Hi {!firstname_fix}

I hope you all loved the holidays as much as I did. My family was here for the weekend. Last week the group of folks who live in Albuquerque made Easter eggs. You can see Josie helping. It was a wonderful way to connect to the deepest part of this time of year. I had been to the store and was floored by the aisles of chocolate. No way we were going there. So eggs it was.

And I am very connected to my Jewish friends are celebrating Passover and the celebration of this holy time. I think of this as a time when the two traditions can complement one another to make us even more aware of the message. And for me the message is about light coming after darkness. I think this is why I like that mountain image up there so much.

And check David’s announcement in the store. We have our newest Shake product in the George’s Line!!!! Now you have the option of Original, Junior and drum roll......Restore, a whey protein isolate product for adults.

Please take note that I will be gone this week of the 17th - I am going back up to MN for a week at White Earth. The project is flourishing and I will be up there to talk with folks first hand. So no classes until the week of the 24th. Check the schedule to see what is coming up.

A number of you have asked me how the classes work. Check the class list page for more information on this. The classes are done online with one lesson each day. You do not have to be at your computer at any set time.

Please note that we have added the classes to the new schedule so you can see what is coming up. And go read the questions and answers before you write to me. The classes are done online with one lesson each day. You do not have to be at your computer at any set time. If you have trouble getting through the process, write the tech forum.

Please feel free to pass this week's newsletter on to your friends and family. Don't forget to let me know what you like and would like to see me cover.

Be sure to visit our Radiant Recovery® website and Community Forum regularly.

Warmly,
Kathleen

**********************************************************************

April 17, 2006
** Quote From Kathleen **


Remember that you are literally learning a new language. You are going to have to practice to become fluent in body talk.

*********************************************************************

** Testimonial for the Week**


This made me think of a movie I won tickets to last week. It was called Stoned, and it's the story of Brian Jones, founding member of the Rolling Stones. Anybody who knows his story knows that he lived the quintessential rock star life - totally mired in addictions of sex, drugs and alcohol - until his death. So we're watching this movie of excess and addictions. And at the end, after he's dead, they show this scene of him sitting on a park bench talking to (I think) his manager. And the manager asked him if he was ever happy. Because with everything he did, it didn't seem like he was. And Brian replies something like "I was happy at some point, but happiness is boring."

It made me laugh at the time because it reminded me of radiance. To some - especially when we were all stuck in our addictions - radiance is boring. What can be so great about a simple life of happiness? But it is, now that all the junk is out of the way and we get to see life as it is and as it's supposed to be for us. This past weekend Phil was putting together our new gas grill on the patio. It was gorgeous out, so I grabbed a magazine and sat on a chair out there with him. The sun was shining and the temperatures very mild. The birds were singing. The grassy hill was covered in little dandelions and daisy-like flowers. We were having simple conversation about life, bad magazine articles and grills. And at one point I got up and hugged him and said that I was just so happy that I could cry. I felt so filled with gratitude and peace and happiness. So if happiness is boring, I'll be boring. LOL!

* Sue *

********************************************************************

**Recipe of the Week**


This is Heather's recipe and it is really yummy!

French Lentil Salad

Serve at room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups French green lentils
  • carrot, cut into 4 pieces
  • 1 celery rib cut into 4 pieces
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 1/4 pound bacon
  • 1/2 onion, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 shallots, minced

For Dressing
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 /2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Place lentils in a large pot covered with water. Add the one carrot chopped into four pieces, plus the celery cut into four pieces, and the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer until lentils are tender, but not falling apart. Make sure to watch water level whil! e cooking and add more as necessary. Drain lentils when done, remove bay leaf, carrots and celery.

Cut bacon into 1/2 inch pieces and sauté until soft. Add the bacon to the waiting lentils, but save grease in pan. Using this pan with the grease, sauté the carrots and the onions until soft, adding the garlic and shallots about half way through. Add to the waiting lentils.

Mix dressing ingredients, this should be more then enough, you will probably not use all of it. Toss into lentils a little at a time until the desired amount of dressing is reached. Can be made the night ahead of time and kept in the fridge overnight. The dish is best at room temperature, perfect for pot lucks and picnics!



********************************************************************

**Your Last Diet: More Than What You Think**


I have had a highly stressful, intense three weeks. A combination of a major increase in my business, and a heartbreaking personal loss. It got to the point where I was just trying to get through the day; no joy, only pain. But I made sure to stick with my food, and sure enough, I am almost steady emotionally...no binges, no sugar, no old bad habits. I was able to feel the pain, and even talk about it a little, which is a major breakthrough for me.

I also started walking 5 miles at night. So, I lost five pounds. Stress? Walk? Increased Potassium? What thrills me is that I stayed on program -- the weight doesn't matter anymore. I NEVER would have said that a year ago.

Thanks for listening.
YLD is funny. We find it just keep s getting better and better. We like it more and more.

If you are not a YLD member, come and join us. Click here if you are ready to change your life or just plain ole have fun. It is not too late to get into the classes if you come right now.
 


********************************************************* ***********

**David's Corner **



We have a VERY exciting announcement. We have a new product called George’s Restore This is a whey protein isolate shake - basically the adult version of George’s Junior. It is shipping today from Wisconsin along with Junior. And I got a lot so we will not have this problem of backordering. I know you will LOVE this. Kathleen designed the label from her experience up North in Minnesota with the Ojibwe people. I hope you will be as excited about this as I am.

Go ahead and order now. It should be here shortly. I will pack it up and send it out to you as soon as it arrives.

