10 Ways To Deal With People

1. Get in touch with yourself. The better that you know yourself, the less likely it is that you're going to react to the negative people in your life. This grounding of the self-inside of your own center will come in handy no matter what difficult person you're dealing with or what the situation is like.
2. Learn to spot the problems in advance. Anytime that you're dealing with the same difficult people again and again, you can begin to notice the signs and patterns that indicate that a difficult time is coming. This will allow you to prepare for the best way to deal with the situation.
3. Refuse to engage in arguments. It takes two people to argue so learning how to simply disengage from the argumentative situation will be a great tool for many of the difficult times that you encounter with others.
4. Smile freely. Although it will annoy some people that you're so happy, most people are going to find it less easy to be difficult if you're smiling and being kind to them.
5. Pick your battles. You may need to engage in disagreements with difficult people from time to time  but be smart about picking your battles so that your battles so that you're only getting into heated situations when it's actually worth it to you.
6. Recognize and honor the differences between the two of you. Many of our issues with difficult people come from the fact that they have very different beliefs from us or very different ways of communicating. Look for what those differences are and then honor them in your mind. Cherish what makes you unique from them.
7. Respect others in spite of your differences and problems. A key thing to remember in dealing with all the negative  people is that it's important to try to respect everyone's right to be who they are. Treat them in a respectful manner even when you don't feel like it. Eventually they will likely return this respect.
8. Learn to set boundaries. Although you should respect others, you should also demand that they respect you. You don't do this by asking them to but instead by creating what is called healthy boundaries in all situations so that they can't infringe upon you unfairly.
9. Don't assume that your way is the right way. Even if you come up with great solutions, remain open to the possibility that you don't know everything and consider the input of the other person as well.
10. Walk away. In many cases, there may not be an easy solution to an immediate situation with a difficult person bit if you're in a position to walk away then you can at least get a break from the intensity of the situation.

Inspiration for 10/4/12

How long are you going to hold on to the things that are not working in your interests? Things that are not fulfilling? Things that are no longer productive? How long are you going to deny yourself, your feelings and your power in order to meet the demands and expectations of others? How long are you going to overdo, over give, overindulge, trying to convince yourself and others that you are worthy? Perhaps today is a good day that you will find the courage and the strength to start being worthy.
Life is not about holding on. Life is not about doing what will make others believe you are worthy. Not is it about denying yourself to make others feel better. Isn't is obivous that life is moving on while you seem to be stuck in a holding pattern? Can you not see that you  are carrying so much "stuff", perhaps so many people, that you can hardly move, let alone make any progress. In fact, doesn't it seem at times as if you are being left behind by the very ones you stayed behind to help?
Life is about moving through, moving on, growing up and growing through each and every experience. Life is about examination, elimination, and re-creation. Perhaps today is the only day you have to examine your life, to make some adjustments and changes, so that you can take full advantage of the opportunities this day offers. Today sure seems like a good day!

In Memoriam Kyra Kruz

I remember the labor day weekend in September 2012. I happened to stumble upon something striking about a man being found shot in the head dressed in woman's clothing.
As days passed the news spread fast within the LGBT community via Facebook beings though the body that was found could not be identified.
I then soon learned the body had been identified and several days from that, learning that it was Kyra. My heart skipped a beat. I started telling myself, "this is not true." I really could not believe what i was hearing. I soon become to accept the fact that Kyra was actually the one that was found dead. Now let me make this quite clear, i was able to accept the fact of Kyra being gone, but i was not able to accept the fact of the way the media described her. Kyra was not a man in womans clothing, Kyra was a transwoman! I became so irritate and angry that i immediately responded addressing the media. I got on the Philadelphia Gay Newspaper website and let them have it. I explained to them in a very nice way that they did not have to write that article the way they did, while i did understand they were going off a police report, as reporters i felt like it was obvious what was being written and they just did not have to write it like that

On 9/13/12 many, many members of the LGBT Community including members of Kyra's immediate family gathered. We gathered in love, peace, and most important in hopes of seeking justice for Kyra. I have made a page on Facebook, Justice For Kyra, https://www.facebook.com/justiceforkyra
 We laughed, cried, and shared a lot of love for Kyra. The place was jammed packed with over 200+ people that Kyra either knew directly or indirectly.
I just cannot seem to understand why someone would want to do such a thing to such a beautiful woman.

