Vanishing Friends

Sometimes in our journey of life people whom we considered extremely close friends will for one reason or another seem to literally vanish from our lives. We scratch our heads and wonder, was it something I said or did? If we will make a truthful inventory of our relationship with them we may find that an amends from us is necessary. However, sometimes there is absolutely no wrong doing on our part whatsoever. Then what?
This is when we must trust the process that only our Creator can manage. We pray for their well-being. We keep an open mind and though we may have to shut that door of our lives, we never lock it.

Perhaps you have been that person who has been the vanishing friend. Time passed and you came to your senses only to find your attempt to reconnect was met with a door that had been locked from the inside of their heart, never to reopen. How painful and traumatic that experience can be.

Do you have a vanishing friend? If so, trust God to speak to their heart and though you may find it necessary to close the door, please leave it unlocked and keep the porch light on. One day you may be extremely surprised at the reunion that comes to pass.

Serenity for You,
~The Monty’man

From Monty’man’s Meditorials Copyright © 2015 Take 12 Recovery Radio www.Take12Radio.com

When Those We Love Pass On

Yesterday I was informed that a dear brother in the recovery community had gone home to be with our Heavenly Father. As I sat in shock somewhat paralyzed for a moment I reflected once again on my own life. An automatic inventory of my character defects and character qualities seemed to appear right before my eyes. Then as if it was the most natural thing to do, I asked myself, why do we do so much reflection when someone we love passes away? Shouldn’t we be reflective each and every day as our Eleventh Step so powerfully instructs us to so? Today I am deep in reflection and am asking my Creator how I may better serve Him and His wonderful creation, people and world. May I never forget that He is the Father and I am His child? He is the director and I am His agent. To my friend who today walks with God may I just say Thank you for being.

Serenity for You!

~The Monty’man

The Way of Integrity

Many times in life we are called on by our own conscience to take a stand against what is wrong and stand firm for what we know to be the truth.

When we take such a position we often become the target of ridicule and sometimes even lose people whom we truly believed were in our corner.
Even the most God conscience individual can be tempted to compromise and sail down the river of popularity; after all, it’s the easier, softer way.
When the tide of opinion seeks to erode our morals and wash us out to the sea of indecision, we can hold fast to the shore because we know that our almighty God, the giver of life and truth is behind our convictions.
We have been grafted into the fellowship of His spirit and if God is for us, no man can come against us. This is the way of integrity.

Serenity for You
~The Monty’man

From Monty’man’s Meditorials Copyright © 2015 Take 12 Recovery Radio

To Sign or Not to Sign

I think we need to remember that it’s our “Public Relations Policy” that’s based on attraction rather than promotion, not our meeting formats, not our personal stories. AA groups are autonomous. That means they can govern themselves in any way they deem fit as long as it doesn’t have a negative effect upon the organization as a whole. If the groups conscience (decided at the business meeting and written into the groups bylaws) is that court slips be signed at the end of a meeting, at the beginning or not at all, then that’s a groups right to do so.

I have nothing against people coming to meetings that are court ordered. The treatment for alcoholism or addiction does not have to be voluntary to be effective. The majority of us did not walk into the meetings because we wanted to. I know many an experienced, wonderful and spiritual Old-Timer who was court ordered in the beginning and now they are about the business of helping others to recover. To call someone names for being court ordered is not only counterproductive but shows our unwillingness to be helpful. I am much more concerned about what we are sharing in meetings by teaching the newcomer to be meeting dependent instead of God dependent. If there is poison in the 12 Step support meetings it is coming from within and a lack of understanding of our basic text, not from without.

Also, we need to remember that if a treatment center or a court makes attending a 12 Step meeting a requirement it is in no way violating our Traditions. You can’t violate a Tradition of an organization you’re not a member of. The courts and treatment centers claim no affiliation with us therefore they are not bound by our Traditions. They have every right to demand what they wish of their clients. They don’t require anything of us. It’s like my radio show. Some people say Take 12 Recovery Radio violates the anonymity Tradition because it’s radio, but Take 12 Radio is not affiliated with AA, NA or any other 12 Step fellowship, therefore it’s impossible for the radio station to be violating something it’s not affiliated with. It’s the same thing with the courts and treatment. It’s our responsibility to uphold our Traditions, not the responsibility of an outside agency.

My Condition, His Solution

“My drinking and using are but an outward manifestation of an inward condition. For years alcohol was my solution. My problem was sobriety. Though the chemical alcohol and other mood mind altering substances come with their own set of problems; today I manage, maintain and grow in my spiritual walk. It is there that the solution blossoms into reality. My position in my relationship with my Creator is secure and as my condition aligns with His will I experience the freedom I was always longing for. The freedom from the bondage of self.”

Serenity for You!

~The Monty’man

Who Am I Depending On?

“If I don’t recognize my need for a power greater than myself why would I seek one out?
The Twelve Steps are a method which helps me see my need. Once I acknowledge my powerlessness and my need for a power, the Steps show me how to begin a process in which I develop a relationship with that power.
The Steps are not the power, they introduce me to the power that has the ability to do for me that which I cannot do for myself. Therefore I must ask myself daily, am I depending on the meetings, my sponsor or even the Twelve Steps, or am I depending upon the one those tools are guiding me toward.
Am I depending upon my prayers or the one I’m praying too?”
~The Monty’man