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Rank: Advanced Member  Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,847 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "You are not alone:"
"Perhaps the strangest and most insidious aspect of the disease of alcoholism is its ability to hide itself from the sufferer. Alcoholics are experts at not being able to see their own illness. They are often the last to admit that they have a drinking problem.
"Alcoholism is a progressive illness. Late starting or early, the drinking gets more and more out of control. Indeed, the very attempt to control it can become an all-consuming preoccupation.
"Help is available, but you must make the decision to ask for it...[In A.A.] you will simply meet men and women who have found a way to free themselves from their dependence on alcohol and have begun to repair the damage it has done to their lives. Such freedom and recovery can be yours, too"
c. 1976, A.A. for the Woman (A.A. Pamphlet P-5) - page 8-9
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
January 27, 2010
Twelve Steps
The Twelve Steps of our AA program
are not crammed down anybody's throat.
They are not sustained by any human authority.
Yet we powerfully unite around them because the truth they contain
has saved our lives, has opened the door to a new world.
Our experience tells us these universal truths work.
The anarchy of the individual yields to their persuasion.
He sobers up and is fed, little by little,
to complete agreement with our simple fundamentals.
c. 1988 The AA Grapevine, Inc., The Language of the Heart, p. 8
Thought to Ponder . . .
The Program was a dazzling gem being dangled before my eyes.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
P R O G R A M =
Prayer, Recovery, Open-mindedness, Gratitude, Reality, Acceptance, Meetings.
Today's Meditation:
We need to accept the difficulties and disciplines of life so as to fully
share the common life of other people. Many things that we must accept in
life are not to be taken so much as being necessary for us personally, as to
be experienced in order that we may share in the sufferings and problems of
humanity. We need sympathy and understanding. We must share many of the
experiences of life, in order to understand and sympathize with others.
Unless we have been through the same experiences, we cannot understand other
people or their makeup well enough to be able to help them.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may accept everything that comes my way as a part of life. I
pray that I may make use of it in helping other people.
Today's Quotable:
Love means to love that which is unlovable; or it is no virtue at all. G.K.
Chesterton
Today's Tool:
This morning as I was coming into work, I had an uneasy,
anxious feeling. It was vague, I had a hard time pinpointing
what it was about. When I looked at my thoughts, I saw
that I was thinking about how work, life, relationships will
be down the road. Actually it was more worrying than
thinking.
I know from past experience that thinking too much (more
than 8 seconds) about the future will lead to negative
projections and discomfort. So I am trying to focus on
what is right in front of me, like typing this email, then
taking care of the next task at work. After work, I am
going with my fiancée to her parents' house to celebrate
her birthday. Seems like a pretty good day to me.
If I focus on today, stay in touch with HP, use the tools of the
program and talk to other folks on this path, most of the
time the day goes well and life is enjoyable. So what am I
worrying about?
tool: stay in the now
David
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,847 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "Drowning":
"I knew that I was dying. . . . For the first time in my life, I uttered a sincere prayer: 'God, please help me.' I didn't bargain with Him, nor did I suggest how or when He should help.
"Immediately, I became calm and relaxed. . . . I went to sleep and slept all night. . . .
"A spiritual experience, I think, is what God does for a man when the man is completely helpless to do it for himself. A spiritual awakening is what a man does through his willingness to have his life transformed by following a proven program of spiritual growth, and this is a never-ending venture."
– Raleigh, North Carolina
© 1973 AAWS, Inc.;
Came to Believe, pg. 17
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
January 28, 2010
Habits
Our drinking was connected with many habits -- big and little.
Some of them were thinking habits, or things we felt inside ourselves.
Others were doing habits -- things we did, actions we took.
In getting used to not drinking, we have found that we needed new habits
to take the place of those old ones. . .
After we spent a few months practicing these new, sober habits
or ways of acting and thinking,
they became almost second nature to most of us, as drinking used to be.
Not drinking has become natural and easy, not a long, dreary struggle.
c. 1998 AAWS, Living Sober, p. 1
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
When I struggle, I sink. When I let go, I float
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
B A T H = Behavior, Attitude, Thinking, Habits.
Today's Meditation:
God will protect you from the forces of evil, if you will rely on Him. You can face all things through the power of God which strengthens you. Once God has set on you His stamp and seal of ownership, all His strength will serve and protect you. Remember that you are a child of the Father. Realize that the Father's help is always ready and available to all His children, so that they can face anything. God will do all that is necessary for your spiritual well-being, if you will live His way.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may rely on God as I go through this day. I pray that I may feel deeply secure, no matter what happens to me.
Today's Quotable:
The less you open your heart to others, the more your heart suffers. Deepak Chopra
Today's Tool:
'Perseverance may well be our greatest asset. As we forge ahead on a
project, it loses its power over us. Any commitment we make to a task
that draws our interest will be reinforced by God's commitment to our
efforts. We have a partner. Our efforts are always doubled when we make
them -- truly make them."
From "Each Day a New Beginning" Hazelden
My Tool: Be truly committed to what is ahead of us and go to GOD for His
help.
Paul W.
Delta, Co.
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,847 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "Freedom from Bondage:"
"The A.A. members who sponsored me told me in the beginning that I would not only find a way to live without having a drink, but that I would find a way to live without WANTING to drink, if I would do these simple things. They said if you want to know HOW this program works, take the first word of your question -- the H is for honesty, the O is for open-mindedness and the W is for willingness; these our Book calls the essentials of recovery. They suggested that I study the A.A. book and try to take the Twelve Steps according to the explanation in the Book, for it was their opinion that the application of these principles in our daily lives will get us sober and keep us sober. I believe this, and I believe too that it is equally impossible to
practice these principles to the best of our ability, a day at a time, and still drink."
c. 1976, Alcoholics Anonymous, page 550
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
January 29, 2010
Hope
Did I, an alcoholic, have a defective character? Of course I did.