I remember seeing Kyra within the community many of times. Kyra struggled with a lot of the  same things that i have struggled with. But one thing about Kyra, she always held her head up high and had the ability to encourage me.
Kyra was very well known to the LGBT Community. She was especially known for all her work with GALAEI, the Gay and Lesbian Latino AIDS Education Initiative, a nonprofit group that focuses on HIV/AIDS outreach. Elicia Gonzales, the executive director, said Kruz turned up one day in 2010, wanting to know what she could do to help. She was initially stationed at the front desk, but later got a job counseling clients.
"She just immediately made the office light up," Gonzales said. "She didn't think of it as her job. It was her life's calling to give back to the community."

Meet Dawn Maher, Kyra's mother. Despite the circumstances, i have had the opportunity to personally meet this powerful woman. I remember the night I first met her. It was the night of Kyra's Vigil. I gave her a big hug just before the Vigil began and we exchanged a few words, not really much though.
Then it was that time for Dawn to speak about Kyra. I must say it was very hard for me to actually stand in a very crowded room to hear this woman speak. The tears began to roll, not stopping. I could feel her pain. One could only imagine what it had to of felt like for this woman.
Dawn's speech touched me. Dawn loved her daughter and still does. Dawn supported her child no matter what. It, just like many, behooves her as to why someone would do such a thing to her child.
In since meeting Dawn, i have been supportive to her and the rest of the family. 
I have made the promise to Dawn that if it is the last thing i do, i am going to assit her and the family in seeking justice for Kyra. LOVE YOU MAMA DAWN!!!

Meet me, Kat Delancey. A very well known spoken word artist and  Transwoman.
I have a lot of feelings about what has happened to my sister. I just cannot let this go unsolved. I am tired of my sisters murders going unsolved. I am tired of shit being  pushed under the rug.
I am proud to say that today i am taking a stand in seeking Justice For Kyra. Many ask me why. I tell them cause if it was me, i would want someone to do the same for me! 
Please feel free to visit the Justice For Kyra Page:  https://www.facebook.com/justiceforkyra   

Also, please visit Dawn Maher site and sign her guestbook: http://www.simplesite.com/mommadawn/






Peace and Blessings all

_____________________________________________________________________

SOMEWHERE

Somewhere beyond the sunsets end
The skies are bright and fair
No shadows dim, no darkness falls
The land is peaceful there

Someone with the power to heal
To guide and understand
Is waiting there to claim our fears
And take us by the hand

So when a dear one heeds the call
Our hearts should be at rest
For there beyond the rainbow end
A loving God knows best

What Kind of Person Are YOU?

I have this tree analogy when I think of people in my life, be it friends, family, acquaintances, employees, co-workers, whomever...They are all placed inside what I call my tree test. It goes like this:

 LEAF PEOPLE:
Some people come into your life and they are like leaves on a tree. They are only there for a season. You can't depend on them or count on them because they are weak and only there to give you shade. Like leaves, they are there to take what they need and as soon as it gets cold or a wind blows in your life they are gone. You can't be angry at them, it's just who they are.

 BRANCH PEOPLE:
There are some people who come into your life and they are like branches on a tree. They are stronger than leaves, but you have to be careful with them. They will stick around through most seasons, but if you go through a storm or two in your life it's possible that you could lose them. Most times they break away when it's tough. Although they are stronger than leaves, you have to test them out before you run out there and put all your weight on them. In most cases they can't handle too much weight. But again, you can't be mad with them, it's just who they are. 

 ROOT PEOPLE:
 If you can find some people in your life who are like the roots of a tree then you have found something special. Like the roots of a tree, they are hard to find because they are not trying to be seen. Their only job is to hold you up and help you live a strong and healthy life. If you thrive, they are happy. They stay low key and don't let the world know that they are there. And if you go through an awful storm they will hold you up. Their job is to hold you up, come what may, and to nourish you, feed you and water you.

Just as a tree has many limbs and many leaves, there are few roots. Look at your own life. How many leaves, branches and roots do you have? What are you in other people's lives?
 

