A fantastic collection of quotes.

from http://www.thesponsorsaide.org/SlowGuns.htm D.E.N.I.A.L. - Don't Even Notice I Am Lying Lips are moving, we're off and running.  Ever told a story, joke or lie so many times that even you believe it's true?
	H.O.W. - Honesty, Open-mindedness, Willingness This ones for you, Dad!  Hope you like it.

 

	S.L.I.P. - Sobriety Lost It's Priority / So Long, I'm Perfect If you don't want to slip, stay out of slippery places!
	B.I.B.L.E. - Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth Take it as you will.
	Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less. My Way - No, My Way! - No My Way!

	You're as sick as your secrets. Most of the time, folks see it, know it, or feel it in some way or another, anyway.  Get it?
	S.O.B.E.R. - Son Of a Bitch, Everything's Real WOW!  Life happens at the funniest times!

F.I.N.E.
[I'm] Frustrated, Insecure, Neurotic, Emotional

F.E.A.R.
Face Everything And Recover

N.U.T.S.
Not Using The Steps

E.G.O.
Edging God Out

D.E.N.I.A.L.
Don't Even Notice I Am Lying

H.A.L.T.
[Don't get too] Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired

H.O.P.E.
Happy Our Program Exists

H.O.W.
Honesty, Open-mindedness, Willingness

G.O.D.
Good Orderly Direction

B.I.G. B.O.O.K.
Believing In God Beats Our Old Knowledge

S.L.I.P.
Sobriety Losing Its Priority

A.C.T.I.O.N.
Any Change To Improve Our Nature

P.R.O.G.R.A.M.
People Relying On God Relaying A Message

S.T.E.P.S.
Solutions To Every Problem Sober

K.I.S.S.
Keep It Simple, Sweetheart

Seven missed meetings makes one weak.

 

HALT: Don't get
too Hungry,
too Angry,
too Lonely, or
too Tired!!

If you do what you always did, you will get what you always got.
or
If you keep doin' what your doin'
you'll keep gettin' what your gettin'

 

 

A.B.C. - Acceptance, Belief, Change

A.C.T.I.O.N. - Any Change Toward Improving One’s Nature

E.G.O. - Edging God Out

F.A.I.L.U.R.E. - Fearful, Arrogant, Insecure, Lonely, Unsure, Resentful, Empty

F.E.A.R. - Face Everything & Recover /False Expectations Appearing Real

G.O.D. - Good Orderly Direction

H.A.L.T. - Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired

H.E.L.P. - Hope, Encouragement, Love, Patience

T.I.M.E. - Things I Must Learn

 

Progress not perfection.

 

Change the things I can.

 

 

AA slogans, sayings, and assorted inspirations

 

The steps keep us from suicide; the traditions keep us from homicide.

The only thing alcoholics do in moderation is the 12 steps!

The elevator is broken - take the steps!

Step 13: My life is unmanageable, and I want to share it with you.

It's alcohol-ism, not -wasm.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Gossip hurts - and sometimes kills.

Pain is necessary, suffering is optional!

If nothing changes, nothing changes.

If you do what you always did, you'll get what you always got.

Some things have to be believed to be seen.

Feelings aren't facts!!!

In AA, first we remove the anesthesia, then we operate.

Fellowship is the meeting after the meeting.

Let us love you until you learn to love yourself.

Isolation is the dark room where we develop our 'negatives'.

Compare and despair.

Don't compare you insides to other people's outsides.

Let go or get dragged.

If your spinning your wheels, try getting out of the driver's seat.

If your ass falls off, pick it up, put it in a paper bag, and carry it to a meeting.

Remember the cost of your last drink or drug when observing the 7^th tradition.

Take an action, then let go of the results.

Carry the message, not the mess.

Don't tease your disease.

It's the first car of a train that kills you, not the caboose.

Relapse is NOT a requirement.

Relapse begins long before you pick up the drink/drug.

