Sep 04: The journey, perfection, where God wants me to be

The journey, perfection, where God wants me to be

On September 2, 2012, I celebrated nine years sober. While writing my sober share, I wrote the following paragraph:

A lesson that I’m learning from God, many times via this room, is that I’m on a *journey* that never ends, and with that I never get to the ultimate goal. It’s always the goal. The goal is right now. There’s no hurry for me to be perfect, because perfect for me is to be in the place that God wants me to be, and that’s right here, right now.

Perfect is a human concept, I’m thinking today, not a God concept.

Please elaborate this, however you’d like the journey part, the perfect part, the where God wants me to be part your choice.

Or, as always, write on what you need to write on this week.

I’d like to let this ruminate in my brain for a while, and I’ll share later this week.

Thank you for being in this room.

Aug 28: How You Are/Are Not a Part Of

How You Are/Are Not a Part Of

I volunteered to chair this week because yesterday was my 61 st belly-button birthday. As I said to a meeting yesterday, I was planning to kill myself when I was 37.5 years old, and I can testify that this program saved my life!

So many topics possible! What I’d like to see discussed – because it has been so very important in my recovery – is to become “a part of” and to let go of being “apart from.” As I am typing all of this on my “smart phone” I will share more later but I wanted to get the meeting out. So how are you (or how are you not) a part of? (AA and/or the rest of life)? What does this mean for you?

So I’d like to hear from all about this. If you are still as I was not so very long ago and niot feeling a part of AA as it is called “a we program” or resent it I still encourage you to share with us. If you find it a confusing idea please share that. Everyone’s voice and thoughts help me!

Thanks everyone and have a great meeting.

Aug 21: Cravings

Cravings

While reflecting this morning as to what I wanted to share, cravings kept coming to mind. Was it the physical craving of alcohol that kept you coming back when you knew it had become a problem or was the the “affect” of the alcohol that kept you drinking before you started your journey to sobriety?

For me it has been more of the affect of alcohol. I don’t desire to drink everyday but when I feel the strongest urge to drink is when I was upset or depressed about a situation and I have “given up”…I just didn’t care anymore and I would give in and drink…I am still struggling with this as I am still trying desperately to put together a good length of sobriety, but I realize what it is that’s causing me to fall and am more aware of my feelings and acting out. I have also started seeing a counselor to help with some of the issues that are causing me to become depressed.

Life is a journey, not a destination and that holds true for sobriety! Thank you for letting me share! Many blessed days/years of sobriety for us all!

Aug 14: I Want the Hand of AA to be There Always

I Want the Hand of AA to be There Always

When I first got sober I stuck around the rooms of AA for about 3 years. I had a sponsor, went to meetings, did my steps. Then I figured I was good to go. After all, I had no intention of ever e drinking again. Good heavens, I had almost died from alcoholic hepatitis. I surely would never be dumb enough to pick up a drink! No way. I had learned my lesson.

I wanted the hand of AA always to be there whenever someone reached out for help. But it didn’t have to be MY hand. After all, I had things to do and places to be.

Fast forward five more years and we find this alcoholic sipping some wines at a tasting event. Within weeks I was back in my closet, drinking nonstop from morning until “nap” time. I basically went from pass out to pass out for several months.

Luckily, six years ago (8-13-05) I put the plug in the jug and came crawling back into the rooms of AA.

“Whenever anyone, anywhere reaches out for help I want the hand of AA to be there. For that I am responsible.”

I finally got it. I only got this program because someone was willing to be the hand of AA when I reached out. I only get to keep this program by BEING the hand of AA.

And how do I put that idea into action? By doing service for the AA organization. By being willing to sponsor women. By being as generous as I can when the basket is passed both here online and in person. By taking part in the fellowship here and F2F. By participating and sharing even when I don’t feel like it.

How about you? What do you think about that quote? How does it affect the way you live your life?

I look forward to reading your shares. Thank you all for helping me reach six years of continuous sobriety…and for keeping me connected.

Aug 07: Isolating

Isolating

Isolating has always been my first response to anything difficult. When I look back I realize that I did it as a child and if I couldn’t isolate physically I could certainly escape mentally, I thought it made me feel safe.

I drank mostly on my own. Isolating was a friend to start with, until I got sober and realized it could be my greatest enemy.

When did I isolate? Whenever I felt uncomfortable, when there was pain of any sort, when I felt I was a failure or felt threatened. Sometimes there was no reason, sometimes it was just habit.

Why did I isolate? So many reasons. I didn’t think I was good enough, I couldn’t tell you my secrets in case you wouldn’t like me……and so on. When I came into AA I was afraid that if you got to know the real me you wouldn’t accept me. I remember times when the one thing I needed most was a meeting and I really, really didn’t want to go. To be with people and let them see I was hurting, tell them about my problems, was sometimes too difficult. Sometimes I would leave a meeting feeling vulnerable – the advice of those who had already been down this path was always -phone your sponsor as soon as you get home!

What effect did it have on me? It made me feel different, lonely, unworthy, misunderstood, less able to think straight, less able to follow the program. There were so many effects I can’t list them. Possibly the worst effect was that it enabled me to perpetuate the myth that I could do this living business on my own.

What makes me stop isolating? New, learned behavior, behaviour I have to reinforce day after day . As soon as I recognize what I’m doing, I pick up the phone to another AA member even though that’s the last thing I want to do. Excuses spring up like, they might be having dinner, perhaps they’ve got company. Most powerful excuse of all – they certainly wouldn’t want to hear from me. Hopefully, by the time I get to this excuse I already have the phone in my hand!

I’ve used past and present tenses. Isolating can still be an instinctive reaction to life.

When I recognize the behavior and make the effort to connect, it increases my self worth and reminds me that I am part of a family now. It puts space between me and a drink……

…..and it sweeps away the loneliness.

Whether you’re trying to stop drinking, have hours, days or years of sobriety it would be great to hear your experience. Please share with us when you isolate, why you isolate, what effects it has on you and how you manage to stop doing it….and, of course, share on anything else you need to even if it’s not connected to the topic.

Jul 31: Patience and Understanding Succeed Every Time

Patience and Understanding Succeed Every Time

Patience: Too many times discouragement has been the bonus for unrealistic expectations, not to mention self-pity or fatigue from my wanting to change the world by the weekend. Discouragement is a warning signal that I may have wandered across the God/HP line. The secret of fulfilling my potential is in acknowledging my limitations and believing that time is a gift, not a threat.
– Daily Reflections, p. 70

AA Acronym – P A U S E = Patience And Understanding Succeed Every Time

Hi All, Jennifer here, definitely and alkie, and one who must of accidently prayed for patience. I had a tough time picking a topic…it was between Fear, Asking for help or Patience…this one won. I have had to practice a lot of patience lately.

Back when I was using, I prided myself on being a master manipulator!! If I wanted something, I would get it when I wanted it and if I couldn’t I would figure out a way to get it!! I was a master actress and didn’t even know it. Today, I have to be careful of this character defect. My friend in AA and I tease and say that we are “creative” not manipulating…however…if I am not careful, it can go into manipulation and I have to be very vigilant of this. I know I am manipulating when I am not patient about an outcome or a forthcoming thing. When I have “unrealistic expectations…self-pity and/or fatigue of wanting to change my world in a weekend”, or that day for that matter. It is when I try to take over the show….

Recently, I have shared about how I am going through yet another physical set back which then plays on my emotional and spiritual side and can set me back if I am not careful…(talking to my sponsor, working the step I need to for the situation, staying in solution and most of all, turning it over). Patience this last week was going on Doctor’s timeframe not mine. And being patient waiting for the results. It has been a chore for me to be patient enough to wait for my MRI report I will get with my doc tomorrow. She is a stickler for having to go back to her for results, she WILL NOT allow other docs to get the report until she gets it first! Usually, being the good alkie I am, could manipulate the results same day…this time, I had to sit back and wait, and I hate it, but it has been a great lesson on Patience. What I learned is that the results are the results, either way, there is nothing more I can do then what I am doing. Bed rest (which I haven’t been that good at), ice and meds (again, under doing that too), and making appropriate doc follow up appts (which I did do in the event I needed a neurosurgeon). PT I am starting anyway on Tuesday…Asking for help (hard to do but have been reaching out) so, really there is nothing more that I can do…the results are what they will be whether I got them Fri. or Monday.

The second part of the patience thing is I do have unrealistic expectations that my back “should be” better by now. I do have to admit, I go into self pity, some fear that I have gone backward again and not knowing what the future holds. Again, I am reminded to keep it simple…be patient. stop and meditate…read each day from a meditation book or AA lit. and become centered and ask HP to walk with me. “The secret to fulfilling my potential is by acknowledging my limitations and believing that time is a gift, not a treat”… Today, I need and have to acknowledge my limitations and believe that in time….things will get better….solutions will present themselves….I may have to re-arrange my life again, or make adaptations to how I do things, I have had to do this all through sobrietyand what a special gift it is that no matter what, I don’t haave to drink over any of it today!!!! In Closing, I threw in the acronym that is always sent with our daily thought and I think it appropriate for me today:

PAUSE: Patience and Understanding Succeed Everytime….this I know for sure..I may not remember when going threw my stuff, but if I PAUSE and connect with HP, let go of unrealistic expectations…I do succeed through everytime.

So please share on Patience or anything else you might have gotten out of this share….(I think I kinda got a few different topics mixed in there, sorry, not the greatest in expressing via writing, made sense to me, smiles) I look forward to hearing your ESH.

Jul 24: Progress Not Perfection

Progress Not Perfection

Good afternoon ladies Colleen here alcoholic. This program of AA is works if you work it. I know for me I must work these steps on a daily basis. I must believe there is a higher power who guides me and protects me. Drinking is no longer an option for me. It has taken 30 plus years to finally learn that this program offers so much more than not drinking.

As Dr Bob said “Try to find your own God. . .as you understand Him.” When I start doubting God I remember how powerful that first drink could be for me if I let I – so God must be all powerful. I accept that I am sober by God’s grace.

I was in a crabby mood the other day; I am human. I said some things to my husband which weren’t very nice. We talked it over the next day and I had to make amends. I have no right to let my bad mood hurt him. That is why I love this program we can start our day over when we need/want to.

Please share on this (progress not perfection) or anything else you need to discuss

Wishing you a peaceful and cooler week! Thanks for reading me.

Jul 17: Intuitive Guidance

Intuitive Guidance

I want to share with you something that I have come to rely on which I have enjoyed as a benefit of working the Steps in this Program.

You know, there is a passage in “Stepping Stones to Recovery For Women” (p116) which says: “Knowing how to climb up the stairs does not get me to the top. The action I take may get me to the top, but if I rush or jump over some of the steps, I may fall. I find that taking them one at a time, one right after another, I will get where I want to go.”

This has been true for me (despite my desire to “work” Steps 1 through 12 over a long weekend in my early sobriety. Thank God for my Sponsor who advised me to just re-read the Big Book (BB) and Twelve & Twelve and write about Step 1 !! 🙂

The benefit I want to talk about that I have enjoyed as a result of working the Steps is described in the Promises that are listed on page 84 in the BB. “We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.” My Higher Power’s (God’s) voice is as close as within me and no matter where I go or what I’m doing, I only need to “pause when agitated or doubtful” (BB p87). When I quiet myself and humbly and sincerely ask for guidance, it is always – always there for me, and it is the perfect answer for the situation. This intuitive guidance does not come from my head, it seems to come from somewhere around my heart and when I “get it” ~ there is a clarity that comes to my thinking that is unmistakable and I feel comfortable with going forward with that “decision”.

For me, working through all the Steps seems to have cleared away the “junk” and shown me that my thinking did not serve me, or others, well. This process reinforced my reliance on a Higher Power to direct my thinking and my actions. The Step work built within me a greater trust in God and His guidance, and therefore opened that “intuitive” channel for Him to lead and guide and solve all my issues and problems. How cool is that? J 🙂

The trick for me is to remember to pause when agitated or doubtful ! Clearly, God’s not finished with me, but at least I’m more willing to listen for His voice.

Thanks for the opportunity to lead this meeting. I look forward to your sharing on how “intuitive guidance” works or doesn’t work for you ~ anything else that comes up for you as you have read my share, or whatever you feel a burning desire to talk about.

Jul 10: Step One – Powerlessness

Step One – Powerlessness

Hello Everyone. I’ve been absent lately and some of it has been due to ill health, some of it because I have been so busy with “other stuff” which always seemed more important than AA.

What have I learnt in the past weeks?
a that I could not manage my own life
b that a Power Greater than myself really wasn’t a nebulous thing
c that I had to actively seek for this Power that could and would help me out
d that I am utterly powerless over anything but my words/actions/deeds

My friend died last Wednesday she had the same disease (MS) as I do – her death was anything but easy – I have been watching her die over the last year and the last 3 months have been awful…. she lives/lived right next door to me…….. I wanted the power to stop her dying……… I tried so hard to stop it – I bought a book – the answer – I cooked meals (until I tired myself out and had to admit that I couldn’t do it) – I tried to make her laugh (laughter is the best medicine)………. all to no avail….

I am powerless – over other people – over life – over peoples’ actions and words – in the last few months Kerrie’s mum was acting very bizarrely (as one might expect a mum to act)…….

I am powerless over life and people and places and things – my husband is leaving me but in the nicest way – we are still best-friends but living apart for over 4 years has this effect on a marriage – he wants to move on and by definition moving on means moving away – I know that this isn’t happening because we have “differences” or he’s having an “affair” (he may very well be) but because I could no longer live with him – and I am powerless over that chain of events…..