Guard Your Heart and Mind

One of the keys to success is to be able to guard your heart. Now, usually when someone says guard your heart they are talking about keeping yourself from heartbreak. Although that is important (as long as you don’t go overboard... but that’s another conversation) that isn’t what I’m talking about. When we are born into this world we enter with such a pure heart but as we grow older situations, circumstances and people tend to make us change. Now I know it is nearly impossible to keep a childlike innocence in our hearts all of our lives, especially after people have betrayed, lied, mistreated and downright been the devil. Trust me when I tell you, I have seen it all. I have been there big time. If you’re like me you’ve been there too. But if this is your situation I want you to know two very important things about those moments of heartbreak. Number one, learn the lesson in it. See how it will work together for your good, because it will. Once you do, it’s easier to forgive and move on. Secondly, and this is just as important as the first one, you must not let that person or people change your heart. What do I mean by that? Well, if you are a giver and someone you have given to misuses your gift, don’t stop giving… just give to someone else. If you are a person that loves people and someone you love hates you, don’t stop loving… love someone else. Eventually, you will find people who appreciate your kindness and your love. Remember this, lots of people have been conditioned to not be able to accept purity of heart. They can’t take it in. Most times it’s not even their fault. It’s just what has happened to them on their journey in life. But don’t let them turn you into one of them. There will be a lot of people in your life who will not appreciate your pureness of heart. If they hurt you don’t stop being you… just be you with someone else.

Why is this so important? Because God blesses you according to what is in your heart. If you are being kind, giving, loving and sharing because it is in your heart and you are not looking for anything in return, then that is a heart that God wants to bless. If you change who you are because you’ve been hurt, then you’ve changed the thing that God wants to bless you according to, and that is your heart. The people who hurt you are not worth that. You can lose everything that you have, but don’t let anybody change your heart.

Amazing Tarot Readings

Recently i have started doing tarot readings. I have always wondered what a tarot reading was.

So, i have this amazing tarot reader.
Mind you, this woman is not only amazing tarot reader, she is a very good friend of mine that i have known for years now. We both have watched each other pretty much at our best and at our worst. She has always given me helpful insite on so many things as far as myself and just life in general. One thing that i have always respected about her was that she never looked at me no different and always kept it real with me. Let me mind you though, i met this woman several years ago in a chat room as a complete stranger. Today, she is i can say one of my best friends and one of my biggest inspirations.

Miss Veronica Joy Burgess

And so, with all that being said. I encourage each person reading this interested in a tarot reading to visit her site: http://www.naturalhealingsoul.com/ for further information.(You may need to copy and paste this URL into your address bar)

I recently had a reading done. I asked her to give me my life purpose spread and here is what she had to say:

"Being...you get the Justice card. So what this means is the need for you to be fair and honest in all of your dealings. This is a karma card where you reap what you sow. You will need to be very careful of the decisions that you make, because you may experience this more than others. You may have already even noticed this--your friends and family getting away with more than you at times. But it is because you are to remain balanced and in check. Accept responsibility for your actions.

Feeling--You get the seven of pentacles. You may experience a lot of frustration and feeling of failure because you do not see the fruits for your labor. It may feel as if you are not getting anywhere. You feel that you are putting in the work but there is no progress. But the thing is, you need to be patient and keep working hard at it. When we are consistent and work hard, we will eventually see our hard work pay off. Take the time out to see how far you have come, and what you need to do to go further. Pat yourself on the back for how far you have come and continue to move forward!

Thinking--You get the nine of swords. You have great worries. And you may even feel some guilt and shame. You may worry so much that you create things in your mind that are not even there. This could also cause you some difficulties with sleeping. You have to be careful of your thoughts. They create the monsters in your mind and will keep you fearful and limited from your greatness.

Doing--You have the wheel of fortune. That is when there are external forces that are out of our control; they play a major role in our lives. You cannot control which way the wheel turns but you can control how you respond to it. Be careful of the choices you make during those times. You may hit a low point but you will need to make good choices, the bad choices keep you stuck in the cycle. Don't force the change and the wheel to go into a particular direction--learn how to go with the ups and downs of life. You don't have to accept what life hands you and dont allow the bad times to worry you. Keep faith and remain optimistic. And be careful of the risks you take.

Finally, the two of swords is about making tough decisions. Often times, we want to stand there and hold off on the decisions, but you can only remain in that position for so long. After some time, you will need to make a decision. But the decision you need to make will require logic in your case. What makes the most logical sense, what is wise--and also you will need to "face the music." You cant hide from what is going on nor deny it. You need to face it head on, and make a decision with the best intentions. Also, be mindful of the consequences of your decisions you make.

