Social Sobriety and God Living

Living with God in your heart and mind is possible once you have been sober . You may have God in your heart right now, and not be sober, if so then great you are in a win , win situation if this is your case. I see many people run from t the word God when mentioned in AA meetings and I really don't know why. In church many of us as little children may have thought God was this mean person that would come down and damn us to hell for messing around when we knew we should of. A force greater than ourselves is what God is taught to be and he is. The mention of God in AA is to find a higher power greater than ourselves that will love us and protect us from evil and bad wrongs that we seem to do to ourselves. 

I have always had God in my heart but until I started going to meetings I never really understood how to use his powers to make my life more livable. Do you have this problem? It is not unusual to fear the unknown and the unseen person that has great and almighty powers. However when you see a tree and the leaves and veins in the leaves , you have to kind of think there must be some supreme leader that can make such a beautiful tree. I , am a believer in faith now and not before I sober up that I had such a belief. God fills us with joy and sorrow and he gives us the ability to do right or wrong. He gives us choices in life and we make the decisions whether to act on these choices. That is God given power and love to each and every one of us. 

Do not give up on God when things are wrong in your life, sure I have doubted him from time to time and this is not unusual but I always knew something good would happen after ward. I believe as a recovering addcit and drunk that I have to rely upon God for my sobriety and the steps of AA to keep the faith. Why not try and talk to God on your knees right now for what you need and want. The miracles do happen and they happen often. God Bless Chris

2016 Sober Birthday Today

I turned 53 today on April 17th ,1963 and I tried to put together a trip , but just made a mess out of it. I am happy to be sober today and quite tired as I ended up going to Ruidoso, New Mexico on Saturday to celebrate my birthday by myself. I also played at the casino on my trip and did not win a thing. I went through ton of money and nothing hit on the one armed bandits. I usually do pretty good, but I have come to the conclusion that my hard earned money was not worth losing to a machine in a mattter of minutes. I had booked a hotel room as Ruidoso is about a 5-hour drive from Midland, Texas. When I was finished losing all my money, I checked in and then laid down for a moment, and checked out. I drove all the way back last night. Foolish as it was, because I was tired, I wanted to be home on Sunday. Addiction is always with the recovered alcoholic. whether it is sex addiction or gambling addiction , we have that personality that over comes us in some things we do. I can't seem to do things in moderation. This has been a ongoing problem since I have been sober.

Money problems have plagued me. It is no different than the alcoholic who has a drinking addiction, and if I don't stop gambling then I will have another problem as I already have this issue. I am blessed in that I am not completely broke from my escapade, but I hit myself hard and my credit cards are getting maxed out. I really want what I want when I want it. Obsessive Compulsive disorder to an extent. I am not sad , however, cause thing swill work out with the help of God and a little more control over my spending habits. It is simple just do not spend on stuff I cannot afford. The alcoholic who has to have everything , is a crazy person. I am a little crazy in this aspect.

I met a woman online from years back from High School and I was meaning to go visit her in Bryan < Texas. Decisions on not meeting her were maybe not sound. I thought after talking to her that she drank every night. She seemed quite drunk every time I spoke to her, so I decided not to go and see her because I did not want to deal with her issues. However, her issues may be unfounded, and maybe she was just tired, I don't or should not question a person if they are a drunk until I have met them. I could of been wrong, and I made up the excuse not to come and see her. I hope I don't live to regret this decision.I am lonely for sex, and love and a relationship, could she be the one? I don't really know yet. Life is very confusing when you know someone but from a long time ago.

Well life goes on today, and one more day for God to direct me in the right direction. I paused this part of the blog to run a few errands, and to go see my mother , and it was good. Sobriety has it's advantages and there a lot of people that would dis agree with me, and a few that would agree with me. When you run your life God driven like I have or have tried, the perspective on your future is good and relations with people are better than when I drank. Ask your self, would you be better off sober socially or not? Would it make a change in you and would it be positive. It has been for me, even though I question sobriety at points in my life, am I missing out on drining parties and going out to the bars? I am not going to test this theory out. God Bless

Its Been s Sober time lately

It is April of 2016, and I have had a great new month witha new position in life, and my sobriety is well in tact with myself. I had planned a trip[ on my birthday which is on April the 17th to Las Vegas, but I did not feel right going by myself, so I lost a few hundred on this trip. You sometimes have to lose a little to gain self-confidence in why you are sober. I did some soul searching and I decided that Vegas was not right for me in the long run. I love to gamble but the drinking that goes on there and being by myself did not settle with em right now. So I have canceled the trip and I am heading to the mountains of New Mexico , and staying at a lodge where it is beautiful. I plan to take my photography equipment and take some pretty shots of the area, with the weather being so warm in Texas, and cooler in New Mexico.