Was I, an alcoholic, also a sick man? Yes, very.
To what extent I was personally responsible for my drinking, I don't know.
Yet I'm not one to take complete refuge in the idea that I was a sick man only.
In earlier years I certainly had some degree of free will.
That free will I used badly, to the great misery of my mother
and countless others. I am deeply ashamed.
As one who knows me a little, you may have heard how, ten years ago,
a friend, himself a liberated alcoholic, came to me bearing the light
which finally led me out of the toils.
There will come a day like that for you and yours -- I'm so confident!
As ever, Bill W.
Letter to the Mother of an Alcoholic, December 1944
c.1988 The AA Grapevine, Inc., The Language of the Heart, p.102.
Thought to Ponder . . .
Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible,
and achieves the impossible.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
H O P E = Heart Open; Please Enter.
Today's Meditation:
Remember that the first quality of greatness is service. In a way, God is
the greatest servant of all, because He is always waiting for us to call on
Him to help us in all good endeavor. His strength is always available to us,
but we must ask it of Him through our own free will. It is a free gift, but
we must sincerely seek for it. A life of service is the finest life we can
live. We are here on earth to serve others. That is the beginning and the
end of our real worth.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may cooperate with God in all good things. I pray that I may
serve God and others and so lead a useful and happy life.
Today's Quotable:
When all else fails….work the steps!
Today's Tool:
Hmmm...a very good tool for me has been PAUSE (and REST).
This can take all sorts of forms. Last night I was EXHAUSTED and I had to
finish grading papers and preparing for the class I teach this a.m. I was
feeling DRAMATICALLY doomed. At some point I remembered to ask the HP for
help and something switched inside. I realized I was just REALLY tired and
I suddenly was not so worried about today's lesson plan. Good thing,
because I got some sleep and I am NOT feeling doomed today. Heck, I even
feel pretty positive. Nice, I didn't have to flip out.
Other times I REALLY want to tell someone something (usually how
wrong/dumb/stupid/ they are) or make some big decision and a great saying
passed on to me from the Baton Rouge drunks was "Pray and wait 3 days."
That is a GREAT tool. A LOT can change in three days.
And then there is the "Pause when agitated our doubtful and ask (or pray?)
for the right thought or action." THAT takes practice!
All this stuff helps me to have fewer messes to clean up later.
Have a great day. I'm gonna down some coffee and do my best!
Ariana
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,847 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "Lighting the Way:"
"Someone once observed: 'He who carries a lantern on a dark road at night sees only one step ahead. When he takes that step, the lamp moves forward and another step is made plain. He finally reaches his destination in safety without once walking in darkness. All the way was lighted, but only a single step at a time. This is the method of God's guidance.'"
c. AA Grapevine, February 2000, page 8
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
February 1, 2010
Trudging
Clear away the wreckage of your past.
Give freely of what you find and join us.
We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit,
and you will surely meet some of us
as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny.
May God bless you and keep you -- until then.
c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 164
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
We feel we are on the Broad Highway,
walking hand in hand with the Spirit of the Universe.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
O D A A T = One Day At A Time.
A MEMBER SHARES:
Hello everyone! My name is Jodi, and I am an alcoholic. It's been 26 years since my last drink and if not for God's grace and the help of some slogans we hear at meetings, I would never have come this far. I was one of the younger people in meetings in 1979 and I used to often hear others in recovery say "I'm trudging along" -- kind of like walking through knee-deep snow. I've done that before, and I know how much work it is. But when you're 18 years old and want to do everything yesterday with lightning speed, and you hear "as we trudge the road of happy destiny" you can get the wrong idea. So I thought maybe I could pass it along, as I now know it today.
The dictionary defines trudge as to walk laboriously. A kind of determination as one moves forward, slowly but surely -- trudging along. I like that. Because it has definitely been through hard work that you all have taught me how to apply the principles to my life, with that same determination. With meetings and fellowship and those wonderful slogans 26 years have gone by "one day at a time" and by God's grace I have a life I never even dreamed was possible. I am on the road of happy destiny, and I invite all who suffer to trudge with me, and join us on the Broad Highway.
(All shares are reproduced with the kind permission of the person sharing)
Today's Meditation:
Try to see the life of the spirit as a calm place, shut away from the
turmoil of the world. Think of your spiritual home as a place full of
peace, serenity, and contentment. Go to this quiet meditative place for the
strength to carry you through today's duties and problems. Keep coming back
here for refreshment when you are weary of the hubbub of the outside world.
From this quietness and communion comes our strength.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may keep this resting place where I can commune with God. I
pray that I may find refreshment in meditation on the Eternal.
Today's Quotable:
I have learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or
misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances. Martha
Washington
Today's Tool:
"The message which can interest and hold these alcoholic people must have depth and weight."- Big Book, pg.xvi. of the Doctor's Opinion.
When an alcoholic is at the end of their rope, a pat on the shoulder and a "keep coming back" is not, I think, what the above phrase is referring to. But I know I've been guilty of this kind of behavior in the program. The depth and weight of our message of recovery comes from our speaking from the heart, from taking the time to really share our experience, strength and hope with another. It can seem more difficult the more time I have in sobriety, because it feels like I have so much more going on in my life. But to take the time is vital, both for another's recovery, and for mine.
Wednesday's tool: Take the time to share the language of the heart.
