Month Long Sobriety
Well people I officially made it a month without drinking, this was my goal and I met it! Before I continue I would like to say I have been debating how exactly I should approach this post. I do not want to offend anyone who is an alcoholic or has alcoholics in their family. Please believe this, as I completely understand. But the thing is I have to address the issue, as people have been wondering what this was all about. In fact several people asked me yesterday to now reveal why exactly I stopped drinking for the month. Also please keep in mind, this isn't the inspirational blog.
Back at the beginning of January I told a friend of mine my goal and she said there is no way you will make it. But as time has gone on she has come to be very supportive and last night sent me this quote by C.S. Lewis, who notably didn't think Christians should not drink. (I agree with him, and this post is not meant to start some debate on drinking. Please don't do that.) But he wrote:
"Of course, it may be the duty of a particular Christian...to abstain from strong drink, either because he is the sort of man who cannot drink at all without drinking too much, or because he wants to give money to the poor, or because he is with people who are inclined to drunkennes and must not encourage them by drinking himself. But the whole point is that he is abstaining, for good reason, for something which he does not condemn and which he likes to see other people enjoying."
- C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
I didn't stop drinking because I am "the sort of man who cannot drink at all without drinking too much." This is not really pertinent to my situation. Trust me I have had way too much to drink many times. But no this isn't the reason. And I didn't abstain because I "want to give my money to the poor." Please don't take this the wrong way, I do want to give my money to the poor but you have to have money to give. I have no job, I have no income its all out-going so this isn't really it either. Now that I think through this I should be giving my time at this point in life, but its something to work on.
And for the record this was not because I am "with people inclined to drunkenness and must not encourage them by drinking himself." I honestly did not even consider this in making the decision to not drink. It has nothing to do with other people, it has to do with me. I do realize the goal is to become a "Christ Follower" and not just a "Christian" but I was thinking more about making healthy choices for myself in life, not influencing other people. So if you felt like I was being judgmental well, thats wrong. But because of all the peer pressure that I went through this month I am not really worried about this too much. And let me tell you the peer pressure was incredible, the first question was always "Why would you do this to yourself?" See why I am not too worried that I might have offended people?
But I can identify with the idea that "the whole point is that he is abstaining, for good reason, for something which he does not condemn and which he likes to see other people enjoying." So for all you people who asked me to reveal what has been going on, this is it, for MY good reason.
Back at the beginning of January I told a friend of mine my goal and she said there is no way you will make it. But as time has gone on she has come to be very supportive and last night sent me this quote by C.S. Lewis, who notably didn't think Christians should not drink. (I agree with him, and this post is not meant to start some debate on drinking. Please don't do that.) But he wrote:
"Of course, it may be the duty of a particular Christian...to abstain from strong drink, either because he is the sort of man who cannot drink at all without drinking too much, or because he wants to give money to the poor, or because he is with people who are inclined to drunkennes and must not encourage them by drinking himself. But the whole point is that he is abstaining, for good reason, for something which he does not condemn and which he likes to see other people enjoying."
- C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
I didn't stop drinking because I am "the sort of man who cannot drink at all without drinking too much." This is not really pertinent to my situation. Trust me I have had way too much to drink many times. But no this isn't the reason. And I didn't abstain because I "want to give my money to the poor." Please don't take this the wrong way, I do want to give my money to the poor but you have to have money to give. I have no job, I have no income its all out-going so this isn't really it either. Now that I think through this I should be giving my time at this point in life, but its something to work on.
And for the record this was not because I am "with people inclined to drunkenness and must not encourage them by drinking himself." I honestly did not even consider this in making the decision to not drink. It has nothing to do with other people, it has to do with me. I do realize the goal is to become a "Christ Follower" and not just a "Christian" but I was thinking more about making healthy choices for myself in life, not influencing other people. So if you felt like I was being judgmental well, thats wrong. But because of all the peer pressure that I went through this month I am not really worried about this too much. And let me tell you the peer pressure was incredible, the first question was always "Why would you do this to yourself?" See why I am not too worried that I might have offended people?
But I can identify with the idea that "the whole point is that he is abstaining, for good reason, for something which he does not condemn and which he likes to see other people enjoying." So for all you people who asked me to reveal what has been going on, this is it, for MY good reason.
Comments
About yesterday's blog, I still think you should have talked to the guy.
Meredith (Charles' sister)