I have to slow down when things start going in a positive direction , because I have the disease of alcoholism. I know that sounds like a cop out but I have lived sober for eight years in a row now on May of this year. I will do nothing that will provoke my sober state of mind. God has seen me through some tough times and I feel he test us at times to see what we will do next.

My job is not stressful, which is what I needed, it does require me to work weekends at times and I have to accept this , however I am single and I have nothing else to do but watch TV and I make overtime. That is why I have not written in so long. I have been pulling 60 hour weeks and to me that is a lot of driving with work and trouble shooting. I wish all who are struggling with drugs or alcohol that they can see that you can have a good and fullfilling life but you do have to take action and not put it off. You have to go to meetings of AA and you have to believe in God the spirit. If not you may be doomed. I know for me I have to do these things , and practice these steps in all I do in life to manage who I am and whom I will turn out to be in my older years. I will be 53 this month. I grew a beard so I would fit in with work and fellow employees, however no one really enticed me to do this, It is just different for me, and I like change to an extent. So please listen here, God will make your dreams come true. I am a witness to this, but you can shoot yourself down. Try to stay positive and stop drinking or stay sober and enjoy the world for what it is , and not for what it is not..Have a Blessed Day ...Christopher 4.4.2016

The Sober Life Can Be Great!

I have been busy with my new position at work and have not had time to write. I have been getting overtime and I have to tell you it's nice to get, but it tires me out. Therefor , I have neglectrd to write in my blog. I have had many good things happen to me.

A member of my family had offered a loan to me to get myself out of debt. I could not believe it, I did not have to ask or anything. This person knew I was underneath a lot of debt from credit cards and it was taking forever to get them out of debt. Well a check showed up with more than enough to pay all my debt off and this person just wants the bare minimium  monthly to pay back over 4 years. What a deal staying sober others see you try and they give you miracles as this was. This is how my last sight years have been while sober. Miracles from God and my family and others whom I just knew from AA. This is a program of action though, cause I was told in the letter that followed the check " Chris because you have been an outstanding , sober , human being is why I am bailing you out of this mess. If you were drinking I would not of helped you in this manner." The words were not exact but what a deal in life. These miracles can happen to anyone out there who truly tries , and I have to admit I have tried hard lately to be a good person and a good citizen.

Wow, my life has really changed again and there will be the ups and downs but I would have to say cause I am sober today I have a job and a family that loves me. God Bless.

I am not a schizophrenic and neither am I.

Kind of a joke this morning for my headline. However, it is true there are a lot of people who drink that have mental disorders and they can recover from alcoholism if they have the capacity to know the difference. Most of us have that capacity to know right from wrong, but this is a disease . A disease of alcohol consumption seems to much for some people. They shrug this off and says yeah and I have a laughing disease or some smart ass thing to say. But alcohol has been listed as a disease that we have no control over. I believe I have an alcoholic drinking problem that is under control from God. I gave my drinking to God the spirit and I live sober day to day, even in the rough times of each day.