Have a good day. Brad
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,847 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "Gioya:"
"I continued going to meetings. I also started reading and working the Steps with other members. Miracles happened in my life. My job performance improved greatly. My self-confidence soared. I accomplished personal goals with ease. My attitude toward life changed. I started to hold my head up and look people in the eye when I spoke to them.
I started to realize that I was as good as anyone else, that I had been a sick person, not a bad person."
c. 2001, Can A.A. Help Me Too? (A.A. Pamphlet P-51), page 9
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Building an Arch
Have I, as the Big Book predicted, finished building that arch
through which I shall walk a free man? Frankly, no.
I'm still not entirely free of admitting I'm wrong.
But I'm better than I was, I have improved, I'm freer.
Perhaps the quality of my sobriety is not all it should be.
But my lowest quality sobriety is better thank my highest quality drunk.
And the Steps have given me uninterrupted sobriety,
to my daily and, I hope, continual gratitude.
c. 1986 The AA Grapevine, Inc., The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 2], p. 155
Thought to Ponder . . .
Situations I fear are rarely as bad as the fear itself.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Always Alert
Today's Meditation:
Give God the gift of a thankful heart. Try to see causes of thankfulness in your everyday life. When life seems hard and troubles crowd, then look for some reasons for thankfulness. There is nearly always something you can be thankful for. The offering of thanksgiving is indeed a sweet incense going up to God throughout a busy day. Seek diligently for something to be glad and thankful about. You will acquire in time the habit of being constantly grateful to God for all His blessings. Each new day some new cause for joy and gratitude will spring to your mind and you will thank God sincerely.
Today's Prayer:
I pray for a truly thankful heart. I pray that I may I may be constantly reminded of causes for sincere gratitude.
Today's Quotable:
Your talent is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God. Leo Buscaglia
Today's Tool:
Morning to all. Today is a teacher work day so my children and I are
home, haven't done much this morning and NOT stressed about it either.
Usually by this time, no matter the day or circumstance, I am usually
feeling pressured to have completed more of my appointed tasks. This
is not often a successful method of enlisting the help of others since
as I get more pressured I get loud and angry. During my saner moments
I am aware that these qualities do not encourage others to join me in
whatever I am doing but I often feel as if some switch gets tripped and
I can't stop. My recent goal is to check myself, hopefully before I go
nuts, and to try to stay more self aware and to stay in the moment.
This is what I happened upon from Came to Believe page 39:
Is sobriety all that we are to expect of a spiritual awakening? No,
sobriety is only a bare beginning; it is only the first gift of the
first awakening. If more gifts are to be received, our awakening has
to go on. As it does go on, we find that bit by bit we can discard the
old life -the one that did not work- for a new life that can and does
work under any conditions whatsoever.
Bill W. (A.A. Grapevine, December 1957)
To me, this is very much like the promises, which I hold on to,
especially the part where it says.....
Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly... they will always materialize if
we work for them.
thank you for today.
Barbara
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,847 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "He Lived Only To Drink":
"My first job was at a college . . . fifty miles from my hometown. Before the school year ended, I had been asked to resign because of my drinking. Within that short space of time, drinking had become an accepted way of life. I loved booze. I loved people who drank and the places where they drank. At that time in my life, although I had lost my first job and embarrassed my family, it never occurred to me that alcohol could be a problem. From that first night at the bar a year earlier, I had made a profound decision that was to direct my life for many years to come: Alcohol was my friend and I would follow it to the ends of the earth."
© 2001 AAWS, Inc.,
Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pgs. 447-48
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Humility
Every newcomer is told, and soon realizes for himself,
that his humble admission of powerlessness over alcohol
is his first step toward liberation from its paralyzing grip.
So it is that we first see humility as a necessity.
But this is the barest beginning.
To get completely away from our aversion
to the idea of being humble,
to gain a vision of humility as the avenue
to true freedom of the human spirit,
to be willing to work for humility
as something to be desired for itself,
takes most of us a long, long time.
A whole lifetime geared to self-centeredness
cannot be set in reverse all at once.
c. 1967 AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 305
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
Rebellion dogs our every step at first.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
C H A N G E D =
Choosing Humility Allows New Growth Each Day.
Today's Meditation:
He who made the ordered world out of chaos and set the stars in their courses and made each plant to know its seasons, He can bring peace and order out of your private chaos if you will let Him. God is watching over you, too, to bless you and care for you. Out of the darkness He is leading you to light, out of faults and failure to success. You belong to God and your affairs are His affairs and can be ordered by Him if you are willing.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may be led out of disorder into order. I pray that I may be led out of failure into success.
Today's Quotable:
Do what you can with what you have where you are. Theodore Roosevelt
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,847 Location: Caldwell Tex
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Step Four: Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
"[T]hese desires – for the sex relation, for material and emotional security, and for companionship – are perfectly necessary and right, and surely God-given.
"Yet these instincts, so necessary for our existence, often far exceed their proper functions. Powerfully, blindly, many times subtly, they drive us, dominate us, and insist upon ruling our lives. … When thus out of joint, man's natural desires cause him great trouble, practically all the trouble there is. No human being, however good, is exempt from these troubles. Nearly every serious emotional problem can be seen as a case of misdirected instinct. …
"Step Four is our vigorous and painstaking effort to discover what these liabilities in each of us have been, and are."
© 1952, AAWS, Inc.; Printed 2005;
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pg. 42
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Airborne
Although the disease of alcoholism inside of me
is like gravity,
just waiting to pull me down,
AA and the Twelve Steps are like the power
that causes an airplane to become airborne.
It only works when the pilot is doing the right thing
to make it work.
c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 457
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
I am worth staying sober for.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Achieve Anything.
