Helping my community SOBER.U can get&STAY CLEAN

[overopiates]

I live n a town right outside of Hattiesburg called Petal in Mississippi.We have a vicious storm&a couple streets over there r homes gone.To the ground from the tornados that hit this week.Im blessed our home is ok but both cities have been visited from fema and declared a disaster.I decided to help as much as I can as Ive never lived n a small town til now and they really come together.We donated cloths,dishes,my4r old even kindly donated lots of toys and2bikes for kids who lost their stuff.I love to cook&have been making lots of food families have been so appreciative.That being said I feel great helping my community&have been out and about helping with anything they need.I have bumbed into 5people who I knew and hadnt seen or talked to since I quit.People who lost everything and the1st thing they say(before hi or how is your family)do u have some pills cause they r so stressed or whatever.I say i quit a long time ago.Then I have people begging me to help them find some.They have money from the bank or a paycheck and rather than worrying about their kids,a place to sleep or bare basics they want to spend there last dime on stupid pills.I had1person tha said Im happy u quit and didnt continue all the rest well lets just say they dont have respect for an addict quitting.I had a man offer me pills AFTER I said I hadnt taken any in so long because as he said Im doing a lot I could use the energy from them.All I can say is if u r struggling,planning to quit or freshly clean and sober ALL OF THE STRUGGLES ARE BEYOND WORTH IT.I am so happy that Im not in the deeps of my addiction and using because I would be searching or popping pills instead of helping my community.I know if I was still using  I would b just like those few I encounted.Im no better by far just in recovery and able to focus on whats important.I wrote this as an experience so those wondering if its really worth it.IT IS.I wouldve never been doing this without a ton of pills for the energy cause I was strung out.U WILL get to a place where u feel better physically,are mentally so strong and out of that prison of pills.U can do this.Just thought I would share.KEEP ON TRYING U WILL GET THERE!!

[ricart70]

those poor little lobbies

[vicki595]

Really? You want it?  It's just like it sounds...Mac and cheese from scratch and toss in the lobster chunks!  It's really delicious...

I use small shell pasta instead of elbows-
3 different cheeses, 4 oz each, one should be white cheddar and I use gruyere and Jarlsburg.
I make one cup of white sauce with flour and milk, salt and pepper. Pour that over the cooked pasta, get it hot and mix in the chunked cheese. Keep stirring!
I use fresh lobster tails because that's all I can get here but any chunked lobster meat is perfect. I get 5 lobster tails, cook 'Em up, shell 'Em, and mix the chunks in last to the mac and cheese. It looks nice all mixed in!

I put it in individual bowls, homemade bread crumbs on top, and bake it for 10 minutes before eating.  It's really filling and now I think I need to make this tomorrow! YUM!  

[clean_in_ks]

Hey, Vicki...you got my mouth watering.....how bout posting your M&C w/lobster recipe in one of your journals or something, huh?  Please?

[vicki595]

You know, Sweetheart, there's a saying that goes something like: " For those who are given much...much is expected"...

What you've been writing about illustrates that perfectly...you're giving to others as was given to you.  It's a great thing and I know it's a glorious feeling to give back and help others.  I'm still so proud of you and love you and I'm so glad you've stuck around here...

and the Mac and cheese was PERFECT!
I make it from scratch,too, and you know the kids just love it! I add lobster to it if you ever want to try something DIVINE!

Your family and your community is lucky to have you there !

[overopiates]

Clean.THANK U SO MUCH.That post means A LOT more than u know.When I was using I would suck up ANY praise(didnt get much if any though unless I was working an angle)but the real me is I guess a little modest.Dnt get me wrong I quite enjoy compliments as most people,especially women do but I still smile&giggle when my husband says Im beautiful or funny or well u get it.I think even this long being sober Im still getting used to the real me,that Im a good person,that I want to help people and unlike my addict behavior I do it because it makes me happy not because Im getting something for it or working an angle like I did for years.Wow I just saved@least$100 on therapy cause I think I had a breakthrough lol.

[overopiates]

Imdone THANK U SO MUCH.What a compliment :-)
Brightfutureahead I sure hope some of them who r stuck do c there is a light at the end of the tunnel.I 100% not only understand what u r saying about pretending to b fine but a wreck inside searching for my next pill.U literally described exactly how I used to feel all the time.Always ashamed,mad at myself,so disappointed&I would think every single day&I remember n the shower daily saying out loud"this isnt what my life was supposed to this isnt how Im supposed to turn out".Wow hadnt thought about that(or thought it or said it in so long THANK GOD).I love that last sentence u wrote.I will try my best to shine on.I want my son to know his light will burn bright and I want to teach him the right way to live,help,be selfless&giving but most important dnt judge because u NEVER know what someone else is going through even if they r smiling often they smile through tears.
vvic YUP we were right on the same train of thought.U seem very smart btw.So many dnt realize addiction is a real disease and like cancer if u dnt treat it then it will eat u up from the inside out.
Vicki my love well the town had a dinner for those displaces by the storm and anyone n our little city that wanted to sit with there neighbors ,family amd friends.I made mac and cheese from scratch for the first time.I made3casselrole dishes,I went last night and got a Paula Dean ham from costco&2chickens.The meat is easy2cook&ALL of it was a HUGE hit.That was the cheesiest mac&cheese&so hearty/filling.I was so flattered all the compliments.I had lots of parents say how great the mac&cheese was,but the best part is all the kids who loved it(u know kids they r almost always picky,brutally honest&usually thats a crowd pleaser w/em).I really love that a few hours of my time cooking(which I absolutely LOVE to do anyway seemed like the highlight of these great peoples day.My husband loves this cause as he said"I feel like its Thanksgiving everyday for the last few days&all I have2do is carry the cooked food to the car and inside the church".Anyway sorry to go on so long Im just so touched(n tears right now actually)that my support system here,the people who helped me from day one&kept me on this path have such nice things to say to me.Love u all dearly