I had a wonderful time with my son who is 22 this year. He is not like his father, he is reserved and a thinker not a drinker or smoker, nor does he cuss. He is my angle from heaven and I love him very much. I put him through some tough times when he was growing up as a child verbally. I think I was controlling but what father is not controlling to thier kids, anyway I never physically abused him but verbally I may have. I never was knock down drunk in front of my kid, he did not see that side of me. I made sure he was safe and I never drove drinking with hiom in the car. I was a good father I think but his mother did not like me having him with me. So that brought out problems with our marraige years back. I am still divorced for over 20 years. I think I will stay this way, I am to set in my ways. Well its a good Sunday in this town and I have things to do before work so havbe a good day!1 Chris

Warning Social Sobriety Sponsorship

I just got home from work and I want to let you in on a topic that is a bit confusing to some people. A sponsor in AA helps those that reach out for one. AN alcoholic that needs support with his drinking problem or drug problem. As a sponsor you are not responsible for the sponsee drinking or other habits that may invove your sobriety, I am writing on this because you have to be carefull on whom you sponsor. There are a lot of crazy ass people that have shot others while they were drinking and ended up in jail or Prison and then they get out and some of them really want to stay sober and might need a special type of communication other than a sponsor. I have run across a few of these people and not all are wanting to stay sober. Some stay sober so they can get money from you or a place to stay, use good judgement in this case. Not all alcoholics have shot and killed a person , that is not what I am saying. However with the times we are in, the Big Book does not adress the risk you take as being a sponsor and you really know nothing about certain people that some looking for a sponsor. It is a fine line of who really wants to stay sober and those who stay sober for others instaed of themselves, be clear with each other where your headed with sponsor type situations, and don't give out too much personal information about yourself. Be careful, and be aware of who you sponsor. Just a tidbit of something I ran into with being a sponsor and having a little trouble with someone recently. Some of these people are very sick. Pray about it, before you take this role. Chris

Birthday Night - A Celebration of Sobriety

Monday night when I got home from work, I was tired. However it was bithday night at the 12 step group of AA in Midland, Texas. So I had to get off my ass and go aand give thanks to those that were in attendance for my sobriety in solitude. In other words I don't think I would of made the last few months without my AA group and I silently prayed for each and everyone in this meeting Monday night.
I know it sounds a little strange to do , but I felt that each member that was there had something to do with my good fortune. I believe when your too tired or too lonely are the best times to go to AA and mingle a bit and give thanks even if silent . I have some a long way in just a  few days and hours now. As it is barely past 6 AM right now on Tuesday, I am heading to a job at 7 AM and wanted to post what I had done the night before. I am sore and aching from the hard work I did on Monday and this day is what I will be doing on a daily basis, so there is much driving or relaxing time in betweeen jobs. That is why I like service Technician work, is being able to drive to different locations and it gives you time to stop and get a coke and snack and then go to your next job. Anyway I hope you all had a good day on Monday and believe me, God is watching out for us. Chris

Sober and 1st day at new Job

Today , I start my new job . I am reaady to get out of the house and be proactive. I feel like the new kid on the block. I am in  a way. Anyway my boss seeems really nice and down to earth. I have waited to work for so long that it just does not seem possible that I am starting. I am a service Technician for a water company in the West Texas area.God makes all things possible whom believe in him. If you pray and stick close to God , good things happen to good people.
That is the daame with sobriety, if you really want it it will happen for you but you have to take action and do the steps. The 1st step is obstaining from drinking and believeing in a hi9gher power can help you. It is the same with life you have to give your life over to God in order for him to help you. Most of us don't like losing control over a situation, but when we do and let God run our lives, it is much smoother and easier to live with on a daily basis.
I am so grateful to everyone I know and do not know for all the help they have given me over the last few mo0nths. This blof has helped me also in maintaining my sobriety. I hope it has helped someone out there know that I am just an everyday person that is living a God driven life. Sober. Chris

Miracles and Sobriety On a Monday

It is Monday again and the miracles keep happening. I was called on Saturday and told that I had my job. There is paperwork to get through now and that will take a day or two. I need to start making money so I am happy. It has taken 6 months for anything like a full time job. However God has given me the talent to make money through Uber, Online , eBay and a multitude of resources to accomplish my goals avery day. I have had low times during the last 6 months and I have had good times. This is life, I believe people would call it. Living life sober and through the tough times is part of the test.

Please don't give up on whatever you are trying to accomplish, as I never have given up hope that something good would happen to me job wise. It can look dark at times but it is no reason to ruin yourself over these dark times. That is what God has taught me through these last 6 months of unemployment. He told me not to give up. I did not, even at times I had to reach out for help with money from my family and such. I felt guilty but they were more than willing to help me cause they knew I was trying to help myself. I had to battle a lot of fears in this conquest but a hundred fears and a bit of lonelyness will not get me down. I keep my head up high and my thoughts and prayers to God that what I have gone through might help someone else on this blog see that miracles do come through if you want them to. 