I have only realised that what I have been trying to do is deny my powerlessness – I want to be able to control people/places/things and the more I try the worse it gets – I get angry and then I start having attacks of the its someone’s fault or attacks of self-pity or attacks of denial…….. I don’t want to life to continue any more……

But really that’s not real – what I have learnt in 3 days has been that if I pray hard enough my God will turn on a light – and I will come to believe that God could and would if s/he/it were sought – what I need more of is the courage to seek……….

Jul 03: Bled of Self-Sufficiency

Bled of Self-Sufficiency

Today let’s look at pg. 21 of the 12 x 12:
“Alcohol…bleeds us of all self-sufficiency and all will to resist its demands.”

Until we figure out that alcohol takes so much more away from us than it actually gives us, we cannot see that it has indeed bled us dry and left us empty of all things of worth. To see we are powerless over alcohol, or anything else for that matter, we have to get that clear picture of what our life really was like; not, the version we see through our beer goggles!

We were so positive alcohol gave us courage, confidence, fun, and friends. When we step back and take an honest look at things we will see that for one, alcohol courage and confidence are not courage or confidence by any means. They are lies…lies told us by the alcohol which only seeks to bleed us of anything worthwhile. Fun? Would you want your “fun” posted on the internet or shown to your mother? Not me! Friends? Those fellow drinkers are only friends as long as we drink. That’s just not a friend.

I know when I came in the doors the 2nd time in 2005 I was definitely bled of self-sufficiency. The bottle was my crutch so I wouldn’t have to stand on my own two feet or deal with life as it was. Bit by bit my tank has been re-filled with the things that count eternally: joy, peace, love, compassion, honesty, friendship, kindness, and a healthy respect for where I’ve been and how far I’ve come.

What has your experience been?

Jun 26: Let Go & Let God

Let Go & Let God

It has been some time since I put my name forward for the weekly topic, I thought, yes no problem I have lots of topics to write about! Seeking inspiration in the last few days I seemed to hit ‘blanks’, I handed over to my HP and suddently this topic of ‘Let Go & Let God’ seemed appropriate

I came to the AA Fellowship in January 2009 and was very blessed to meet someone who took me through the program in my first year of sobriety. I loved those months working through the steps, I was hungry for relief from the awful pain of my secret life of alcoholism. I am forever grateful that I had reunited with my HP a couple of years prior to coming into recovery, I had prayed for help, knowing I was in deep trouble, and having no control over my drinking and my life, not able to put down that bottle.

Each morning now when I rise, I take time to myself to write a little on recovery, talk with my HP, read some literature, and express my gratitude, all suggested in the BB. At night, I take my inventory. These practices each day have become a very important and much needed part of my life.

Step Three tells me:

‘Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood him’

I hand my day over to God ‘ take this day and do with it as you will’. However when I take my inventory at night and walk through my day, it seems to me time and time again, I ask to Let Go & Let God, to hand over and trust. but in taking my inventory – I see where I took back control, didnt listen, tried to fix. I can see where I allowed those defects of mine to take over?

What I am beginning to realise – this is Raidy seeking pefection – not progress.

In the past two months I have had some personal challenges. Firstly having surgery on my hands, this was a real test for me of Letting Go & Letting God, its now on reflection that I see what I learned from this experience – I did hand each day over and my HP got me through showing me parts of myself that needed some work – my impatience, my need to control, my lack of trust in others, my stubborness – not wanting to ask for help.

My second experience recently, I had my brother come to stay with me for six weeks while he had daily treatments for throat cancer. What I have learned from this experience is that I can see how my program is working in my life, Letting Go and Letting God, taking this period of time One day at a time. I am also seeing parts of myself that show – caring, empathy, strength of character and being available in an unselfish way, and I feel its ok for me to acknowledge those to myself. I was not available in this way when I was drinking.

I can now see that when I do hand over my will and my life to God each day, it works, there are no flashing lights, drum rolls or messages falling out of the sky, just my HP paving a way for me each day on my recovery journey. Its about me accepting life on lifes terms each day, Letting Go and Letting God.

I would love to hear your shares and ESH on this topic, and to learn from you how you Let Go and Let God into your lives.

Jun 19: Emotional Hangovers

Emotional Hangovers

I know that I’ve had many, many hangovers from drinking in the past where I was sick, sorry, disgusted, fed up, anxious and full of worry from my behavior the night before. Sometimes I get those feelings in sobriety so today I’d like to touch on the emotional hangover. What is it anyway? Please keep an open mind.

Pages 88-89 of the Twelve and Twelve tell us: “But there is another kind of hangover which we all experience whether drinking or not. That is the emotional hangover, the direct result of yesterday’s and sometimes today’s excesses of negative emotion – anger, fear, jealousy, and the like. If we would live serenely today and tomorrow, we certainly need to eliminate these hangovers. This doesn’t mean we need to wander morbidly around in the past. It requires an admission and correction of errors now…”

Yes I have had emotional hangovers in sobriety and still do today and they usually end up with me thinking that I’m a terrible person and saying, ‘when will I ever learn.’ I used to get them when I lost my temper and got into arguments. These days, I ‘intuitively know’ when I have said or done something that not only has hurt another person, but has destroyed my sense of well-being. I get a feeling of a hole in the pit of my stomach and my head begins to review what happened and what I can do about it. My sponsor is a great listener and provides me with meaningful suggestions that have worked for her over the years.

Through working the Steps, I have gained insight into the cause and consequences of my actions and have lost most of my passion for arguments and temper tantrums. Steps 1 through 9 teach me how to deal with my feelings towards people, places and things so that I avoid a resentment, and Steps 10 to 12 show me how to do it to maintain my serenity. Specifically, Step 10 tells me how to deal with a budding resentment and that is to deal with it immediately before it becomes full-blown and to make the appropriate amends.

If I find myself hanging on to a resentment, I ‘intuitively’ go to my favourite story in the Big Book: Freedom From Bondage – Page 552 – and pray for the person I’m resenting until I can see him/her as just another person who can make mistakes just as I do. What I’ve found out over time, is that the very thing that I can’t overlook in others is the very thing of which I am guilty. Over time, the resentment is gradually relieved and my sense of personal well-being and peace returns. What a program we have through the Big Book which I’ve always referred to as my “Guide to Life.”

Before I go, I would like to tell you that I went to an AA meeting on my 22nd AA birthday and it felt great to be there after a number of years away. I met folks I knew from my last home group and it was great to rub elbows with fellow alkies. I surely miss the handshakes, hugs, greetings, smiles, and discussions before and after the meetings. This was a further affirmation that AA is where I belong.

Do you have moments/times of “Emotional Hangovers”? How do you deal with them? Please feel free to share on this topic or on anything else that’s going on with you.

Jun 12: Compassion

Compassion

I’ve had things come up in the past few weeks where the solution appears to be that I do a fourth, fifth, six, and seventh step on my judgmental instincts. The answer of course, becomes turning over my judgment to the HP of my understanding and prayer.

What then happens the next time I encounter the individual in question – or a situation where people are saying the same sort of things, is that I experience a wave of what I can only call compassion. It’s not pity – I don’t feel sorry for the other person. It’s not resignation – I don’t have the feeling of “giving in” to something. Instead, it feels like tolerance, acceptance, and a form of love that isn’t the romantic kind or something “sweet.” That “something” that I’m thinking feels a bit like something new and kind of nice I can’t call anything but a touch, a hint, of a sort of unconditional love. Maybe unconditional acceptance. Anyway…

What I know is that I want to somehow fit myself to feel this more and more often. I don’t think I can force the situation or feeling. I want to find ways to fit myself to my HP’s will so that particular form of inner peace, that serenity, comes to me more and more. I think it’s the state that HP would like me to walk around in the world with.

Anyway, I’d love to hear more about what you have discovered about compassion in your sober journeys.

Jun 05: Rigorous Honesty

Rigorous Honesty

I was flipping through my 12 & 12 yesterday and saw that I had highlighted an expression on page 57–‘anxious apartness’. The paragraph reads, ‘When we reached AA, and for the first time in our lives stood among people who seemed to understand, the sense of belonging was tremendously exciting. We thought the isolation problem had been solved. But we soon discovered that while we weren’t alone any more in a social sense, we still suffered many of the old pangs of anxious apartness. Until we talked with complete candor of our conflicts, and had listened to someone else do the same thing, we still didn’t belong. Step Five was the answer. It was the beginning of true kinship with man and God’.

I remember the day I highlighted ‘anxious apartness’. It was one of those expressions that described so vividly a feeling I was very familiar with, and one I still experience in some situations. I was in one of those situations recently–it was a funeral for the father of a friend of mine. Other than my friend, I didn’t know a soul there and I didn’t really want to go to the reception after the service, but I wanted to be there for my friend. Even though he is in the program, very few other people were, so there was drinking, which usually doesn’t bother me. However, when you add ‘anxious apartness’ to an event serving alcohol, it can be an awkward situation. I couldn’t wait to leave. What is interesting is that when I called my partner after the funeral and mentioned I didn’t know anyone, her response was, “Well, it won’t take long for you to change that!” Most anyone who knows me would guess the same thing–I’m generally friendly, and seemingly fearless in social

situations That’s the outside of me I put on display, but the inside is a different matter entirely. I am full of fear, terribly uncomfortable, certain that I will bore you within the first 5 minutes of a conversation, and feel completely out of place. Those old insecurities are still in there–and they’re ones that call for some kind of ‘social lubricant’ (if you catch my drift…) Only in the safety of AA can I ‘talk with complete candor’ of conflicts I grapple with like this, and would love to know if anyone else still experiences ‘anxious apartness’ and how you alleviate those old feelings of dis-ease.

Thank you for letting me lead this week. I will be celebrating 19 years this coming Wednesday and I have nothing but gratitude for this life-changing program and for women like you who walk this journey with me.

May 29: The Pencils

The Pencils

My mind has been flitting around all week from one thing to another as I tried to think of a topic for this week’s meeting. I kept landing on a story that my first sponsor told me in the beginning of my sobriety. It was a story about a cup full of pencils on a school teachers desk. She said that during a normal week that cup would get knocked around pretty good and sometimes fell to the floor. After a while those pencils that were on the outer edges of the cup would get scuffed up or broken, sometimes broken so badly that they were no longer able to do their job. Only the ones in the middle of the pack remained unharmed. She said it was like that in AA. If you stay on the edges you are likely to get all scuffed up and maybe fall to the floor, but if you remain in the center of the pack you will stay safe.

During my time in this program I have found myself on occasion getting complacent and finding excuses to stay away from meetings and isolate. From somewhere in the deep recesses comes the story of the pencils and I am reminded once again that I stay safe by staying in the middle of the pack. My sobriety is contingent on a daily reprieve and that means my connection to God and to you. I get that connection by going to meetings, talking to my HP, my sponsor and my fellow alcoholics and letting you know what is really going on with me. I need to remember where I came from and what is needed to be on this journey. If I have one hand in yours, one hand in God’s I do not have another to pick up a drink.

There have been times of tragedy in my sobriety where, had I not been in the center of the pack I don’t know if I would have survived. If you have had similar times, please share with us. Of course, please feel free to share whatever is on your mind also.

May 22: Making Amends

Making Amends

Making amends is something that has stopped me in my tracks. The thought of making direct amends sets off every alarm in my brain. I have heard people share about “cleaning their side of the street” and of blessings they have received as a result of their willingness to do this step. I pray to God for willingness, but only half heartedly.

So, this week I would like to invite those who made amends and those who have not to share on this step. I always hear people share about their thorough amends and I am aware that the program says without this step we will likely drink again…. that is why I want to hear from the group how they have worked this step or not worked it – I don’t want to drink again.

I am looking forward to your shares on the topic or whatever else may be floating around in your mind. Thanks for allowing me to chair the meeting.

May 15: Hearing the Truth

Hearing the Truth

I’m Melanye and I am an alcoholic. Recently I have been faced with having to tell others things they turn out not to be willing or able to hear. I have found that whether you are talking about it involving another alcoholic or not they all can pretty much react poorly, even explosively. You never know when you are saying it that it won’t be taken well. I’ve come to accept that it is a possibility. Alcoholics do not always use the tools they are taught to handle these things. But, I have to admit it still makes my heart race a bit when hearing/reading a response that just isn’t appropriate.

I have to remind myself that I cannot control how my words are received. I can only pray before speaking, then speak from the heart. What comes next is out of my hands. The newly sober or “repeat sober” people tend to be worse at accepting what they are hearing, even when it comes from a place of love and caring. I am known for saying to my Sponsees, “I will continue to gently knock at the door until you are ready to answer it.” But, I’ve also said, “I’m not going to sit here and allow you to abuse me just because you don’t like what you hear.”

On the flip side I have to pull out my toolbox when someone is telling ME something. Sometimes it’s on target; sometimes it’s hateful and uncalled for; sometimes it’s warped; sometimes it’s nonsense. No matter what it turns out to be I’m rummaging around that box for the right tool for the job. I do my best to react and respond appropriately. However, last time I checked in the mirror, perfection wasn’t standing there. Like anyone else there are times when I must make amends. This thing we call recover is a lifetime journey and therefore a lifetime of lessons.

What experience have you had with either side of this coin?? The floor is now open for sharing.

May 08: Got HP (Higher Power)?

Got HP (Higher Power?)

Hello Ladies of GROW, and happy mom’s day to whom celebrate. Mother’s day depending on the day it lands is both a joy and sad for me. If it lands on May 9th, that is the day my grandmother passed away. It also happens to be my brother’s bday…yikes.

