt like it. I had to give myself permission to lay down for a nap. I had to learn to listen to my body and look at my motive and intent. Was it good for me or was it a cop out, the way it was when I was in active addiction.

[MajestyJo]

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

A good laugh heals a lot of hurts.
—Madeleine L'Engle

The ability to laugh at ourselves has always been important. In old days, fools and jesters held an important place in the royal courts. Today we have clowns who make us laugh.

If we look closely at a clown's face, we will often notice a bit of sadness around the eyes. Clowns are able to move easily from sad expressions to ones full of delight very easily. For all of us, laughter and tears come from the same deep well inside. And often, after a good cry, we find ourselves ready to laugh, easily and joyfully.

Laughter is a gift waiting for us on the other side of our sadness.

Can I begin to laugh by smiling now?

As the Reader`s Digest has been saying for years, `Laughter is the best medicine.`

It does heal, especially when we can laugh at our own antics.

[MajestyJo]

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

There is no reality except the one contained within us.
—Herman Hesse

Claude Gellee painted lovely pictures of the English countryside. Europeans loved his landscapes with their blue hues and mild distortions. But when the people went for the carriage rides in the country, they were disappointed because it didn't look the way Gellee had painted it. Then someone discovered that if you held blue glass up to your eyes and looked through it, the trees and hills and sky looked just like a Gellee painting! Soon everyone was looking through "Claude glasses" when they traveled.

We often let others do our seeing for us. We get lazy and rely on the images of television and movies, instead of really seeing with our own eyes. Our world becomes distorted and we lose sight of the natural beauty that surrounds us.

Each of us carries reality inside ourselves, and as we grow stronger within, we discover that we can see clearest when we trust our own eyes. There is a glorious world, full and rich, just waiting for us to glimpse it.

Will I see the world through my own eyes today?

We can see, we are given freedom of choice as to whether we want to be a part of it, set boundaries, and/or detach.

[MajestyJo]

Thursday, July 24, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

I had crossed the line. I was free; but there was no one to welcome me to the land of freedom. I was a stranger in a strange land.
—Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman was a Black woman who devoted her life to helping slaves escape their bondage. In her youth, she had been hit on the head so she suffered dizzy spells for the rest of her life. In spite of this, and at great risk to her own life, she guided many slaves on the Underground Railroad to freedom.

Freedom from slavery is different today but just as necessary. It may mean freedom from being a slave to what others think of us, freedom from eating more than is healthy for us, freedom from jealousy, and freedom from trying to force others to do what we want them to do.

We are free to be the very best persons we can be. Our own freedom can be even more fulfilling when we welcome others enthusiastically into that land of freedom by allowing them the room to be themselves without fear of judgment. In this way, by freeing ourselves, we free one another.

How can I free myself today?

Freedom is another favourite and why I kept coming back. I wanted to be free from my addiction. I wanted to be free to be me.

Addiction blocked my path to my God, I couldn't see Him, all I could see and think of was that next fix. This is not a quick fix program, it is a living program.

As they say in recovery, life doesn't get better, I do!

[MajestyJo]

Friday, July 25, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

He wanted to hold onto his fury, to guard it like a treasure. He would not let it be stolen from him . ... But already, he felt it slipping, softened by Ben's compassionate touch.
—Joe Johnston and Nilo Rodis-Jamero

The glassblower is an artist who takes broken glass and melts it in a very hot furnace. Then the glassblower blows through a long tube and creates objects such as cups and plates and pieces of art.

The sharp edges of our anger are like pieces of broken glass. We all have things in our lives that anger us - it is only human to bump into our sharp edges. One edge might be crabby, another silent and withdrawn, and still another yelling and screaming.

The heat of love and compassion can melt our anger. This may take the form of sympathy for ourselves, or for the people we love. More often, it is the compassion of those around us that helps melt our anger. Sometimes saying I'm sorry is a good way to melt anger and find the love underneath it.

What beauty can I create with my anger today?

When I got angry prior to recovery, it was an ugly thing to see or being the recipient. In today, I can express myself in a healthy, and the hissy fits are few and far between. As they say in the rooms of recovery, when I get angry, I need to focus on myself instead of the person.

In early recovery I saw my friend's ex-husband who abuse her and her son. I stood at the light totally paralyzed by my rage. I had gone out to get pop and chips, and went home and asked my guests to leave. I wasn't able to speak about it, and it wasn't my story to tell. I had to process. What a difference, one day can make. I stayed sober and didn't have to use, now that is something beautiful.

[MajestyJo]

Saturday, July 26, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

Isn't it great life is open-ended!
—Brigitte Frase

Elizabeth Lawton, known as "Grandma Layton," is an American artist who never drew a picture until she was sixty-eight years old. She spent all the years before that time trying to cope with depression. She had gone through therapy, medications, and shock treatment and continued to be severely depressed. But then she signed up for an art class and the act of drawing cured her depression. She continues to make fabulous pictures.

What does she think about the critical acclaim her artwork has received? She says she wants others to know about her art so it may give hope to those who have also "suffered from feelings."

Many of us have suffered from feelings. We must remember that we can each turn to our creativity - at any age - as a source for our well-being. All we need to do is have faith in the potential goodness within ourselves and those we love.

What creative activity can I look to for comfort today?