Today's Meditation:
There must be a design for the world in the mind of God. We believe His
design for the world is a universal fellowship of men and women under the
fatherhood of God. The plan for your life must also be in the mind of God.
In times of quiet meditation you can seek for God's guidance, for the
revealing of God's plan for your day. Then you can live this day according
to that guidance. Many people are not making of their lives what God meant
them to be, and so they are unhappy. They have missed the design for their
lives.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may try to follow God's design for today. I pray that I may
have the sense of Divine Intent in what I do today.
Today's Quotable:
You never get your teeth so white that you never have to brush them again.
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,847 Location: Caldwell Tex
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Just For Today! -- Spirit
From "Not a religious organization:"
"A.A. has been described as, basically, a spiritual program...But A.A. is certainly not a religious organization. It does not ask its members to hold to any formal creed or perform any ritual or even to believe in God.
"The word 'spiritual' in A.A. may be interpreted as broadly as one wants. Certainly, one feels a certain SPIRIT of togetherness at all A.A. meetings!"
c. 1976, Is There an Alcoholic in Your Life?
(A.A. Pamphlet P-30) - page 13
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
HOW
The AA members who sponsored me told me in the beginning
that I would not only find a way to live without having a drink,
but that I would find a way without wanting to drink,
if I would do these simple things.
They said if you want to know how this program works,
take the first word of your question --
the "H" is for honesty, the "O" is for open-mindedness,
and the "W" is for willingness;
these our Big Book calls the essentials of recovery.
c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 549-50
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
While it isn't always easy, if I keep it simple, it works.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
H O W = Honesty, Open-mindedness, Willingness.
Today's Meditation:
The spiritual life has two parts. One is the life apart, the life of prayer
and quiet communion with God. You spend this part of your life apart with
God. Every day your mind can be set in the right direction so that your
thoughts will be of the right kind. The other is the life impart-imparting
to others what you have learned from your own meditative experience. The
victories you have won over yourself through the help of God can be shared
with others. You can help them by imparting to them some of the victory and
security which you have gained in your life apart.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may grow strong from my times apart with God. I pray that I
may pass on some of this strength to others.
Today's Quotable:
Physical strength is measured by what we can carry; spiritual strength by
what we can bear.
Today's Tool:
"Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God." This doesn't mean unconscious or subconscious, but it means that I consciously try to keep in mind what God's will is for me in this circumstance.
Today's tool: Do I consciously try to do God's will or am I still reacting to situations to get my way?
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,847 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "The Keys of the Kingdom:"
"A.A. is not a plan for recovery that can be finished and done with. It is a way of life, and the challenge contained in its principles is great enough to keep any human being striving for as long as he lives. We do not, cannot, out-grow this plan...we find that we are more than compensated for a consistent effort by the countless dividends we receive."
c. 1976, Alcoholics Anonymous, page 311
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
February 9, 2010
No Defense
At a certain point in the drinking of every alcoholic,
he passes into a state where the most powerful desire to stop drinking
is of absolutely no avail.
This tragic situation has already arrived in practically every case
long before it is suspected.
The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure,
have lost the power of choice in drink.
Our so-called will power becomes practically nonexistent. . .
We are without defense against the first drink.
c.2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 24
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
The first drink has the last say.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Absolute Abstinence.
Today's Meditation:
Breathe in the inspiration of goodness and truth. It is the spirit of
honesty, purity, unselfishness, and love. It is readily available if we are
willing to accept it wholeheartedly. God has given us two things-His spirit
and the power of choice-to accept or not, as we will. We have the gift of
free will. When we choose the path of selfishness and greed and pride, we
are refusing to accept God's spirit. When we choose the path of love and
service, we accept God's spirit and it flows into us and makes all things new.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may choose the right way. I pray that I may try to follow it
to the end..
Today's Quotable:
You can't expect to hit the jackpot if you don't put a few nickels in the
machine. Flip Wilson
Today's Tool:
Today's tool is: We can't stay sober on last years program....so what are we doing today? I read that line in the Daily Reflection and I heard a speaker share that last year at a convention. It made me think! So what do I do on a daily basis to stay sober? Here are something's I do"
Use my sponsor
Go to meetings
Work with others (I don't have to sponsor people to help them)
Pray
Get a job in my home group
show up early to a meeting....and stay late (help clean up)
Look for the person in the meeting who's having a hard time and talk to them after the meeting.
Listen (it's the theme for the rest of my life)
Ask for help if you need it.....you will help some one else stay sober.
Do the next right thing......stay in the now!
Hugs,
Laure
Today's Extra:
Love is what we are born with. Fear is what we learn. The spiritual journey is the unlearning of fear and prejudices and the acceptance of love back in our hearts. Love is the essential reality and our purpose on earth. To be consciously aware of it, to experience love in ourselves and others, is the meaning of life. Meaning does not lie in things. Meaning lies in us.
-- Marianne Williamson
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,847 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "'First Things First':"
"Here's an old saying that has special, strong meaning for us. Simply stated, it is this: Above all other concerns, we must remember that we cannot drink. Not drinking is the first order of business for us, anywhere, any time, under any circumstances.
"This is strictly a matter of survival for us. We have learned that alcohol is a killer disease, leading to death in a large number of ways. We prefer not to activate that disease by risking a drink."
c. 1998, Living Sober - page 32
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
February 10, 2010
Protection
Like other men and women,
we AA's look with deep apprehension
upon the vast power struggle about us,
a struggle in myriad forms that invades every level,
tearing society apart.
I think we AA's are fortunate to be acutely aware
that such forces must never be ruling among us,
lest we perish altogether.