The reason I bring this up and it is bitter sweet each year as it passes is that my grandmother was a very special lady…not only in her own way, but to me also. She was the only person in my life growing up that gave me unconditional love and accepted me just the way I was. Don’t get me wrong, my mom is a very special lady too, I can see that now in recovery!! I didn’t always feel that way, but she had the daughnting task of raising not only one but two addicted children and I also had very severe Learning Disabilities and ADHD in a time when they didn’t know much about it….so while my mom was doing her best to keep me in check which was a lot of times ended up in yelling…my grandmother (and father for that matter) were my buffers. I am blessed that today in recovery (going on 18 plus years) my mom and I have a wonderful relationship!! I do miss my grandma tho even tho tomorrow it will be 22 years since her passing….ok, on to the topic…

The reason why I bring up my grandma is becuz when I first arrived into the program, they told me that I needed to go to meetings, get a sponsor and work the steps…awesome…no worries….went to meetings (I was ready to), got a sponsor, but then came the steps….step one…got it….step two…ummmm….ooookkkkkk….step three….eeeeeerrrtttttt….at a stand still….I need GOD or HP in my life?? hmmmm…not sure about that one….so my sponsor said to me, “It just needs to be greater then yourself…it can be a door knob….an animal….a feeling….the AA group and meetings…GOD–Good Orderly Direction—HP–Higher Power (greater then yourself). So…ok…I think I can do that….I adopted my grandmother’s cat when she passed. It waas a living thing that I felt my grandma’s energy with, so…I started talking to the cat (she didn’t answer back….or did she??? smiles) but I started to do what would eventually become prayer to me. I sensed my grandmother around me, I could still hear her words of wisdom and that got me by until I could actually form what my HP looked like.

Today, it is the rooms of AA, the ladies words, the breeze that wisps by me when I am praying for faith and understanding, it is an unconditional love feeling that something out there is taking care of me. When I have difficulty turning things over, or feeling stuck and not “feeling” HP, my network of ladies or for sure my sponsor will say something that allows me to get back to faith and HP.

So, today, without my HP (along with everything else mentioned) I know for a fact, I would not be able to stay sober….or…maybe stay sober, but not sane and I kinda prefer both!! smiles…I have done the dry drunk thing….didn’t drink…but wasn’t sane either, and it wasn’t pretty….I prefer HP in my life today…

For those ladies who are new….finding your God of Your Understand, HP, is and doesn’t need to be as hard or scarey as it may have been in childhood. I loved that my first sponsor gave me permission to let go of that HP and find an adult one, one that worked for me…again, so long as it wasn’t me….my prayer for the newcommer is that you find your HP and learn to turn it over….

So with that, Got HP?? and what does she/he/it mean to you?? or talk about whatever you may need to share!!

May 01: Humility

Humility

Humility, I find, is a topic I like to muse on. Even though I’m not 100% sure what it is (that’s because I’m an alcoholic, it doesn’t come naturally), I know it’s an attitude I would like to learn to embrace.

In the book Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions it says, “The whole emphasis of Step Seven is on humility.” (Page 76) Reading Step Seven again, I found that it takes its time defining the wordI was looking for an entry like that found in Websterr’s, but I read the entire Step before the idea sunk in.

From what I glean, humility, simply is that itattention, respectis not about me. “The Seventh Step is where we make the change in our attitude which permits us, with humility as our guide, to move out from ourselves toward others and toward God(italics mine).” (Page 76)

Movement in my attitude towards God. Page 75 has a really good quote that sums my attitude before, then the movin’ on me (pun intended): “During this process of learning more about humility, the most profound result of all was the change in our attitude toward God We began to get over the idea that the Higher Power was a sort of bush-league pinch hitter, to be called upon only in an emergency. The notion that we would still live our own lives, God helping a little now and then, began to evaporate Refusing to place God firrst, we had deprived ourselves of His help. But now the words ‘Of myself I am nothing, the Father doeth the works’ began to carry a bright promise and meaning.” (Page 75) I am no longer the wee girl with a quarter in her hand, standing before the Vending Machine that is God, demanding with a prayer what is behind G-6.

Movement in how I consider others. This part I won’t get into now, maybe later this week.

I’ll add one more comment, from Page 75: “A great turning point in our lives came when we sought for humility as something we really wanted, rather than as something we must have.”

Please comment on humility, or whatever you need to talk about.

Apr 24: Moving On

Moving On

I want to share with you the lyrics from a Rascal Flatts song that speaks about so much that we as alcoholics go through in recovery. For me the sharpest point in the song is that there are faces that will never let me change and that Ive taken lots of blame. This was particularly poignant being that I recently had to cut my brother out of my life. He IS that song to me. The accusations, the blame, the insults…all from someone who has not seen me or spoken to me in 2 years. The biggest lesson in this: move on…just move on…for your sanity, for your recovery, for your own self-respect…move on.

Please share what these lyrics mean to you.

“I’m Moving On”

I’ve dealt with my ghosts and I’ve faced all my demons
Finally content with a past I regret
I’ve found you find strength in your moments of weakness
For once I’m at peace with myself
I’ve been burdened with blame, trapped in the past for too long
I’m movin’ on

I’ve lived in this place and I know all the faces
Each one is different but they’re always the same
They mean me no harm but it’s time that I face it
They’ll never allow me to change
But I never dreamed home would end up where I don’t belong
I’m movin’ on
I’m movin’ on

At last I can see life has been patiently waiting for me
And I know there’s no guarantees, but I’m not alone
There comes a time in everyone’s life
When all you can see are the years passing by
And I have made up my mind that those days are gone

I sold what I could and packed what I couldn’t
Stopped to fill up on my way out of town
I’ve loved like I should but lived like I shouldn’t
I had to lose everything to find out
Maybe forgiveness will find me somewhere down this road
I’m movin’ on

I’m movin’ on
I’m movin’ on

Apr 17: The Journey to Feeling Safe

The Journey to Feeling Safe

Good Morning Ladies of Grow. I have thought long and hard about what topic to suggest for this meeting, and I keep coming back to the fact that we have so many new members joining our ranks. First I would like to extend a warm welcome to you all. This group of women, have shown me so much caring and support on the good days and the bad ones. This group of women are very active in their support, and communications. They ARE different from any other group I have belonged to, and I want to let them (collectively) know that they have made me feel safe.

Safe was something unfamiliar to me when I came into the rooms. I was as addicted to crisis as I was to alcohol. Safe just didn’t fit. Safe didn’t excite me. Safe feels like a warm toasty blanket on a cold night. Today, I treasure and like, safe.

So, keeping all our newcomers in mind would you ladies tell them the stories of your evolution to feeling safe, what tools you learned to use to help you feel safe. Also, would those new to our meeting please talk about what makes you feel unsafe.

Please remember, those of you who have just stopped drinking are the most important person/s in the room. Without you, I don’t remember what I felt like walking into this room. I need you as much as you need me, maybe alittle more. So please share whats going on with you, the good and the bad.

Thanks for being here, and I look forward to

Apr 10: Freedom through Sobriety

Freedom through Sobriety

Good morning Ladies and thank you for allowing me to chair this week’s meeting. The past week or so I have been thinking about the freedom I have today through my journey in sobriety. April 1st I ended up in the ER and was than sent by ambulance to another hospital about an hour north of where I live. I had an e-coli infection in my bladder and urninary tract, kidney stones, was septic and was miserable. I spent 5 days in the hospital and am still on the mend but doing well. The Dr’s. told me if I had waited another day to go into ER I would still be in the hospital as I would have gone into septic shock.

Laying in the hospital gave me alot of time to think about how grateful I am today for the freedom that this program has given me being sober. Had I not been sober I truly could be dead today because the alcohol would have covered up how I felt and knowing how I was when I was drinking I would never have gone to the ER for anyone. When I was sick I covered it with alcohol.

Alcohol took away my freedom to make good choices and decisions. I did not take good care of myself healthwise. The total freedom to be rigorously honest about what is going on with me and to know how to use it without hurting people. The freedom of my feelings and to be able to feel them and not be ashamed of how I feel about something.

Just this past Thurs. a friend of mine here in town committed suicide. I just cried and cried as I was so sad and did not understand it because he just was not the type of guy that I ever felt would do something like this. He had a very good business but got hooked up with the wrong friends. I think to myself if it were not for this program of AA how I would have been up the street to the bar Thurs night drinking.

God has given me the freedom through this program today that I know that no matter what happens in my life today I do not have to take a drink.

Apr 03: Admitting We Were Alcoholic

Admitting We Were Alcoholic

Admitting we were alcoholic. On Page 30 of the BB in the Chapter call “More About

Alcoholism” the chapter begins “Most of us were unwilling to admit we were real alcoholics. No person likes to they he is bodily and mentally different from his fellows. Therefore it is not suprising that our drinking careers have been characterized by countless vain attempts to prove we could drink like other people.”

How many vain attempts does it take us to get here…I know for me it’s been quite a few. How long did it take for us to admit we weren’t like other drinkers…that alcohol possessed us? For me I am still working through this. But my desire to live a life of sobriety keeps me coming back!

Mar 27: Dealing with Resentments

Dealing with Resentments

I’ve been grappling lately with a resentment that has affected my serenity. D Thankfully, the Big Book offers an extremely effective method for dealing with resentments. It has been my experience in the past that it works – plain and simple, “it works if you work it”.

“It you have a resentment you want to be free of, if you will pray for the person or the thing that you resent, you will be free. If you will ask in prayer for everything you want for yourself to be given to them, you will be free. Ask for their health, their prosperity, their happiness, and you will be free. Even when you don’t really want it for them and your prayers are only words and you don’t mean it, go ahead and do it anyway. Do it every day for two weeks, and you will find you have come to mean it and to want it for them, and you will realize that where you used to feel bitterness and resentment and hatred you now feel compassionate understanding and love.”

It was my first Sponsor years ago who suggested this exercise for dealing with resentments ~ except she suggested that I do the praying for 30 days ~ I guess she figured I was a slow-learner. J But, I have found repeatedly over the years that this works ~ in fact, I usually find that at the end of two weeks I have forgotten to pray for the person because the resentment was gone, it just was not an issue anymore. If it happens that I get to the end of two weeks and I still feel the resentment, I extend the time another two weeks. Rarely have I found that necessary, but certainly the resentment is gone before the end of that second two weeks.

I encourage you to share about how resentments have affected your sobriety or your life in general and how you resolve them. Or, please feel free to share if you have a burning issue that affects your sobriety.

Mar 20: Being of Service and/or Sponsorship

Being of Service and/or Sponsorship

When I first came into AA, I had a wonderful sponsor. She got me into service right away. Up North, in meetings, we sold raffle tixs at meetings for books, I would do that. Sold lit at the meetings, help clean up, etc. At about 18 months, I think, or about 2 years sober, I was asked to sponsor a gal. I gladly took on that job. It was rough, she was not completely ready, and subsequently relapsed and went all over the groups and blamed me. At the time, it crushed me. I didn’t realize then what I know now that I am just not that powerful!! smiles…

And all through the program and doing my steps, I was always concerned about, “Am I doing them right?” Is this person guiding me “right”. This was a theme all throughout my Masters program also…am I “counseling” right? I did everything by the book I was too afraid to be myself and what kind of counselor I wanted to be, I felt I needed to be what the department wanted me to be, and when I graduated, real life was not in my books. I was afraid to be my authentic self when counseling.

Well, this leads me to service work, sponsorship and the program for me today. After many years of whatever by the book was…I realized that all things are guides!! I was reminded by I think my awesome and wonderful current sponsor (and I mean that *winks*;) that Bill and Bob did not have a book!!! They allowed thier HP’s to guide them. AA did not start out with a Big Book or the 12 and 12…. And I learned throughout the years that so long as I use these materials as guides, then I am doing the next right thing in guiding another or myself. We are not all the same. For me, I have learning disabilities, and when I did my first 4th step, the way the book stated, it was kinda confusing…years later, I used a different kinda guide via workbook that Joe McQ suggested, and wow, that was what I needed to do what I needed to get my 4th out of me and on paper. It worked for me.

Today, I sponsor two ladies. The first one is a gal who has time in the program, so I agreed to sponsor her because I “swore that I would never sponsor a newbie again” this was said out of fear. Well, becasue it is difficult for me to get to meetings f2f due to physical limitations, I am a part of not only this awesome online group, but another one that has real time meetings and chat.

A gal whispered me a couple weeks ago in need of help and goes through very similar health stuff as me…we talked on the phone and she really needed a sponsor but didn’t know how to go about it. I, not even thinking so much about it, offered to assist her until she was able to either find one at a f2f meeting or found another in her area if she so chose to find a different one…..WOW…what an HP thing!!! She reminds me of me when I first got here…exactly like me…she says there are no coinsidences, it is working for her so far, she is following suggestions, and my HP which I am relying on heavily and my own wonderful sponsor, are guiding me to humbly assist this lady in her new journey.

You see, it isn’t about me!!! It is about just simply sharing my ESH the way it was so freely given to me. If this gal relapses, that is not on me…I am not that powerful! I was, however, thus far, blessed with a gal and a new experience that is allowing me to begin to experience sponsorship with a newbie again and boy is it keeping me sober!!!

So, my point is, that for me today, I just try to do the next right thing….Sponsorship for me is kinda like parenting (I am not a parent, however, I play one on TV…no seriously, I have neices and friend’s with babies, I am also by degree a School and Guidance Counselor not working in the field but have) so I have a feeling what it could be like or look at others in my life who are parents…we all have different styles…sponsoring, to me, is kinda like that, for me it is not one size fits all, some follow strict Big Book, others pass on the way they were taken through the steps…for me, I just pray, let HP work through me and try not to mind freak over am I doing this right or wrong…so long as my intentions are out of kindness, love, honest, openminded and willing to carry the message, I am doing ok.

