January-February
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In Service to Narcotics Anonymous in Pinellas County, Florida Including St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Surrounding Communities. January - February 2013 Why I Stay Clean In this Issue I’ve been clean since 2008 and the reason why I stay has defiantly changed over the years. In the beginning I could not imagine never using Why I Stay Clean again. If I think back to my feelings at that time it was a lot of fear. Fear of the girl I used to be, fear of going to prison, and fear of my past. I was so Micheal’s Anonymous 1 afraid of the girl I was yesterday or last week that I was finally ready to try Activities & Meetings in something different. Fear and desperation was why I came. The people in the meetings gave me these suggestions and they gave me a hope at Need of Support 2 something different and new. The suggestion of going to a meeting ev- Why I Stay 3 eryday was a reason why I stayed, I met some new friends and started to feel like I wasn’t the only one that felt this way or did the things I did. I got Relax & Recover Picnic 4 a sponsor and she was why I stayed, it was the first time I ever really trusted World Convention 8 or loved a woman and had a real genuine friendship. I joined a home Area Help Lines 7 group, I never felt worthy or that I had anything to contribute and this helped me feel a part of something and that I could contribute. Then as I Poetry Corner 9 started to stay clean day after day, I noticed more and more little things I Living Clean & Activities Shares 10 did like about staying clean, as simple as I took showers daily, brushed my teeth and started to take care of myself. After staying for a few months I remember going up to get my 90day key tag, it felt so good to accom- plish something because I never followed through with anything. That feel- ing, my friends in the rooms and the service commitments kept me going 24-Hour Helpline and staying clean. I started getting involved with service through h and I. I remember the first time I saw someone I met in that facility, in the meet- 727-547-0444 ing, it made me feel so good they had a chance at life, as I did. Why I Call before you use! stay today is similar to the same reason, but so much closer to my heart than before. I stay clean and continue to keep coming back to meetings because I have been given this gift, this gift of life and a freedom that I The purpose of this newsletter is to keep never knew before coming to NA. Do I get busy and caught up with with Bay Area Narcotics Anonymous life and want to just sit back and not go? Yes…but I am reminded every members informed of the events and time I look in the mirror, share a moment with my daughter, have coffee happenings of the fellowship. Every with my mom, catch up with my dad, go to family dinners, start another attempt is made to adhere to NAWS & week at work, share giggles with my friends, cry at a sad movie, look at BASCNA’s guidelines for newsletters. the stars, or just sit around and be—I am reminded NA made this possible. The content contained heron expresses It might not always be roses or sunshine but if my life didn’t change when I the views and knowledge of it got clean I can honestly say—I would not have stayed! My truth is my life contributors, not NA as a whole. Please has changed and continues to change ------------that is why I stay. read this publication with that in mind. Newletter Subcommitee & Contributors Andrea B.- Newsletter Chair Michael R. -Poem Contributer Danita K. -Article Contributor Jim F. - Article Contributor Becky S. & Activities - Article Contributor Kristi Beth F. - Article Contributor Ray- Article Contributor Danita K MICHAEL’S ANOMYOUS HOW IT DIDN’T WORK AND WHY I worked a program called Michaels Anonymous, tumor. How it worked and why, painfully obvious. I know how I want to feel, so now I’m working these Yeah, my sponsor was my best pal addict man, steps for real. Addict mans way isn’t very safe you see, for me he always had the best laid plan. And will one day wind up killing me. When I wanted to defeat my various addictions, Yep, that’s what he wanted all along’ He formulated for me a new set of steps and So I need these steps to keep me strong. traditions. Today I choose to walk on greener grass, Addict man can kiss my ass. Now I could give you a couple dozen of samples, But I’ll use the 12 steps as examples. 