[MajestyJo]

Sunday, July 27, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

In summer I am very glad
We children are so small,
For we can see a thousand things
That men can't see at all.
—Laurence Alma-Tadema

Out behind the house a little boy is turning over stepping-stones, which form the sidewalk. Underneath these stones he has discovered many different kinds of worms and bugs. They wiggle this way and that when their cover is removed. He is only four, but he is the only one in the family who has made this discovery.

In a child's eyes there are many wonderful things, which escape the attention of the adult world. In order to see them, we must often take the time to let those younger than us show the way. Even though we may have lost our own childlike view of the world, others can guide us and thereby enrich our lives. We have much to teach and share with each other, regardless of our ages.

What can I learn from one younger than me today?

The Bible says a child will lead them. I know that a newcomer teaches me that it is not any better out there and I have no desire to go and do research for myself.

The fact that I am older than dirt and 23 years is a long time ago, it is good to listen to see if I forgot anything. I use to say that I have for gotten more than you will ever know. That was and is major ego. Needed an attitude adjustment on that one. I have met people with 3-5 years clean and sober who work a better program than many who have over 20 years of recovery. So many forget where they come from and they sit in the same place and do not grow. They have a closed mind and not open to new awareness and experiences.

[MajestyJo]

Monday, July 28, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

One law for lion and ox is oppression.
—William Blake

What would the forest be like if deer, squirrel, and owl alike were required to sleep only at noon? Or the sky, if all birds were forced by law to fly in lines? Or the sea, if all fish had to stay forever in schools? We all know a lion and an ox, and we've all acted like a chicken, jackass, goat, or fox. Now and then we're slow or fast, bright or dull, willing or not.

So when others go the way we know we must go, we will follow the same law. But we don't have to be as others are, just to avoid being thought "strange." How truly strange life would be if everyone were the same. We have our own way, our own good time, and own free laws to discover and obey.

Will I need to obey someone else's rules if I govern myself well?

This is difficult for me, always had a problem with authority. I want to say, `Who died and made you God!` I can understand group and company rules, but that isn`t about imposing your will on another. We are all individuals and are given freedom of choice. The best is to agree to disagree.

[MajestyJo]

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

A good marriage is that in which each appoints the other guardian of his solitude.
—Rainer Maria Rilke

Solitude is vital to our well being, but in a family it's hard sometimes to find the space and time to be alone. The house is often crowded with laughter, voices, the radio, and the TV. There are often many things going on at the same time.

It's true that our family is a team, and that we work together, whether we intend to or not, to create the environment we live in. If it's noisy, that's the way we live. Noise is life to some. The fact that others need our help or company is wonderful proof of our value. But if we can be guardians of each other's solitude, out of love for one another, we will each come back renewed, strengthened, and recreated. We can bring new life into our days when we are alone with God and ourselves.

How can I help someone find rest and renewal today?

One by talking to them and sharing your own experience, strength, and hope. Two, pray with them. We are powerless over people, places, and things. Three, tell them to listen to their body. Suggest healthy choices that will make them whole, instead of fragmented and frustrated, help them to find emotional sobriety (soundness of mind).

[MajestyJo]

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

The hopeful man sees success where others see failure, sunshine where others see shadows and storm.
—O. S. Marden

When wise men say, "Hope springs eternal," they are reminding us that no matter how great are the obstacles, the hope of winning out in the long run still exists. Hope is our friend when all else has failed. When we have strength of character and an energetic mind, hope always flourishes.

We discover that, at the very brink of despair, we will find courage to keep trying as long as there is hope for success. After all, what have we got to lose? Without hope, we have no chance, anyway. Our chance for glory comes when we keep trying even though all seems lost. Our hearts remain strong and brave when hope reminds us that challenges last until a game is over.

What light of hope can I keep burning within me today?

Have hope for myself, what I keep losing hope that my son will choose to live. When he has a health issue, he refuses to go and see about it and says, I don't care. So I am an addict and an alcoholic, who cares, big deal!

My hope is in prayer. I have to remember to put it before my negative thoughts.

[MajestyJo]

Thursday, July 31, 2014

You are reading from the book Today's Gift

Sometimes it's worse to win a fight than to lose.
—Billie Holiday

We all see things differently. It is part of the wonderful variety of the world that we all have different points of view. We've all seen baseball players arguing with an umpire over a close call, but, in order to play the game, they must accept the umpire's judgment.

When we stubbornly refuse to let friends or family members speak their ideas simply because we disagree with them, we risk the loss of a friend or the understanding of a family member. It is when we allow others to disagree that we take a step forward--a step that opens our ears and our hearts to all sorts of people and ideas.

How well can I accept other's opinions today?

Well I can get honest. I use to say, "Consider the source!" My sponsor said that I needed an attitude adjustment.

I firmly believe that everyone is entitled to their opinion, whether it differs with mine or not.

I try to see if I can see the walk behind the talk. Saying and doing are two different things.

I use to go to a lot of meetings and did a lot of service, but as my body started deteriorating, my mind got forgetful, and my sleeping disorder changed my days into nights or I didn't sleep at all, I had to find a spiritual solution. Sites like this were the solution for me.

That doesn't mean I stopped going to meetings, I go when I feel like I really NEED to go, a using dream or an anniversary are good times to go. I always try to reach out to others and my sponsor.

I had hopes of getting out to meetings this summer, but couldn't go to far with both my feet bound up. That sounds like an excuse, but I go where I am lead. I probably talk more recovery on the internet than most people do who go to meetings. I just happens that my fingers do the talking in today.