So, I hope that all made sense….I am still trying to just be in the moment myself and remind myself everything above as I sponsor this newbie….just being of service whether it is sharing at a meeting, chairing, sponsoring or just being a sober person today…Thank HP for this gift and for all of you and with that I pass and open the meeting to this topic, or whatever else you may need to share.

Mar 13: Letting Go of Old Beliefs

Letting Go of Old Beliefs

Good morning ladies of GROW, my name is Colleen and I am an alcoholic. The shares that have been posted the last few weeks have been awesome. I am so grateful to be a member of GROW. For this week, I am choosing the topic of letting go of old beliefs.. One of my old beliefs about God/HP/Goddess is a punishing God. Even today, at times I feel that I am being punished by God.. I yell and scream about my life thinggs don’t go my way.. Thank God I don’t stay in that mode. How immature is that

Another old belief is that I am in competition with you. I am not in competition with anyone. How sick is that line of thinking? When my mother was still alive, she talked about her friend’s health issues ending with with “Look at me-my life is more tragic.” When I was sober in the late 80’s, I needed to have a more tragic life than you. Today, I know none of that is important.

I thank God for this program. It is teaching me to live one day at a time. I hope I am making sense. Please share your views on God and character defects that keep you separate from others.

Mar 13: Change

Change

Thank You for letting me chair this meeting today. I will celebrate 29 years of sobriety on March 15th. Especially during the time near a milestone date for me, all of the chaos and desperation that I was feeling at that time is very clear to me. I’ve been told that our “special” date can also become over whelming, and lead to a relapse. I’ve seen it happen. I have tried to learn from the mistakes of others. Especially when they begin the conversation with “Don’t do what I did…….” IMHO it’s OK for you to say “Congratulations” or something like that.

But I’m here to warn you not to be overly impressed with *quantity* of sobriety. Look for *quality* of sobriety. Many “long timers” take their sobriety for granted … big mistake! They then become IMHO “Good, bad examples”.

I remember being told, the only person who has been sober longer than I me, is a person who got out of bed before I did today. Considering that I obviously stay up late, and don’t have to get up to go to work, it’s pretty easy to have more sobriety than me. 😀 I have so much I want to share with you. No one thing seems more important than another.

In the beginning I stayed sober out of fear of returning to what *was* before AA. I still get urges to drink, and I’m still afraid of becoming worse than I was when I came to this program.

The “Serenity Prayer” has been very important to my recovery. I had a Serenity Prayer necklace that I wore constantly, the first few years I was in the program. At work I would hold that necklace and stay close to my program, while I did my work. I always have it right in front of me. So far the only thing I’ve found that I can change is me. My attitude. Set boundaries (that I never had before), and either ignore people who don’t respect them, or simply get away from those people. I can’t please all of the people, all of the time. Crap! I’m lucky if I can please myself some of the time. I *work* at doing what is best for me … my “Elf”. I don’t always know what that is. But I do know I will always find the answer to any questions I have at an AA meeting. I don’t even have to ask the question. Someone at that meeting will undoubtedly share their ESH in a way that will help me find that answer in myself.

I was told I must remain *teachable*. One might think that at 29 years sober & 70 years old, I’d know a whole lot more answers than I do. The answers are still the same today as they were 29 years ago. I have to be flexible and willing to change, or I’m going to be miserable. I don’t want to be miserable. I want to make the changes in myself that I need to do to be happy. I like happy.

“Change” may be the one word that all of this boils down to. I think that about says it all.

Mar 06: Appreciating Where We’ve Come From

Appreciating Where We’ve Come From

Appreciate: be fully aware of; hold dear; recognize with gratitude This topic is on my mind because for Valentine’s Day my husband got me a membership to Ancestry.com. This was very important to me because for my WHOLE life I’ve known NOTHING about my father’s side of the family. The whole Martin family refused to talk about our history or simply tell any of us what country we emigrated from! This always made me furious and it was much worse because my father, who might have told me things, died in a car crash 7 months before my birth.

So, after working for several weeks on Ancestry.com I have traced the Martin side all the way back to the 1100s in Scotland and England!!!! While I did find 1 ancestor had 1 male slave inherited from his father and that one ancestor fought WITH the British against America, I can see NO reason to hide anything from me. Needless to say I’ve been very emotional for these last few weeks. Knowing where my family came from is very important to me. Just as important as appreciating the fact that I am, and have been for almost 6 years, sober after 15 years of active alcoholism.

I now fully appreciate the gravity of my prior behavior and the road I was on. I feel the appreciation to my bones that I am no longer “that person” nor am I doing “those things” which were destroying me and my life. Each day I breathe another breath and each day that I wake up I can increasingly appreciate the struggles, traumas, and lessons which brought me to today. I appreciate the difference between a life as an alcoholic lost in the bottle and misery versus the life of a sober alcoholic smelling the roses with each step. And above all I appreciate those who’ve gone before me that learned the Program which saved my life.

Do you appreciate fully and massively what you came from in alcoholism? Tell us what this has brought up in your heart and mind.

Feb 27: Think Think Think

Think Think Think

Hi, my name is Lori and I’m an alcoholic. Thank you for allowing me to lead this week’s meeting.

When I lived in Traverse City, Michigan, the club I belonged to was in a dingy old house just a couple blocks south of Lake Michigan. I think it was the nicotine stains that held the curtains together, and the spots on the carpet were, indeed, stains, not polka dots.

But what I remember most about that room were signs on the (yes, stained) walls. One Day at a Time. First Things First. And my favorite, Think, think, think.

Think, think, think. For my wee brain, I’ve taken that to mean think the thought throughwhatever the thought happened to be at that time.

When I first got sober, and still sometimes now, the first think in the series is drinking alcohol. Whenever thoughts of good old days want to be entertained, I find, the best way for me to deal with them to entertain them thoroughly. In other words, move on to the second and third think.

For example, back when I was in the service, I had some really good friends. In the present time, sometimes I think about a friend I served with, what we did, and wonder what s/he is up to now.

Think number one is all well and good, but it can easily move on to think number two, which is turning the slice of time into something way super much more meaningful than it was.

Like the times living in the second platoon barracks of 15th Transportation Company, at Nellingen Kassern, Nellingen, Deutschland, listening to Ozzy Ozbourne’s Crazy Train in Mook’s room, while drinking Stutgarter Hofbrau out of 2 liter bottles, enhanced with shots of German liquors were were discovering. Oh, but weren’t those just the best, best times ever?

If I stop there, take my thoughts no further, I’m doing myself a disservice. I have to move on to think number three.

It takes think number three to remember the night I woke up from a black out and a guy was getting off mea guy I never would have invitedd up in the first placemy panties and tampon laying off to the side.

I have to think the good times through enough to remember that I, as the result of my drinking, put myself in many vulnerable situations, and many times the result was not such a good time.

I have to consider all, all, all the thinks, otherwise I fool myself into thinking that, by not drinking, I’m missing out on the best of times.

What think, think, think means to me is to go beyond the first summons thought, beyond the glorious musing thought, to reality thought, how drinking alcohol is destructive to me.

Remembering that I quit for a reason (that through my drinking, myself and others get hurt) keeps me quit. And helps me remember that these are the best of times, the ones in recovery.

And all this from a nicotine-stained sign on a road I can no longer remember the name of.

Ladies, this week please share on the AA-ism think, think, think, or anything that you need to this week.

Feb 20: Our Personal Spiritual Experiences

Our Personal Spiritual Experiences

The Big Book tells us that alcoholism is a physical, emotional, and spiritual disease. Getting sober does much to address both the physical and emotional aspects of the disease, but the steps are the key to curing the spiritual malady. In fact, the 12th Step says “Having had a spiritual awakening as THE result of these steps, ” (In the meetings I attend, most people read “a result” instead of “the result.”)

Before I put the bottle down, I believed in a Higher Power, but I could not make contact. I would read the Bible with a joint in one hand and a beer in the other and then wonder what was missing. I was missing. I couldn’t have a spiritual life while drowning in spirits.

AA and the steps have given me the most valuable gift of my life – an ongoing, deeply internal contact with the God of my understanding. It is so deep and personal, in fact, that I seldom talk about my own spiritual experience.

Today, I choose to share about it. I am not a religious person. Raised a Christian, I have spent years studying the Bhagavad Gita and Zen Buddhism. Recently, I have read the Qur’an. My heart tells me that there is only one God, no matter what humans call him/her/it (even when the name is “Serendipity”). My Higher Power is the core of every particle in the universe.

Every spiritual text I have read has a simple message. Love God, and love each other. This, I believe, is the base of the 12th Step. When I help another alcoholic, I am serving my Higher Power. And that’s why my Higher Power gave me the gift of sobriety – so I could be of service.

After years and years of being self-absorbed and self-centered, AA and the Steps have placed my in a position to be of service, to love God and to love my fellow creatures. And with that gift comes the responsibility to serve, whether it be another alcoholic, my family or friends, strangers, and even animals. That is my spiritual experience.

Basically, I would use a modified John F. Kennedy quote to express my spiritual experience: Ask not what your HP can do for you. Ask what you can do for your Higher Power.

Please share with us this week about your unique spiritual experience in sobriety.

Feb 13: Doing the Next Right Thing

Doing the Next Right Thing

First I want to thank my online sponsor for graciously offering to let me Chair the meeting this week, she had been scheduled and I had not requested the date early enough. February 18 will be, God willing the 14th Anniversary of my sobriety. What a blessing, what a gift that I need to keep treasuring.

“Doing the next right thing” is an excellent piece of advice that my online sponsor shared with me in the very early days of my sobriety. The “next right thing” lines up our tasks so that we are not overwhelmed with lots of demands that can confuse us. We only deal with one at a time, which is much more manageable.

I find that the “next right thing” is often small. It may be as simple as taking a deep refreshing breath or doing something caring for a friend. My action

grounds me with the principles of the beautiful program of Alcoholics Anonymous. Or it may just as easily be some small chore. Whatever it turns out to be, the act of asking the question, helps me decide the appropriate response, and I am not as likely to make a poorly considered choice that I will most likely, later regret. Think of “Doing the next right thing” as a compass that always points in the right direction.

When I found myself totally dependent on others, after having my leg broken during knee replacement surgery last August, “Doing the next right thing” became particularly important. Doing deep breathing, trying to get out of myself by helping someone else, taking little steps which eventually added up to actual steps was such an important part of my staying sober & sane!

I would like to hear how you have used this principle in your sobriety. Wishing you all another 24 hours of sobriety.

Feb 06: Making Your Way Back to a Daily Life of Sobriety

Making Your Way Back to a Daily Life of Sobriety

Whether you are finding your way back to real life after years of drinking OR coming back to living day by day sober and healthy from a time in complacency or maybe rebellion, it is a daunting task. So many emotions, fears, resentments, losses, and darkness. No matter your geographic location, age, marital status, or anything else peace is only found by taking one step at a time with a solid Program. I’ve been lost in drinking and I’ve been lost in complacency. Neither place is one somebody ever wants to be and it takes courage and faith to fight your way out of them.

Some never find their way back at all. All of us in this group have made our way out of the darkness of drinking and even more still from the despair of just not caring about living the Program. The latter can lead you right back to the very darkness you fought your way out of in the first place. While it would be wonderful if all who found life beyond alcoholism stayed there…we all know it just isn’t true. There are so many speed bumps out there to trip us up and trip us up royally!

I would like us to consider our own experiences with such and what “bright light” or two showed us the way back. And with that let us all share our gratitude for making it back, whether this is your first time here, 3rd, or 10th.

Above all else, please remind yourself frequently that some just never find their way back at all.

Jan 30: What I Gained in Sobriety

What I Gained in Sobriety

Yesterday I was blessed with the opportunity to attend a beautiful wedding of the daughter of people who have been friends with us forever. Attending a wedding is one of those things I could never picture doing without a glass in my hand. But I had a fabulous day, toasted with Martinelli’s, danced a bunch, remember the whole thing and woke up feeling great this morning.

I was afraid when I got sober my best days were behind me. I didn’t think I would be as humorous, I didn’t think romance could blossom without the bubbly, I didn’t think sports events would be as fun. Turns out I was absolutely wrong. My life is richer, fuller and more fun now.

Part of it is that alcohol gave me a theatrical, false sense of emotion. I could build a drama around a moment, making it appear more romantic, funnier, etc. Turns out, I was just drunk enough to be stupid!

The other part is that the Big Book has taught me how to live life sober, and taken me on a spiritual path which has given me compassion, appreciation and true caring for others.

May you all walk in the sunlight of the spirit while you ponder the topic of the week: What I thought I would lose in sobriety, and what I gained instead.

Jan 23: It Works When I Work It

It Works When I Work It

I guess I am one for slogans, they sure helped me keep my thinking simple. You know I can complicate things pretty badly. When I got here I needed simple.

It works, when I work it.

hm-mm In the beginning that meant, I didn’t go to parties and out with my drinking buddies. It meant that I had to be honest enough with them so that I could protect myself. My real friends didn’t judge me and didn’t pressure me to continue drinking if I didn’t want to. My drinking friends, did. Pretty soon I didn’t feel comfortable being the only non drinking person with a bunch of drinkers. I felt out of place. But I found a place where I felt safe, and at home. In the rooms of AA, at tables or at a computer I find a sense of belonging that I always used alcohol or other substances to find. Gradually I went from being at home in a bar( actually my story is I was home alone on the couch passed out), to being at home in the church, hospital, or fire station or where ever the meeting is held.

By working the 12 steps of this program as suggested by the big book and taught to me by my sponsors, when crisis arises I have a ” kit of tools” that I can use to protect myself. It works when I work it, and I reach for it when I have pain. Just like I would reach for the bottle of aspirin.

