Last Friday

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Ate a cupcake,

where is my

will power ? ? ?

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One of the things I have learned in the rooms of AA

is that alcoholic drinks are made from fermented sugars

and once you stop drinking alcoholic beverages

the mind continues to crave the sugar and many soon

discover that they have substituted a new bad habit

for the old one.

Craving sugar, carbohydrates, candy, donuts, cakes,

pasta, bread, becomes the new bad habit

and if not watched carefully weight gain

can become a bigger problem.

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The "Steps We Take" Friday night's men's meeting

always reads a tradition on the last Friday of the month.

The tradition number corresponds to the month so this night

we read and discussed the Fourth Tradition.

The last Friday of the month is also sober anniversary

celebration night and as Jack was celebrating two years sober

we had cup cakes to celebrate. I ate two ...

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There is no such thing as a bad meeting,

it is just that some meetings are better than others,

the Men's Friday night meeting never fails to be one of the best.

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ME and the Boss

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Promises Group

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Tuesday,

5:00 PM

Spring Hill,

Florida

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Went to a meeting

and a bunch of drunks talked about

the fourth of the 9th step promises

found on pages 84 and 85 of the

Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.

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"We will comprehend the word serenity

and we will know peace."

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Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly,

the group shared about when they first felt serene,

when they learned to quiet the noisy mind

and they found peace.

After doing the steps, mostly the fourth and fifth,

when the wreckage of the past was identified,

many first discovered peace and serenity.

For some it was following the ninth step,

when the amends were made,

when the guilt and shame were relieved

following the admission of errors

made while under the influence.

Many long timers noted that they

continue to come to meetings

because this is where they recharge their batteries,

where they connect with their program

and subsequently regain that feeling

of serenity and peace,

especially when life is throwing

lemons and bricks at them.

Love a good meeting, thanks to Bobby W. for chairing.

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ME

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Common Strivings

. "We recovered alcoholics

are not so much

brothers in virtue

as we are brothers

in our defects,

and in our common strivings

to overcome them."


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Bill W. Letter, 1946

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A funny thing happened at the men's Friday meeting,

a young lady showed up.

She accompanied a couple of young men

and since they all said that they needed a meeting

they were invited to participate in the meeting.

The topic was the last nine pages of the Twelfth Step.

As usual, the sage men of the fellowship shared

their experience, strength and hope on the topic

and most expressed their gratitude for sobriety,

the program and a loving Higher Power.

My friend Brian now has a drivers license

but has yet to secure some wheels.

No big deal, I enjoy his company as we talk recovery

before and after the meetings.

God bless and may all of your meetings be better ones.

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Michael E.

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No Ego's

. A whole month ? ? ?

Went to a bunch of meetings,

just forgot to post.

Friday, 4-3-15,

Step in the Right Direction,

men's meeting.

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Brian has not yet had his drivers license reinstated

so it has been my pleasure to take him to some meetings.

The meeting topic was the Eleventh Step.

Following Friday's meeting he posed some typical questions;

what made this meeting so special ? ? ?

is it weird that I can feel the serenity in the room ? ? ?

why did I not hear any drunk-a-logs ? ? ?

There is no such thing as a bad meeting, it is just that

some meetings are better than others,

why is this a better meeting ? ? ?

The answers :

The men at this meeting are very serious about their recovery

and the smiles, the closed eyes, the nodding heads all add to

the sense of serenity which can almost be felt.

There are no egos.

The topic is the only thing discussed and living in today,

not drinking today and doing the next right thing

are the focus of everyone's message.

Today, wishing you a better meeting.

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ME and the Boss

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The Whole Body Smile

 

Written a long time ago,

time to reprise, I need a smile.

 

The Whole Body Smile

Smile, it makes them wonder what you are up to.

No, not that smarmy, guilty looking grin that the Cheshire Cat wore

to help make Alice into the star she is today.

No, not that slight curvature of the corners of your mouth

that you force onto your face when the little old lady

pinches your cheek.

Yes, your real smile, the one that goes from the top of your

head all the way down to your toes, “the whole body smile.”

Never heard of it, don't know how to do it??

Just follow these simple instructions, these twelve easy steps:

1) Be happy:  It is an attitude, just do it.

2) Clear your brain of any activity:  (Like thinking) For most of us
there is no effort required, this is better known as our normal state of mind.

3) Open your eyes:  Sparkling, smiling, laughing eyes are beautiful to behold
and the wonder is how those smiling eyes see things more clearly.
Every day something new is born into this world.
Smile, God made it just for you to enjoy.

4) Shut your mouth:  You cannot hear when your mouth is moving,
nor can you smile when you mouth is moving.

5) Clean out your ears:  Listen closely to others and heed the word of God.
God has endowed man with the ability to make beautiful music,
learn to listen and listen to enjoy.

6) Relax.: Ever notice that the back of your neck is always tense,
bad habit, smiles make the stress go away.

7) Follow your heart:  Love enormously, love often and smile when you think of
those that you love. Remember that you may like things, you may enjoy things,
you may want things, but your only need is to love people, God and pets.

8) Hug everything, even trees: God has given you two arms and two hands
so that you may hold onto those things that make you smile, however,
we must remember that God’s will may take those things from us at anytime
and we must let go and learn to smile when we remember the good times.
Hand in hand we will do for each other what we cannot do alone
If you are holding my hand I cannot pick up a drink.

9) Trust your gut feelings: God has given you the intuitive instincts
to protect your feelings from being hurt.
Learn to smile when you say "I told you so."

10) Move out of the way: God has given you two legs to allow you
to motivate your body to places that are happy.
Go there.
Smile in anticipation while you are moving towards your happy destination,
and make the smile even larger when you have reached your goal.

11) Dance: God has given you two feet to celebrate the rest of your body.
Don't think about it, don't talk about it, see it, feel it, trust it,
listen to the music and move to the rhythm of God's earth.

12) Toes know: When your toes are happy,
you will know you have learned “the whole body smile.”

Smile, this is God's candid camera watching you do his will.

Be yourself...everyone else is already taken.

The Doctors orders are to repeat the process as often as necessary and share
with everyone whom you think would also benefit from “The Whole Body Smile.”

SMILE :)

Happiness is helping someone help themselves.

Michael_e    :)