I had a hard time with being unemployed and it bothered me but just don't let it get you down and attend AA meetings when youc an during the day it helps. Chris

Social Sobriety and Friday Nights

It is Friday the 26th of February and the weekend is upon us again. This just goes round and round with me. One day just leads into another and since I am not Full time working yet, it really makes no difference what day this is.
I remember when I was drinking and smoking , that Friday was the start of a new party for the weekend, like the whole world was partying like I was because I had a few days off on the weekend and did not have to answer to anyone. When you sober up , it just becomes a holiday of sorts. You get to get out of the house and freshen up , buy groceries for the following week, clean house and vaccum carpets and play with the dog. I do a little bit of art painting sometimes on the however I write a lot more on the weekends and still am glued to the computer screen most of the time.

weekends ,
I enjoy these little flying drones I have picked up online for minimal money, and fly these when the weather is calm. They are fun for some reason, I guess to see if your going to crash or get it up high like a kite. In fact flying a kite would be cheaper and if you damage a kite , its pretty easy to replace a kite. That gives me another idea, go sly a kite.
I guess I do whatever I can to get out of myself. I have been know to go to Hobbs NM and go gambling on some weekends but I don't recommend this as a hobby to practice on every weekend. It canbecome another addiction and I have been addicted to this activity also. So whatever your plans are go to a meeting of AA if you can find the time. Meet with others and discuss your plans for the future or get some help with a problem. Then start the weeek on Monday being productive once again for the weekday...God Bless Chris

Sobriety and Waiting

Have you ever caught yourself witing for things to happen, like a phone call. An important date or a call from an employer. The waiting is drastic on a person, whom has not much in patience. As a former drinker, I never had any patience and I have had to learn patience from my sobriety and learn to occupy my time with other things while waiting for that call or person.
I paint sometimes and that is a good time killer and I like to fly drones, that is fun but waiting is still something I need to be working on. The awakening of being sober on a daily basis is a blessing from God. It is nice to wake up in the morning and not have a hangover or worry about blacking out from the night before. A plus for being sober, and if a hard drinker not having to wake up and take that drink means you really have come a long way.
Sobriety brings along with it things that are normal to most people. Those whom I talk about do not have a drinking problem. I watch TV and see all the drinking the actors are doing in a movie and makes me wonder if they are drinking for real or just drinking lemonade. I tend to think they are really drinking alcohol, and what does it matter. I would say I get a little bit thirsty when I see these movies but it last for just a few seconds, then my mind reflects back to myself and my drinking and sobering up. I am very grateful I do not drink , do I miss it. Yes and no . I think you know what I mean, I miss the taste at times, but I don't miss what a fool I made of myself when drinking. I was very lonely drinker. ANyway have a good day, mine is on an even keel right now. God Bless.

Amazing God and Sobriety

I think I had given up on God a little bit and now that I see this my life has more of a fulfilling purpose everyday lately. I went to AA last night and spiritually bound with a few people. I work the steps every day without even noticing this activity. I have a job lined up and I am just waiting on them to tell me when I can start. I feel good , the sunis shinning and the summer weather in Midland is noce. It gets cold and dark at night and then heats up during the day. This has made my mood a lot better as well.
I have not given up is the point I am making. I am trying everything I can to keep my head up high and smile everyday. I got in a slump for a few days and this happens when you have nothing to really do.
Just believe in God and stay sober today and remeber all the good things you may have going in your life, and maybe you will not get down like I have recently. Its very easy to get caught up in yourself, and now I think I know this. Sobriety is an ongoing living item in a Drunks life. We have ups and downs. I am feeling good today and I hope you are also..Chris

Sobriety and Confusion about Life

Lately , if you have read my post on this blog, you have noticed I have been confused about what to do with my life. I have been sober for almost eight years and going through a battle over what to do with my lifestyle and work. I am a very isolated person, and just like my drinking days , I was isolated back then as well. I never really ventured out to the bar scene in my drinking years. I was always drinking at homw trying to make money and friends over the Internet with Photography I had taken during the day , to making music , and I have a large selection of music I have produced on Soundlcoud.com I am very talented in music and other hobbies of interest. I was always trying to cash in on my hobbies and some times i did with my art work and sometime I did not.
I was heading to Austin this weekend for a possible new start but I can't swing the financial situation I am in right now to move to another city.

