Heard at a meeting
Doing nothing is a choice. Life is about choices.
* * *
Don't give up hope and don't get in the way.
* * *
When you go to a meeting, don't share the MESS, share the MESSAGE.
* * *
God loves me where I'm at, but "he" loves me too much to leave me there.
* * *
I am one thought away from insane thinking without Al-Anon.
Joy and sorrow are like a railroad track, then run along right next to each other in life.
* * *
Push the reset button on your life...come to a meeting.
* * *
If I'm in MY will, then I'm doing God's work. I don't have that ability or power.
* * *
I get lots of messages from God, but most are in my own handwriting!
Instead of praying "God be with me," I pray "God bear with me!"
* * * The reason you're in pain is because you have your fingers in a door God is trying to close.
* * *
If you like everyone in Al-Anon, you're not going to enough meetings!!
* * *
"Be yourself because everyone else is taken." Oscar Wilde
|
|
|
Dear Al-Anon or Alateen Member,
Welcome to the District 14 Al-Anon/Alateen Monthly Newsletter. This newsletter is created and distributed by Al-Anon members. Any member of Al-Anon or Alateen is welcome to contribute to this newsletter. |
|
Recovery In Our Own Words
A member writes on our literature:
Courage to Change (February 24th): "Isn't it exasperating to go to the grocery store for an item, only to find the shelf empty? Fortunately, grocers can correct that situation by taking inventory to learn which shelves need replenishment. This same is true for me. A Fourth Step inventory illuminates my own empty spaces, my shortcomings."
I love the idea of taking inventory by seeing what is missing on my shelves and want to work on my Fourth Step in this way. I want to start with all the shelves first and then figure out what items need to go on them and which ones are missing or which ones I want a better quality product on. I do hate it when my favorite things are missing. But I want to be sure that I'm not just seeking the junk items, like buying junk food at the 7-11, something which I'm going to savor for the moment but is going to defeat my long terms goals of having a healthy body, mind, and spirit.
I feel better when I buy the right food. I should feel better when I draw on the right behaviors, the ones I learn about in Al-Anon. So I need to not just figure out which shelves are empty, no skills at all on them, but which have behaviors I need to avoid but have tended to use in the past. I want to stock my shelves with new behaviors, healthy behaviors which I need to try for the first time because I've heard from others at meetings that they are better for me, even when I'm not sure I would like them.
How would my HP stock my shelves? Does He want me to take home items which will make me unhappy or feeling out of control? Does he want me to go to my stock of old codependent behaviors or does He want me to look through His stock of intelligent, thoughtful, creative actions. Why would I buy something that has no earthly (or spiritual) use. I think about money I have wasted over the years buying something that I didn't need, or that didn't fit, or that I didn't even really want. Do I need to continue this behavior? Or do I need to find what I really need, what really fits, what is in my HP's store for me? A Fourth Step Inventory could help me do this.
|
District 14 and Beyond News
The District 14 Monthly Meeting is held the 1st Wednesday of each month from 7:30 -9:00 in the Lesher Auditorium at the John Muir Medical Center, Concord Campus, 2540 East Street, Concord. Preceded by Concept discussion at 7:00 pm. ALL are welcome. Items of Interest from April 4, 2012 District 14 Meeting - Urgent Need for Groups to Host Monthly Speaker Meeting. There are still FIVE openings for 2012. June, July, August, November, and December. Remember if you have a small group, you can consider hosting with another group. And even if you have hosted already this year, please know that you can host a second time! Written guidelines are available with exact instructions of how to be a host group. Please contact Sandy H. at 925-642-9909 to volunteer your group or get more information.
- Volunteers Still Needed for NCWSA One Day Assembly May 5th which will be held at our very own Crowne Plaza Hotel in Concord. Sue S. has graciously volunteered to be the Chair for the event. She needs additional volunteers to handle registration, a literature table, making of Love Gifts, and voting coordination. This is a wonderful opportunity for service to the 250 Al-Anon members from the NCWSA who attend this event each year. Please contact Sue S. or call 925-997-3340.
- Attention District 14 GRs: Please take this Sign Up Sheet for Volunteers for the One Day Assembly to your meeting. Contact information same as article above.
- NCWSA has new P.O. Box for donations. The new address is: NCWSA Treasurer, P.O. Box 728, Vacaville, CA 95696-0728. Donation form A-25 is available on the NCWSA website.
