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Rank: Advanced Member  Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,498 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "There Is a Solution:"
"If what we have learned and felt and seen means anything at all, it means that all of us, whatever our race, creed, or color are the children of a living Creator with whom we may form a relationship upon simple and understandable terms as soon as we are willing and honest enough to try."
c. 2001, Alcoholics Anonymous, page 28
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Shortcomings
Many shortcomings tempt me daily;
therefore, I also have daily opportunities
to become aware of them.
In one form or another, many of my character defects
appear daily: self-condemnation, anger,
running away, being prideful, wanting to get even,
or acting out of grandiosity.
Attempting half measure to eliminate defects
merely paralyzes my efforts to change.
It is only when I ask God for help,
with complete abandon,
that I become willing -- and able -- to change.
c. 1990 AAWS, Daily Reflections, p. 15
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
If I want God to remove my character defects,
I'll have to stop doing them.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
H E L P = His Ever Loving Presence.
Today's Meditation:
I must keep balance by keeping spiritual things at the center of my life. God will give me this poise and balance if I pray for it. This poise will give me power in dealing with the lives of others. This balance will manifest itself more and more in my own life. I should keep material things in their proper place and keep spiritual things at the center of my life. Then I will be at peace amid the distractions of everyday living.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may dwell in God at the center of my life. I pray that I may keep that inner peace at the center of my being.
Today's Quotable:
If you understand, things are just as they are; if you do not understand, things are just as they are. Zen proverb
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,498 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "A Drunk, Like You":
"Then I hit on a clever solution. I have several academic degrees, and someone as smart as I was could solve this problem. The idea was to put off the first drink as long as possible and go to bed after the last drink. That worked out okay, and I told the counselor I was able to keep it to five a day with little or no problem. But she said if you had to control something, it was out of control."
© 2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition;
Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 400
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Invitation
The simple act of getting in touch with AA that first time
washed out in an instant the dark loneliness
that had encompassed my life.
When I fearfully crept into that old building that first day,
I was greeted with a gentle invitation:
"Come on in. Let's talk it over."
And everyone assured me I was not alone
and need never be alone again.
c. 1985 The AA Grapevine, Inc., The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 1], p. 36
Thought to Ponder . . .
AA is not something you join, it's a way of life.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
Y A N A A = You Are Not Alone Anymore.
Today's Meditation:
To be attracted toward God and a better life, you must be spirit-guided.
There is wonderful illumination of thought given to those who are
spirit-guided. To those who are material guided, there is nothing in God or
a finer life to appeal to them or to attract them. But to those who are
spirit-guided there is strength and peace and calm to be found in communion
with an Unseen Lord. To those who believe in this God they cannot see but
whose power they can feel, life has a meaning and purpose. They are
children of the Unseen Lord, and all human beings are their brothers and
sisters.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may be spirit-guided. I pray that I may feel God's presence
and power in my life.
Today's Quotable:
The country clubs, the cars the boats,
Your assets may be ample,
But the best inheritance
You can leave your kids
Is to be a good example.
Barry Spilchuk
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,498 Location: Caldwell Tex
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AA Alconym:
T I G E R, TRUST IN GOD, EVERYTHING'S RIGHT !.
From "'Ask God for Strength'":
"I went to the filthy bathroom and got down on
my knees. 'God, teach me to pray,' I begged. I
remained there a long time, and when I arose
and left the room, I knew I never had to drink
again. I came to believe, that day, that God
would help me maintain my sobriety. Since then,
I’ve come to believe that He will help me with
any problem. – Birmingham, Alabama, USA"
© 1973 AAWS, Inc.;
Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 36
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Equality
I do not agree that the newcomer is the most important
member at any meeting.
In my opinion, equally important are those old-timers
who showed me the way, and any middle-timer
who may today be suffering.
If newcomers are indeed the lifeblood of AA,
old- and middle-timers are its skin and backbone. . .