You are a 9 life path number (like me!) and your personal year you are in is the number 4
So in this life time you are the humanitarian.
You have much to teach others through your own personal wisdom.
In this lifetime you go in to find your own personal truth--taking in what you have learned. And then you will need to go out into the world to help and guide others who have gone thru the same difficulties as yourself. You are the voice of the people!

In your personal year 4 (2012) this is about getting things in order....getting the structure and stability in your life, in place. You will need to make sure you do this because next year, you will experience a lot of change and movement. Make the most of this year that is left, to create stability in your life. make connections. You may need to make, break bad habits. It is kind of a "get your house in order" type thing.

So for the rest of the year, make sure you are playing it safe and doing the right thing because as I said before, you will reap what you sow....so sow good....and even when you do find yourself in trouble, the universe does remember the good you have done and will reward you for it.
Your work is not in vain!"

I welcome all of your thoughts!!

Myself-Exactly As I am

Self-Value means I know who I am!
Self-Esteem means I am who I say I am!
Self-Worth means I believe I am who I say I am!

Until today, you may not have been aware of how your knowledge of your own value affects your self-esteem or how your self-knowledge of your own value affects your self-esteem or how your self-esteem affects your sense of self-worth.

Just for today, make sure that what you know about yourself is reflected in what you say about yourself, because what you say about yourself influences what you believe about yourself!

Fooling Thy Self-Facing Thy Fears

You can fool some people some time but you can never fool yourself. You can tell yourself almost anything to excuse away your fear. The bad news is, you will actually believe it for awhile. The good news is, there will come a time when the excuse will not be strong enough or big enough to camouflage your fear. Eventually what you tell yourself will begin to sound so weak, so lame, so utterly ridiculous that you will have a hard time convincing yourself or anyone else that it is true. When that time comes, don't be defensive. Be willing to face the thing you fear.
As long as there is something you fear lurking in the back of your mind, you cannot, will not have peace of mind. When you defend yourself for taking or not taking a particular action, you are denying the foundation upon which peace is built. Truth! When, however, you wait or prepare to the point of avoiding what you say you really want to do, when you know you are afraid but refuse to admit it, there is no way you can have peace  of mind. In fact, if you insist on defending the excuse, you may lose your mind.

Until today, you may have found yourself making excuses for not confronting the things you fear. You may have had a great excuse for remaining in a relationship, work environment or living arrangement that is not fulfilling. Just for today, lay down all of your excuses. Ask yourself, "What am I afraid of that makes me stay here?" Make a list of responses that come to mind. Prayerfully offer the list to the Holy Spirit, asking it to show you the way out. Repeat the process as often as necessary until all excuses vanish.

‘The Awakening’

There comes a time in your life when you finally get it…when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out…ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying, blaming and struggling to hold on. Then, like a child quieting down after a tantrum, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes.

You realize it’s time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change, or for happiness, safety and security to magically appear over the next horizon.

You realize that in the real world there aren’t always fairy tale endings, and that any guarantee of “happily ever after” must begin with you…and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are…and that’s OK. They are entitled to their own views and opinions.

You learn the importance of loving and championing yourself…and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval.

You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you – or didn’t do for you – and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected.

You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and everything isn’t always about you.

So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself…and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties…and in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. You begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for.

You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you’ve outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with.

You learn that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a “consumer” looking for you next fix.

You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life.

You learn that you don’t know everything, it’s not your job to save the world and that you can’t teach a pig to sing. You learn the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry.

Then you learn about love. You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be. You learn that alone does not mean lonely.

You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs.

You learn that your body really is your temple. You begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You begin to eat a balanced diet, drinking more water, and take more time to exercise.

You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take more time to rest. And, just food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play.

You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what you deserve, and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different than working toward making it happen.

More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance. You learn that no one can do it all alone, and that it’s OK to risk asking for help.

You learn the only thing you must truly fear is fear itself. You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your own terms.

You learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom.

You learn that life isn’t always fair, you don’t always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people…and you learn not to always take it personally.

You learn that nobody’s punishing you and everything isn’t always somebody’s fault. It’s just life happening. You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.

You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you.

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower.

Then, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less than you heart’s desire.

You make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility.

You hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind.

Finally, with courage in you heart, you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as best as you can.

Hater!

                    ~A hater is someone who is jealous and envious and spends all their
time trying to make you look small so they can look tall.~

They are very negative people to say the least.  Nothing is ever
good enough!
           
