Castles in the Sand visits an AA meeting

It has been a long time since I have gone to an AA meeting. This one, held at noon in the basement of an Episcopalian church, was well attended. The people were friendly. Some had long-term sobriety; some had very little.

I sat in a back row, with my Oregon Ducks hat and  a copy of the novel, Castles in the Sand, in my hand. I did not want to be called on to speak. In AA, you give your name, and then you say, “I’m an alcoholic,” or something similar.

I can’t say that, because I have been freed by Jesus Christ. I resolved that if I were called on I would say, “I’m John. The Lord has delivered me from heroin, alcohol addiction, the streets, and gotten me through congestive heart failure and cancer. In Isaiah, He tells us:

I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praises to graven images.”

Then I would say, “But I’ll just listen today. Thank you.” 

But I didn’t get called on. At 12:48 I turned to the woman sitting two seats to my right. She had a large wedding ring, and was in her mid forties. She had been through a lot and, I believed, tried  many different things. “Hey,” I said quietly, “if you’re a reader, this book is for you.”

I handed her  Castles in the Sand. A little surprised, she took the book and thanked me. I smiled and got up and left.

Maybe the Lord will circulate this book among the AA people. Maybe this woman will read it and do some serious thinking about God–the God of Isaiah 42:8, not some “higher power”…

What if she tells her AA friends how this book portrays labyrinths? And, for that matter, meditation? I am pretty sure I am going to return to the Episcopalian church with the labyrinth.

Maybe I’ll even have another copy of Castles in the Sand.

RELATED: Castles in the Sand visits a labyrinth!

 http://mywordlikefire.wordpress.com/2010/01/27/castles-in-the-sand-visits-a-labyrinth/