The Tradition of personal anonymity
and no honors at the public level
is our protective shield.
c. 1984 AAWS, 'Pass It On,' p. 312
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
Humility, expressed by anonymity,
is the greatest safeguard that AA can ever have.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Always Aware.
Today's Meditation:
I will be renewed. I will be remade. In this, I need God's help. His
spirit shall flow through me and, in flowing through me; it shall sweep away
all the bitter past. I will take heart. The way will open for me. Each day
will unfold something good, as long as I am trying to live the way I believe
God wants me to live.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may be taught, just as a child would be taught. I pray that I
may never question God's plans, but accept them gladly.
Today's Quotable:
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a
habit. Aristotle
Today's Tool:
When talking about our days, someone I know asks "what was your favorite part?"
Looking at it this way always changes my perspective. When I think about the very best moments of my day, the answer is never "criticizing and judging others," "sucking up and people pleasing," "feeling self-righteous" or "feeling less than everyone on planet Earth." i.e., it is never the time I spend wallowing about in my character defects.
When I think about my favorite part, it's usually something like "helping another alcoholic," "meditating," "listening to great music". Simply put, it's the moments when I'm out of my head, out of myself, creative, present, and connected with my Higher Power.
"Everybody knows that those in bad health, and those who seldom play, do not laugh much. So let each family play together or separately, as much as their circumstances warrant. We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous and free. We cannot subscribe to the belief that this life is a vale of tears, though it once was just that for many of us. But it is clear that we made our own misery. God didn't do it." BB, p. 132-133.
Right on, Bill W. Giddy-up.
Today's Tool: What was your favorite part of today?
Have a wonderful day, everybody.
Love,
Julie
Today's Extra:
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
-- Winston S. Churchill
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,847 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "More about Alcoholism:"
"But the actual or potential alcoholic, with hardly an exception, will be ABSOLUTELY UNABLE TO STOP DRINKING ON THE BASIS OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE. This is a point we wish to emphasize and re-emphasize, to smash home upon our alcoholic readers as it has been revealed to us out of bitter experience."
c. 1976, Alcoholics Anonymous, page 39
AA Thought for the Day
February 11, 2010
^*^*^*^
Fact
^*^*^
"The great fact is just this, and nothing less:
That we have had deep and effective spiritual experiences
which have revolutionized
our whole attitude toward life,
toward our fellows and toward God's universe.
The central fact of our lives today
is the absolute certainty that our Creator
has entered into our hearts and lives
in a way which is indeed miraculous.
He has commenced to accomplish those things for us
which we could never do by ourselves."
©1976 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 25
^*^*^*^*^*
Thought to Ponder . . .
Don't give up before the miracle happens.
.
. * * *
. * (\ ---- /) *
. ( \ (_)/ )
. * (_ / \ _) *
. /____\
.
. F A I T H = Fantastic Adventures In Trusting Him.
.
Today's Meditation:
God's kingdom on earth is growing slowly, like a seed in the ground. In the
growth of His kingdom there is always progress among the few who are out
ahead of the crowd. Keep striving for something better and there can be no
stagnation in your life. Eternal life, abundant life is yours for the
seeking. Do not misspend time over past failures. Count the lessons
learned from failures as rungs upon the ladder of progress. Press onward
toward the goal.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may be willing to grow. I pray that I may keep stepping up on
the rungs of the ladder of life.
Today's quotable:
There are some people that if they don't know, you can't tell 'em. Louis
Armstrong
Today's Tool:
I recently started working the steps again from the beginning with my sponsor. It has be a real eye opening experience. I get real complacent with my recovery. I go to meetings talk to others but, really keep ACTING the same way. (cussing people out on the road, wanting things MY way). Yesterday, when I met with my sponsor we read step 6 in the 12X12 and I noticed...
I simply couldn't stop drinking, and no HUMAN being could seem to do the job for me. But, When I became willing to clean house and then asked, a Higher Power, God as I understood him, to give me release, my obsession to drink vanished. page 63.
I rely to much on other people doing the job for me. Today, I will rely on God.
Tool for the day-- Pray, Trust God & Clean house.
Have a great day,
Leslie
A Member Shares:
Hi! My name is Mike, and I am an alcoholic. I was all alone, a tortured
soul without hope. Even when I was young, I never belonged, was never a part
of anything, even though I tried. Later, I found solace. Alcohol was my
friend. Alcohol made up for all of the hurts all those other people did to
me. I did not have any other friends, but that did not matter. I had
alcohol. Then my friend turned on me.
What I have now is infinitely better. Friends surround me. My Higher Power
does for me what I cannot do for myself. He got me to Alcoholics Anonymous.
When I walked into the rooms I knew no one, yet everyone knew me. The people
in the rooms told me that I never had to be alone again and I never had to
take a drink again. That was too good to be true, wasn't it?
Could I, should I, trust them? I had to trust them because I was a dead man
otherwise. There was nowhere else to go. The last house on the street
loomed before me. Beyond lay oblivion, if I wanted it. I stayed to trust,
and AA worked. Self-knowledge could not cure me, but revealing myself to a
bunch of drunks keeps me healthier and happier than I ever have been. Go
figure. Imagine that! God did for me what I could not do for myself.
Take care of yourself,
Mike from Prattville, Alabama.
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,847 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "More about Alcoholism:"
"For those who are unable to drink moderately the question is how to stop altogether...Many of us felt that we had plenty of character. There was a tremendous urge to cease forever. Yet we found it impossible. This is the baffling feature of alcoholism as we know it -- this utter inability to leave it alone, no matter how great the necessity or the wish."
c. 1976, Alcoholics Anonymous, page 34
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
February 12, 2010
Paradox #1: Surrender
We SURRENDER TO WIN.
