yup exactly. i try to think of grace as meaning god's riches at christ's expense.
i tried to quit drinking a couple of times on my own - once i made it 9 months - but something would always happen to set me off again. the next to last time i actually died (from a systemic infection) and they brought me back. it ticked me off so much that they revived me that i went on a two year bender.
it wasn't till i started reading thru the bible in a year that i "let go and let god" so to speak. that's why my anniv date is june 1. i was exactly 6 months thru the bible when He smacked me upside the head and i finally let Him take the desire to drink away.
it wasn't in gone a flash (like my wife's drug addiction) - i had dt's for 3 days, and some serious issues for a month - but i never would have made it on my own.
yes but personally i couldn't kick alcohol with sheer determination. see above
yeah i went from mr big shot architectural designer to gutter cleaner etc and i think god is doing the humble thing to me. or for me.
this is what i've been doing this week - these are my two youngest sons (21 and 17)
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...in/work016.jpg
btw it's been in the 90s and 100% humidity all week!