More importantly, this is a program of spiritual maintenance. My sobriety, serenity and happiness is a daily reprieve based on my spiritual fitness. To stay spiritually fit, I have to pray, meditate and act on the guidance I receive. The big book tell me that there will come a time when only my higher power will stand between me and a drink.

Frankly, everyday, my higher power stands between me and that drink. Without him, I would. I would love to, I am an alcoholic.

Thank god for this program and that I still remember how bad I felt when I did drink.

It works, WHEN I work it.

I hope that something in there, sparks something in you, and if it doesn’t please share on what’s affecting your sobriety today.

Jan 16: One Day at a Time

One Day at a Time

Keep coming back it really works.

You are all probably wondering about my topic but this coming Tues. I will have 5 yrs of sobriety and it has alot to do with this AA quote or slogan, whatever you want to call it, that I have this straight sobriety. Last night I was at a meeting and there was 19 members at the table and out of all those members there was only 2 of us who had straight sobriety with no relapse. One gentleman just recently celebrated 55 yrs but when he came into the program he got 3 yrs and than relapsed. This seemed to be how all their stories started out as we were doing a 1st step for a guy.

In each of their shares they told how they quit praying in the morning, going too meetings, calling their sponsors and yadda yadda. I have, with God’s help, kept coming back to the program on a daily basis and I strongly believe that it is why it has worked for me. I have a huge fear (good fear) of relapse and so have been taught from around the tables that if I work this program and keep coming back and do not pick up that first drink or take the first sip that I will not relapse. This disease of alcoholism is very cunning, bafflling and powerful and so when I get up in the morning and (once in awhile forget) open up and talk to God first thing I have set my day of “one day at a time” and that is all it takes.

I am so blessed and grateful for my upcoming 5 yrs but know that I made it by just working this program “one day at a time” and “keep coming back” to it daily. Jean had or maybe even still has a quote “Sobriety is a gift of which the price to pay is eternal vigilance”.

Thank you for allowing me to chair this week and gals you can share on this topic or any topic you would like to. I am open to anything.

Jan 09: Contempt Prior to Investigation

Contempt Prior to Investigation

While considering a topic for this week I opened the Big Book – not sure what I was looking for, but looking none the less. I ended up in the back of the book – reading the Appendices – landing on #2 Spiritual Experience.

Initially I thought that what fit for me right now was to share about my own spiritual experience. But after reading I found at the end a quote from Herbert Spencer – – and this is what really fits where I am right now – in the moment.

“There is a principal which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a (wo)man in everlasting ignorance —–that principal in contempt prior to investigation.”

Today, I think my spiritual experience can be found in this quote. I was a world class screw up. It was my claim to fame ! For real. I started drinking and drugging at an early age and there wasn’t much I thought I could do well in life – – other than get high. People in my family got high, I got high, my friends got high, and many of my neighbors got high (and still get high!). It was expected.

Throughout the years I learned, very well, to hate myself – for the things I did, for the things I didn’t do, and basically for being me. In 1991 I put the needle down. I put the bottle down too, but picked it back up several times since then. I have been in and out of AA over the years – lately more out than in.

But over the years I have done some things that have allowed change to my life. I received my HS diploma, I went to college, I went to Grad School, I have been at the same job for almost 10 yrs, I own a home (though at times I miss the “ghetto”!), and I have a wonderful partner AND more important than anything else — I have a 10 yr old daughter who lights up my life! For real.

More recently I have gotten a sponsor, I am working the steps with my sponsor…I am making a conscious effort to be honest. My life has gotten better, and at some level, God has helped me to get better on the inside too. HOWEVER, I find myself judging myself based on the past – – despite the evidence of change in the present. And this is what the quote made me see – – that I am not fair to myself. Everyone else is ok – but not me – I am a bad person…rewind…everyone else is ok but not me !!!

Well, this has to stop. I have to ask God to help me – not only with forgiving other people – – but with forgiving myself. I was the victim of others actions for a very long time — but not lately — lately I have been a victim of my own contempt…what better way to stay a drunk, right?

So, I would like to hear whatever it is you have to say – – on this topic or on another. Because you never know where you are going to find what you need at the moment — I never expected to find it in the back of the book!

Jan 02: God Could and Would if He Were Sought

God Could and Would if He Were Sought

To introduce a topic, I will restate a portion of “How It Works” here:

Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventures before and after make clear three pertinent ideas:
(a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives.
(b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism.
(c) That God could and would if He were sought.

After many hard years of drinkin’ and druggin’ and “men-in’, and thankfully, a number of years of sobriety, I’m convinced that (a) I am alcoholic and I have come to understand and accept that I (by myself) I cannot manage my own life; (b) I’m also convinced that my alcoholism ~ and all the other “isms” connected with it ~ will not be relieved by me or any other human being.

I say convinced because I need to be reminded (through meetings, Sponsors) that my best thinking got me drunk, hung-over, in a blackout and married to someone I didn’t like. 🙂 What helps me most NOW is working and re-working the Steps as outlined in the Big Book, and through that process, I discover and re-discover that (c) “God could and would if He were sought.”

For me, this is an ongoing process ~ my brain/psyche is still alcoholic and I get caught up in (or create) the current drama in my life and I need to be reminded to “pause when agitated” and ask for GOD = Good Orderly Direction. Otherwise, I find myself off in the ditch.

When I do take the time to put God in the center of whatever is going on, everything comes together well — much better than I could have created on my own. I find myself noticing that God did for me what I could not do for myself. Examples of that include my recent celebration of 24 years of sobriety; my marriage of 20+ years when, prior to this Program, I could not maintain a relationship for longer than 20 months max; the enjoyment of good, fun, meaningful relationships with my family members, with healthy boundaries and loving support; and reasonably healthy boundaries in my work that has a tendency to be all-consuming.

The list could go on but, suffice to say ~ God has done for me what I could not do for myself in every area of my life. Wherever I let Him in, it gets better.

Please share about how, in your own Program of recovery, “God could and would if He were sought”.

To the NEWCOMERS and new members, I send a special request that you share about wherever you are at the moment because it helps me stay sober to read your stories and to share with you what it was like for me. Words don’t have to be fancy. Just share from your heart.

2010 – Group Conscience Decisions

2010 Group Conscience Decisions

This is a summary of the group conscience decisions made in 2010.


May 2010

  • It was decided to add the most recent Group Inventory to the GROW Web Page.
  • It was decided to hold our next Group Inventory in June 2010.

November 2010

  • It was decided that the Webmaster be a non-rotating TS position
  • It was decided to reinstate the position of Rotating Backup
  • It was decided not to have GROW Business cards
  • It was decided to add to the “Welcome” letter a paragraph that advises all members to add grow@oso-aa.org to their address book
  • It was decided to have a new position temporary mentor to assist new members adjusting to online AA
  • It was decided to send a polite reply to person sending survey and then referral to OIAA.
  • It was decided to adding the following to the webkeeper and back-up webkeeper job descriptions designs, develops, and maintains the GROW website so that it is accessible to people with visual disabilities as well as those without visual disabilities.

2009 – Group Conscience Decisions

2009 Group Conscience Decisions

This is a summary of the group conscience decisions made in 2009.


April, 2009

Note: during the April meeting, the GROW group changed from Binhost to OSO-AA because of increasing concerns for the support of the list servers.

  • Treasurer and PayPal Account
    Each Treasurer will setup a paypal account that would be for the duration of the treasurer’s term and that each subsequent treasurer open a new PayPal account.
  • Having an either / or signer for account
    It was decided that we will keep it simple by having one signer for account.
  • Frequency of Treasurer reports
    It was decided that the Treasurer will every 6 months to the Business Meeting and monthly to the Steering Committee.
  • Treasurer as sole signer and controller of bank account
    It was decided that the Treasurer will be sole signer and controller of the bank account.

2008 – Group Conscience Decisions

2008 Group Conscience Decisions

This is a summary of the group conscience decisions made in 2008.


January, 2008

GROW authorizes the Treasurer to pay our email list
service provider bill up to six months in advance, as per an earlier
group conscience decision


April, 2008

  • Second Signer for Treasurer
    A group conscience decision was made to have a
    non-rotating 2nd signer to assist the treasurer.
  • Frequency of Business Meetings
    It was decided to hold business meetings twice per year in April and October.

October, 2008

  • Common Language for Trusted Servants
    It was decided to separate out certain text (called “common language” during discussion) in the trusted servant positions an post these statements in one place only, with a link in each description to this common language.
  • Weekly Meeting reminders and posting of chairs
    It was decided to post regular weekly reminders of the meeting topics and to post the upcoming chairs.
  • Change in Steering Committee structure
    It was decided to change the steering committee to the following guidelines:

    All trusted servants whose term is longer than six months are members of the steering committee. In addition, the Steering Committee will include the Immediate Past Business Chair, Immediate Past Secretary, Immediate Past GSR, and the Webkeeper.

    + The SC helps out trusted servants as needed.

    + If someone needs to step aside from a position, or if one becomes
    vacant for some reason, the SC seeks out volunteers and appoints them
    until the next business meeting.

    + In the case of “disruptions,” the SC follows the GROW guidelines,
    with the changes that three members are chosen from among the SC
    (instead of having it mandated which trusted servants intervene).

    • Trusted Servant Positions
      It was decided to change the trusted servant list to the following:

      • Birthday listkeeper
      • Business Chair
      • Greeter (1)
      • GSR representative
      • Listkeeper
      • Listkeeper Backup
      • OIAA rep
      • Secretary
      • Sponsor listkeeper
      • 12-step listkeeper
      • Treasurer
      • 2nd signer
      • Weekly topic listkeeper
      • Webkeeper
      • Webkeeper backup
    • Secretary and Business Chair responsibilities
      We reached consensus on the responsibilities for the Secretary and for the Busines Chair:

      Secretary

      • 1 Year term
      • 2 years sobriety
      • Must be member of Business List
      • Should have completed AA Steps 1 through 12
      • Adheres to confidentiality of private emails
      • Serves on the Steering Committee
      • Works closely with the other Trusted Servants including privately and
        discreetly informing members who stray from the guidelines
      • Maintains a list of emergency contact phone numbers of all trusted
        servants for use by trusted servants, not for general distribution
      • Keeps a current list of trusted servants and term dates
      • Calls for nominations/volunteers
      • Confirms nominees will accept and serve
      • Announces new trusted servants
      • Sends Steering Committee Welcome Letter to all new trusted servants
      • Fields questions sent both publicly and privately
      • Serves as temporary back-up to the Business Meeting Chair
      • Does NOT handle anything related to the business meeting
      • Informs the business chair if elections are needed for trusted servants
      • For duties and requirements common to all Trusted Servant positions, see Trusted Servant Common Duties.

      Business Meeting Chair

      • 2 year term
      • 5 years sobriety
      • Must remain member of Business List
      • Moderate business meetings; keep discussions focused on agenda
      • Keep track of and review all discussions
      • Be responsible for keeping the issues clear. If a motion is offered, be sure that it is stated clearly and distinctly so that all know what they are discussing and voting on.
      • Set agenda for meetings, placing items on the agenda in the order received.
      • Work closely with other trusted servants, especially the Secretary.
      • Serve as temporary back-up to the Secretary.
      • Know all group conscience decisions and guide group to adhere to them.
      • Have knowledge and good understanding of A.A. Traditions and A.A. Service Manual.
      • Have understanding of Group Conscience Guidelines and A.A. guidelines and how to apply them.
      • As much as possible, remain fair and unbiased, willing to listen and be flexible. (At times the Chair will need to remain flat-footed. Refer to A.A. Service Manual)
      • Have knowledge and good understanding of A.A. Concepts.
      • Review all posts from both business and main list for items which should be brought to the business meeting.
      • Be prepared for an increase in both public and private correspondence.
      • Be accountable for answering questions.
      • Writes and files minutes at end of each 4-day period for business list.
      • Writes and files a summary at end of each 4-day period for main list.
      • Counts votes during group conscience decisions.
      • Announces results of votes in business meeting minutes.
      • Receives information from Secretary if elections are needed.
      • If more than one volunteer for a position, calls for election, and counts votes
      • For duties and requirements common to all Trusted Servant positions, see Trusted Servant Common Duties.

2007 – Group Conscience Decisions

2007 Group Conscience Decisions

This is a summary of the group conscience decisions made in 2007.


January, 2007

  • PayPal Guidelines [decision by consensus]

    Agreed to include PayPal as one option for making 7th Tradition contributions to GROW, and approved the following guidelines:

    1) GROW will offer PayPal as a method for making 7th Step Contributions.

    2) GROW will register for PayPal’s standard website payment service using an email account established only for this purpose and for use only by the GROW Treasurer and Secretary. The PayPal account and e-mail address will be connected to the account established by the Treasurer for the purposes of GROW finances. The e-mail address will stay the same through Treasurer and Secretary rotations. The password will change with each Treasurer and Secretary.

    3) The Treasurer’s 7th Tradition Letter will stress that PayPal is only one option for contributing to GROW and include the following informational warning to her message:

    If a member chooses to use PayPal as a payment option, she should be aware of the following:

    * PayPal is a safe money-exchange operation if (and only if) you follow their safety recommendations, which are posted very clearly on their website.

    * Always go to the website through typing in their URL: https://www.paypal.com (note the “s” is important).

    * Do not go to the website through a link on any email letter.

    * Always assume that an email message sent to you that says it is from PayPal is a scam. PayPal does not send out email to members.

    *If you are at all uncomfortable, consider using another means to contribute to GROW

  • .