When you make your mark,  you will always attract some haters…
           
That’s why you have to be careful with whom you share your
blessings and your dreams, because some folk can’t handle seeing
you blessed…  
The problem I have with haters is that they see my glory,  but they
don’t know my story…
   
If the grass  looks  greener on the other side of the fence,  you
can rest assured that the water bill is higher there too!
   
We’ve all got some haters among us!
           
Some people envy you because you can:
      a) Have a relationship with God
      b) Light up a room when you walk in
      c) Start your own business
      d) Tell a man / woman to hit the curb
           (if he / she isn’t about the right thing)
      e) Raise your children without both parents being
          in the home
           
Haters can’t stand to see you happy.
Haters will never want to see you succeed.
Most of our haters are people who are supposed to be
on our side.
           
How do you handle your undercover haters?
You can handle these haters by: 
A purpose is having a clear sense of what God has called you to be.
Your purpose is not defined by what others think about you.
                   prerogative and not human manipulation.

Fulfill your dreams!  You only have one life to live…when its your
time to leave this earth, you ‘want’ to be able to say, ‘I’ve lived my
life and fulfilled ‘my’ dreams,… Now I’m ready to go HOME!
           
When God gives you favor, you can tell your haters, ‘Don’t look at
me…Look at Who is in charge of me…’
           
Pass this to all of your family & friends who you know are
not hating on you including the person who sent it to you.
       
If you don’t get it back, maybe you called somebody out!
Don’t worry about it, it’s not your problem, it’s theirs..
Just pray for them, that their life can be as fulfilled as
yours! Watch out for Haters…BUT most of all don’t become
a HATER!
       
‘A woman’s heart should be so hidden in Christ that a man
should have to seek Him first to find her.’
                  ~Maya Angelou

 

It’s dangerous to be like somebody else… If God wanted you to be
like somebody else,  He would have given you what He gave them!  Right?

You never know what people have gone through to get what they
have…
 

            1. Knowing who you are & who your true friends are
               *(VERY IMPORTANT!!)
           
            2. Having a purpose to your life: Purpose does not
                mean having a job. You can have a job and still be
                unfulfilled.
             

            3. By remembering what you have is by divine

In The Valley I Grow

Sometimes life seems hard to bear,
Full of sorrow, trouble and woe
It’s then I have to remember
That it’s in the valleys I grow.

If I always stayed on the mountain top
And never experienced pain,
I would never appreciate God’s love
And would be living in vain.

I have so much to learn
And my growth is very slow,
Sometimes I need the mountain tops,
But it’s in the valleys I grow.

I do not always understand
Why things happen as they do,
But I am very sure of one thing.
My Lord will see me through.

My little valleys are nothing
When I picture Christ on the cross
He went through the valley of death;
His victory was Satan’s loss.

Forgive me Lord, for complaining
When I’m feeling so very low.
Just give me a gentle reminder
That it’s in the valleys I grow.

Continue to strengthen me, Lord
And use my life each day
To share your love with others
And help them find their way.

Thank you for valleys, Lord
For this one thing I know
The mountain tops are glorious

But it’s in the valleys I grow!

The Truth

The following is an affirmation. An affirmation if a statement that embodies the truth. If there is something you want to know about yourself or your life, faithfully and reverently repeat this affirmation three times and ask yourself about another person because their truth may be none of your business. Once the affirmation is repeated and the question asked, remain still and listen for the answer. If the answer does not come  right away, have faith! Sometimes the truth is more than you can handle at the moment.

At the right time, in the right way, the truth will make itself known to you.

I believe in the power of truth.
I believe in the presence of truth.
Truth cannot be buried or hidden.
The truth must be revealed.

I now experience the essence of truth as it moves through me.

The Spirit of truth now envelops me.
The Spirit of truth now infuses me.
I am filled with the light of the truth.
I am filled with the power of the truth.
I am filled with the presence of the truth.
The truth is revealed to me now.

Until today, you may not have known how to get to the truth of a pressing matter in your life.
Just for today, ask the truth to reveal itself to you. Remember that what you ask form you will receive!

Pay It Forward

    We have reason to have infinite gratitude to the Universe for everything we have and everything we are, yet we cannot repay the Universe. We have gratitude for our distant ancestors, yet cannot repay them. We have gratitude to our parents for our very life, and to our parents or other caregivers for our nurture, yet we cannot repay them in kind. We may have many other gratitude's that, for one reason or another, cannot be repaid to those who were so generous to us.

