Good morning!  My name is Lauren and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict. In the past, I was too busy looking down and sulking in my self-pity and misery to notice all the good around me.  Now, looking up to see what is right in front of my face, I see the love that surrounds me.  The love than is undying and true.  Just realizing all that I do have, is more rewarding than any material thing.  When I looked down all the time, I couldn't see anything.  I could only see my feet, and they weren't moving in the right direction.  They were trudging slowly, just enough to be moving.  Only when I looked up, could I move forward, and go to the place I wanted to be.  One day at a time, one foot in front of the other.  Looking down I could only see 10% of the world at my feet.  Looking up, I go forward, and see around me.  I even look back from time to time to see where I was, but not for too long, or it will deter me from my forward movement. Keep your head up and keep moving.  Have a great day!

Good morning!  My name is Lauren and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict.  Being honest and vulnerable is easier said than done.  A lot of people hide the truth, because that is easier.  They don't want people to judge them. Being honest doesn't hurt, but lying does.  It hurts yourself mostly,  it can eat you up inside.  I would rather be open and honest about myself,  troubles and triumphs, than lie about them to look better.  The fakeness I had before didn't even make me happy.  Another little saying I like is, "Being honest may not get you a lot of friends, but it'll always get you the right ones."  One of the first things I had to do in sobriety was to admit that I was powerless over alcohol-that my life had become unmanageable. My life was such a mess, I didn't even know where to begin.  But that was the first step.  Admitting I had a problem...to myself.  That was a personal decision I had to make.  No one could make it for me.  But now, I am more happy than I have ever been.  I don't have that hanging over my head.  John 8:32 says, "...the truth will set you free."  Have a great day!

Good afternoon!  My name is Lauren and I'm a recovering alcoholic/addict.  I was in denial for a long time.  I knew I had a problem and wanted help, but I really didn't.  I was telling so many lies, I started believing them.  I didn't know the truth from the lies.  Not only was I lying to others, but to myself.  It hurts me to see someone else in denial. I cannot diagnose anyone with anything, but when you see it first hand and know there is a problem and there is nothing you can do about it, it hurts.  I was in denial for years, but seeing someone in the exact situation, and they are in denial too, I feel helpless.  You can only tell someone so many times how you really feel about what you think of their problem, but until they realize how much of a problem it really is, can anything be done.  I am helpless.  And I hate that feeling.  I want to help someone so bad, but they have to want to help themselves.  I am now understanding how they felt about me, but it is even harder knowing the same about them, but they are in denial as well.  If they are not willing to make the changes necessary, nothing will change.  The misery will continue.  I am also now understanding how much my problem affected others, but it hurts even more when someone close to you does the same thing you did to them. So I can only pray.  Have a great day!

Good morning! My name is Lauren & I'm a recovering alcoholic/addict.  I will be the first one to say that for years my life was a lie.  My life was one lie after another.  Trying to keep everything in my head straight so it went together. Now, I am honest, with myself and others.  I am not perfect and don't claim to be.  And I don't expect anyone else to be either.  But it's hard when every day I know someone is living a lie, and can't even be honest with themselves. Who am I to judge, but it so hard when I see someone lying to themselves to make the world around them seem normal.  It's hard to see that on a daily basis, they have this greatness radiating from them, but no one knows the truth.  I cannot point fingers or diagnose anyone of their issues.  I cannot tell someone else's truth either.  It is only that person that can do so.  I can only look at myself, and keep my side of the street clean.  It is hard to do this, but it needs to be done.  I can only do me.  Have a great day!

Good morning!  My name is Lauren and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict.  WOW!  After Christmas, I kids got so much, I have no idea where to put it.  So this morning, they had a job, to clean up their rooms and toy boxes and get rid of 1 garbage bag full of old toys they don't play with.  At first, they were upset and shocked that they would have to do that.  Usually I am the one that goes through their clothes and toys to get rid of.  But this year I explained to them that not all children have toys and we are going to donate them to kids who can't afford them. Then they were excited about sharing their toys.  They weren't just getting rid of old worn out toys, they were getting rid of nice, gently used ones too!  So far we, between the 2 kids, we have 2 garbage bags full of clothes, and 3 bags of toys.  They also feel good about what they are doing!  I am so proud of them.  I am also go through our home. Getting rid of old clothes and stuff.  Stuff I said, "I will use this." But haven't in 5 years.  Our house is messy, but not dirty.  It is lived in.  That is another thing I am working on in my life, cleaning and organizing.  We have a very small house, and have no room for storage, no basement.  So, I am keep what we need and use and getting rid of what we don't.  Someday we will have a bigger house, but as for now, we are making do, and cleaning up what we have. Well, I better get back to cleaning! Have a great day!