  • Revised 7th Tradition Letters [decision by consensus]

    Hi Everyone,

    The basket is now being passed. Tradition Seven: “Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.” We have no dues or fees, but we do have expenses. These include rent for the listserver and web page, bank fees, and contributions to OIAA and GSO.

    Contributions are appreciated, and can be made by check or by PayPal. See procedures below.

    TO CONTRIBUTE BY CHECK

    Per group conscience, please make checks payable to [INSERT TREASURER’S NAME] with “GROW” in the memo line and mail to: [Treasurer’s name and mailing address]

    If you want confirmation of contribution, please include your e-mail address.

    TO CONTRIBUTE BY PAYPAL

    To contribute using PayPal, first read “Important Note About PayPal” below so you do this safely. Then, go to PayPal’s secure website: (https://www.paypal.com/us/)

    – If you don’t already have an account, sign up for a PayPal account

    – Click the Send Money tab

    – Enter an amount and recipients email, which is: tradition7@g-r-o-w.com

    – PayPal will send confirmation of your payment.

    =========================

    Important Note About PayPal:

    If you choose to use PayPal, please remember that PayPal is a safe money-exchange operation if (and only if) you follow the safety recommendations posted on the PayPal website.

    * To safely and securely access the PayPal website or your account, open a new web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox) and type in the PayPal URL (https://www.paypal.com/us/) to be sure you are on the real PayPal site.

    * PayPal will send confirmation of payment. They will never ask for your password in an email. Always assume any email from PayPal asking for a reply is a scam and do not reply.

    *To learn more about protecting yourself from fraud, visit the PayPal Security Center. Click “Security Center” on the bottom of any PayPal page.

    *If you are at all uncomfortable using PayPal, consider sending your contribution by check.

    [ ENTER TREASURER’S NAME ]

  • Revised Job Descriptions [decision by consensus]
    • Secretary – To current wording we have added the following:

      “Receive copies of email messages sent to tradition7@g-r-o-w.com; have access to the GROW PayPal account at https://www.paypal.com/.”

    • Treasurer – To current wording we have added the following:

      “Receive copies of email messages sent to tradition7@g-r-o-w.com; have access to the GROW PayPal account at https://www.paypal.com/

      Set up password for the PayPal account; share this password with the Secretary *and the webkeepers.

    • Webkeeper – We do not currently have a job description for GROW webkeeper.

      A draft of a complete job description will be offered at the April business meeting. The following items will be included:

      As owner of EsoSoft account, change the forwarding information of tradition7@g-r-o-w.com with each new Treasurer.
      Receive copies of email messages sent to tradition7@g-r-o-w.com; have access to the GROW PayPal account at https://www.paypal.com/, and provide technical support to Treasurer as needed.

  • PayPal Account Ownerships [decision by consensus]

    Approved Laura B. to be listed as the “owner” of GROW’s PayPal account

  • PayPal Documentss [decision by consensus]

    Agreed PayPal documents need not be posted on the GROW website, but will be made available to members upon request.

  • Emergency Contact Information [decision by consensus]
    Agreed that all trusted servants will provide an emergency contact phone number to the GROW Secretary. This information will be available only to Trusted Servants, and not for general distribution.

July, 2007

  • Form Letters [decision by consensus]
    A simple list of letters and notices that are to be posted to GROW (what they are, which job does them, how often sent) will be maintained by the archivist and posted in the members-only section of the GROW website.
  • Rotating Backup [decision by consensus]
    Agreed to create a new trusted servant titled “Rotating Back-up.” This trusted servant would be “on call” to temporarily carry out the tasks of the Birthday Listkeeper, the Sponsor Listkeeper, and the Weekly Meeting Lead Listkeeper if necessary.

    Rotating Back-up Job Description

    1 year term

    1 year sobriety
    Must be member of business list
    Review GROW mail daily
    Be available to temporarily carry out the tasks of the Birthday, Sponsor, and Weekly Meeting Lead listkeepers, as necessary.
    Have an understanding of the duties of each job
    Know how to access job descriptions and form letters necessary to carry out the tasks
    Send letter of introduction to new birthday, sponsor and weekly mtg. listkeepers when they begin new term.
    Maintain current copies of birthday, sponsor and weekly meeting lead lists
    Provide successor with all necessary information, and serve as a mentor for a period of time to ensure continuity of service.

    The following are helpful to this position:
    o Organized
    o Good E-mail program such as Eudora, Outlook, etc.
    o Reliable Server
    o Good communication skills
    o Be able to cut, copy, paste, and save to a folder

  • Secretary Backup [decision by consensus]
    Agreed that the Business Chair backs-up Secretary.
  • Steering committee Welcomes New Trusted Servants [decision by consensus]
    Agreed that the Steering Committee will send out a welcome letter to each new trusted servant. The letter will include a thank you and simple guidelines, including where to find her job description, who to ask for help, and what to do if she can’t complete her duties. The one letter will include the names and contact information for all of the trusted servants.

October, 2007

Job Descriptions [decision by consensus]

Agreed to make the following changes to job descriptions for the purpose of uniformity and clarity:

BUSINESS MEETING CHAIR
Added to “Work with Secretary and Listkeeper to deal with disruptions”…
*in keeping with Our Common Welfare Guidelines, as approved group conscience.* (with link to common welfare guidelines)

GREETER
Add links to Greeter letters 1 and 2

LISTKEEPER
Add links to E-Mail Etiquette and Monthly Listkeeper Message
Add to “Work with Chair and Secretary to deal with disruptions”…
*in keeping with Our Common Welfare Guidelines, as approved group
conscience.* (with link to common welfare guidelines)

SECRETARY
Add links to Etiquette and FAQ
Delete Welcome Letter, add Greeter letters 1 and 2 with links
Add: Send Steering Committee Welcome Letter [link] to all new trusted servants.
Add: “Work with Chair and Listkeeper to deal with disruptions”…
*in keeping with Our Common Welfare Guidelines, as approved group
conscience.* (with link to common welfare guidelines)

SPONSOR LISTKEEPER
Delete “Periodically confirm sponsor volunteers are still GROW members”
Replace with: “At the term’s beginning and midterm, confirm sponsor volunteers are still GROW members. “
Add to “Once each month mail sponsor list to the group and seek
additional volunteers for online sponsoring”…
***”using Sponsor Letter Template approved by group conscience”

TREASURER
Delete: “# Send weekly announcements to the group, passing the basket (announcement includes a postal mailing address for contributions)
Replace with: Send weekly passing-the-basket announcement to the group, using the 7th Tradition Announcement Template approved by group conscience. Be sure to include your postal mailing address for mail-in contributions (with link)

12 STEP VOLUNTEER LISTKEEPER

Delete: “Occasionally verify that members of the 12 Step Committee are
current GROW members
Replace with: “Verify once a month that members of the 12 Step Committee are current
GROW members.”

Delete: “Send out periodic [MONTHLY] announcements”
Replace with: “Send out monthly announcements to the group regarding Step
opportunities, using 12-Step Opportunity Letter approved by group
conscience.”

WEEKLY LEADER LISTKEEPER

Delete: “Schedule should be completed up to three months in advance”
Replace with: “Schedule should be completed for no more than three
months in advance.

Delete “Make periodic announcements to the group asking for volunteers
Replace with “At the end of each month, call for topic volunteers to fill the 3rd unfilled month, using Weekly Leader Template approved by group conscience.” (with link.)

Webkeeper & Backup [decision by consensus]

Agreed to the following job descriptions for the webkeeper and webkeeper backup:

WEBKEEPER

Non-rotating term
2 years sobriety
2 years GROW membership

Must be member of Business List

Be a non-voting member of the Steering Committee

Maintain public website (g-r-o-w.com) for GROW to provide information about Alcoholics Anonymous and for the purpose of attracting new members, Information should include:
–Info about Alcoholics Anonymous
–Info about GROW
–Frequently Asked Questions
–Our Guiding Philosophy
–Guide for Email Etiquette
–Traditions in Cyberspace
–How to become a member

Maintain a password protected private section on g-r-o-w.com to provide GROW members with information about GROW, including:
–List of trusted servants and job descriptions
–Info about how we conduct business
–Group conscience decisions
–Common Welfare Guidelines
–Archives in keeping with group conscience guidelines
–Important Addresses

Work closely with GROW Archivist and Steering Committee to ensure that pertinent group history is preserved and that archives are accessible to GROW members in keeping with the GROW Archives Guidelines.

Inform Steering Committee when updates are made to the website.

Consult with Steering Committee before making substantial design or content changes to GROW website.

Post quarterly business meetings and keep updated throughout the business meeting.

Ensure that any material post on g-r-o-w.com appropriately protects the anonymity of anyone mentioned.

As owner of the EsoSoft account, pay annual service fee and provide copy of invoice/receipt to GROW Treasurer for reimbursement.

As owner of the EsoSoft account, change the forwarding information of tradition7@g-r-o-w.com with each new Treasurer.

Provide the Backup Webkeeper’s email address to EsoSoft and designate
her as co-owner.

Provide Backup Webkeeper with all necessary information and passwords
to access the Esosoft account and web server.

Receive copies of email messages sent to tradition7@g-r-o-w.com; have access to the GROW PayPal account at https://www.paypal.com/, and provide technical support to Treasurer as needed. Must be able to reply to business and steering committee email within 48 hours. If unable to do so, should inform the steering committee in advance, or in the case of a computer related problem, telephone another member of the Steering Committee.

Upon retirement, transfer EsoSoft account to successor, provide successor with all necessary information, including job guidelines, and serve as a mentor for a period of time to ensure continuity of service.

The following are helpful to this position:

–Organized
–Good E-mail program
–Reliable Server
–Good communication skills
–Be able to cut, copy, paste, and save to a folder
–Basic knowledge of web design and development and
ability to problem solve server issues with service provider

BACKUP WEBKEEPER

Non-rotating term

2 years sobriety

2 years GROW membership

Must be member of Business List

Carry out duties as outlined in the Webkeeper Job Guidelines and
maintain g-r-o-w.com in the absence of the Webkeeper.

Be designated as co-owner of the EsoSoft account.

Receive, from the Webkeeper, all necessary information and passwords
to access the EsoSoft account and g-r-o-w.com web server.

As co-owner, receive copies of all email messages, invoices and
account statements from EsoSoft.

Receive copies of email messages sent to tradition7@g-r-o-w.com; have
access to the GROW PayPal account at https://www.paypal.com/, and
provide technical support to Treasurer as needed.

In the event of an emergency in which the Webkeeper is no longer
available, contact EsoSoft to make necessary changes in account.

In the permanent absence of the Webkeeper, assume the duties
permanently, or at least until the next business meeting when a new
Webkeeper can be selected.

In absence of the Webkeeper, pay annual EsoSoft service fee and
provide copy of invoice/receipt to GROW Treasurer for reimbursement.

Transfer EsoSoft account to permanent Webkeeper or designate new
Backup Webkeeper as co-owner, providing all necessary passwords and
information to access EsoSoft account and web server.

Serve as a mentor to replacement for a period of time to ensure
continuity of service.

Non-responding TS Language [decision by consensus]

Must be able to reply to business and steering committee email within 48
hours. If unable to do so, should inform the steering committee in
advance, or in the case of a computer related problem, make every effort
to telephone another group member who can let the Steering Committee know.

* Lack of response to business, steering committee, or direct personal
email by another trusted servant for a period of seven consecutive days
will be reason for a temporary replacement chosen by the steering committee.

* Lack of response to business, steering committee, or direct personal
email by another trusted servant for a period of fourteen consecutive
days will be reason for temporary replacement by steering committee
until a permanent replacement can be chosen by the next business meeting.

Birthday Listkeeper Job Description [decision by consensus]

We have agreed to change the Birthday Listkeeper’s Job Description as follows:

  • Add link to Sample Birthday Letter
  • Delete: “Send out notice to group toward end of month, asking who is
    celebrating 3-, 6-, 9-, 12- and 18-month birthdays in the following month (requesting replies to be sent privately.)”
  • Replace with: “Send out notice to group toward end of month, asking who is celebrating 30 days, 3-, 6-, 9-, 18-month, or any multiple of annual birthdays, in the following month (requesting replies to be sent
    privately.)”
  • Delete “Develop list of celebrants for each month and — at the end of
    each week — send to the group a list of those members who will celebrate 3-, 6-, 9-, 12- and 18-month birthdays during the coming week; or, if the Birthday Listkeeper so chooses, send birthday announcements to the group early in the a.m.on the day of each birthday.”
  • Replace with: Develop list of celebrants for each month and — at the end of each week — send to the group a list of those members who will celebrate 30 days, 3-, 6-, 9-, 18-month, or any multiple of annual birthdays during the coming week; or, if the Birthday Listkeeper so chooses, send birthday announcements to the group early in the a.m.on the day of each birthday.”

2006 – Group Conscience Decisions

2006 Group Conscience Decisions

This is a summary of the group conscience decisions made in 2006.


January, 2006

By consensus:

  • Agreed that we want a summary of founders’ history and, with permission from Grapevine Magazine, a copy of the story “Oreos and a T-shirt” posted on our g-r-o-w.com Archives section.
  • Agreed that the current Treasurer term will be shortened to July so that the Secretary and Treasurer will rotate at the same time.
  • Agreed that GROW will maintain bank records for a period of seven (7) years.and that records older than seven (7) years will be destroyed.