Confusion while sober is one of the problems I continue to have. I want this and that and my direction is scattered at times in which way to go. My head is on straight but my soul desires other things. I am not in a relationship nor have I been in over 20 years. This may be a problem, I need a woman around me to keep me comfortable and to have company. Maybe I am running from myself agian by choosing to leave where I have a house and no job right now. The job will come sooner or later. I have been working at puttting out Resumes and had a few interviews m, so surekly God will provide me with what I need. God has always been there for me, even in the rough of times and I am in those times now.

I guess praying for the confusion to stop and help me settle down and be proud of what I have . Being sober isnot all that is required to staying productive and living life. It is a good start and things can only get better not worse. I have to remeber that I have been through some hell back in my drinking days and I am having to pay for the lack of education and work experience because of what I have done in my drinking days. I have learned a lot from people in my last eight years of sbriety and one important item is just staying sober and relying upon God to help me out with my living conditions. I live very well and I am not looking at going homeless or anything drastic like that and years back I had been homeless and I very well know how hard it is to get a job from being homeless. I am blessed that God has held on to me and made me powerful to understand that it is not me that is causing the non-working consition I am in. It is the times in the county I live in . Oil prices are very low and it is hurting the economy in Midlnad , Texas and therfore the work is just not there.

Life can only get better if I leave it up to God to help me find my direction. Confusion and sobriety can go hand in hand but it does not have to. I think for today I will focus on my music and play for God and on Monday , the new day will be better than the the last day. Chris

Got a Job - But!!!

Well I have passed a pre-employment background for a company in Midland Texas. However , now after taking a drug test that should be illegal to have to take. Meaning they were unsantiary where I went to and they found out that I possibly might have Diabetes. I have been checked and I am borderline Diabetic , but the dr. that did my physical wanted further information on my glucose level from my own Dr. So this puts me in a time situation with this company and also I thought it was really no ones business about being a Bi -Polar or Diabetic. However it seems like all information is to be released to this company I willl be working for. The Americans With Disability site says it is no ones business, but my own. So where do you draw the line at. You cannot tell a Dr. they are wrong, you could take them to court but I dont have the money , and it would be tied up in litigation for years.
We have no privacy , I have a clean background but now my health is being questioned. If iits not one thing it is another. I be damn I beeen sober almost 8 years and the companies you work for these days think they need all this information on your life, that is really none of thier business. It seems like the American with Disablitlies article is non-existent for some of us. I eveen had to fill out with my application if I thought I was Mentally stabel and not Bi-Polar or had some other impairment. None of us are perfect and this job is far from perfect. It is a low balling job but it pays well, with not good reviews. I guess I will have to play the game, but I am watering down my urine just like faking a drug test so I have no Glucose in my system if it is checked again. I need the work. I know my Dr will probably do a Glucose check and I am watching my foods and drinking a ton of water. I know how to fake a drug test and this is no different. I just got a call from this comapny wanting to know what is taking so long. Shit , this life we live in is a whirlwind..Chris

Being Positive when Feeling Negative in Sobriety

Sometimes it is hard to be positive with so much negativity in this world. When you get sober, and start to see the light. The world can be a positive one or it can look awfully negative. That is where the steps really come into play , is how to accept the good with the bad. You might of lost your spouse since you sobered up and are going through court. It is a difficult time for most people getting sober. You sometimes have to find a new job and this ads stress to your already existing problem of staying sober. Do not get overwhelmed, and take  it slow and one step at a time. If you let all these things hit your head at once, problems could began to unfold. Talk to your sponsor to see how you can weed this and that out. Staying sober is still number one, if you can stay sober these other obstacles will come into place sooner or later with Gods help.

