Have you ever had poison ivy? It’s a miserable rash that seethes, oozes, and blisters. It spreads quickly and can even scar. A recent brush with toxic anger affected me in a similar way. Here’s how I’m handling […]

Religion taught me to put God in a box. Recovery teaches me to put my problems in a God Box. Everything I knew about religion I learned in Church, but everything I know about God, I learned in recovery.
God In A […]

When my 39-year old sister died, I couldn’t function. I couldn’t quit crying let alone make it off the couch to cook dinner for my family. I thought I’d never find normal again. Yet life moves on, and I had to go […]

The Peace Corps was wrong. Parenting is the toughest job you’ll ever love.  Many of today’s parents are often more involved than ever. Even healthy parents, who aren’t affected by addiction and the horrible dance […]

We see you out there all across the country. You ARE recovery rock stars who carry the message of hope. You chair meetings, hold your sponsees hands, and make life-long impacts on another person’s life. No mere […]

When I was young, I was full of hope. I hoped for a large loving family with happy gatherings and swarms of adoring children, nieces, and nephews. Basically, picture the end (not the messy middle) of any Hallmark […]

Approximately 90% of the time, the people who hurt us will never apologize. Let’s say five percent of the time, they do apologize, but it’s incredibly awkward and falls short. So we basically only receive a […]

When you grow up with alcoholism and addiction, family members have only one objective: keep the addiction secret at all costs. This sworn duty to lie, deny, and protect has 14 long-term affects. Many children […]

Mary’s husband Sean had a problem with drinking too much. After years of pleading, he finally went to church with her, only to be turned away by the pastor. Sean’s habit preceded him. Many people like Sean find […]

When I first found recovery, my self-neglect was extreme. Caring for other people left me worn-out, stressed-out, and beyond exhausted. I’ve healed a lot since then, but my self-care often lags behind the rest of […]

For years, if someone was treating me badly, I tried to win them over and make them be nice. To do this, I set out a plate of my freshly baked homemade cookies.  But I refused to let anyone else take care of me. […]

I’m usually really good at keeping secrets, but today, I’m letting you in on two biggies. First, my family has THE best sugar cookie recipe, which you’ll find below. Second, my family has THE worst trouble holding […]

For some, the natural high is found on the top of a cliff, 33 feet in the air, peering over their toes down to the pool of blue water below. Others find their high by thrashing through in the woods searching for […]

Eight years ago, my mother-in-law and I had a huge Thanksgiving feud. She said some things, and for the first time ever, I said some things back. The argument escalated. I called her a name, and she slapped me. […]

When I came into recovery, I was MAD at God. I didn’t trust Him or approve of any of His plans for my life. How could I find gratitude in the middle of addiction, death, lies, and a broken, dysfunctional […]

Boundaries keep us safe and help us feel peaceful. When we have to defend ourselves, it can actually make us physically sick. Soldiers defend our borders and are deployed overseas to cross enemy lines. Let’s look […]

I needed some extra love and affirmation, so I did what any desperate housewife would do. I invited 40+ people to my home for a Turkey Day extravaganza. For weeks, I cleaned, decorated, and baked. I made Martha […]

I’ll never forget my rock bottom. It was an hour long phone call. I sobbed, literally sobbed, gasping for breath. She was callous to my pain. She was cruel and selfish. I vowed: NEVER again will I allow myself to […]

Last week, I found one of those vegetable spiral slicers at the grocery store. It was on sale for $3.50, so I tossed it in my cart. I bought three zucchini with NO expectations because they are after all zucchini. […]

This week, pipe bombs were delivered to prominent democratic leaders. Clearly, the stakes in this upcoming election are high, and much effort is thrown into magnifying our differences. The political drama could […]