BLESSED TO BE AN ALCOHOLIC
GROWING UP IN THE LATE 60'S AND 70'S THERE WAS AN OLD SAYING, TUNE IN AND DROP OUT.AT THAT TIME IN LIFE, I WANTED TO BE IN THE IN CROWD. I DIDN'T SEE THE HARM IN DRINKING AND DRUGGING. MY WILD WAYS OF PARTYING BECAME A WAY OF LIFE. MY LIFE HAD BECAME A COUNTRY MUSIC SONG.
THERE ARE VERY FEW PEOPLE THAT HAVEN'T HAD THEIR LIVES ALTERED BY AN ALCHOLIC. YOU CAN BE AN ALCOHOLIC, YOU CAN BE MARRIED TO AN ALCOHOLIC, PARENTS, KIDS, BOSSES ETC.FORTUNATELY, WE'VE COME ALONG WAY IN THE TREATMENT OF ALCOHOLISM. THE TWELVE STEP PROGRAM HAS HELPED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.
I HOPE, IF YOU ARE HEARING THIS, THESE WORDS CAN HELP.
I DIDN'T GROW UP SAYING I WANTED TO BE AN ALOCHOLIC.THOUGH, MANY OF MY FRIEND'S JOKED ABOUT ME BEING A DRUNK. WE SEE ADS ON TV AND MAGAZINES ABOUT A LIQOUR PRODUCT MAKING IT SEEM SOPHISTICATED. MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WERE SPENT THIS YEAR ON THE SUPERBOWL, MILLIONS MORE WERE SPENT ON THE DAMAGE ALOCHOL HAS CAUSED.
IT IS THE DELUSION FOR AN ALCOHOLIC TO DRINK NORMALLY.THE ALCOHOLIC WANTS TO HAVE ONE DRINK AND QUIT. THE ALCOHOLIC SO DESPERATELY WANTS TO BE SOCIAL AND NOT DRINK TO EXCESS. THE ALCOHOLIC HAS THIS PROBLEM, ONCE HE STARTS TO DRINK, THEY CAN'T STOP. AN ALLERGY TO THE BODY AND AN OBSESSION TO THE MIND.
I LIKE TO THINK, MY RECOVERY WAS A DIVINE INTERVENTION. I'D SAID THE HAIL MARY PRAYER MANY TIMES, I PRAY, THIS IS THE LAST TIME. BEFORE I GOT SOBER, I'D ALWAYS PRAY TO GOD TO GET ME OUT OF THE MESS I WAS IN. STAYING SOBER FOR ME IS A MIRACLE. I'D QUIT AT EVERYTHING ELSE I'D ATTEMPTED IN MY LIFE. I HADN'T GOTTEN INTO AA TO STAY, I'D CAME INTO AA FOR BACK PROBLEMS. EVERYONE, WAS ON MY BACK ABOUT MY DRINKING. I DIDN'T ADMIT, I HAD A DRINKING PROBLEM.
IN THE 30 YEARS I DRANK, I NEVER THOUGHT, I HAD A PROBLEM. VERY FEW PEOPLE I'VE EVER MET, LIKE TO ADMIT TO ANY WEAKNESS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR MEN. THE VERY IDEA WE CAN'T DRINK LIKE OTHER MEN IS HARD TO ACCEPT. TRUTH BE TOLD, I CAN DRINK LIKE OTHER MEN, I JUST CAN'T STOP DRINKING.THERE'S AN OLD JOKE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN, YOU PLAY A COUNTRY MUSIC SONG BACKWARDS. YOU GET YOUR WIFE BACK, YOU GET YOUR CAR BACK, YOU GET YOUR JOB BACK ETC. A PERSON HAS TO TAKE AN HONEST LOOK AT WHAT THE DRINKING DOES TO HIM IN HIS LIFE. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF ANYONE CLAIMING ALL HIS SUCCES WAS DUE TO BUDWEISER UNLESS, HE'S IN THE BUSCH FAMILY.
TAKING THAT FIRST STEP AN ADMITTING THAT, I CAN NO LONGER DRINK I CAN'T DRINK FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE, ONE DAY AT A TIME. I'VE HAD TO COME TO GRIPS WITH THIS ADMISSION. THRU OUT THE YEARS THAT, I'VE BEEN IN AA, I'VE WATCHED PEOPLE GO BACK OUT AND TRY AND DRINK AGAIN. THE RESULTS ARE ALWAYS THE SAME. THE DISEASE OF ALCOHOLISM NEVER GOES AWAY, IT CAN ONLY BE KEPT IN REMISSION.
I WAS MORE FORTUNATE THAN SOME PEOPLE. I HAD FRIENDS ALREADY IN AA WHEN, I ATTENDED MY FIRST MEETING. THIS MADE IT EASIER FOR ME TO STAY SOBER. I THOUGHT, IF THEY CAN STAY SOBER, THEN SO CAN I. AA HAS ALSO GIVEN ME FRIENDS I NEVER HAD BEFORE. THE PRINCIPLES SET DOWN BY AA OF HELPING OTHER PEOPLE IS PRICELESS.