- Consider attending 2012 NCWSA Al-Anon/Alateen Convention on April 20-22 at Squaw Valley. Detail in Event Section below. Condos are available to share.
- Newsletter: Attention GRs: Download a Sign-Up Sheet for the Newsletter to take to your groups and bring to Karen at the next District Meeting. Or, submit new email addresses to: [email protected]
- District 14 Coordinator Positions: Only ONE position left.
- Spanish Liaison - Congratulations for Leticia M. who has volunteered to fill this very important position.
- Alateen Coordinator - OPEN Please note that our prior Alateen Coordinator is serving as Alternate Coordinator and can lend support to whoever fills this very important position.
- Hotline Needs Volunteers. Al-Anon Hotline still has gaps in the schedule that need to be filled. You can volunteer for any day, any period of time. Call Paula M. at 925-513-1770.
- Day In Al-Anon 2013 - Call for Coordinators/Trusted Servants to create next year's DIA. Preliminary Meeting May 20, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. at Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure, Inc., 4005 Port Chicago Hwy (2nd Floor), Concord CA 94520. Coordinators needed: Co-Chair (learn the ropes to become the Chair for 2014), Speaker Liaisons for Al-Anon and AA, Alateen, Spanish Liaison, Publicity, Registration, Decorations, Breakfast/Lunch, Childcare, Silent Auction, Donation Drawing, Treasurer, Facilities. To offer service contact DIA Coordinator John H. 505-259-1232
|
Service Corner
Check District 14 News section. The Alateen Coordinator position is still open. Please consider this vital service to the district. Three-year positions went into effect January 1st.
Please Note: We now have email links to District 14 Officers and Coordinators in the Quick Links column on the far left. Please send any corrections to the Newsletter Coordinator.
|
Bienvenidos a Al-Anon y Alateen
Cuarto Paso
"Sin temor, hicimos un sincero y minucioso examen de conciencia."
Bienvenidos al blog: "C�mo utilizar los Pasos de Al-Anon en nuestro diario vivir". Muchas personas saben sobre los Doce Pasos de Alcoh�licos An�nimos y entienden la forma en que ellos se relacionan con la meta de la persona alcoh�lica de encontrar la sobriedad, pero pocas saben que Grupos de Familia Al-Anon adapt� estos Pasos en 1951 como programa de progreso personal y recuperaci�n para la familia.
C�mo localizar una reunion.
Esta serie de podcasts comenta la forma en que los Doce Pasos de Al-Anon les han ayudado a las personas a enfrentar exitosamente una variedad de retos asociados con la enfermedad familiar del alcoholismo.
El tema del podcast de hoy es: el Cuarto Paso.
Podcast: Activarlo en nueva ventana
Boletin Informativo, Oficina Intergrupal Hispana Del Sur De Calfornia
Bienvenido al sitio web de Al-anon Familia Grupos para el Distrito 14 del norte de California del Servicio Mundial de la zona. Este sitio es creado y operado por el Distrito 14 miembros de Al-anon. Distrito 14 de l�mites se puede definir mejor el lugar de las reuniones que figuran en nuestra Reuniones Lista, y por lo general abarca las comunidades del condado de oriental y central Contra Costa. El sitio web está organizado en torno a los Tres Legados de Al-Anon Al-Anon se enfrenta al alcoholismo 2012 |
Institutions Corner
Our new Institutions Coodinator has oodles of experience in providing Al-Anon service in this important area. We look forward to her leadership. The 41st Annual Hospitals and Institutions Conference of AA with Al-Anon and Spanish speaking participating will be held May 18-20, 2012 in Redding CA. Flyer
|
Alateen Corner
Consider becoming an Alateen Sponsor - Attend the April 14th Alateen Sponsor Training
For those who may be considering becoming an Alateen sponsor, you are welcome to come to the upcoming Alateen Sponsor Training at John Muir Medical Center (Concord campus), Kunkle Room, on Saturday, April 14th, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. You can fill out the necessary paperwork to become a sponsor at that meeting. Contact Kristine B. for details (see below). For Questions: Contact Alt. Alateen Coordinator Marilyn G. at 925-759-1452. Applications are available to become an Alateen Sponsor through Kristine B., District 14 Alateen Safety Coordinator at 925-407-6053.