Take positive steps in solving these mysteries you could not solve when you were drinking. It is very important to let the courts know that you have sobered up and intend on staying this way. Tell the courts you go to AA and please go to AA, just in case they check up on you. In  my AA group there is always a bunch that have to have court ordered papers to hand in to thier probation officer, keep these up and be honest about these. These papers are a test from the court to see if you can stay sober through a program for alcoholics. Even if you cannot relate to an alcoholic and have papers from the court I suggest you keep these up to date as they are checked.

Keep a smile on your face cause you are sober today, and any problem that comes before you can be solved through God and this program. You just have to believe this. Myself I get caught up into negative thinking all the time, so even seasoned alcoholics that are sober must remember where they came from in order to keep a positive outlook on the day.Life is not easy , even sober. However it is tolerable and things can be chaged to make your life positivve if you want them this way. You are the only one besides God that knows how to change your situation. Pray about this and the answer will come.Chris

Social Sobriety - Get a Hobby!!

There is nothing worse than sitting on your ass passing the time away hoping for something to heppen. Belive me, I have been doing this for a while and getting fat and out of shape. I do things, but they all involve no exercise. I found out today just cleaning out my garage that i was winded and sore and tired out really quickly. I decided I was not going to quit , so I finished a project that was long over due.
It is easy to sit and get on a pity potty , cause like I said I have been there and hopefully this new experience has taught me to at least walk my dog every day

, and go a little more further each day. It is good to get sore and lose weight. A hobby of mine is painting and photography and flying drones. I noticed I was getting winded from just being in my living room flying these little drones in the main living room and this is not good.
Staying sober and healthy go hand in hand, I know this might sound stupid but activity does make you feel better after you have done it. I feel 100 % better now and I am tired enough to rest on the couch. I feel no guilt and I feel revived just from doing an activity one time.
I am going to practice this everyday to see how I lose weight and if my mood improves. I have a feeling this will help maybe one or two of you also.. Have a great weekend..Chris

Uber gone in Midland, Texas- a Danger for Midlanders

As a Uber driver in Midland, Texas I can inform you that we kept quite a bit of drunks off the road in this county.On February 2, 2016 , Uber pulled out of Midland, Texas due to the way Midland City Council had tried to arrange an ordinance to fit Midland, Texas. This evidently did not work , and who is to blame? Seeing that Uber had established a agreement with most of the citizens of Midland County , I would have to say it was both the City of Midland City Council and Uber. Midland City Council wanted their way and Uber already had their way of running this service in many of the places of the world.It's a shame cause now their will be more DWI accidents and deaths due to not having Uber in town.

Why does the public drink themselves into oblivion? Well, partially there are a lot of drugs in this town and drinking is a pastime with a majority of locals.Yes , we have treatment centers in the area and they are packed.We have several AA groups and they are packed also with people that are court ordered and those whom want sobriety from their own experience of drinking too much.

Remember alcoholics have a disease and it is alcohol that is the drink that makes us want more. The more we drink the more satisfied we are.

Honestly Uber leaving , does not bother me. They kept cutting wages for drivers and I was getting sick and tired of the drunks I picked up nightly, and sometimes during the day. However it laid off about 100 drivers in a area where there is no work .People needed their Uber driving jobs and the goverment stepped in and made it impossible for Uber to operate under these conditions.What a shame, please be careful driving in this town, even more cautoius than before, because these people will still go out and get drunk but they have no alternative now for a sober driver to get them home.

Living Sober through The Rough Times

We all have times in our lives that are tough to get by. It could be a money situation that we may need, or added expenses that we did not plan on. There are a multitude of reasons to take another drink, we can think of these all the time if our head is not straight on. However , we know drinking will not solve our problems, as we have already learned this the hard way. Drinking just makes us feel sorry for ourselves, and makes others rude towards us. This is not acceptable nor is it a good idea to get out of place when your life is out of line.
What to do? Pray the third step prayer and go through the day and someone will realize that you are having a difficult time, if not , talk to an AA member about your situation and how its just eating at you and your sobriety. This always seems to help. Then think about the obsession and what it means to stay sober even through the rough of times. Prayer goes a long way but action has to take place also. So putting a plan of action and doing the unpleasant task that you may have to do, regardless of the outcome, it will usually be positive, when you think negative about the rough times you may be going through.