I do send things all over the world. If you have questions about a special order or a special destination, send me an email and let's get answers.

Please send questions and suggestions. I love hearing from you and truly want to help you do your program better.

 
********************************************************* ***********

**Our Online Groups**


I love the Back to Basics 3 list (smile). It's a very supportive place to get back into the steps. Lots of fun and friendship. Linda
I am voting for radiantdiabetes! The group feels like my home on the internet, great support, lots of very dear friends and all new people get a warm welcome.Thank you for all that you do :-) Radiant recovery has really turned my life around and made me a much happier and more balanced person. Kerstin
Hi Kathleen, my favorite group is the parents list, this is where I feel heard and cinfident enough to "speak".Janie is an awesome guide. Lucy
I like the parent's list the best. I like the people there. They are a warm and friendly group. They can be very welcoming and helpful to newbies. There is such a lot of positive energy there. I think it's amazing. Janie
I belong to a number of groups, but love the weightlossinaction one -- everyone is so...casual...I guess is the word. "Ummmm, yeah, I've lost 20 pounds this year but the really exciting thing is..." We don't chat a lot, but when we do, I always get something out of it. Delse
Movement - because everyone is supportive, and honest about their movement ups and downs. I've learned so much, and it's so great to have contact with people who are learning that exercise can be a joy. Jackie B
Radiantdepression of course. Before I joined, I thought this was an oxymoron. I thought it would be depressing. Boy, was I wrong! We have fun healing our aching sadness and desperate anxiety. We learn to laugh and to lighten up by doing the food together. We learn how to connect by posting and listening. I know in my bones we are saving lives, including mine. Hugs, Jeannie
I vote for step 6 group I want you to know I have used different groups at each steps in my healing. So at different times in my healing other groups were my favorite. Chloe
Radiantpets, bar none. Judy
My favorite group is: "radiant recipes." It's not too big, it's not overwhelming, and i'm always looking for new cooking ideas. Iit is a wonderful resource. Sharon
My favorite group is the gardening group. Second favorite is the New England group. I also read the parents group and keep an eye on the recipe group. I don't know if the forum is also considered a group, but I read that every day also. Pam R.
My vote is for the recipe group. Not only is it very helpful for adding variety to our meals, a lot of the recipes are just fantastic! When I was posting all of my meals on the forum I'd get lots of compliments on what I ate, and more than half of those recipes were from that group. So that's my vote! Regards, Rebecca
Right now in my life it would be the Elders group. We have so much fun telling about your lives, and encouraging and uplifting each other. We also tell about out problems with the program and our joys with the program as well. But when I first started it was the breakfast group. I guess my favorite group is whichever group I am in at the time. When I was doing the steps, it was the steps groups, now it is the elders. Patty A
My vote goes to the breakfast group. I never would have made it past step one without the support of that group. Elaine and all the members of the group are wonderfully supportive and full of ideas. Even though I've moved on to step 2 and a member of two other RR groups I still pop in on the breakfast group every now and then cause it's such a great group. Kate
Recovery! Because it is the heart to me. For me this will always be more about my alcoholism, my addictive behavior toward all kinds of drugs & behaviors, than about sugar addiction. On the recovery list we don't pull punches about how serious this is, and we really get into the power of the food to influence all of our addictions.


Or come to the group page to see all our groups. http://www.radiantrecovery.com/list_serves.htm


********************************************************************


**Some Reflections on the Community **
Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.


Posting that list of your votes for the groups just made me smile. My, my, we have come a long way. We started with a community forum and one group. And now, look as what has emerged.

I got a letter this week from someone who wrote:
Hey I know you have to make a living but I just wish people were into information sharing without the $s attached. Thank God He is into free grace for all!!!
I wanted to reflect with you on this. I was thinking about *free grace* and all that. I was thinking about all those lists, over a hundred of them with close to 20,000 people connecting every day. I was thinking about the more than 50 people who serve this community formally as volunteers and the thousands who offer their experience, strength and hope every day. This to me is grace, a grace that has grown our community from a tiny forum with 10 posts a day to a place that has seen close to a a half a million notes go back and forth.

Then I was thinking about our resource center and all the information there. Gretel and I are working to revise it. There is so much in it, LOL, it has been taking months of work to compile and reorganize it.

I think this website is a miracle that comes out of your investment, your joy, your interests and your dialogue. It grows and flourishes because of you. So I want to formally thank you for your energy, your trust, your time and your belief in the power of what we do.

And, most important, I want to thank you for the financial support to the store, the classes and YLD which makes it possible for me to serve you so freely. It means more to me than you can possibly know.

Kathleen

©Kathleen DesMaisons 2006.

Here are the folks who are helping put the newsletter together:

Gretel, the liaison for the recovery list and the webmaster puts it all together
Naomi, liaison for step 4 gathers the recipes
David, who runs the Radiant Recovery® Store talks about what new products we have.

You are getting the weekly newsletter from Radiant Recovery® in response to your signup. A copy of this newsletter may also be found posted on the web at http://www. radiantrecovery.com/weeklynewsletter.htm.

©2006 by Kathleen DesMaisons . All rights reserved. You are free to use or transmit this article to your ezine or website as long as you leave the content unaltered and use this attribution: "By Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D. of Radiant Recovery®. Please visit Kathleen's website at http://www.radiantrecovery.com for additional resources on sugar sensitivity and healing addiction." Please notify me at kathleen@radiantrecovery.com to let me know where the material will appear.

Banner Photograph by Geraint Smith