FREEDOM“Always be a first-rate version of yourself,
instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.”
~ Judy Garland As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be like — or act like — someone else. I never allowed myself the freedom to be me. I was my parents’ child, my husband’s wife, and my children’s mother. It wasn’t until I came into program wearing all of my identities on my body — 150 pounds’ worth — that I was able to see how unhappy I really was.I began my journey to recovery by slowly discovering the real me underneath all that extra weight. Working the Twelve Steps of recovery helped me to peel away the layers of fear that kept me stuck.
One Day at a Time . . .
I am free to be me
And I am enough.
~ Eileen
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OUR DAILY BREADGive us this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:11)Because we are the children of a loving Father, we are entitled to expect that God will provide us fully with everything we need. If we do so expect, in faith and understanding, we shall never look in vain.It is the Will of God that we should all lead healthy, happy lives, full of joyous experience; that we should develop freely and steadily. To this end we require such things as food, clothing, shelter, means of travel, books, and so on; above all, we require freedom. In the Prayer all these things are included under the heading of bread. Bread, that is to say, means not merely food in general, but all things that man requires for a healthy, happy, free, and harmonious life. But in order to obtain these things, we have to claim them, not necessarily in detail, but we have to claim them, and, we have to recognize God and God alone as the Source and fountainhead of all our good. Lack of any kind is always traceable to the fact that we have been seeking our supply from some secondary source, instead of from God Himself, the Author and Giver of life.© 1931 by Emmet Fox
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ENOUGH
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;
Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
~ The Bible, Book of Psalms
As a practicing compulsive overeater, I was obsessed with getting my “fair share” and stockpiling everything from food to friends. I was afraid there wouldn’t be “enough” in the future. One of the Promises of the program states that “Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.” But just how can I calm down when the thought comes that there isn’t enough, or that there won’t be enough in the future?
At a recent meeting, the speaker said that when he began to worry about his finances, he would ask himself, “Do I have enough money between now and the time I go to bed?” Since we’re only alive in the moment, that’s really the appropriate time frame. To me, that sounds like the best example of “One Day At A Time” thinking I’ve heard so far! Additionally, this could be applied to anything else I might worry about: “Do I have enough FOOD between now and bedtime?… enough LOVE?” You-fill-in-the-blank, because it isn’t always just economic insecurity that haunts us!
One Day at a Time . . .
I’m learning to trust my Higher Power, which always supplies my needs. Whenever I start to worry, I can ask myself if I have enough to last between now and the time I go to bed, and cultivate trust and appreciation for the gifts I receive daily.
~ Marilyn
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ENOUGH
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;
Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
~ The Bible, Book of Psalms
As a practicing compulsive overeater, I was obsessed with getting my “fair share” and stockpiling everything from food to friends. I was afraid there wouldn’t be “enough” in the future. One of the Promises of the program states that “Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.” But just how can I calm down when the thought comes that there isn’t enough, or that there won’t be enough in the future?
At a recent meeting, the speaker said that when he began to worry about his finances, he would ask himself, “Do I have enough money between now and the time I go to bed?” Since we’re only alive in the moment, that’s really the appropriate time frame. To me, that sounds like the best example of “One Day At A Time” thinking I’ve heard so far! Additionally, this could be applied to anything else I might worry about: “Do I have enough FOOD between now and bedtime?… enough LOVE?” You-fill-in-the-blank, because it isn’t always just economic insecurity that haunts us!
One Day at a Time . . .
I’m learning to trust my Higher Power, which always supplies my needs. Whenever I start to worry, I can ask myself if I have enough to last between now and the time I go to bed, and cultivate trust and appreciation for the gifts I receive daily.
~ Marilyn
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Reflection for the Day
“Nothing is enough to the man for whom enough is too little,” wrote the Greek philosopher Epicurus. Now that we’re free from addiction, rebuilding our self-respect and winning back the esteem of family and friends, we have to avoid becoming smug about our new-found success. For most of us, success has always been a heady brew; even in our new life, it’s still possible to fall into the dangerous trap of “big-shot- itis.” As insurance, we ought to remember that we’re free today only by the grace of God. Will I remember that any success I may be having is far more His success than mine?
Today I Pray
May I keep a constant string-on-the-finger reminder that I have found freedom through the grace of God—just so I don’t let my pride try to convince me I did it all myself. May I learn to cope with success by ascribing it to a Higher Power, not to my own questionable superiority.
Today I Will Remember
Learn to deal with success.
© 1989 by Hazelden Foundation
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Enough!“Something inside cries out, ‘Enough, enough, I’ve had enough; and then they are ready to take that first and often most difficult step toward dealing with their disease.”
Basic Text, p.203Have we really had enough? This is the crucial question we must ask ourselves as we prepare to work the First Step in Narcotics Anonymous. It doesn’t matter whether or not we arrived in NA with our families intact, our careers still working for us, and all the outward appearances of wholeness. All that matters is that we have reached an emotional and spiritual bottom that precludes our return to active addiction. If we have, we will be truly ready to go to any lengths to quit using.When we inventory our powerlessness, we ask ourselves some simple questions. Can I control my use of drugs in any form? What incidents have occurred as a result of my drug use that I didn’t want to happen? How is my life unmanageable? Do I believe in my heart that I am an addict?If the answers to these questions lead us to the doors of Narcotics Anonymous, then we are ready to move on to the next step toward a life free from active addiction. If we have truly had enough, then we will be willing to go to any lengths to find recovery.Just for today: I admit that I have had enough. I am ready to work my First Step.
pg. 234
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8
December
ENOUGHThou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;
Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.~ The Bible, Book of Psalms As a practicing compulsive overeater, I was obsessed with getting my “fair share” and stockpiling everything from food to friends. I was afraid there wouldn’t be “enough” in the future. One of the Promises of the program states that “Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.” But just how can I calm down when the thought comes that there isn’t enough, or that there won’t be enough in the future?At a recent meeting, the speaker said that when he began to worry about his finances, he would ask himself, “Do I have enough money between now and the time I go to bed?” Since we’re only alive in the moment, that’s really the appropriate time frame. To me, that sounds like the best example of “One Day At A Time” thinking I’ve heard so far! Additionally, this could be applied to anything else I might worry about: “Do I have enough FOOD between now and bedtime?… enough LOVE?” You-fill-in-the-blank, because it isn’t always just economic insecurity that haunts us!One Day at a Time . . .I’m learning to trust my Higher Power, which always supplies my needs. Whenever I start to worry, I can ask myself if I have enough to last between now and the time I go to bed, and cultivate trust and appreciation for the gifts I receive daily.~ Marilyn
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