MAZEL TOV

Great work, Steve - uh, Cucumber - I mean Pickle!

Mazel Tov.  Looking forward for more looong posts.

Hi Steve!!

Another of the gresteh fans of 'Der Pickler', just weighing-in.

Hi there!

(and Mazel Tov!)

;D

For an SA milestone we say:
Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!









We are saving the "Mazel Tov!!!" for the 3rd night of Chanukah. {That is when you merited adding the mitzva of Lo Sasuru acharei eineichem to your repertoire.}

Hellooooo Chevra!!

My sincerest apologies for being absent from this heilige forum so long. I want y’all t’kno that I’m alive and well, B”H, and hope one day to have enough time to post here at least once a week. Who knows, maybe I’ll learn how to make short posts! 

As many of you know, I’ll be co-hosting another “fellowship” in the GYE 12-Step Anonymous Phone Conference Flotilla (Hey Guard, we just GOTTA get a shorter name than THIS!!). As I’ve said before in this venue, I really feel that HKB”H has been grooming me to take on this role of host/moderator/sponsor, to share what I’ve been shown with my fellow struggling addicts. This takes away from the hours I used to spend posting here and visiting/commenting on other’s threads. I regret that loss, but the direct gains of growing together in the 12 Step Program are astronomically beneficial, to me and I hope for our fellow shipmates.

B”H, I have passed two milestones thanx to both the GYE Site and Forum, and the 12-Step Program. On October 12th I celebrated my First SA Anniversary, meaning one year clean of being MZ”L. And on the third Ner of Chanukah, my Hebrew B-day, I marked my First GYE Anniversary, one year clean from P*rn. (The WOH goes by the English dates and thinks I have a few more days left to the year…). I cannot believe it myself!

Thank you Rebbeinu Reb Guard, Shlita, for your tireless efforts in the War for Moral Purity, and for creating this haven of kedusha that has saved me countless times. I want to thank ALL the “Old Guard” from the forum (you all know who you are – you’re my FRIENDS!), on BOTH sides of the mechitza, for all the chizuk and influence and perspective I have gained from them. And, of course, I wouldn’t be where I am today without Duvid Chaim and his brainstorm creation of the anonymous group thingy.

But most of all, I must thank all the vets and newbies from the 12-Step Call cycles, my soul-mates, comrades-in-arms, who have taught me more than I ever would have known about MYSELF, and my addictive mind. Who have walked with me in the steps that lead to Sobriety and eventually to Recovery, to know AND feel Hashem’s Light and Connection to me.

Now, lest you think I’ve “got this thing licked” – I DON’T! I will always have an addictive brain, and just last week, on the eve of ZOS CHANUKAH, I was severely tested, and was mamash ONE CLICK AWAY from starting my GYE count all over again with a P*rn fall. Chasdei Hashem Yisborach I pulled myself away from the keyboard. HOW? By remembering that I’d have to DO JUST THAT, let everyone know I had a fall and start counting again for shemiras eiynayim. I’m telling you all, THAT is what stopped me. DID I WANT TO MESS UP WHAT I HAD ACCOMPLISHED? NO!!! DID I WANT TO HAVE TO FACE THE GUYS ON THE CALL, WHO LOOK UP TO ME FOR GUIDANCE, WITH THAT ON MY CONCIOUS? A THOUSAND TIMES NO!!!!

B”H I was saved that time, the closest call I’ve had in over 6 months. A chaver from the calls, Shlomo, helped me focus afterward on where I was weak in the Program, and where I got complacent. Now I know where the breaches are that must get strengthened, and I know that I need Hashem’s help to do that, that I cannot do it on  my own. And with a little back to basics, redoing the steps in a mini-way, rediscovering through A&W’s that Hashem is still by my side guiding me, I’m back on track.

I shared this so y’all can see that the 12 Steps are NOT a CURE, but a Way of Life and a Perspective with a Spiritual Tool Kit that allows us to keep moving forward when we ARE tested, which sure as the lint in my navel will happen again. And whether we “fall” or not, thru these tools we can avoid falling back into self-pity and depravity.