If you hang around a barbershop long enough, eventually you'll get a haircut.

Those who matter, don't mind; those who mind, don't matter.

Expectations are preconceived resentments.

Serenity isn't freedom from the storm; it is peace within the storm.

Don't speak unless you can improve on silence.

You don't need to "find God"; He isn't lost.

Tell it to your sponsor, or you will be telling it to a bartender.

Surrendering means you don't have to fight any more.

Surrender Dorothy!

I didn't use drugs, drugs used me.

You can be just a crazy sober as you were drunk, you'll just remember it the next day.

AA Sayings - The Complete? List - "Easy Does It", "Keep it Simple Stupid", and many more.

SPONSOR:  Sober Person Offering Newcomers Suggestions On Recovery

Hashem's Salvation in the Blink of an Eye-Mazel Tov Mazel Tov

In my wildest dreams I never would have imagined making 2 such amazing simchas in one week.  We made a Seudas Hodaas for a previously sick family member, and a L'Chaim for a child who is been in the Parsha for longer then we ever dreamed it would be.

There is no way that I can adequately express my Hakoras Hatov to Hashem for bringing me to this point.  I want to share with everyone that Tefila works.  Don't ever dispare.  Hashem can cause miracles.

“I don’t learn amidst suffering,” the Rosh Yeshiva replied. “I learn amidst joy!”

Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel refused to be enslaved by his debilitating disease:
“”Rav Nissan Kaplan related that after the Rosh Yeshiva passed away, he heard that a relative of the Rosh Yeshiva had testified that he never heard him complain about his disease. Rav Nissan was so surprised by this claim that he decided to verify it. When he visited Rav Nosson Tzvi’s children during the shivah, he asked each one whether they had ever heard Rav Nosson Tzvi complain – and each one said no!

Not only didn’t he complain, he didn’t even consider himself unfortunate. A student who had been struck by several tragedies in the span of a few months came to the Rosh Yeshiva for inspiration. “How does the Rosh Yeshiva learn amidst suffering?” he asked.
“I don’t learn amidst suffering,” the Rosh Yeshiva replied. “I learn amidst joy!”
from Aish.com

Watering the Garden of Gratitude

http://www.shoeboxblog.com/

The power of a nurturing relationship.

Try and remember the person that had the greatest influence on your life. Maybe it was a teacher, a relative, a grandparent, a spiritual guide or a military commander. Notice that this particular person had certain qualities that you adored, even though he or she wasn't always easy on you. Let's reconstruct those qualities and put them down on paper:

1. You had no doubt that this person categorically cared about you and only wanted the best for you.

2. This person believed in you completely, even when you failed to believe in yourself.

3. This person always seemed to know how you feel.

4. This person was a great listener.

from http://lazerbrody.typepad.com/lazer_beams/

When I read this I realized that this is a perfect description of a good sponsor.  This is one of the most powerful success tools of the 12 step program.  I am so grateful to Hashem for sending me a great sponsor.

My personal prayer while eating-it really helps.

When I am eating my weighed and measured meal, there is always a point when I look at my food and say, "Oh, no, there is not much left."  I try to use this as a reminder to daven for 3 things:
1) That Hashem should keep me abstinent until my next meal.
 2) That Hashem should make me satisfied from this meal, and
 3) That my food should be a Refuah. (I read in a Sefer by  Rabbi Nachman that our food can be a refuah.)

I have shared this with many people and they say that it helps them too, so I decided to post it.

Put on a Happy face

http://drybonesblog.blogspot.com/

A Dvar Torah from Rabbi Katzenstein - Purim

What is Purim? In truth, many believe they know the answer to this question, but in actuality they don’t. To numerous people, Purim is an “everything goes” day, a day in which all limitations are removed and all restrictions are non-existent. They say whatever they want, and they do whatever they want. To others, Purim is simply a masquerade, with the most important feature being their costume. This, however, is far from the truth!

