Seize The Moment -- Golden Opportunities

Feb 15. Welcome back friends and hello to any first time visitors. I had a decent day which somehow I luckily got a lot of sleep for most of it. My battery on my phone died when I laid back down and I got undisturbed rest. I actually must have been so worn out from the weekend because I slept to the point that my back got sore when I woke up & had dinner. Mondays I have been going to the new group that a retired counselor & myself had started for people in recover called MARS Group. It stands for Medically Assisted Recovery Support Group and is designed to help people in recovery that would otherwise not fit in because they are getting additional support through medicine, a doctor, or outside source other than the 12 step programs like the one I belong to myself. Its specific function is to help address issues and situations that are otherwise unappropriate to bring up in the other fellowships due to conflicts with their singleness of purpose (for example an alcohol based meeting does not cater to talking about snorting cocaine all that much). So the basic point is that we want our members of the group to continue to come share and work with us to help eachother but ALSO go to the 12 step meetings of the other fellowships to get their daily support & experiences.

I got there at 7 expecting a normal meeting and it was for the most part. There were a few highlight's though which I would love to share with you all and one in specific that made me feel extra great tonight. First off the pastor of the church we use for our meeting place sat in on the first half of our group. Before he left he wanted to comment that his observation of us and the meeting made him feel this... "I cannot believe what you have assembled here and are accomplishing. I am INSPIRED and touched by what you are doing with this group and our church stands by and supports all your efforts. Kathy will be announcing to the congregation what you are doing here on sunday so that they may know the good works going on inside this house of the Lord". With that he left, and our spirits as a group grew ever so higher. As intended our meeting is by no means an ordinary twelve step meeting, and for the rest of the meeting we covered many serious issues amongst the group members.

One of the issues covered was the death of a fellow friend of our group. He was found dead in the doorway of his home over the weekend. He was certainly a kind soul, actually having some issues that would make some people call him "not normal" that he struggled with besides his acoholism/addiction. He was indeed sober but on many medications from doctors due to half of his body being made of titanium after a severe accident, which caused his addiction to medication in the first place. I would like to ask everyone to pray for our friend Bob as he meets the higher power, that he may rest in peace and harmony free from pain & disease. I also ask that my readers and asked that the group pray for someone close to me by the name of Joe, he has severe blood clotting in his legs and body that could very well take his life in the blink of an eye. Please pray and continue to hope that the will of our higher power be done and it be easy to accept whatever it may be. A member of our group is native american and very familiar with some of its spiritual traditions, they did something special for Joe & Bob as well as the rest of us.

The native friend lit a shell bowl of sage and fanned it with a feather as we prayed in symbolism of the cleansing of pain & suffering. I found comfort in the smell and watching the smoke rise upward like the prayer for our friends. In the rest of the meeting we talked about a variety of things, but one final topic came up much to my suprise. The group decided they wanted me to be their Secretary, in charge of basically keeping records, organizing events, and getting alot of the essentials done. I could not have been more honored than to be of service to this cause. There is no other group, not even the presidency of a country, that I would be more delighted to serve. I am given the opportunity and responsibility to organize and grow something of true social significance. It is my greatest hope that a year from now I will be kept in this position and have many great achievements in the name of Sobriety to keep me there.

It's not everyday that we get an opportunity to make a difference, but when we do we must "seize the moment". I had to accept this privledge because it will not only help others but my own Sobriety as well. I can only say that this must be an indication of how far I have come from the days of unreliability, broken spirituality, and self-centeredness that ruled my life for so long. I know that there is no ruler or gauge to measure spiritual growth, but this election to an office of responsibility is certainly a mark of progress for me. We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection, and I wish you all the strength and will to grow yourselves. Do great things for others and let the higher power do great things for us. Until next time friends.. Good Night. Good Morning... <3 Jimmy