By majority vote:

Adopted the following Archive Guidelines, which encompass and/or replace the Archive Proposal adopted in April 2000:

  1. The Archives are established to maintain a history of Grateful Recovering Online Women (GROW) in order to provide for an accurate rendering of the experience of GROW from its inception for the benefit of future GROW members and A.A. as a whole. We also recognize that archives serve a technical purpose in an online environment.
  2. GROW shares are automatically archived on the binhost server, and available to subscribed GROW members with a unique password which is disabled when the member is unsubscribed from GROW.
  3. GROW-BUS shares are automatically archived on the binhost server, and available only to GROW-BUS list members during business meetings.
  4. GROW and GROW-BUS archives are never publicly available. They are understood to be the property of the email list and will be deleted from the binhost server if or when the GROW email lists discontinue services with the binhost provider.
  5. Archives maintained by the Archivist and posted in the password protected members’ only section of g-r-o-w.com will include:

    a) A history written by the founders of GROW.

    b) A listing of trusted servant job guidelines, and current trusted servants and terms.

    c) Quarterly reports for the most recent 2 years from Treasurer, Listkeeper, Secretary, OIAA, GSR and Steering Committee Secretary.

    d) All Group Conscience decisions.

    e) Current letter and format templates used by or for Greeter-Welcomer, Listkeeper, email list provider, meeting format, 12 Step Chair, Topic Leader Chair, Sponsor Listkeeper, FYI, E-Mail Etiquette, etc.

    f) Business meeting agendas and minutes for the most recent 2 years.

  6. The GROW Archivist will maintain in her possession electronic back-up of those items listed in Section 5a through 5f.
  7. The GROW Archivist is authorized to destroy pre-binhost personal shares in her possession. She is further authorized to save, at her discretion, specific pre-binhost GROW email that could alter and/or further define GROW history with the understanding that these shares would never be made public.
  8. The GROW Archivist shall ensure that any non-binhost archived documents protect the individual anonymity, and shall work with the web keeper to ensure that these documents are appropriately displayed on g-r-o-w.com.

April, 2006

Adopted the following revision of the Archivist Job Description [decision by consensus]:

ARCHIVIST JOB DESCRIPTION

-Non-rotating term

-5 years sobriety

-1 year GROW membership

-Must be member of Business List

-Be a non-voting member of the Steering Committee

-Read all email from GROW meeting list, all email from GROW Business List,and all Steering Committee correspondence daily.

-Serve as focal person for GROW Archives, working with the Co-archivist, Steering Committee and Webkeeper to ensure that pertinent group history is preserved and that archives are accessable to GROW members in keeping with the GROW Archives Guidelines.

-Ensure that any publicly-presented material appropriately protects the anonymity of anyone mentioned.

-Maintain an electronic copy of pre-binhost archives as determined by GROW Archives Guidelines.

-Be able to access and research GROW and GROW-BUS archives on binhost as appropriate.

-Upon retirement, provide successor with all necessary information, including job guidelines, letter templates, and active lists; and serve as a mentor for a period of time to ensure continuity of service.

-The following are helpful to this position:

Organized

Good E-mail program such as Eudora, Outlook, Netscape, etc.

Reliable Server

Good communication skills

Be able to cut, copy, paste, and save to a folder

Good service sponsor

Adopted the following revision of the Co-Archivist Job Description [decision by consensus]:

C0-ARCHIVIST JOB DESCRIPTION

-1 year term

-3 years sobriety

-3 months GROW membership

-Must be member of Business List

-Be a member of the Steering Committee

-Provide support and back-up to the Archivist.

-Read all email from GROW meeting list, all email from GROW Business List,
and all Steering Committee correspondence daily.

-Maintain in her possession a an electronic back-up of pre-binhost archives as determined by GROW Archives Guidelines.

-Be able to access and research GROW and GROW-BUS archives on binhost as
appropriate.

-At the end of the term, provide successor with job guidelines and pre-binhost archives; and serve as a mentor for a period of time to ensure continuity of service.

-The following are helpful to this position:

Organized

Good E-mail program such as Eudora, Outlook, Netscape, etc.

Reliable Server

Good communication skills

Be able to cut, copy, paste, and save to a folder

Good service sponsor

Weekly meeting leaders should have a minimum of three months GROW membership and a minimum of three months sobriety [decision by consensus].


July, 2006

By consensus:

  • E-mail addresses of our trusted servants will be included in the monthly message sent by the Secretary to GROW.
  • All trusted servants are required to attend business meetings and will be automatically subscribed to the business list by the Listkeeper.
  • We will make our 7th Tradition contribution checks in the name of our treasurer.

October, 2006

By consensus:

  • We will include the word “daily” in the Greeter (and Back-Up Greeter) job description, with regard to reading GROW mail.
  • We will include a sentence in the Greeter (and Back-Up Greeter) job description to the effect that the Greeter send an e-mail to the 12-Step Volunteer Listkeeper about women who need extra support.
  • Reaffirmed that weekly meeting leads are sent on Sunday, with no time specified. The Weekly Lead Listkeeper may, at her discretion, maintain a list of available leaders she can call on to start the meeting if no lead is posted by Monday morning.

By majority vote:

  • Weekly meeting leaders should have a minimum of 30 days GROW membership and a minimum of 90 days of sobriety. (This changes group conscience by consensus of April 06)

2005 – Group Conscience Decisions

2005 Group Conscience Decisions

This is a summary of the group conscience decisions made in 2005.


January 2005

Agreed by Consensus:

  1. The web hosting and domain registration accounts shall list Webmaster as owner. Webmaster will provide Web Committee with the necessary contact information so they can access the account should Webmaster be unable to. This would allow the Web Committee or a designee to change the account information, make payments, etc.
  2. Web Committee members who have the experience and willingness to serve as back up will be provided with the necessary information by Web Master to access the webserver to make changes or updates, if necessary.
  3. Committee members interested in learning about web building can do so little by little and help the Web Master monitor the website for mistakes, broken links and problems.

April 2005

Agreed by Consensus:

  1. Combined the Greeter/Welcomer job description to reflect the combining of these positions, a decision we made in Oct. 04, and which took effect when the last welcomers finished their terms. The revised job description reads as follows:

    Greeter/Welcomer Job Description

    -1 Year Term 1 Year Sobriety

    – Member of Business List

    – Receive inquiries requesting information about GROW from Listkeeper.

    – Send initial response to potential new member.

    – Keep track of inquiries.

    – After receiving appropriate response (sometimes need to clarify Third Tradition adherence or being female) subscribe them to the list.

    – After receiving confirmation from listservice that the subscription has been accepted, send a welcome letter to the new member (letter provided), and introduce new member to the group. ( Place in subject line: New Member [email address]

    – Respond to questions from new members regarding the group.

    – If new member does not have access to the web, forward group information, as requested.

    – Work closely with Listkeeper.

    – Send resubscription requests to the Listkeeper.

    – Provide successor with all necessary information, including job guidelines; and serve as a mentor for a period of time to ensure continuity of service.

    – The following are helpful to this position:

    -Good organizational skills

    -Frequent checks for e-mail

    -Good e-mail program with filters and know how to set them up

    -Be able to cut, copy, paste, and save to a folder

  2. An Archives Committee, comprised of Susan G., Lori, Gigi, and Timi T., is tasked with revising GROW’s archives procedures to reflect, as best as possible, the discussions we have had during this business meeting. The committee will seek input from our Listkeepers regarding their proposal before it is presented at the October business meeting.
  3. Revised Greeter’s letter to read as follows:

    Welcome to GROW! Now that you’re subscribed, this is one of two emails you will receive to help you start participating in our meeting right away. You might want to print these out for future reference.

    A new meeting topic is sent to everyone on the list each Sunday and we share throughout the week. On-topic and Off-topic shares are welcome. We ask that off-topic posts be appropriate for an AA meeting. Please
    note in your subject line if your share is off topic (we usually type Off: … )

    To share with the group, just address your email to grow@binhost.com and your post will be forwarded to all members.

    Please be sure your email is set to send and receive plain text, and do not type in all CAPS.

    The secretary posts information about the trusted servants and guidelines for our email etiquette once a month. The Listkeeper (the person who makes sure the technical side our email list works smoothly) also posts information monthly.

    You’ll find lots more information on our GROW web site. The URL for GROW is:

    http://www.g-r-o-w.com

    Some of the information is for members only, so you’ll need the following:

    user name: sobertoday

    password: how2484

    If you have questions not answered by our website information, please write me and I’ll be sure to answer or send your question to someone who can.

    I hope Grateful Recovering Online Women is helpful to you in your
    journey and growth in sobriety. Again, Welcome!


July 2005

By consensus:

  • Reaffirmed that Co-archivist fills in for Archivist during temporary absence of the Archivist.
  • Agreed to leave the Archivist and Co-archivist job descriptions as they are. Adding the word “continuous” is considered unnecessary and the words “membership of AA” redundant.

October 2005

MINUTES – By consensus

  • The Secretary and Chair will carry out their duties as written and the Secretary will post Minutes to both GROW and GROW-BUS, reaffirming previous group conscience.
  • GROW BUS Minutes should include enough detail to accurately record what transpires during each 4-day segment and should be identified in the subject line as “Minutes” rather than “Update” or “Summary.
  • The following clarification about what Minutes should contain is to be added to the Secretary’s job description:
    • What TS reports were presented to the meeting
    • What discussions were on the table
    • The outcome of the discussion
    • How that decision would be entered into the record as a GC Decision (wording)
    • What discussions are ongoing and a brief background as to why
    • If there was a change to a previous group conscience decision; what it is changing from and to
    • Any other business before us and the outcome
    • TS positions filled and still open
    • GROW website url and password

BIRTHDAYS – By consensus

It has been recorded as group conscience decision that GROW will celebrate quarterly sobriety dates in addition to the annual birthdays we now recognize, and the Birthday Listkeepers job description has been revised to reflect this change.

WEEKLY TOPIC – By consensus

Our Weekly Meeting Lead Listkeeper will resume maintaining a list of topic shares and pass the list on to her replacement; and for reference purposes, a list of topic shares will be displayed in the Archive section of g-r-o-w.com for a period of one year.

ARCHIVES – By consensus

GROW will discontinue the archiving of shares to GROW. We authorized our Archivist to save, at her discretion, specific GROW emails that could alter and/or further define GROW history with the understanding that these shares would never go public. (This applies to past, present and future archiving procedures).

We will maintain 10 digests at all times, leaving it to our Listkeepers and Archivists (guided by these and past unrevised group conscience decisions) to determine how and when to delete past archives and turn off the current archive option.

These decisions have been incorporated into the Archive Guidelines adopted in April 2000. GROW’s Archive Guidelines now read as follows:

GROW ARCHIVE GUIDELINES – (Adopted 4/00; revised 10/05)

The Archives are established to maintain a history of Grateful Recovering Online Women (GROW) in order to provide for an accurate rendering of the experience of GROW from its inception for the benefit of future GROW members and A.A. as a whole.

As of October, 2005, we do not archive shares to the GROW list and our Archivist is authorized to save, at her discretion, specific GROW emails that could alter and/or further define GROW history with the understanding that these shares would never go public.

We will maintain 10 GROW digests at all times, leaving it to our Listkeepers and Archivists to determine how and when to delete past archives and turn off the current archive option.

These decisions do not change the Archives Guidelines adopted in April, 2000.

Archives may include: Pertinent correspondence on founding of the group Listing of TS’s Terms, who/when, service responsibilities (when, why and if changed) Quarterly reports from each TS Group Conscience decisions Form letters (Greeter, Welcomer, Listkeeper, majordomo, meeting format, 12 Step Chair, Topic Leader Chair, Sponsor Listkeeper, FYI, E-Mail Etiquette, etc.) Changes within the group structure (ex, listserver change) Steering Committee Actions (summary) * Business meeting minutes and agenda’s Copies of the digest for a period of 2 years to be reviewed periodically to insure pertinent group history be preserved.

A representative sampling of the archives will be publicly displayed as suggested by the GSO Guidelines. These publicly presented archives will contain historical documents that may be of the greatest interest to the largest number its members. All other archives may be made available in a timely manner to current members upon request.

The current Archivist will serve as a nonrotating historian so that there will be a focal person for the collection.

The Archivist will receive copies of Steering Committee mail and be non-voice receiver of correspondence.

The Steering Committee will select a recording secretary among its members to provide a summary of Steering Committee discussions and actions.

The Archivist shall ensure that any publicly presented material appropriately protect the anonymity of anyone mentioned. i.e., the standard of first name-last initial shall apply.

A rotating Co-Archivist will assist the non-rotating Archivist. The Co-Archivist is a one year term (suggested length of sobriety – 3 years; suggested length of GROW membership – 3 months)


2004 – Group Conscience Decisions

2004 Group Conscience Decisions

This is a summary of the group conscience decisions made in 2004. The previous year’s listings are for 2002; there were no group conscience decisions made in 2003.


January, 2004

Agreed to:

  1. continue to send our representative to OSC;
  2. oppose the the proposed OSC Charter;
  3. withhold any other decisions (and discussions) regarding OSC until the group arrives at a Charter we can support; and that we
  4. write a brief statement to this effect for our rep to share with OSC.

Changed Treasurer term length from one (1) year to two (2) years.


April, 2004

Agreed to add the following statement to the GSR/OCR job description:

  • ” Anticipate heavy increase in correspondence, especially during the months when OSC is in session.”

Agreed by vote to change the percentage of our excess funds donated to OIAA and GSO as follows:

  • GROW will contribute 20% to OIAA and 80% to GSO. Our OIAA Rep will privately let the OIAA Treasurer know that we are reducing our contribution in keeping with our letter of April, 2003.

Agreed by consensus to the following:

  • We will send the amount originally scheduled for April, as these funds were collected under the group conscience of a 50/50 split between OIAA and GSO.

