I have to be honest with you guys, I remember a  God Shot, but didn't want to write about it.

It was a a God Shot,

Literally.

My first art director Julieta & I were discussing the next cover. I showed her what I had in mind; A man removing his face, which was an egg, and putting it in a carton of eggs/faces.

We all wear different faces in life, right?

Julita didn't like it.

"Use my piece," She said, showing me a picture in her portfolio.

It was of a lady, with a blank for a face, holding a bunch of masks attached to sticks. Each mask was a different face.

I told her I liked my choice.

"Nobody will understand it." She explained.

"It's my decision." I said, ending the conversation.

I thought.

"Why is it your decision?" She asked.

So I told her,

"It's my decision because it's my magazine. I put this together, I found the money, I got the writers, I got the equipment, I got the printers, I got this office, I deal with the advertisers, I negotiated with the printing contracts, I pay the rent on this office, and I pay your salary. "

"It's my magazine." I said.

"Well that's a little egotistical. I thought it was the recovery community's magazine!" She snapped.

By this time we are in my car, as I drive her home.

"It's FOR the recovery community, but it's MY magazine. I have to make the final decisions, and run it like a business, or it won't be around for a second issue."

She's silent the rest of the way.

We pull into her driveway and she starts walking up her drive. I decide to be a smartass.

I stepped out of my door and call out to her;

"OK, Julieta. We'll use your picture on the next cover," I shouted, "But I'm going to put my name on it!"

And a tree limb fell on my head.

A big tree limb.

It staggered me a bit, and Julieta stepped forward; asking me if I was alright.

When I told her yes,

She started laughing.

And laughing.

And laughing,

Till I thought she was going to pee her pants.

I rubbed my head, got a little blood on my hand from a scratch on my forehead, and laughed myself.

A little.

I looked up at where that limb came from,

Then down at it,

Then back up at the tree,

Like a spectator at a vertical tennis match,

And I realized,

This WAS NOT my magazine.

This is God's magazine.

I could not have put this together, in so little time, with so little experience,

Without God.

Wouldn't have happened.

I shared what happened at my sober at six meeting that night,

And everybody had a laugh, but,

Everybody also now knows that this magazine is FOR them,

And FROM God!

peace