Believe me, I have had rough times and still going through them, day by day. I just try to not think about them and keep pushing onward , and forward thinking is good. Do not think about the past as it is gone, nor of the future, think of today what you can do to get thee negative feelings out of your system.Put a smile on your face this morning and go forward toward the day, you are alive an the only thing you crave is oxygen and there is plenty of this, thanks to God. So we have what we need , just maybe not what we want right now. But persistence will prevail if you work on this within yourself and with working with others. God Bless..

Social Sobriety and what AA is Not!

AA is a word for alcoholics anonymous, which is  a group of people from all walks of life. There are homeless, lawyers, executives, fast food workers,and everyday people. They come to AA to learn how to live life sober. Most are sober when they come, but there are times when one is not sober and they are welcome to come in as well. Our mission is not of a cult  or religious one. We strive to help the other alcoholic who still surfers from the disease of alcoholism. Yes, it is a disease that some people with a chemical makeup cannot control , even the first drink. They continue drinking until they pass out or black out. That is the extreme , there are also people that just cannot control thier drinking and need help , moral help in stopping. This is what AA is. A place to stop and get your senses straight just for one hour at a time. The goal is to treat the drinking alcoholic for 24 hours of sobriety if they come into a meeting and really want the help.
However , one must ask for help. Without asking, you will go un-noticed and possibly be passed by the crowd in AA. There is nothing like making a fool of your self in AA. Some of us have come to AA meetings just after having drank alcohol, and sat through meetings and then were directed as to what we could do to stay sober for 24 hours, and some are refered to treatment centers , and there is money in some groups that will help with your expenses to get this help.

So AA is a caring group of spiritual people that each speak and discuss thier week or life and try to find some type of relief. Come in and join us, even if you are curious. We will not ask anything from you , and you do not even have to talk. Just come to listen to former alcoholics to seee if maybe you are one..Have a great Day!!Chris

PS. La Hacienda will have Chris Raymer speaking this May in Hunt, County in Kerrville, Texas for their alumni meeting..Please come to listen to this man. He is pasionate about what he speaks and very good at what he says!!

Social Sobriety and Giving Back

One part of AA is the giving back what you have been given from the program of AA. This can be done a several of ways. Do service work ,which means chairing meetings and cleaning up the building after a large gathering of people. So instead of just getting up and leaving to go to your car, you might ask the chair person if there is something you can do to give back what was kindly given to you for your sobriety. Yes, they will look at you in a strange way, but be surprised that you even offered, as most of us after a meeting will just throw our cups away and then casually walk out of the building . Then the person that has the key to the door has to do the cleanup of the room so the next group that comes in will have a orderly room to conduct meetings.

I know , you probably are not the type of person that would do such a  thing, but recently I did this and made a few new friends that I have more in common with. In AA we talk about the steps and staying sober. After AA we talk like regular people and if you need a job or seek a sponsor this is a perfect time in which to ask other members about such things.

Service wrok can entitle many aspects of what you can do to give back , but also giving of money to help operate the expenses is another way of tithing. I feeel like when I give money I am saying thank you for the group counseling and paying a small fee for helping me stay sober just makes since. No one will ask you to put money in the basket that is passed around just before a meeting is about to close. This is the 7th Tradition in which we accept no outside operating expenses and are in no debt to anyone but ourselves. So you see your home AA group is self supporting in how it is run, and if you don't like how it is run you can attend meetings once a month and make suggestions and if they are voted on and agreed then they will make adjustments to how the money is spent on a monthly or yearly basis.

AA programs have been know to use this money to sponsor people to go to quarterly mega-meetings in other towns, if you need the money. They also have used the money to send people to Treatment centers, so we graciously give back what is given to us.This is unlike any meeting you will ever come to, where things are given to you to help you with keeping your life intact. This is what happens when you do service work is you give back and in return , something always good comes back to you. It is the way a church is run in a way, but I don't know what churches do with their money. Give back today to someone less fortunate than you and live life sober today!!