So, just to mention again, the next launch of the Freedom Flotilla, the daily 12-Step phone groups, moves out of port in 2 days – Monday, Dec 13th. The “Dawn Treader” Ice-Breaker Ship leaves with me and a co-host at 8:30am EST; The “Lunch-n-Learn” Mother Ship follows at High Noon EST with Cap’n Duvid Chaim; The “Late Show” Night Cruise hoists anchor at 10:20pm EST with Shlomo at the helm. All three ships will “be on the same page” in the AA Big Book, so if on any day a shipmate needs to hop on a different hour than their normal one, they shouldn’t miss the flow.

Plus there are other exciting options: There’s a Lady’s Cruise (wasn’t there a movie about a WWII pink boat?) that leaves port on Monday also, which should be declared a day of simcha and ho’odah for the Noshim Tzidkonios on our Women’s Forum. Also, Daniel is starting a twice-per-week program based on the 12 Traditions. Also, “Daily Dose of Dov” Dov is starting his group up again (second time around – GO DOV!!). And our very own Dov-In-Israel is planning a submarine launch with a refreshing mix of 12-Steps, Mussar, and Haskoffah (and I think a little Reggae?) to round out the 12-Step experience for alumni.

The ARMY of HASHEM now has it’s OWN NAVY!!

Anyone interested in more info or who wants to enlist, please see Chizuk Email 913 (from Friday, Dec 10) for the links.

And in the words of Tiny Tim – “G-d Bless US, EVERYONE!!”

Till next time -

Steve, Your Long-Winded Pickle

Mazel tov, rabiny reb steve, its good to see ya around,
KOT

Shteev thanks for the short post

KOT

Mazel tov!!!


U shud be proud


B

Bardy-boy,

Yes, I'm proud of being a member of this Heilige Forum, and of being The Pickle-Meiser.

And I'm doubly proud of being a member of the brave soldiers/sailors in the 12 Step program. I know that Reb Guard worked very hard to organize the GYE Program into several levels of addiction, suggesting that one might not need a 12 Step program unless they've reached level 5 or so. But I think the life skills the program offers, and the freedom from lust it promises, are good for ANY level in this struggle. So I suggest no one rule it out. It's the greatest gift I have ever received from HKB"H after life, finding the Torah, health, marriage, and children. I'm serious.

As a lust addict, I had lost my freedom of choice - I could not stop acting out and lusting even tho I knew it was wrong, I knew it was killing me both in this world and the next, and threatening to destroy everything i held dear - my wife, my children, my marriage, my respect in the community - EVERYTHING!! But i could not stop. I'd fallen low enough to consider suicide several times. I couldnt stand living the Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde life.

But now, NOW I'm connected to my REAL life. Building relationships with my family, experiencing life without the self-pity and self-loathing that swallowed me. Able to REALLY work on Deveykus Hashem, to build a personal relationship with Him and SEE and FEEL Him at my side daily. And it was the 12 Step Program that did it for me, with Hashem's Power and guidance.

To ANYONE who may read this:

Do YOU want to win back your Freedom of Choice? Would you not rather LIVE in the present instead of living in the past (wallowing in your resentments) or worried about the future (stymied by fears)? Don't you want to STOP being MZ"L as soon as possible, so you have less aveiros to have to get a kapporah on? DO YOU WANT TO LIKE YOURSELF AGAIN???

The 12 Steps WORK IF YOU WORK THEM, and YOU'RE WORTH IT!!

We just launched the another 13-15 week program today. It's NEVER TOO LATE to join. Call in, even if just to see what it's all about.

You'll be thankful your whole life that you did.

With Love and Respect always,

Steve

shteeeev i luvya man!!!

shteev gevaldiiiigggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg!!!!!!!!

mornin', y'all…

Have a GREAT DAY. To paraphrase an anti litter campaign from the sixties:

THIS IS YOUR WORLD. KEEP IT CLEAN.

rabbeinu - that has to be your shortest post!

yep.

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