So in your next meeting, when the Tradition about
carrying the message "to the alcoholic who still suffers"
is mentioned, please give a thought, not only to newcomers,
but also to the alcoholics older in AA who are sitting there.
One of them might be me. I still suffer, sometimes.
I still need to hear the message, always.
c. 1985 The AA Grapevine, Inc., The Best Of The Grapevine [Vol. 1], p. 43
Thought to Ponder . . .
Newcomers are the lifeblood of the program.
But our oldtimers are the arteries.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Always Awesome.
Today's Meditation:
"Except ye become as little children, ye cannot enter the kingdom of heaven."
In this saying it is urged that all who seek heaven on earth or in the
hereafter should become like little children. In seeking things of the
spirit and in our faith, we should try to become childlike. Even as we grow
older, the years of seeking can give us the attitude of the trusting child.
Not only for its simple trust should we have the childlike spirit, but also
for its joy in life, its ready laughter, its lack of criticism, and its
desire to share. In Charles Dickens' story, A Christmas Carol, even old
Scrooge changed when he got the child-spirit.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may become like a child in faith and hope. I pray that I may,
like a child, be friendly and trusting.
Today's Quotable:
A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.
Today's Tool:
A tool for today is "One Day At A Time". A conversation with a sponsee
this evening brought back strong memories of how impossible it used to be to
stay in the moment, or to find any comfort or serenity or acceptance in my
daily life. I once heard someone say that whenever they were feeling angry
that they were usually in their past (over, done, and gone), and whenever
they were feeling fearful they were usually in the future (which never
comes). This certainly applies to me and when these feelings occur now I try
to stop and pray and reflect on the truth of what's really going on. The
Serenity Prayer works wonders for me at these times.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference-
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever
in the next."
Amen.
Yours in sobriety,
George
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,498 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "Tightrope:"
"When I first came to this Fellowship, I had lost my health and sanity, my friends, much of my family, my self-respect, and my God. In the years since, all of these have been restored to me....I now have an extended family that is international in scope, all the members of which are joined by bonds of shared pain and joy."
c. 2001, Alcoholics Anonymous, page 368
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Loneliness
As we became subjects of King Alcohol,
shivering denizens of his mad realm,
the chilling vapor that is loneliness settled down.
It thickened, ever becoming blacker.
Some of us sought out sordid places, hoping to find
understanding companionship and approval.
Momentarily we did -- then would come oblivion
and the awful awakening to face the hideous Four Horsemen --
Terror, Bewilderment, Frustration, Despair.
Unhappy drinkers who read this page will understand!
c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 151
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
Nothing is so bad, that a drink won't make worse.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
Y A N A A = You Are Not Alone Anymore.
Today's Meditation:
You should never doubt that God's spirit is always with you, wherever you
are, to keep you on the right path. God's keeping power is never at fault,
only your realization of it. You must try to believe in God's nearness and
the availability of His grace. It is not a question of whether God can
provide a shelter from the storm, but of whether or not you seek the
security of that shelter. Every fear, worry or doubt is disloyalty to God.
You must endeavor to trust God wholly. Practice saying: "All is going to be
well." Say it to yourself until you feel it deeply.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may feel deeply that all is well. I pray that nothing will be
able to move me from that deep conviction.
Today's Quotable:
When you follow your bliss... doors will open where you would not have
thought there would be doors; and where there wouldn't be a door for anyone
else. Joseph Campbell
Today's Tool:
"When I am upset it is because i find some person, place, or situation- some thing in my life- unacceptable to me, and i will find no lasting serenity until i accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly as it is supposed to be at that moment." - paraphrased from the BB of AA, rev 3 - old p. 449
Last night there was extra time and it looked like i might be able to do something that i really wanted to do... it wasn't in my plan for the day at all, i hadn't discussed it with anyone, and it actually was the opposite of what my day was scheduled to look like. But since there was time, my mind started thinking of what i wanted... i found myself thinking about it, almost obsessing about it. As time moved on i realized that it wasn't going to happen. Now, i have been down this road before, so before i got too belligerent, too bent out of shape, i realized that my expectations were setting me up for upset. I would have spent the rest of the night angry, probably at someone, anyone, around me, because i didn't get what i wanted, even though it wasn't in the plan originally anyway. My wants were dictating my mood; my acceptance was low, my serenity was following.
