Comments for Becoming Recovered http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com Just another recovery weblog Sun, 08 Nov 2009 07:15:09 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on doomed by p.s. http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com/2008/09/04/doomed/#comment-23 p.s. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 07:15:09 +0000 http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com/?p=9#comment-23 inspirational, exactly what i needed to to read at this time james thanks inspirational, exactly what i needed to to read at this time james thanks

]]> Comment on Dry booze by tania http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com/2008/12/27/dry-booze/#comment-22 tania Sat, 03 Oct 2009 05:40:00 +0000 http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com/2008/12/27/dry-booze/#comment-22 Hey James, You don’t have to believe in God, he said, but you do have to be willing to experience the power of God. is such the most amazing statement. this is such a profound entry. thanks for sharing. Hey James,
You don’t have to believe in God, he said, but you do have to be willing to experience the power of God.
is such the most amazing statement. this is such a profound entry. thanks for sharing.

]]> Comment on Resentments. Selfishness. by amy http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com/2008/09/28/resentments-selfishness/#comment-20 amy Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:10:05 +0000 http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com/?p=30#comment-20 thank you james! now you are my virtual sponsor. i don't have the opportunity to hear people share their experiences in a way that is new and useful to me very often, so your thoughts here are extremely helpful. this one especially is very eloquent and meaningful. thank you. thank you james! now you are my virtual sponsor. i don’t have the opportunity to hear people share their experiences in a way that is new and useful to me very often, so your thoughts here are extremely helpful. this one especially is very eloquent and meaningful. thank you.

]]> Comment on God is not what you think by amy http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com/2008/11/15/god-is-not-what-you-think/#comment-19 amy Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:46:35 +0000 http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com/?p=42#comment-19 ouch! it hurts, but i like it. ouch! it hurts, but i like it.

]]> Comment on doomed by cheri http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com/2008/09/04/doomed/#comment-18 cheri Sat, 21 Feb 2009 10:36:51 +0000 http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com/?p=9#comment-18 I really am touched by your sharing. I have read about 10 of these so far and I have seen why my marriage is over, why I feel the way I do, why he felt the way he did, what I have to do to get better, and be better. Thanks for the real deal. I really am touched by your sharing. I have read about 10 of these so far and I have seen why my marriage is over, why I feel the way I do, why he felt the way he did, what I have to do to get better, and be better. Thanks for the real deal.

]]> Comment on Dry booze by Elaine C http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com/2008/12/27/dry-booze/#comment-17 Elaine C Sat, 03 Jan 2009 16:06:43 +0000 http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com/2008/12/27/dry-booze/#comment-17 Thank you, James. I am now re-reading “Working With Others” with the dry drunk in mind, as you suggested. Great perspective. This viewpoint sure can raise a stink in AA circles. Pushes buttons… and the defensiveness, contempt, and judgment comes right out. Many people are very comfortable with “their program” and resent anyone questioning anything about THEIR sobriety, and are content with not questioning anyone else’s “program.” (“How dare you.”) We alcoholics and addicts seem to have delicate veneers at times and prefer not to “buck the system” lest we fall out of favor. I seldom attend the large meetings anymore, and when I do, I just hear the same memorized rhetoric, chest-thumping, and “the buzz.” Fortunately, there are the few who truly want to go beyond sobriety and welcome the nitty-gritty work of the full program of recovery. I’ve found the more time I’m in recovery, the more I need, as Thomas E Powers (Invitation to a Great Experiment) says, “the further aid of a specific kind of group activity…” to stay honest, be challenged, and keep growing. My husband and I are involved in a couple groups (physical meetings) that DO discuss life, struggles, obsessions, surrenders, failings, breakthroughs, and God in the various ways we understand God. In these groups, there is that feeling of hope. I am so grateful for the others in these small groups who care and help keep me honest, humble, and on that narrow path. I have spent quite a lot of time on your site and others’ sites and reading literature from those who study and share the work of the many pioneers of AA and now, AAA. I gather and share this information (with sources) with many others. Thank you so much for your dedication and consistent work in carrying the message. Elaine C. in Oregon Thank you, James.
I am now re-reading “Working With Others” with the dry drunk in mind, as you suggested. Great perspective.
This viewpoint sure can raise a stink in AA circles. Pushes buttons… and the defensiveness, contempt, and judgment comes right out. Many people are very comfortable with “their program” and resent anyone questioning anything about THEIR sobriety, and are content with not questioning anyone else’s “program.” (“How dare you.”) We alcoholics and addicts seem to have delicate veneers at times and prefer not to “buck the system” lest we fall out of favor. I seldom attend the large meetings anymore, and when I do, I just hear the same memorized rhetoric, chest-thumping, and “the buzz.”
Fortunately, there are the few who truly want to go beyond sobriety and welcome the nitty-gritty work of the full program of recovery. I’ve found the more time I’m in recovery, the more I need, as Thomas E Powers (Invitation to a Great Experiment) says, “the further aid of a specific kind of group activity…” to stay honest, be challenged, and keep growing. My husband and I are involved in a couple groups (physical meetings) that DO discuss life, struggles, obsessions, surrenders, failings, breakthroughs, and God in the various ways we understand God. In these groups, there is that feeling of hope. I am so grateful for the others in these small groups who care and help keep me honest, humble, and on that narrow path.
I have spent quite a lot of time on your site and others’ sites and reading literature from those who study and share the work of the many pioneers of AA and now, AAA. I gather and share this information (with sources) with many others. Thank you so much for your dedication and consistent work in carrying the message.
Elaine C. in Oregon

