Good Morning OH'ers.. IT'S FRIDAY ! ! 

Today I am grateful..

For a great visit..

For things going on in my life..

For Ruben that helps me out..

For things that make me smile..

That I am happy..

SONG OF THE WEEK..

SIMPLE MAN BY LYNARD SKYNARD

Mama told me when I was young
Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say.
And if you do this
It will help you some sunny day.
Take your time... don’t live too fast,
Troubles will come and they will pass.
Go find a woman and you’ll find love,
And don’t forget son,
There is someone up above.

(chorus)
And be a simple kind of man.
Be something you love and understand.
Be a simple kind of man.
Won’t you do this for me son,
If you can?

Forget your lust for the rich man’s gold
All that you need is in your soul,
And you can do this if you try.
All that I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied.

(chorus)

Boy, don’t you worry... you’ll find yourself.
Follow you heart and nothing else.
And you can do this if you try.
All I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied.

MOVIE QUOTE OF THE WEEK..

The worst thing in life is wasted talent.. A Bronx Tale..

02/26 REFLECTON FOR THE DAY
"What if..." How often we hear these words from newcomers to The Program.  How often, in fact, we tend to say them ourselves.  "What if I lose my job?"  "What if my car breaks down?"  "What if I get sick and can't work?"  "What if my child gets hooked on drugs?"  What if -- anything our desperate imaginings can project.  Only two small words, yet how heavy-laden they are with dread, fear and anxiety.  The answer to "What if..." is, plainly and simply, "Don't project."  We can only live with our problems as they arise, living one day at a time.  AM I KEEPING MY THOUGHTS POSITIVE?

TODAY I PRAY
May I grow spiritually, without being held back by anxieties.  May projected fears not hobble my pursuits or keep me from making the most of today.  May I turn out fear by faith.  If I will only make a place for God within me, He will remove my fears.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
I can only borrow trouble at high interest rates.

Oh so true!!

Thank you!  I'm going to have to check...


hubby home....

Paula,

You are in the battle of your life.  With being an alcoholic and having WLS, you are doomed from the start.  I am 29 years old, had my original surgery when I was 21 and very quickly became an alcoholic.  I didn't recognize it at first and then, it took me a long time to accept it.  In the meantime of figuring out I was an alcoholic, I ended up in the hospital with pancreatitis, tore the insides of my pouch apart (drastically), got 2 DUI's...within 6 months of each other and on and on. 

This disease will take you and everything you love down.  Quickly.  Yes, I understand you are in pain... but that's not why you drink.  You drink because you're an alcoholic.  You drink because thats what you know how to do.  Stopping is painful, confusing and discouraging at times.  You need to start going to meetings.  Meet other women that have walked your walk.  No matter how different you will feel from everyone else, you are far from. 

Find a meeting.  Do to it often.  Try to stop drinking inbetween.  I don't know how deep your addiction is but you may need the help of medical professionals to get away from the booze.  Once you are abstinent from alcohol, you will be given the opportunity to start working on yourself and your character defects. 

Eventually, I became grateful to be an alcoholic.  I never learned coping skills growing up and really, had no idea how to live.  Alcoholics Anonymous has started giving me the tools to deal with life... the good, the bad, the painful... all of it.  You don't need to drink to live.  I promise. 

Feel free to shoot me a private message if you would like.  I know Rhonda and I are always willing to talk to other alcoholics and help.  The road isn't easy ....in fact, it freakin sucks most of the time right now for me personally.. but it's worth it. 

Good luck.

~ shannon

02/25 REFLECTION FOR THE DAY
Before we came to The Program, fear ruled our lives.  Tyrannized by our addictions and obsessions, we feared everything and everybody.  We feared ourselves and, perhaps most of all, feared fear itself.  These days, when I am able to accept the help of my Higher Power, it makes me feel capable of doing anything I am called upon to do.  I am overcoming my fears and acquiring a comfortable new confidence.  CAN I BELIEVE THAT "COURAGE IS FEAR THAT HAS SAID ITS PRAYERS. . ."?

TODAY I PRAY
God grant that through faith in Him I may overcome my obsessive fears.  I have been running scared for so long it has become a habit.  God help me to see that I may be purposely clinging to my fears to avoid making decisions, perhaps even to shirk the responsibility of success.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Fear keeps me safe from risk-taking.