Pay It Forward. Gift future generations in proportion to our gratitude. The nature of life is that we pay forward our biological creation and nurture. Our parents gift us with life and nurture, and we gift our children with life and nurture. While this much is essential to continued human existence, choose to take "pay it forward" farther - much farther.

Consider making "pay it forward" a way of life. As we have observed many times, expectation (demand) is always a cause of suffering. Rather than "expecting" to be repaid when we "loan" something to someone, consider the "loans" we make to be forward payments for the "loans" we received from our ancestors, nurturers and others. Request that any "loan" that we make be repaid FORWARD, when the recipient is able, and then completely forget about the "loan." It is no longer our business if, when, or how the "loan" is repaid - or is not repaid.

We All Fall Down

Night time slumbers,
Awakening beautiful horrors.
Day dream away,
Shoe strings for play.
Recall your day,
And keep your heart closed.
Beautiful horrors,
They eat you away.
Warp your mind,
Set you for display.
Play with us,
Taunt your stars.
The moon is dreary,
You fall close to home.
Pavement mumbles,
Life so humble.
Your mind is at play,
Making their day.
Frozen by the brain,
Can not escape.
Take care of the kin,
You'll find over and over again.
When night time slumbers,
Bring out all the beautiful horrors.

GRATITUDE

GOD………

Thank you for bringing me back to the road of recovery.

Thank you for not letting me die or give me long suffering,

so I have another chance at a useful life,

full of joy, anticipation and mystery.

Thank you for all my blessings:

for my wonderful mother who gave birth to me 30 years ago,

for my talents,

for my mind,

for my feelings, sad or joyful,

for my friends,

for my sponsors

for my health,

for the newly found laughter

for starting to love myself

for the courage to look inside me

for giving me humility, the ability to be teachable

for the courage to share and give service

for my newly found honesty to myself and others

for my strength, granted by you, that I feel inside me

for the miracles happening right now

for the spiritual connection with my fellow addicts

for the strength and help they give me,

for being able to live in today - finally

for not having to worry anymore,,

for my beautiful recovery home,

for my spoken word art,

for all the people who come into my life to learn,

for the ability to give joy to people by passing on my knowledge,

for being alive, clean, clear and free…. Today

PRAYER

God, stay close to me so I can feel that you are there,

that I am not alone and lost in my Self.

LET

me feel the power of your presence always

the assurance that my life is all right,

the strength to master challenges

the wisdom not to become complacent in my recovery.

REVEAL

to me what is intuitively right,

to master any given situation,

to recognize dangerous situations on the spot,

to take only serious what is, and to know the difference.

HELP

me to rid myself of the demons of my past,

to be full of joy and free of worry,

to have laughter and good friendships,

to take life with a light heart.

GIVE

me the courage to take chances,

to step out and recognize my full potential,

to speak my mind without fear,

to show love, where no love is.

SHOW

me glimpses of a higher consciousness,

the spirit of an eagle soaring above and seeing the bigger picture,

a life that is not burdened with resentments and anxiety,

your love, so I can absorb it fully and pass it on to others.

GRANT

me strength to overcome difficulties,

to accept my fellow men as they are,

to accept me, my dark past, my failures,

to accept and remember the joyous times of my past.

SHINE

your light and love onto my son, so that he may have self confidence, deal with the burdens I put upon him,

your love onto my mother, that she may nor suffer from demons of her past, that she may understand and accept me and our relationship

your grace upon my Anonymous group members, so they may be joyous and free, staying on the road of recovery and learn a new freedom.

Your grace upon my friends and enemies, so my friends will stay with me and my enemies will turn into my friends.

Your grace upon the World!

AMEN!!!  

Walking on Eggshells

You're a nice person.  You look for the good in everyone (usually).  You help out your family and friends as often as you can.  Yet... you're walking on eggshells with one of them.  You don't want to offend the person who is easily offended.  You don't want to upset someone who gets upset at the drop of a hat.  Does this sound familiar? ​
I'm not talking about the person going through major trauma in their lives.  That's when a little extra kindness and care are so important.  I'm talking about the person who no matter how hard you try is still going to be upset by something you did or said.  These are the people who create a life of drama and you're part of it.   And you're part of it because you just want to be nice.  ​
You can't make this person happy and you know that no matter what you do they'll find a reason to be upset.  If you find yourself in this situation it's time to take a Simple Step for you: ​

