[Magdalen] 30 Years of Sobriety.

[Lynn Ronkainen]

Heather, I found ACoA 7 years ago when I showed up at a new location for an 
AlAnon meeting. The schedule I found online was incorrect and the meeting of 
the night was ACoA... for people who grew up in an Alcoholic 'or' 
dysfunctional home.  It has literally changed my life in ways that AlAnon, 
never could have.

peace
Lynn

My email  is changing soon to: houstonKLR at gmail.com


website: www.ichthysdesigns.com

When I stand before God at the end of my life I would hope that I have not a 
single bit of talent left and could say, "I used everything You gave me." 
attributed to Erma Bombeck

--------------------------------------------------
From: "H Angus" <hangus at ctcn.net>
Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2014 11:41 AM
To: <magdalen at herberthouse.org>
Subject: Re: [Magdalen] 30 Years of Sobriety.

> I am so glad for you, David! 30 years is a wonderful testament to you and 
> to the program.
>
> It was February of 1986 when I entered my first meeting of Tough Love, for 
> parents of "difficult" children. Lots of people there said I should go to 
> Adult Children of Alcoholics, which is a 12-step program. I asked , "Why? 
> My parents weren't alcoholics -- they barely drank a glass of wine in a 
> month!" They answered "We still think you should go to ACOA." I was of 
> course rigid with terror when I entered my first ACOA meeting, and I 
> practically ran out the door when that meeting ended, so I wouldn't have 
> to stand in a circle and hold hands with anyone and pray! (Hold hands, 
> eeww! Pray in a circle with others, eeww!)
>
> Most ACOA meetings have gone away -- its a very tough program and I 
> suspect that nowadays most people just take anti-depressants. But for me 
> the program was like being let out of a dark box into a new world, and 
> I'll always be glad I did it old-school.
>
> This morning, as an Al-Anon member I attended my regular open 
> (all-12-steppers welcome) AA meeting, and afterwards I clasped hands 
> joyfully with the people on either side as we recited the Lord's Prayer. 
> Was it the Eagles? or Socrates? who said, "What a long strange road it's 
> been."
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "James Handsfield" <jhandsfield at icloud.com>
> To: magdalen at herberthouse.org
> Sent: Friday, December 26, 2014 9:31:47 PM
> Subject: Re: [Magdalen] 30 Years of Sobriety.
>
> Getting caught up- congratulations on a wonderful milestone.
>
> Jim Handsfield
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Dec 26, 2014, at 9:30 PM, Lynn Ronkainen <houstonklr at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> happy 30th David. I have come to understand how wonderful events like 
>> this are, be they months, years or decades!
>> peace
>> Lynn
>>
>> My email  is changing soon to: houstonKLR at gmail.com
>>
>>
>> website: www.ichthysdesigns.com
>>
>> When I stand before God at the end of my life I would hope that I have 
>> not a single bit of talent left and could say, "I used everything You 
>> gave me." attributed to Erma Bombeck
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> From: "Jay Weigel" <jay.weigel at gmail.com>
>> Sent: Friday, December 26, 2014 10:06 AM
>> To: <Cantor03 at aol.com>; <magdalen at herberthouse.org>
>> Subject: Re: [Magdalen] 30 Years of Sobriety.
>>
>>> Happy 30th, David!
>>>
>>> On Fri, Dec 26, 2014 at 11:02 AM, Cantor03--- via Magdalen <
>>> magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> December 27, 1984, I entered the diocesan committee room in the
>>>> Eau Claire Diocesan Offices just next to Christ Church Cathedral in
>>>> that City.
>>>>
>>>> I had suspected something was up when the Cathedral Dean called me
>>>> the day before and said he wanted "to chat" with me.  The subject  was
>>>> avoided.
>>>>
>>>> The committee room was set up with a table and four chairs on the  side
>>>> opposite the entry, and there was one chair on my side.  The other 
>>>> four
>>>> chairs were occupied by (1) +Eau Claire, (2) Cathedral Dean, (3) the
>>>> O/C who was a good friend, and (4) one of the Cathedral deacons, a
>>>> fellow physician and friend.
>>>>
>>>> It was a classical intervention, by the book and by the clerical 
>>>> orders
>>>> (bishop, priest, deacon, and layman).
>>>>
>>>> I almost turned on my heels and walked out for it was obvious to me 
>>>> what
>>>> this was all about.  Thank God I did not.  I sat down.
>>>>
>>>> I was gently but firmly raked over the coals.  The message:   alcohol 
>>>> was
>>>> quickly sending me to hell in a handbasket, and I needed to clean up 
>>>> my
>>>> act or risk losing everything.
>>>>
>>>> My reaction was initially (1) embarrassment, and then (2) anger.  How
>>>> could
>>>> these people possibly put me through this after all my activity and
>>>> support
>>>> for the Cathedral and the Diocese?  Then, blissfully, and I can't help 
>>>> but
>>>> feel miraculously, (3) appreciation.  I became aware that "these 
>>>> people"
>>>> valued me enough to take the time and effort to mount this 
>>>> intervention.
>>>>
>>>> I owed them and myself no less than to enter outpatient rehab and AA 
>>>> that
>>>> same day.  I has been TBTG 30 years since I picked up a  drink.  With
>>>> God's help, I never will drink again.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> David Strang.
>