On the face of it, surrendering certainly does not seem like winning.
But it is in AA.
Only after we have come to the end of our rope,
hit a stone wall in some aspect of our lives beyond which we can go no further;
only when we hit "bottom" in despair and surrender,
can we accomplish sobriety, which we could never accomplish before.
We must, and we do, surrender in order to win.
c.2003 AAWS, Experience, Strength and Hope, pp. 155-156
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
We surrender to win; we give away to keep;
we suffer to get well; we die to live.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
K I S S = Keep It Simple; Surrender.
Today's Meditation:
Look at the world as your Father's house. Think of all people you meet as
guests in your Father's house, to be treated with love and consideration.
Look at yourself as a servant in your Father's house, as a servant of all.
Think of no work as beneath you. Be ever ready to do all you can for others
who need your help. There is gladness in God's service. There is much
satisfaction in serving the highest that you know. Express your love for
God in service to all who are living with you in your Father's house.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may serve others out of gratitude to God. I pray that my work
may be a small repayment for His grace so freely given me.
Today's Quotable:
Being considerate of others will take your children further in life than any
college degree. Marian Wright Edelman
Today's Tool:
I have a meeting that I attend almost every day that I do not have to
work. Due to the time, it does not work for me to go on the days
that I work, so I really try to get there on other days. There is a
person there with whom I disagree more often than not. I don't
really know why but I used to find myself refuting what this person
was saying WHILE s/he was saying it. And then I realized that s/he
had something to give me if I only took the time to listen. So my
tool to share for today is...listen to other people. They have
something to give.
Have a good day.
Thank you for letting me share. It gives me an opportunity to reflect.
Barbara
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,847 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "Good Housekeeping" magazine, 1954: "Most alcoholics are perfectionists and idealists...Disappointed in her excessive demands for perfection, a frustrated woman sometimes believes the dreamy promises of alcohol, the heartless deceiver. When these extreme emotional tensions exist in addition to bodily allergy, alcoholic ruin is inevitable. People drink because they are unhappy; they are unhappy because the drink; and the vicious spiral whirls on until one cannot tell which was cause and which effect." c. Letter to a Woman Alcoholic (A.A. Pamphlet P-14) - page 11
AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AAOnline.net) February 15, 2010 Hangovers When a drunk has a terrific hangover because he drank heavily yesterday, he cannot live well today. But there is another kind of hangover which we all experience whether we are drinking or not. That is the emotional hangover, the direct result of yesterday's and sometimes today's excesses of negative emotion -- anger, fear, jealousy and the like. If we would live serenely today and tomorrow, we certainly need to eliminate these hangovers. c. 1952 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 88 With permission, AA World Services, Inc. ^*^*^*^*^ Thought to Ponder . . . It's not how much we do, but what we do that gets results. * * * AA-related 'Alconym' . . . B E S T = Been Enjoying Sobriety Today?
Today's Meditation: In improving our personal lives, we have Unseen help. We were not made so that we could see God. That would be too easy for us and there would be no merit in obeying Him. It takes an act of faith, a venture of belief, to realize the Unseen Power. Yet we have much evidence of God's existence in the strength that many people have received from the act of faith, the venture of belief. We are in a box of space and time and we can see neither our soul nor God. God and the human spirit are both outside the limitations of space and time. Yet our Unseen help is effective here and now. That has been proved in thousands of changed lives. Today's Prayer: I pray that I may make the great venture of belief. I pray that my vision may not be blocked by intellectual pride. Today's Quotable: The meaning of things lies not in the things themselves, but in our attitude towards them. Antoine de Saint Exupery
Today's Tool: "As we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or actions. We constantly remind ourselves we are no longer running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many times each day "Thy will be done." We are then in much less danger of excitement, fear, anger, worry, self-pity, or foolish decisions. We become much more efficient. We do not tire so easily, for we are not burning up energy foolishly as we did when we were trying to arrange life to suit ourselves." bb p 87  8 This is my experience: If I try to do it my way, I eventually end up fighting people, places and things and feeling very frustrated. If I do HALTs during the day and ask for God's will in my life, I have a gentler, happier, more free day. Tool: Improve your conscious contact with God asking for God's will and strength. Enjoy your day, David
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,847 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "Relapses - and the Group:"
"An early fear was that of slips or relapses. At first nearly every alcoholic we approached began to slip, if indeed he sobered up at all. Others would stay dry six months or maybe a year and then take a skid. This was always a genuine catastrophe. We would all look at each other and say, 'Who next?'
"Today, though slips are a very serious difficulty, as a group we take them in stride. Fear has evaporated. Alcohol always threatens the individual, but we know that it cannot destroy the common welfare.
c. 1967, As Bill Sees It, page 154
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
February 16, 2010
Communication
From the beginning, communication in AA
has been no ordinary transmission
of helpful ideas and attitudes.
It has been unusual and sometimes unique.
Because of our kinship in suffering,
and because our common means of deliverance
are effective only when carried to others,
our channels of contact have always been charged
with the language of the heart.
Bill W., July 1960
c. 1988 The AA Grapevine, Inc., The Language of the Heart, p. 243
Thought to Ponder . . .
A burden shared is halved; a joy shared is doubled.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
S H A R E =
Serenity, Humility, Acceptance, Respect, Enthusiasm.
Editors Note: This is a long one that will take the place of the tool, meditation, prayer and quotable for today:
A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a
pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it,
and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion
of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the masters
house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.
For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only
one and a half pots full of water in his masters house. Of course, the
perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for
which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own
imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of
what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to
the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I
want to apologize to you." "Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed
of?" "I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my
load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way
back to your masters house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of
this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.
