You are one amazing woman!!! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I am thankful you are here on this board.

She is that!

One of my favorites. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I'm glad she's here too!

Susan <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Yes, she is my favorite too! Looks like I have to share her!!

Bramble, I sincerely think you should write a book. You have a "to the point", articulate way of writing that many could benefit from - and you word things in such a way that they don't come across offensive!!

LOL. Oh dear. Thank you, I'm not sure what for though. I tend to upset people I write to more than I help them. I'm glad somebody gets something out of it.

Not sure what I would write about though. I'm too young and I don't really know what I'd have to say that hasn't been said already by every other writer on the planet! Maybe someday if I come up with something that I think hasn't been said....<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

Honestly, theres not much I say that is unique. It's just repeating all the stuff I learned from others!

I admire you because you can still remember it all. LOL <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

Maybe that is because you are young. I'll check you again in about 15-20 years. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Susan

Haha . . . sure check with me, if I still remember who you are!

And I am just another BrambleRose fan ... as you know ... I am grateful to you for all you have done to help me personally <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I too think the world of BRose.

She won't help me personally, but I "pick up" things anyway. LOL

That is absolutely the thing I love the most about Marriage Builders, having been here all these years.

A poster thinks they are posting to another poster, but we have no idea the ripple effects on all the other people just reading and lurking in the background.

It may not help the person you are posting to, but you have no idea who it DOES help!

Susan <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

BR, my admiration of you went to the top of the scale after I read your posts to frozen and patriot. I get a lot out of your posts to others. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Sidenote to Faithful Follower ~ doesn't God manage to send us what we need in one way or another (even if it is through BR posts to someone else)?

So...knowing that, what is the worst thing that can happen? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Susan <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Thanks again guys.

Weaver, I don't know that I "won't" help you...

I just tend to answer posts that I know I have something to share. Many times I pass threads by simply because someone else has already said what I would have said, or because other people are better at helping. Also, there are times that it is clear to me that my posts will not be welcome.

Speaking of that...its pretty clear that I have worn out my welcome with Froz. I would hope that the rest of you ladies could step in and help her.

Bramble,

It could be that Froz needs to rest a bit, catch her breath and think.

I'm also not sure if she's versed in 12 step programs. Your chats with her have been priceless, not only for her but for others.

Any idea how old she is?

Froz, if you're reading here...How old are you? Reason, I ask, is you remind me of the age of my younger sister.

Hard to do until she decides to also help herself.

Susan <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Bramble,

On another note, I'm working up the nerve to tackle a new wrinkle in my life. My BIL has a gambling addiction.

It's dredging up old crap for me, of which I realize I should welcome as an "opportunity" since it's causing me so many flashbacks.

My sister is attending Gam-Anon, so that's a plus; but her situation is a enormous drag on our entire family.

My BIL is also a recovering alcoholic, who never bought into AA, yet was able to quit cold turkey with out-patient rehab.

Aaaa, so BIL traded one addiction for another - is that how he kicked it?

And yep, if his gambling is a problem for you, its time to look at what the issue is for you!

Yep, it is time for me to look at what the issue is for me.

It's partly why reading Froz's thread has been so helpful.

When I was involved in my own 12 step recovery through alanon, there was only so much I could do at the time; believe me I had come a long way from where I had been.

In addition I had a wonderful alanon group that I participated in where I used to live, and also went to incredible open AA speaker meetings that were enormously enlightening.

Then I moved to where I have lived now for the past 15 years. I never found an alanon group that I liked as well as the one I left....now here I am, telling myself "Well, I take me with me wherever I go!"

And I've come to realize reading your posts on Froz's thread, I probably wasn't through dealing with the "me" I was prior to marrying my 1st husband who was the alcoholic in my life.

So really, as you know the bottom line is that it's not my ex-husband, my BIL or even my sister. It's me that I have my issues with. UGH.....it's so much easier to escape myself by dealing with "everyone elses" issues.

My chickens are coming home to roost.

Well then, get out the chicken roaster and lets have dinner!

sorry, although, if you follow my posts, you already know I have a crappy sense of humor!!!!

And to answer your question...

Although my BIL traded his alcoholism with his gambling addiction, since he just did 30 day out-patient rehab with no further counseling or AA meetings, he never dealt with the issues within himself that caused his addictions.

Several years passed between the time he actively drank to when he started gambling....but there was no recovery from his addictions in the meantime.