 

Chazal teach us that in the days of Moshiach, of all of the Yomim Tovim, Purim will be the one that remains, for Purim is a taste of “tomorrow.” What does this cryptic allusion to tomorrow mean?  ביום ההוא יהי' ה' אחד ושמו אחד, on that day HaShem will be One and His name will be One. Upon the arrival of Moshiach, all will recognize the Oneness of HaShem, all will be cognizant of the fact that it is He and only He that created and maintains all that is. It is this truth that will unite us as a nation, and the entire world, under the domain and dominion of HaShem. All of our differences will dissipate, and all of our diversity will seem petty, as we will comprehend and appreciate all that transpires is the will of HaShem. It is this feeling that is palpable on Purim. The togetherness and camaraderie is tangible. The friendship and togetherness is manifest. It is a glimpse of the much anticipated “tomorrow” that we anxiously await and long for.

 

Purim is a wonderful day filled with many mitzvos all sharing this common theme and fostering this feeling. Mishloach Manos conveys the idea that, if it were to be possible, we would all join at one tremendous communal seuda. Since we cannot, we send each other gifts of food, sharing our festive meal, relaying the reciprocal message to others that I wish you could be my guest. We give Matanos L’evyonim, expressing to the less fortunate, that as we are ready to dine royally, our feast would be incomplete knowing that our brother is lacking and needy.

 

The Gemora tells us that in contrast to Matan Torah, on Purim the Jewish people re-affirmed their commitment to HaShem and His Torah out of pure love. This love was an expression of sincere thanks for being miraculously saved from Haman and his cohorts and their diabolical plan to annihilate our nation. The Purim story represents of our myopic view of the world around us, the many times that we do not perceive the ways of HaShem. It is a sign of the ecstasy and excitement that exists when at the end we understand in hindsight the profundity of all that transpired.

 

May Purim enable us to feel the extraordinary love of HaShem, to shower others with our affection, and to merit such great days through the coming of Moshiach.

 

A Freilchen Purim!

Rabbi Katzenstein

At the Purim Seudah we are on a higher madregeh then at Neilah of Yom Kippur.

I went to a Shiur last night by Rebetzin Kalmonovitz last night  who said that at the Purim Seudah we are on a higher madregeh then at Neilah of Yom Kippur.  Hashem opens gates that are not open at any other time of the year.  Hashem forgives us for things that we did not do Teshuva for, and for things that we did intentionally, as long as we are filled with the Bitachon that everything that Hashem does is for the best (like in the story of Mordechai and Esther).  This is the reason for wanting to be in a state that we dont know the difference between Bless Mordechai and Curse Haman.  In the end, whatever happens is for our best, so even the seemingly bad is really a blessing.

Gam Zu L'Tova on Purim

In our lives there is nothing good or bad, there is just sweet and bitter.  Since everything comes from Hashem, nothing is bad.  In the Purim Story, the things that made the situation seem the worst, were actually the root cause of the redemption.  This is the essence of Purim, looking at things in our lives that seem difficult and realizing that they were really for the best.

from A Shiur by Rabbi Berkowitz on Aish.com -Purim Perspectives

Removing Illness from our midst.

"And You shall serve HaShem, your G-d, and He will bless your bread and your water, and I will remove illness from your midst,”  (Shemos 23, 25).

This verse clearly connects our physical sustenance and health to spiritual service. The commentator, Kli Yakar, identifies an inconsistency in the verse which teaches a beautiful lesson.  It begins in the plural, ועבדתם (And you[plural] will serve), and continues in the singular, לחמך (your[singular] bread).

He explains that all Jews are responsible for one another and therefore each individual’s bread won’t be blessed until all Jews are serving HaShem in unity. Hence the usage of “serving” in the plural tense and “your bread” in the singular.