SOMETHING ELSE AA HAS GIVEN ME, A STRONGER FAITH IN A HIGHER POWER. MY FAITH WAS NONEXISTENT GETTING SOBER. AS SICK AS I WAS, I THOUGHT GOD CAN'T LOVE ME. AFTER A LOT OF 24 HOURS SOBER, I NOW PLACE MY FAITH IN GOD EVERY DAY. I NO LONGER GET UP EVERY MORNING THINKING LIFE IS A CURSE. I NOW SEE EVERY DAY GIVEN ME AS A GIFT. I CAN WOLLER AROUND IN SELF PITY EACH DAY OR, I CAN MAKE THINGS HAPPEN TO MAKE IT A GOOD DAY.
I USED TO MOAN WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPENED TO ME. I NOW TURN OVER THE BAD EVENTS TO PRAYER. I AM NOW CONVINCED, THAT THAT NOTHING HAPPENS IN GOD'S WORLD BY MISTAKE. IT TOOK WHAT IT TOOK TO GET ME SOBER. MOST ALL MY MISERY WAS SELF INFLICTED. WHEN, A PERSON DRINKS AND ACTS IMMORAL IN THOUGHT, WORD AND DEED, THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES. WHEN, WE GET BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A CAR AFTER DRINKING, THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES, WHEN WE STAY AT THE BAR AND DON'T COME HOME TO OUR FAMILY, THERE'S CONSEQUENCES. WHEN, WE ARE TOO HUNGOVER TO GO TO WORK THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES.
GETTING SOBER REQUIRES YOU TO LOOK IN A MIRROR AND GET HONEST WITH THE PERSON LOOKING AT YOU. ONE OF THE MOST STATEMENTS I'VE HEARD AT A MEETING WAS, I DIDN'T CHEAT AND STEAL CAUSE I DRANK, I DRANK BECAUSE, I CHEATED AND STOLE. WE HAVE TO ELIMINATE OUR BAD BEHAVIOR TO LIKE OURSELVES. I'VE READ THAT DRINKING AT AN EARLY AGE STUNTS OUR EMOTIONAL MATURITY. THIS COULD BE A REASON WHY, IT'S SO HARD TO STAY SOBER THE FIRST FEW YEARS IN SOBRIETY. WE'VE SUPPRESSED OUR EMOTIONS FOR YEARS THEN, WE OPEN UP THE FLOODGATES BY NOT DRINKING.
I'VE FOUND, THAT STAYING SOBER IS REWARDING NOT SO MUCH FOR MYSELF BUT, TO WATCH OTHER PEOPLE TURN THEIR LIVES AROUND. SELF SEEKING DOES SLIP AWAY. WE NOW HAVE A PURPOSE IN LIFE, TO CARRY THE MESSAGE TO THE ALCOHOLIC STILL SUFFERING. MY FIRST YEAR SOBER, THE GUY THAT'S NOW MY SPONSER READ A PRAYER FROM THE DAILY REFLECTIONS
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.
THIS PRAYER HAS LEFT A LASTING IMPRESSION ON ME. IT WAS ALSO ABOUT THIS TIME THAT A MOVIE CALLED PAY IT FORWARD WAS OUT ON VIDEO. I'VE TRIED TO PATTERN MY LIFE AFTER THIS PRAYER AND THIS MOVIE. THOUGH, I'M NOT PERFECT, I'M NOT THE PERSON I USED TO BE. I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU A STORY.
PENNIES, LET THERE ALWAYS BE PENNIES
From Chris
I took my last drink. I, like countless other people around the world had to admit, that drinking was bad for me. I'd woke up from a jail cell, all hung over. From that time, I knew it was time to quit drinking. I started attending AA. AA brought me back to God. I'm so thankful for being back with God. The road is lonely without him.
There's been stories of how people find pennies and make a wish when they find them. I find a penny on the ground, I bend down and always remember what it says on the coin. IN GOD WE TRUST. Bending down to pick up the coin has kept me humble and thankful.
This little habit of mine has really taken off. A lot of my friends are reminded as well. Last year at a ILLINOIS foot ball game, I was overwhelmed by the amount of drinking at the stadium. I sat in my seat for the first half and went to get a bottle of soda. Seems like everyone in the crowd smelled of alcohol. I kept praying, I wish I could find a penny. I bought my soda and headed back to my seat.
When, I got to my seat there was a penny on my seat. No one else but me and that penny. Some might scoff at this but, I do believe God hears our prayers.
60,OOO SEATS AND A PENNY WAS LAYING ON MY SEAT.
I DEFINE THIS AS A MIRACLE. AND, IT'S OK IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE, I HAVE TO BELIEVE IN A POWER GREATER THEN MYSELF. I HAVE TO BE WILLING TO TURN MY LIFE OVER TO THE CARE OF GOD AS I UNDERSTAND HIM EVERY DAY.
IF, YOU OR A LOVED ONE SUFFER FROM ALCOHOLISM, DON'T BE ASHAMED. OUR SHAME AND OUR GUILT HELPED TO KEEP US SICK. THE ONLY SHAME THERE IS HAVING THIS DISEASE IS NOT SEEKING HELP. WE HAVE A SAYING IN AA, DON'T QUIT BEFORE THE MIRACLE HAPPENS. I THINK, TOO MANY OF US LOOK FOR THAT BIG BOLT OF LIGHTENING FROM THE SKY. IT'S TIMES LIKE THIS, I LOOK DOWN AT MY GRAND DAUGHTER AND WATCH AS SHE GROWS FROM LYING ON THE FLOOR TO CRAWLING. THE MIRACLE OF SOBRIETY HAPPENS EVERY 24 HOURS.
CHRIS