]]> Comment on Lost inventories by lewby http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com/2008/09/20/lost-inventories/#comment-16 lewby Sun, 07 Dec 2008 18:27:07 +0000 http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com/?p=28#comment-16 I'm a fundamentalist AA 12-Stepper and an advocate for keeping it simple. I can not find the requirement for those hearing 5th steps to have the written 4th step in their hand, (but it could be useful). I believe my role as the 5th stepper to be I LISTEN, not be an analyzing counsellor. I understand the 4th step is for the prospect to discover their own defects and tell their faults in the 5th step. Your piece also insinuates that relapse is due to not having and doing detailed, concise, and continuous inventory by your standards. This sounds like controlling therapy. I do not feel the thoroughness of a 4th step is a judgement issue for anyone other than God and the prospect. I’m a fundamentalist AA 12-Stepper and an advocate for keeping it simple. I can not find the requirement for those hearing 5th steps to have the written 4th step in their hand, (but it could be useful). I believe my role as the 5th stepper to be I LISTEN, not be an analyzing counsellor. I understand the 4th step is for the prospect to discover their own defects and tell their faults in the 5th step. Your piece also insinuates that relapse is due to not having and doing detailed, concise, and continuous inventory by your standards. This sounds like controlling therapy. I do not feel the thoroughness of a 4th step is a judgement issue for anyone other than God and the prospect.

]]> Comment on Someone to help today by James R. http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com/2008/10/04/someone-to-help-today/#comment-10 James R. Thu, 09 Oct 2008 03:13:07 +0000 http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com/?p=33#comment-10 Thanks, William. You've encouraged me, too. Thanks, William.

You’ve encouraged me, too.

]]> Comment on Someone to help today by William http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com/2008/10/04/someone-to-help-today/#comment-9 William Wed, 08 Oct 2008 23:15:53 +0000 http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com/?p=33#comment-9 "Hopefully, that “something more personal” will be of use to someone looking to stay clean and sober today." ...your encouraging words certainly helped ME today !! I'm saving your site to My Favorites. 15 days dry. “Hopefully, that “something more personal” will be of use to someone looking to stay clean and sober today.”

…your encouraging words certainly helped ME today !!

I’m saving your site to My Favorites.

15 days dry.

]]> Comment on doomed by James R. http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com/2008/09/04/doomed/#comment-8 James R. Wed, 08 Oct 2008 04:56:12 +0000 http://becomingrecovered.wordpress.com/?p=9#comment-8 Right on, Todd. Keep wrestling. You're probably closer to the miracle than you think. Right on, Todd. Keep wrestling. You’re probably closer to the miracle than you think.

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