Good morning!  My name is Lauren and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict.  I've been thinking a lot lately. (sometimes that's not a good thing :)  ) But anyways, about giving.  Giving back what I have.  And it's not just giving things.  It is giving myself.  Being vulnerable and showing people the real me.  Giving and enjoying it.  Not just giving someone something.  Like I said yesterday, the things I care about most aren't things. Giving myself, sharing, helping others. Not because I want to show people how good I am trying to be, but because I genuinely want to.  To be humble.  To love what I do when I give.  To be willing to go out my way to help someone.  Even something small.  I get more satisfaction knowing I am not being selfish anymore.  The more I give of myself, the better I feel. So help someone today.  Give something to someone, not physically, but of genuine love. Have a great day!

Good afternoon and Merry Christmas!  My name is Lauren and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict. Today was a great day!  I got to spend the time with my family...sober.  I wasn't feeling miserable, impatiently waiting to go home so I could drink, or at least not hide it so much.  I was enjoying time with family, laughing and reminiscing. This was such a wonderful day!  And the best things about today were not the gifts I received, but the memories we made.  Seeing family I hadn't seen in months.  I didn't have much to "give."  But I gave them me, sober.  Today brought back a lot of memories of last Christmas, not the best one's I had.  Only by my own doing.  But I am now making a fresh new start.  The best things I have today, aren't things, they are the love of my family: the laughs, the smiles, the hugs, and stories. Fellowship with one another that strengthens our love for one another.  So that's all for today!  Have a great one!  Merry Christmas!!!!

Good evening. My name is Lauren and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict.  I have been having problems with my computer so sorry, I'm late.  But today I am just very blessed to be sober one more day.  Blessed to wake up tomorrow and smile and enjoy watching my children smile.  Being able to buy them presents instead of me, booze. Being able to spend Christmas and remember it, and be coherent and able to be around family and not run off and hide to take a drink. Sorry, this is short today, but I'm gonna enjoy this Christmas Eve with my family.  Merry Christmas!

Good morning! My name is Lauren and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict.  It is so crazy what I used to care about, what I put first in my life.  I was so selfish.  I was so worried about making it to the gas station as soon as they opened, so I could be "good" for the day.  I was more worried about getting caught, or caught in a lie, regarding my drinking.  My priority was a lie.  It is pretty pathetic that I had to hide it, to lie about drinking, when everyone knew it.  I thought I was hiding it pretty good, when in reality everyone knew there was a real problem.  I thought about no one but myself.  I had to have alcohol in my system all the time, not because I was having fun anymore.  It was so I wouldn't die. I would hide it everywhere, I had to have some vodka somewhere close at all times.  Now, I have so much more time to enjoy and not have to lie. There is so much less going on up in my head, because I'm not lying all the time.  I don't have to think as much because the truth is so much easier to live.  :)  I am just living, and loving life.  I enjoy what I care about today, my loves, my life, and laughing. What do you care about?  Have a great day!  Merry Christmas! 

Good morning!  My name is Lauren and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict.  Today I look at things in a new light, more of the way they are supposed to be.  Before, I was looking at life through the bottom of a bottle.  My views were distorted from reality.  I was only thinking about me, how everything would affect me, how I only wanted to please myself.  I was so selfish.  My life was such a mess, but I made it that way.  It was finally time to clean house, and enjoy life.  I was looking at all the negative, thinking everyone was out to get me.  I wasn't looking at all the good around me, an amazing husband, 2 beautiful children, supportive parents, and other friends and family. Once I stopped looking at the world through that bottle, I was seeing it clearly, how blessed I really was.  Life is good, I have everything I need.  I have a roof over my head, food on the table, and a loving family.  I couldn't ask for more.  Today I thank God that He gave me that chance to see the way He wanted me to see.  Have a great day!