The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his
compassion he said, "As we return to the masters house, I want you to
notice the beautiful flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up the
hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful
wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at
the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half
its load, and so again the Pot apologized to the bearer for its failure.
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only
on your side of your path, but not on the other pots side? That's because
I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I
planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we
walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been
able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my masters table.
Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to
grace his house. Each of us has our own unique flaws. We re all cracked
pots.
In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste. Don't be afraid of your
flaws. Acknowledge them, and you too can be the cause of beauty. Know
that in our weakness we find our strength.
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Rank: Advanced Member  Joined: 9/9/2008 Posts: 2,977
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Good morning Pastor,
The water bearer story is a beautiful read. I read it twice and will share it with my son later. Do you know who the author is?
Thanks,
Sarge~ Insults Should Be Written In Sand ~ Compliments Should Be Carved In Stone ~
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,847 Location: Caldwell Tex
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Sarge:
I have seen this story for many years.
I belive it comes from a Chinese proverb.
Interesting how the yoke played a part.
A servant is not a volunteer.
God bless us all.
brbruce
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,847 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "Unlimited Choice:"
"Any number of alcoholics are bedeviled by the dire conviction that if ever they go near A.A. they will be pressured to conform to some particular brand of faith or theology." They just don't realize that faith is never an imperative for A.A. membership; that sobriety can be achieved with an easily acceptable minimum of it, and that our concepts of a Higher Power and God -- as we understand Him -- afford everyone a nearly unlimited choice of spiritual belief and action."
c. 1967, As Bill Sees It, page 201
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
February 17, 2010
Online
I'm thrilled that at any hour I can find someone to talk to.
Twice this week, I've had tormented thoughts at three A.M.
Do I have to phone and wake someone up for support?
No, because other sober insomniacs are online,
ready to help me make it through the night. I didn't want a drink,
I just needed the loving support of the Fellowship.
Knowing I can talk and apply the Steps to my chaotic thoughts
and feelings at three A.M. makes a world of difference to me.
As to whether online meetings violate Traditions, I say, "Bah, humbug!"
I can't go to a meeting in Pakistan today -- does that make it not a real meeting?
Online meetings are like any other --
if you get there, you are welcome there.
c. 2003 The AA Grapevine, Inc., Thank You For Sharing, p. 71
Thought to Ponder . . .
Modem-to-modem or face-to-face,
AA's speak the language of the heart in all its power and simplicity.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Always Awesome.
Today's Meditation:
We cannot fully understand the universe. The simple fact is that we cannot even define space or time. They are both boundless, in spite of all we can do to limit them. We live in a box of space and time, which we have manufactured by our own minds and on that depends all our so-called knowledge of the universe. The simple fact is that we can never know all things, nor are we made to know them. Much of our lives must be taken on faith.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that my faith may be based on my own experience of the power of God in my life. I pray that I may know this one thing above all else in the universe.
Today's Quotable:
And life is what we make it. Always has been, always will be. Grandma Moses
Today's Tool:
Today's reading in the Daily Reflections speaks to the benefits of daily inventories, prayer & meditation. I can say, unequivocally, that when I use these tools on a daily basis I have more serenity & better relations with all I encounter. The conflicts in which I find myself have roots in my lack of these practices. While our program reminds us of progress & not perfection, I am responsible for exercising a little willingness (at least) to practice 10th & 11th steps daily if I want serenity. Its simple and yet I find ways to complicate it. So, for today I offer:
Keep it Simple & practice the 10th & 11th steps of our program.
peace & sobriety,
ginger
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,847 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "Because I'm an Alcoholic:" "I found that now I could do many things without a drink -- write, answer the telephone, eat out, go to parties, make love, get through the day and the evenings. Sleep at night and get up the next morning ready to begin another day. I was amazed and proud to have gone a week without a drink, then a month. Then I lived an entire year sober, through my birthday, Christmas, problems, successes, the mixture that makes up life." c. 2001, Alcoholics Anonymous, page 345
AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AAOnline.net) February 18, 2010 Serenity That word "serenity" looked like an impossible goal then we didn't even want to aim at it. But we found that serenity meant no such thing. When it comes to us now, it is more as plain recognition -- a clear-eyed, realistic way of seeing the world, accompanied by inner peace and strength. Serenity is like the gyroscope that lets us keep our balance no matter what turbulence swirls around us. And that is a state of .mind worth aiming for. c. 1998 AAWS, Living Sober, p. 19 With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. Thought to Ponder . . . Serenity isn't freedom from the storm; it is peace within the storm. AA-related 'Alconym' . . . K I S S = Keep It Serenely Simple
Today's Meditation: All that depresses you, all that you fear, is really powerless to harm you. These things are but phantoms. So arise from earth's bonds, from depression, distrust, fear, and all that hinders your new life. Arise to beauty, joy, peace, and work inspired by love. Rise from death to life. You do not even need to fear death. All past sins are forgiven if you live and love and work with God. Let nothing hinder your new life. Seek to know more and more of that new way of living. Today's Prayer: I pray that I may let God live in me as I work for Him. I pray that I may go out into the sunlight and work with God. Today's Quotable: The one thing you can't trade for your heart's desire is your heart. Lois McMaster Bujold
Today's Tool: Thursday's Tool: Slow and steady wins the race I'm not sure that's generally used as a recovery tool but that is what resonated for me this morning as I looked ahead to the rest of my day. There is a lot that I want to get done today (I am by myself in the office and that usually provides a good opportunity for me to really focus on things and get more accomplished) but I know that if I rip into the day trying to do 5 things at a time it's probably not going to be a really productive day in the end. And I'm less likely to be sane by the time I go to bed, which means I won't sleep well and that will just make tomorrow all the more challenging. I heard a woman a couple of weeks ago saying that she's trying to get the word "uni-tasking" out there into our everyday vocabulary -- such a crazy concept! Anyway, thanks for letting me share and enjoy your day!!  Michele
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,847 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "There Was an Answer:"
"One of the first things we heard in A.A. was that we had a choice. We could choose not to drink. We could tell the people in A.A. knew about drinking. But they also knew about NOT drinking. We decided to listen to what they had to say."
c. 1987, Memo to an Inmate Who May Be an
Alcoholic (A.A. Pamphlet P-9) - page 9
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
February 19, 2010
Challenges
I know now I have a lot of work to do.