There are times when i have to pray whether or not situations are acceptable- like with bad behavior from others- and i have to talk to another drunk; i have to spend time looking at myself and what it going on with me. The gift there is that today i have the tools to think, and then act, instead of just reacting. I don't always use that gift, but hey, progress not perfection.
Tools for the day:
1. upset? check your expectations.
2. When in doubt, think, pray, before you act.
3. God is in charge.
Thanks ya'll! enjoy the day.
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,498 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "He Had Been Listening":
"In thinking all this over, it finally became obvious to me that the God I thought had judged and damned me had done nothing of the sort. He had been listening, and in His own good time His answer came. His answer was threefold: the opportunity for a life of sobriety; Twelve Steps to practice, in order to attain and maintain that life of sobriety; fellowship within the program, ever ready to sustain and help me each twenty-four-hour day.
– St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada"
© 1973 AAWS, Inc.;
Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 11
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Harmony
The tremendous fact for every one of us
is that we have discovered a common solution.
We have a way out on which we can absolutely agree,
and upon which we can join in brotherly and harmonious action.
This is the great news this book carries to those who suffer from alcoholism.
c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 17
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
Together we can do what we could never do alone.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
B O G G L E = Bad Or Good, God Loves Everyone.
A MEMBER SHARES:
My name is Jim, and I'm an alcoholic. I must confess I am not the poster child for living harmoniously. I was told, "Practice learning how to live in AA first, because you're a screw-up, Jim!" Now that I know it works, let me tell you some of my thoughts as I meditated while hiking along the Appalachian Trail several days ago. I was awe-struck at all the diverse people in my life within AA and without. Now, not a one of us thinks alike; we are so different, we all have strengths, and we all definitely have weaknesses. What I was thinking was this: AA harmony does not mean conformity. It does not mean we march in step, although we take Steps.
We can approach life from almost any angle. We all agree first that to have harmony there needs to be the understanding that we need AA. If I didn't need AA, I wouldn't be a member. So immediately I begin an approach to life. I don't try, when being helpful, to kick people down but to lift people up. I remembered the times when I was kicked down in AA. It hurt, but I didn't stay lost in those feelings. I found that though diverse people met me with everything they had, they as a group found the right harmony . the sound of the chorus. That sounded great, it drew me in, and it helped me to see my place that I, too, could recover.
I choose the chorus. One person could mislead, but the group as a whole always means the highest good for each and every member. We try awfully hard at times. We love strong, and sometimes it freaks people out, but there is always someone within our combined voices that will reach a willing heart, and through the joint voices of the chorus we seem to make and keep our newer friends in AA. At the same time, there is the staunch, strict, severe kind of folks, "my-way-or-the-highway" folks, and "by-the-book-or-die" folks. They are equally a strong voice for AA and the message. Oddly, it does take us all. I find a harmony only God could enjoy some days, but I trust that what God starts, he finishes. So even when I feel people in AA butt heads or fight fights, it matters not. The years have proved that we stick together because we have to, and eventually because we want to.
Today's Meditation:
Whenever we seek to worship God, we think of the great universe that God
rules over, of creation, of mighty law and order throughout the universe.
Then we feel the awe that precedes worship. I too must feel awe; feel the
desire to worship God in wondering amazement. My mind is in a box of space
and time and it is so made that I cannot conceive of what is beyond space or
time, the limitless and the eternal. But I know that there must be something
beyond space and time, and that something must be the limitless and eternal
Power behind the universe. I also know that I can experience that Power in
my life.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may accept the limitless and eternal Spirit. I pray that It may
express Itself in my life.