30th Annual Growing Together Weekend When: May 18 - 20, 21012 Where: Westminster Woods Registration: $149 by April 16th, $159 after April 16th, ends May 7th Flyer NoCAC's First Bash What: Come Camping with the Cool Kids! When: June 22-24, 2012 Where: Del Valle Campgrounds, Livermore, CA Registration: $20 per person for the weekend Contact: Jeff G., NoCAC Sponsor at 925-922-8750 or Cat B. NoCAC Chair Flyer
Save the Date: 6th Annual NCSWA Sponsors WeekendWhen: September 14-16, 2012 Where: Westminster Woods
|
Upcoming Events
NCWSA One Day Assembly: When: Saturday, May 5th, 2012 Where: Crowne Plaza Hotel 45 John Glenn Drive Concord, CA 94521 Registration: Opens at 8:30 a.m. Assembly: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m Suggestion Donation: $5.00 (does not include lunch) Lunch: At local restaurants Contact: Carla G. at 925-586-8021.
District 14 Speaker Meeting - April 28, 2012 ~ 6:30 p.m. Guest Speakers: TBA Topic: Speaker What: Refreshments, Birthday Chips, Donation Drawing, Literature, Tape Library, Meeting recorded. Hosted By: TBA Where: Walnut Creek Kaiser 1515 Newell Ave. Medical Office Bldg., Oak Room, 3rd Floor Directions and Flyer NCWSA Al-Anon/Alateen Convention with Spanish and AA Participation:
Steps Up Slippery Slopes (Pasos Hacia Arriba Laderas Resbalosas)
When: April 20-22, 2012 Where: The Village at Squaw Valley 1750 Village East Road Olympic Village, CA 96146 Reserve Rooms: By March 21, 2012 1-888-767-1907, Mention Group Code 40A9P3 for our discount. Accommodations are condos which can be shared with full kitchens. Registration: $20 in advance, $30 at the door, Opens 3:00 p.m. Friday Contact: [email protected]Directions and Flyer District 16: Day In Al-Anon 2012 Theme: To Serenity and Beyond Speakers: Sarah R. from Costa Mesa (Al-Anon), Bill M. from San Ramon (AA), Alateen Speaker (TBA) When: April 28, 2012, Saturday Where: Trinity Lutheran Church 1225 Hopyard Rd. Pleasanton, CA 94566 For More Information: Wendy(925) 785-5547 or Mike C. (925) 577-4227 Flyer For Complete Listing of Events and Flyers: NCWSA Events
|
Reflections from the Forum
Past Reflections
Love is forgiving. Love is for giving. April 1989, Phyllis A. Maryland
Al-Anon's monthly magazine, The Forum, contains many personal stories of inspiration. Click on this link to subscribe to receive your own monthly "Meeting in Your Pocket." Only $11.00 a year.
Current Forum articles:
How I see myself reflects how I see my Higher Power
Growing up in an alcoholic home left me with many wounds and bruises. I was hurt spiritually and emotionally.
As I got older and formed new relationships, I didn't understand why those wounds never healed. Instead, it was as if they opened, bled, and were often infected with expectations and disappointments.
How I found what I didn't think I needed...recovery
Al-Anon continues serving up surprises, showing me how much can grow out of seemingly little moments.
I was not expecting anything like the events that have transformed my life over the past 30 years. My wife had decided to do something about her drinking-an issue we had been discussing for months-and discovered an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting near our home.
I learned about myself in How Al-Anon Works
My favorite piece of literature is How Al-Anon Works for Families & Friends of Alcoholics (B-22, B-32). I found a tremendous amount of comfort in each section. Reading the book helped me to finally realize that I was raised in an alcoholic family. And to my surprise, this realization came without any shame or guilt attached. My Higher Power allowed me to accept what was, and learn from it.
|
Contribute to this Newsletter
A few words from your share at a recent meeting, a thought you had while reading conference approved literature, your take on one of the Steps or Traditions. Any tidbit is welcome as long as you remember that we speak Al-Anon here, leaving other therapies and programs outside. Send your contribution to the Newsletter by email with "Contribution" in the subject line.
Submissions may be edited for length and grammar and will published at the discretion of the editors when space permits. Authors will be notified of changes to their submissions.
|
Archives of Past Newsletters
|
|
Sincerely,
Co-Editors: Karen, District 14 Newsletter Coordinator Linda W, Alternate District 14 Newsletter Coordinator
Contact the Editors: [email protected] |
|
|