1. I told him I was powerless over my addiction, my life unmanageable, He said “Oh that’s bullshit, there’s nothing tangible” 2. I said I was coming to believe in a power greater then me could restore my sanity, He declared “Well that sounds like a pretty lousy plan to me” 3. Informed him I decided to turn over my life and will, He said “oh my my, heart be still” 4. Then I was to do a fearless moral inventory, Michael R. He claimed “yeah yeah same old story. 5. Next I was to admit my wrongs to myself God and another human being, He said wow, now I’m scared, can you feel me fleeing? 6. I was entirely ready to have God remove my character defects’ He goes “Shit that’s for nerds and weirdos and other rejects. 7. I was to ask God to remove my short comings humbly, He told me I now sound like a dummy, 8. Now i will make a list of people I harmed, prepare make amends, He said “No lets not, maybe just pretend” 9, Make these amends unless I could harm them or others, He said “screw em all friends sisters and brothers. 10. Do a daily inventory and when wrong promptly admit it, He told me “make a list or those I’ve not yet harmed, CALL FOR ENTRIES and to me submit it. 11. Seek through prayer and meditation a contact Spiritual Principles Issue that’s conscious, Article suggestions: He said ‘Get real, I never heard such nonsense. How [spiritual principle] helps me stay clean. 12. Having had an awaking that was in no way spiritual’ He told me “Share with all this wonderful Why I love [spiritual principle] miracle. [Spiritual principle] can be difficult, but it’s the key to _____. Well there you have it “Michael’s Anomoyous, What I learned by practicing [spiritual principle]. Sick twisted principles, yet alarmingly synonymous. Understand I wrote this poem without any consult, How [spiritual principle] changed the course of my Not trying to ridicule or insult. recovery. Writing it at all was sort of frightening,I half expected to be struck by lightning. But no, my Higher Power has Submit your work to [email protected] a sense of humor, where a addict man is funny like a 1 ACCEPTANCE & CHANGE Friday 8pm Bay Area Activities - 70’s NYE Party 207 Buckingham Ave, Oldsmar, FL Calvary Church, 7:00pm Indian Rocks Beach CLEAN HARBOR Saturday 10pm -Drydocks How Group Celebrates 29 Years January 11 7pm Dinner, bring a dish DO YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW 8pm Speaker Meeting - Kenny G. Monday 6:30pm 639 Edgewater Dr., Dunedin 1676 N Belcher Rd.Clearwater Palm Coast Area 24th Annual Spiritual Retreat ACCEPTANCE AND CHANGE January 17-20 Friday 8:00pm 7495 Park Lane Rd Lake Worth Florida Starting Jan 4- New Meeting Format 207 Buckingham Avenue, Oldsmar, FL Work The Steps Or Die... 2750 5th Ave N. St Petersburg, FL WE FOUND AWAY OUT Saturday, January 19 and 6:30pm - Daily February 16 10am-4pm 5540 Park Blvd, Pinellas Park, FL Florida Regional Service Symposium JUST FOR TODAY 10211 Princess Palm Ave, Tampa, 10:00pm Friday & Saturday March 21-24, 2013 2927 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg http://naflorida.org/florida-service-symposium/ 11th Step Meditation Meeting 10th Annual Leap of Faith Campout Boyd Hill Nature Park 10:00am Saturday 3120 31st Street S, St Petersburg, 2927 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg Feb 22-23 PRIMARY PORPOISE Good Day Sunshine Picnic Wednesday 7:00pm Saturday, March 16 1615 1st St., Indian Rocks Beach Northeast Park NO PAIN NO GAIN 4620 East Bay Drive, Clearwater Monday 8:00pm Funcoast Area Mens Spiritual Retreat 1735 Dr MLK Jr St. S St. Petersburg CEDAR KIRK CAMP April 5-7 2013 MORNING SERENITY It Works - Jam Night/Game Night Daily 7:45Am @The PLACE April 12 8pm-11pm Gulfport Presbertarian Church SERENITY IN ADDICTION GROUP 631 Turner Street, Clearwater Thursday- 9am-10AM SPIRITUAL SOLUTIONS There are 5000 10th St N. St Petersburg approximately 140 Monday & Tuesdays 8:00pm active NA Meetings per STEP FREE 10721 61st Ave, Seminole FL week in the Bay Area! Thursday 8pm NA is not affiliated with any of the facilities listed. 2 WHY I STAY the program for what I have been given. I stay because NA has become my way of life. I stay I remember when I first got clean people used because I have a healthy respect for the disease to say, “We come to meetings to find out of addiction and I know what happens to what happens to people who don’t come to people, who don’t go to meetings.