Today's Quotable:
Nurture your mind with great thoughts. Benjamin Disraeli
Today's Tool:
I have a friend in the program who tells the story about how whenever he was whining or complaining, absorbed in self-pity, blah, blah - his sponsor would look over his shoulder as he was talking. My friend, feeling neglected and ignored, would say - "hey, I'm trying to talk to you - what are you looking for over my shoulder?" The sponsor would reply - "your newcomer - where's your newcomer??"
Today's tool: Find a newcomer to work with! It's the best cure I've found for the blues, the "poor me's", the blah's....It works - it really does!
Have a great day, and stay away from that first one!!
Kathy in Delaware
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,498 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "Gratitude in Action":
"The story of Dave B., one of the founders of A.A. in Canada in 1944.
"I believe it would be good to tell the story of my life. Doing so will give me the opportunity to remember that I must be grateful to God and to those members of Alcoholics Anonymous who knew A.A. before me. Telling my story reminds me that I could go back to where I was if I forget the wonderful things that have been given to me or forget that God is the guide who keeps me on this path."
© 2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition;
Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 193
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Kinship
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 for ourselves only
when constantly 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 . . .
Together we can do what we could never do alone.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
H E A R T =
Healing, Enjoying, And Recovering, Together.
Today's Meditation:
Life is all a preparation for something better to come. God has a plan for
your life and it will work out, if you try to do His will. God has things
planned for you, far beyond what you can imagine now. But you must prepare
yourself so that you will be ready for the better things to come. Now is
the time for discipline and prayer. The time of expression will come later.
Life can be flooded through and through with joy and gladness. So prepare
yourself for those better things to come.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may prepare myself for better things which God has in store
for me. I pray that I may trust God for the future.
Today's Quotable:
Prediction is extremely difficult. Especially about the future.
Today's Tools:
"Stop thinking about the difficulty, whatever it is, and think of God instead."
--from Around the Year with Emmet Fox, p. 19
That quote screamed at me when I read it. So instead of dwelling on the problem, I try to remember the H P in the equation. It's not all up to me, I'm never alone, I've ALWAYS been taken care of. Ah...if only trusting God were easy. Practice, practice, practice. I am VERY grateful to be sober and to have such amazing people in my life. Thanks, HP and AA.
Well, that's it from me. Thanks for all of your notes this week.
Ariana
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,498 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "Faith in People": "In the whole measure of my life, the benefits of the A.A. experience have far outweighed the damages of active alcoholism. What was it that overcame my pride (for the moment) and made me reachable? The best answer I can find is what my father used to call 'the life force.' … It is in all of us, I believe; it animates all living things; it keeps the galaxies wheeling. – New York, New York USA" © 1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pgs. 84  5
AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AAOnline.net) Gratitude It took several years, but I learned to be grateful for my alcoholism, and the program of recovery it forced me into, for all the things that had happened to me and for me, for a life today that transcends and far exceeds anything I had previously known. I could not have that today if I had not experienced all the yesterdays. c.2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 529 With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. Thought to Ponder . . . I am grateful for this minute. My eternity may be in it. AA-related 'Alconym' . . . P R O G R A M = Prayer, Recovery, Open-mindedness, Gratitude, Reality, Acceptance, Meetings.
Today's Meditation: Gently breath in God's spirit, that spirit which, if not barred out by selfishness, will enable you to do good works. This means rather that God will be enabled to do good works through you. You can become a channel for God's spirit to flow through you and into the lives of others. The works that you can do will only be limited by your spiritual development. Let your spirit be in harmony with God's spirit and there is no limit to what you can do in the realm of human relationships. Today's Prayer: I pray that I may become a channel for God's spirit. I pray that God's spirit may flow through me into the lives of others. Today's Quotable: It is what you do from now on that will either move our civilization forward a few tiny steps, or else... begin to march us steadily backward. Patrick Stewart
Today's Tool: "To thine own self be true. You can't think your way into sober living but you can live you way into sober thinking." For me, "to thine own self be true" reminds me that much of recovery is the process of learning to trust myself. This means being dedicated to my routine, meeting the needs of my body, mind, and spirit, and not compromising my physical or emotional sobriety. The chaos that used to fill my life trained me over time to not trust my intuitions or be able to rely on myself. Today I am grateful for the fact that I have made progress in mending my relationship with myself. thank you, Laurie
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,498 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "Physician, heal Thyself!":
"I tried every gimmick that there was to get some peace of mind, but it was not until I was brought to my alcoholic knees, when I was brought to a group in my own community with the butcher, the baker, the carpenter, and the mechanic, who were able to give me the Twelve Steps, that I was finally given some semblance of an answer to the last half of the First Step. So, after taking the first half of the First Step, and very gingerly admitting myself to Alcoholics Anonymous, something happened. And then I thought to myself: Imagine an alcoholic admitting anything!"