There are more amends to be made, letters to be sent.
Twelfth Step work to be done, responsibilities to be assumed,
and honest talks to be had with loved ones.
Life is meant to be lived by facing the challenges it brings.
Otherwise, I'm not living, just existing.
God didn't give me this gift of sobriety to sit in a rocking chair,
imagining myself as some wise old woman who has arrived somewhere.
c. 1998 The AA Grapevine, inc., The Best Of The Grapevine [Vol. 3], p. 320
Thought to Ponder . . .
When I got busy, I got better.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A B C = Acceptance, Belief, Change.
Today's Meditation:
The power of God's spirit is the greatest power in the universe. Our conquest of each other, the great kings and conquerors, the conquest of wealth, the leaders of the money society, all amount to very little in the end. But he that conquers himself is greater than he who conquers a city. Material things have no permanence. But God' spirit is eternal. Everything really worthwhile in the world is the result of the power of God's spirit.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may open myself to the power of God's spirit. I pray that my relationships with others may be improved by this spirit.
Today's Quotable:
The greatest thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.
Today's Tool:
Tool for the day: *triple* A -- practice acknowledgment, acceptance, then action
When I am able to acknowledge and accept something (whether it's a personal characteristic or something going on outside of me) for what it is, letting go of the "good" vs. "bad" judgment step that Paul talked about last week and that I often like to insert into the process, I find that I can take action in a way that improves my own sense of peace and generally benefits those around me. For example, I need to acknowledge and accept the fact that someone is suffering or I am acting self-destructively before I can choose the best course of action. So acceptance of what is is actually a *prerequisite* to action, rather than the *opposite* of it (for me, the opposite of acceptance tends to be "defiance" which really doesn't benefit anybody).
Have a good morning!
Michele
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,847 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "Letting go of old ideas:" "It is now well established that willpower all by itself is about as effective a cure for alcohol addiction as it is for cancer...Most of us tried going it alone, hoping either to control our drinking or to stop, and we had no lasting success in either endeavor. "But we finally asked ourselves: Wouldn't it be more intelligent to seek out and tap a strength greater than our own than to persist in our futile solo efforts...?" c. 1998, Living Sober, page 73
AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AAOnline.net) February 22, 2010 Not-worrying Each of us has to do something each day -- work in an office or a factory, soldier, take care of a house, or whatever. None of us has to understand God or worry about things beyond our control. We can indulge ourselves in the luxury of not-worrying. Any of us can handle just one day; all each of us has to try at is our own job, our own family life. We don't have to try fixing up the whole world or understanding what no theologian of any faith has ever understood. We simply stop messing in God's business. c. 1973 AAWS, Came To Believe. . ., p. 116 With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. Thought to Ponder . . . Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength. AA-related 'Alconym' . . . J F T = Just For Today.
Today's Meditation: Ceaseless activity is not god's plan for your life. Times of withdrawal for renewed strength are always necessary. Wait for the faintest tremor of fear and stop all work, everything, and rest before God until you are strong again. Deal in the same way with all tired feelings. Then you need rest of body and renewal of spirit-force. Saint Paul said: "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." This does not mean that you are to do all things and rely on God to find strength. It means that you are to do the things you believe God wants you to do and only then can you rely on His supply of power. Today's Prayer: I pray that God's spirit may be my master always. I pray that I may learn how to rest and listen, as well as how to work. Today's Quotable: Don't let life discourage you; everyone who got where he is had to be where he was. R.L. Evans
Today's Tool: When I was drinking I felt alone most of the time... even when I was with other people. I believe that there are no coincidences and that God puts people in our lives for a reason, and when we are ready. When I relapsed 16 years ago I was humbled and became willing to do whatever it took to get sober. As a result I found myself on an airplane less than 12 hours after I went out. I was hung-over strung-out and not feeling very friendly or personable. All I wanted to do was smoke cigarettes and be miserable by myself. However, I did not have a smoking seat (you could still smoke on planes back then... what were they thinking? I was very angry and after much to-do I managed to switch to a smoking seat. The only problem was, the guy sitting next to me was one of those "happy people" and he wanted to talk... and talk... and talk.... and I just did not want to listen to his joyful ramblings. (There is nothing worse than a "happy person" when all you want to do is wallow in your own misery So when he asked why I was going to Mississippi I told him, "look I'm an alcoholic and a drug addict and I'm going to treatment... so you can just leave me alone." I thought that would shut him up... but instead he reached into his pocket pulled out a one year medallion and said, "Don't feel bad your not alone." We talked the whole rest of the flight. That was really my first meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous and my first spiritual experience... and I never even knew I had either until months later. I believe that it was God speaking through him, telling me I don't have to be alone ever again. Today's Tool: I am responsible. When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always to be there. And for that: I am responsible. (A.A. Responsibility Statement) Remember: GOD is LARGE and IN CHARGE!!! ...Not some of the time, but all of the time.
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