July/August, 2004

The July business meeting was extended into August because the July meeting was interrupted by server problems. GROW changed listservers from Esosoft to Binhost during this time frame.

  • Agreed by unanimous vote to revise the treasurer job guidelines to include a requirement of at least one year as a member of GROW. (8/0404)
  • Agreed by consensus to withdraw from OSC. (8/0404)
  • Agreed by consensus that for the September 2004 inventory, we will use the same 12 inventory questions we have used in our previous two group inventories.
  • Agreed by consensus to increase our prudent reserve to $100 in anticipation of possible increased expenses with Treasurer rotation and new bank account in October.

October, 2004

  • Archives: The change to Binhost, which now provides us with password-protected searchable archives by date, topic, author and topic created several questions to answer. By consensus we decided: 1) We will continue providing the archive section on the g-r-o-w website. 2) The g-r-o-w website archive section will include a link to the Binhost archives; 3) The GROW archivist will continue to backing up the digests and saving them to a disk for safekeeping.
  • By consensus we reaffirmed that the archivist should be a non-rotating trusted servant.
  • By consensus we reaffirmed that our archive procedures are in keeping with traditions.
  • By consensus we decided that the Webkeeper should be a non-rotating trusted servant position and that there should be a back-up.
  • By consensus we agreed to combine the Greeter and Welcomer positions when the current Welcomers’ terms end.
  • By consensus we agreed that, because of restrictions by her local banks, our current treasurer, Annette, will ask for checks to be made out to her with GROW as a memo. (There is no consensus at this time to extend this decision to future treasurers).
  • By consensus we agreed that the Webkeeper and Archivist should be reimbursed for the cost of the website and the cost of disks needed to back up digests.
  • By consensus we agreed that the founder’s correspondence should be maintained by the founders and not available for general perusal. (There is no consensus at this time as to whether said correspondence should be available to someone other than the founders for research purposes).
  • By consensus we agreed that the GSR will serve as the OIAA alternate. (Clarification: We will have one OIAA representative who has no GSR duties and one GSR who also serves as the OIAA Alternate.

2002 – Group Conscience Decisions

2002 Group Conscience Decisions

This is a summary of the group conscience decisions made in 2002. The next year’s listings are for 2004; there were no group conscience decisions made in 2003.


July, 2002

By consensus agreed to the following:

  1. That GROW continue to send an Online Service Representative to the Online Service Conferences, but that GROW will withhold any formal endorsement of the OSC until (at least) after a report on the next conference scheduled for January 2003.
  2. That the Online Service Representative advise the GROW steering committee and/or business list of Advisory ballots and any other significant decisions presented as representing group conscience for all online AA groups.

At our October 2002 business meeting, we may want to discuss provisions for the service position of Online Service Representative. In the meantime Tina and Karen will keep the steering committee informed, and our April 2003, business agenda will include a review of the report on the January 2003, conference.


2001 – Group Conscience Decisions

2001 Group Conscience Decisions

This is a summary of the group conscience decisions made in 2001.


April 2001

  • By consensus agreed to add the responsibility for re-posting the topic mid-week to the Weekly Leader Listkeeper job description.
  • By consensus, the secretary will post the following reminder to the group at least once a month (this is in addition to the entire guide to email etiquette currently being posted): “Hi, Just a reminder that we here in GROW enjoy both on- and off-topic posts. While we send personal messages such as welcomes, hugs, and “enjoyed-your-share” comments privately, when one of our members needs help, we can all benefit from the show of open support and the sharing of experience, strength and hope shared publicly.
  • By consensus, agreed to conduct a group inventory in September, 2001.

October 2001

  • By consensus agreed:
    1. Hold off on putting a button on our website until we have a chance to see how it works for other groups; and
    2. Add a statement under our current OIAA link informing visitors that 24-hour help is available by visiting the OIAA website, or by calling Alcoholics Anonymous as listed in local telephone directories.
  • By consensus agreed that GROW welcomer(s) will send our online sponsor list to new members.

2000 – Group Conscience Decisions

2000 Group Conscience Decisions

This is a summary of the group conscience decisions made in 2000.


January 2000

  • Due to an emergency change in our list service provider from Esosoft to World during the preceeding quarter, our list cost has increased. As there is no annual discount with the new service, we will pay on a monthly basis. The refund due us for advance payment on our previous account will be applied to the GROW website. The GROW website will remain at Esosoft, at least until these funds are spent.
  • The Secretary and the Business Meeting Chair service responsibility descriptions are revised to include:
    • must be able to commit to reading email on a daily basis;
    • must participate in all steering committee meetings;
    • must be able to reply to business and steering committee email within 48 hours. If unable to do so, should inform the steering committee in advance, or in the case of a computer related problem, telephone another member of the Steering Committee.
    • Lack of response to business, steering committee, or direct personal email for a period of seven consecutive days will be reason for a temporary replacement chosen by the steering committee.
    • Lack of response to business, steering committee, or direct personal email for a period of fourteen consecutive days will be reason for temporary replacement by steering committee until a permanent replacement can be chosen by the next business meeting.
  • GROW will host a special women’s chat session during the OIAA Suite hosting at 2000 International Convention. GROW “business cards” will be made available, the content of which will be decided by our OIAA representatives.
  • The OIAA representative will make at least quarterly reports to the group, relying on the steering committee as a sounding board to help sort out which issues affect A.A. as a whole and thus require a group conscience.
  • Adopted the following Archives Proposal:

    * The Archives are established to maintain a history of Grateful Recovering Online Women (GROW) in order to provide for an accurate rendering of the experience of GROW from its inception for the benefit of future GROW members and A.A. as a whole.

    * Archives may include: Pertinent correspondence on founding of the group Listing of TS’s Terms, who/when, service responsibilities (when, why and if changed) Quarterly reports from each TS Group Conscience decisions Form letters (Greeter, Welcomer, Listkeeper, majordomo, meeting format, 12 Step Chair, Topic Leader Chair, Sponsor Listkeeper, FYI, E-Mail Etiquette, etc.) Changes within the group structure (ex, listserver change) Steering Committee Actions (summary)

    * Business meeting minutes and agenda’s Copies of the digest for a period of 2 years to be reviewed periodically to insure pertinent group history be preserved.

    * A representative sampling of the archives will be publicly displayed as suggested by the GSO Guidelines. These publicly presented archives will contain historical documents that may be of the greatest interest to the largest number its members. All other archives may be made available in a timely manner to current members upon request.

    * The current Archivist will serve as a nonrotating historian so that there will be a focal person for the collection.

    • The Archivist will receive copies of Steering Committee mail and be non-voice receiver of correspondence.
    • The Steering Committee will select a recording secretary among its members to provide a summary of Steering Committee discussions and actions.
    • The Archivist shall ensure that any publicly presented material appropriately protect the anonymity of anyone mentioned. i.e., the standard of first name-last initial shall apply.

    * A rotating Co-Archivist will assist the non-rotating Archivist. The Co-Archivist is a one year term (suggested length of sobriety – 3 years; suggested length of GROW membership – 3 months)


April 2000

GROW will support a mail list being formed for the duration of the OIAA International Convention where convention visitors could share on the chosen topic, demonstrating how e-mail meetings work. GROW will ask for volunteers from the group to participate. We will not open the GROW mail list up to convention visitors.


July 2000

  • By consensus, adopted the Archives Committee report and recommendations for the archives Storage and Display.
  • By consensus, approved the Archivist position as a trusted servant.

    We have found nothing in A.A. literature stating that a non-rotating position cannot be considered a trusted servant. We believe that the person assuming the responsibility of archivist is being trusted to perform a considerable service for the group, and that in keeping with group autonomy, we can choose to define this non-rotating position as a trusted servant.

  • By consensus, approved procedure for replacing non-rotating Archivist if necessary.

    In the event that the permanent archivist must be replaced, the co-archivist will be offered the position of permanent Archivist. If the co-archivist declines, she will serve as temporary archivist until a permanent archivist is selected following our guidelines and normal procedures for selecting trusted servants.

  • By consensus, agreed to post the call for trusted servants at least 3 days before the start of a business meeting to maintain a 7-day window and stay in sync with the business meeting schedule.
  • By consensus, agreed that the relapse of a trusted servant is a matter to be handled privately by the Secretary, with support and advice from the Steering Committee as necessary. A trusted servant who relapses would be asked to resign and encouraged to return, when sober, to any open trusted servant position for which she is qualified.
  • By consensus, adopted a Co-Archivist job description

October 2000

By consensus, approved the following clarification to be added to the co-archivist job description: “Each new co-archivist is provided with an up-to-date archive file by the previous co-archivist, which she maintains and adds to during her term, then passes on to the next co-archivist.”


1999 – Group Conscience Decisions

1999 Group Conscience Decisions

This is a summary of the group conscience decisions made in 1999.


January 1999

  • All service commitments currently held shall be extended for a period of one month so all positions will expire during the month of a regularly scheduled business meeting. (One time only extension.)
  • Backup Trusted Servants will step in to a vacated position and fulfill the balance of the remaining term of those Trusted Servants resigning before their commitment is up.
  • The end of service commitment will be staggered for these positions to maintain continuity of subscribing service to our new members. (One time only.)
  • The topic will be reposted during the week with encouragement to hear from members who haven’t yet shared on topic.
  • Decisions about whether to immediately subscribe someone (possibly still drinking and asking for help and/or information) or send such requests on to the Greeters will be at the discretion of our Listkeeper.
  • The doors of the business meeting will remain open to all members for the duration of the meeting, and the steering committee will determine how to bring late comers up to speed with the least amount of disruption to the business at hand.
  • GROW does not allow group postings of any copyrighted material for which permission to distribute has not been obtained from the copyright owner.

April 1999

The business list will be closed at the end of each quarterly business meeting. All members will be unsubbed from the business list, and will need to re-subscribe to the business list at the start of each new business meeting.


October 1999

  • GROW will, in addition to our regular weekly topics, have a Step discussion and a Tradition discussion each month; Step and Tradition to correspond with the month. (To begin immediately). The following format will be sent every Sunday separately from the weekly topic:

    Subject Line: Step and Tradition Topic

    According to group conscience, GROW holds monthly Step and Tradition discussions to correspond with the month. This being [month], you are invited to share on Step ____ and Tradition _____ in addition to the weekly topics.

    Step _____ (Include as it appears in the contents of the 12 x 12)

    Tradition _____ (Include both short and long form).

  • The group secretary position shall be assigned the role of list “owner.”
  • Beginning with the March invoice, we will change payment on account to Esosoft from semi-annual to annual. We will increase our prudent reserve to accommodate this change.
  • The dates of service for our Members at Large will run from November through October (appointed during October business meeting, rotate out at the end of the next October business meeting).

1998 – Group Conscience Decisions

July 1998
  • 7/6/98 – To archive group history
  • 7/7/98 – To register group with GSO
  • 7/8/98 – Seventh tradition distribution
  • 7/13/98 – To develop a website for the group
  • 7/17/98 – To conduct business on a separate mail list
  • 7/18/98 – To hold business meetings quarterly (in the months of January, April, July, October) using a 4-day format. No digest on business list.
  • 7/19/98 – To use Esosoft as Listserver
  • 7/23/98 – Adoption of Traditions in Cyberspace
  • 7/27/98 – Trusted Servants positions will be filled by either volunteer or nominee. If more than one meets group guidelines, the position will be filled by election.
  • 7/28/98 – Steering Committee: purpose and who serves.
  • 7/29/98 – To hold periodic group inventory (how often still to be determined)
August 1998
  • 8/3/98 – Adopted weekly meeting format
  • 8/4/98 – Several general guidelines
    • Group Conscience Guidelines
    • Group Guidelines for Mail List Etiquette
    • Common Welfare Guidelines (disruptions procedure)
  • 8/11/98 – Online Sponsor Statement
  • 8/14/98 – Greeter letter; Birthday Listkeeper Service Responsibilities; Trusted Servants, terms of Service and Sobriety Requirements
  • 8/17/98 – Archivist to develop service responsibilities after a trial period in this position
  • 8/19/98 – Treasurer Service Responsibilities
  • 8/20/98 – To use Esosoft WWW services for website. Only AA recovery links to be included
  • 8/21/98 – Name of Group “Grateful Recovering Online Women (GROW)
  • 8/22/98 – To pay Esosoft for 6 months service each pay period. To pay by check (cash) not credit card.
  • 8/23/98 – To send new meeting announcement to appropriate sources; several service position responsibilities:
    • Welcomer Service Responsibilities
    • Chair Service Responsibilities
    • Greeter Service Responsibilities
    • GSR Service Responsibilities
    • Leader Listkeeper Service Responsibilities
    • OIAA Rep Service Responsibilities
    • Secretary Service Responsibilities
    • 12 Step Listkeeper Service Responsibilities
    • Sponsor Listkeeper Service Responsibilities
  • 8/24/98 – Listkeeper Service Responsibilities; several “form” letters:
    • Pass-the-Basket Announcement
    • majordomo Letter – Main List
    • majordomo letter – Business List
    • Welcomer Letter
  • 8/25/98 – Several items:
    • 12 Step Volunteer Letter
    • FYI Letter Format, to include list of current trusted servants, group addresses and web page information.
    • Secretary to serve as second signer on checking account in case of emergency
  • 8/31/98 – All Group Conscience Decisions have a six month “no revisit.”
September 1998
  • 9/2/98 – To have password-protected members-only web pages for member information not of general interest to the public.
  • 9/3/98 – Only the approval address will be shown on the public pages of the website; reply to be set to sender of original mail
  • 9/4/98 – First group inventory to be held in September, 1999 and at least every two years thereafter.
  • 9/5/98 – First business meeting to be held in January, 1999.