This fundamental idea can be applied in all areas of our lives, particularly – as the verse openly states – to our eating and well-being.  We all have the responsibility to educate and encourage each other in proper health care and nutrition.  We can’t turn a blind eye toward unhealthy practices, such as poor eating habits and lack of any physical exercise.


from the Sovea newsletter

Making a change in our lives.

There was a study of graduates of Harvard Business School.  They were asked upon graduation if they had specific goals for there future.  13% had goals, 3% had written goals.  Ten years later they found that those who had goals exceeded their goals by double.  Those who had written goals earned ten times what they had planned on making.  The only distinction between them and the rest of the class was that that set concrete goals and set out to meet them.

In our lives, if we want to change things and achieve things we should have written goals.  If we want to lose 20 pounds, it is not enough to say, "I am going to lose 20 pounds" You need to have a daily plan of what you are going to eat and how much you are going to exercise. 

 From a Shiur on Torah anytime:

http://www.torahanytime.com/scripts/media.php?file=media/Rabbi/Bentzion_Shafier/2011-03-08/Amazing_Purim_Shmuz/Rabbi__Bentzion_Shafier__Amazing_Purim_Shmuz__2011-03-08.wmv

These are his words, not mine. 

What ropes are keeping us from attaining what we what to?

How is it  possible for a work elephant's owner to tie the elephant up at night when the elephant is so strong that it could destroy any shelter or rope that confines it.  The answer is:

To train elephants in India they start when they are young. They tie an Elephant to a tree with a chain. The young elephant tries and tries to get away but is not able to break the chain. They struggle and struggle to no avail. They soon learn they can not break the chain and therefore give up  the struggle. When they are older and much bigger the elephant feels something tied around his ankle and he will not struggle and believe they are stuck. An elephant trainer knows this and is then able to tie a full grown elephant to a tree with nothing but a rope. Even though its incredible strength would allow it to easily break the rope and be free. In their head they are bound, they are stuck and do not fight.

We have to look at our own lives and think to ourselves,"what do we want to accomplish that we are not doing? What nonsense is keeping me from achieving my goals?"

from the Shiur on Torah Anytime:
http://www.torahanytime.com/scripts/media.php?file=media/Rabbi/Bentzion_Shafier/2011-03-08/Amazing_Purim_Shmuz/Rabbi__Bentzion_Shafier__Amazing_Purim_Shmuz__2011-03-08.wmv


How many years did I want to become healthy but believe that it could not be done?  How many times did I wish that I could stop eating, but think that I couldn't.  Now that I am BH maintaining an 87 pound weight loss, I realize that it was just a thin rope holding me back.

Cry No More by Yaakov Shweky-check out this inspiring video!

Maintenance-is it possible to stay the same?

http://www.shoeboxblog.com/

Many years ago a Rav asked my husband if his wife is learning.  My husband told the Rav that I was too busy between Kids and working.  The Rav told my husband that there is a rule in spirituality that you are either going up or going down.  I started attending his class every week, with my husband's blessing. Since then I have logged many hours of learning weekly.

I used to think that the same rule applies for weight, you are either gaining or losing.  Then came OA and measured portions-the dreaded  Maintenance.  Unfortunately at a certain point  your body gets used to the food.  It often happens that you have to cut your food to stay the same weight.  I went to my doctor and showed him my food plan. He told me to cut out the ounce of oil that I add to my salad every day.  After about a month of no oil at all, I started to get sick.  After several months, I was getting sicker and sicker.  The doctors couldn't find a cause. Finally my GP said, "why don't you try putting oil back for a few days and see what happens".  Magic- I got better within a few days. Moral of the story-our bodies need some oil and there is a reason that our sponsors tell us to add oil to our diet.

New dilemma-how am I going to keep from gaining weight, what food should I cut out.
Revelation-instead of cutting calories in I can increase calories out.  Exercise.

In the last month I have made a point of riding my exercise bike enough to cover the added calories of the oil.  Amazing-not only did I not gain but I actually lost a pound. Yeah.