• Have an open, honest and kind conversation. For example you may say something like, "I know that you are not happy right now and I don't seem to be able to do or say anything that helps."  At this point they are either going to acknowledge that there is nothing you can do... or they are going to be offended (more.) ​
• If they acknowledge that you can't do any more than what you have been doing then stop walking on eggshells.   They need your kind honesty and friendship more than they need you to be a "yes" person. ​
• ​If they get offended then say something along the lines of, "No matter what I do or say you are upset.  I am going to leave you alone so as not to cause you any additional grief."  They will respond with either some sarcastic comment about being abandoned... in which case walk away.  Or they will thank you for understanding.  Let them know that you are there when they are ready for you to be.  While you're away you can still let them know you're there by sending a card, flowers or some other kindness. 

Just because someone else's life is miserable doesn't mean you have to be their punching bag.  Realize that there is a difference between someone going through a serious crisis and someone who is just caught up in drama of their own creation. 
You can always be kind... and leave their drama behind!  ​

Motivation for 8-23-12

There are some things you simply must ponder in your own heart. There are things that you would ask of others which can only be answered in your own heart. There are things that others cannot see for you and say to you. You would not be able to recongnize the divine gift being offered just to you. Some things are simply matters of the heart. In response to some things you face in life, only your heart knows what is right for you, what is good for you, and what is best for you. Have faith! Your heart has the answer that you cannot seem to get from anywhere else. When your heart has something it wants you to know, it will shut down all other means of communication just to make sure that you can hear and will hear what it needs to say.


Until today, you may have believed that there is someone else who knows or somewhere else you need to go to get certain answers about your life. Just for today, ask in your own heart about those things for which there seem to be no answer

Emergency

Emergency! Emergency! Emergency! It is time for a search-and-recovery mission! It is time to recover your Self hood! It is time to search out rear, doubt and anything else that promotes and supports self-sabotage. It is time to rediscover your mission and purpose in life. It is time to recover your confidence! It is time to recover your joy! It is time  to recover your faith!

Emergency! Emergency! Emergency! The Divine rescue squad is here with a dose of forgiveness and faith that will help you destroy all internal enemies. When you find the enemies that diminish your Self-value, you will recover your divinity. Is that the enemy of anger? Where? Over there under the fallout of a break-up! Is that the enemy of hatred? Where? Right there! It's joining forces with the memory what was done and how it was done! Smash those memories with forgiveness! Do you see the enemy resentment? Where? Right there! It is next to the enemy comparing yourself to everyone else. What is that hiding under the need to please? The need to be like? Call in the troops! You need a transfusion of self-love and acceptance!

Emergency! Emergency! Emergency! Search for your pride. Recover it from the feeling of failure. Search your honor. Recover it from disbelief. Your life is depending on you! It is time to recover the faith that no matter what happens, you will not be defeated.

Until today, you may not have realized that within your own thoughts, there are enemies who could be destroying your faith and diminishing your sense of Self. Just for today, perform a search-and-recovery mission. Think about what you are thinking about, and apply the appropriate treatment to the enemy.

Stuff

My value is not determined by:

the money I make,
the size of my paycheck
or even if i get one

the clothes I have,
where I got them
or the labels inside them

the house I live in,
if I own or rent
or the neighborhood it's in

the car I drive,
practical and old
or fancy and new

the diplomas I have,
where they are from
or where they "should" be from

It's all just stuff.

God doesn't care
what clothes I wear
what car I drive

He loves me in spite of my stuff.

When I get caught up in needing more, needing new
He still loves me
He waits right by me
saying

"Ok, kiddo - if you think so...
but I don't care about your stuff -
having that is not going to make you feel whole
or make you feel better.
But I will let you figure it out,
and I will just love you."

My worth, my value, is not determined by what I own.
I refuse to feel less than
someone with more
because
I am more
than my stuff

Another Sad Mother's Day

It’s another sad Mother’s Day,
Since you have been gone.
It seems like yesterday,
But the memories still lingers on.

I speak of you often,
To family and friends.
Of laughter and love,
From beginning to end.

I picture your smile,
And the twinkle in your eye.
Your courage and strength,
As time passes by.

You’ve suffered much pain,
Many days on earth.
But instead, you thought of others,
Ever since my birth.

Now you have gone,
To a much better place.
Where forever you will be,
In heaven and grace.

I love you and miss you mother,
With tears in my eyes :(....
I hope you still proud of me,
As you watch me from the sky.