© 2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition;
Alcoholics Anonymous, pgs. 305-06
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
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:
I must learn to accept self-discipline. I must try never to yield one point
that I have already won. I must not let myself go in resentments, hates,
fears, pride, lust, or gossip. Even if the discipline keeps me separated
from some people who are without discipline, nevertheless I will carry on.
I may have different ways and a different standard of living than some
others. I may be actuated by different motives than some people. But I
will try to live the way I believe God wants me to live, no matter what
others say.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may be an example to others of a better way of living. I pray
that I may carry on in spite of hindrances.
Today's Quotable:
Never seem wiser, nor more learned than the people you are with. Lord
Chesterfield
Today's Tool:
Good morning, this is a little later than I like to be but I have
been all over town already this morning and I got home really late
last night. Today's tool is actually in reference to yesterday's
daily meditation.
When I was drinking, I was a blackout kind of drinker. But I did
not realize this right away. So I said and did things that were a
result of lowered inhibitions. But when not drinking I was an angry
and closed in kind of person, very slow to trust and reach out. So,
I stopped drinking and some behaviors went away. But the anger and
mistrust has been something I have really had to work on. Sometimes
it feels like two steps forward and one step back. But I keep
plugging away.
How does this relate to the reflection? "Those whose days I troubled
through my anger and sarcasm....The only amends I can make ...are to
other people whose path briefly cross mine. Courtesy and kindness,
regularly practiced, help me to live in emotional balance, at peace
with myself. " I could probably be courteous and kind to people whose
path cross mine at length as well! When I am tired this is very easy
for me to forget. I remind myself several times thorough the day
that if I am tired- my children, who are at the mercy of adults all
day long, are probably tired too. Any way have a good day.
I have home work to do and I have put it off long enough.
Barbara
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,498 Location: Caldwell Tex
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STEP TEN: Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
"We have entered the world of the Spirit. Our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness. This is not an overnight matter. It should continue for our lifetime. Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear. When these crop up, we ask God at once to remove them. We discuss them with someone immediately and make amends quickly if we have harmed anyone. Then we resolutely turn our thoughts to someone we can help. Love and tolerance of others is our code."
c. 1976, Alcoholics Anonymous, page 84
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Simplicity
Our Twelve Steps, when simmered down to the last,
resolve themselves into the words "love" and "service."
We understand what love is, and we understand what service is.
So let's keep those two things in mind.
Let us also remember to guard that erring member the tongue,
and if we must use it, let's use it with kindness
and consideration and tolerance.
Dr. Bob S., co-founder of AA, July 1950
c.1980 AAWS, Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers, p. 338
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' . . .
K I S S = Keep It Serenely Simple.
Today's Meditation:
"Where two or more are banded together, I will be there in the midst of
them." When God finds two or three people in union, who only want His will
to be done, who want only to serve Him, He has a plan that can be revealed to
them. The grace of God can come to people who are together in one place with
one accord. A union like this is miracle working. God is able to use such
people. Only good can come through such consecrated people, brought together
in unified groups for a single purpose and of a single mind.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may be part of a unified group. I pray that I may contribute
my share to its consecrated purpose.
Today's Quotable:
The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to
talk, mad to be saved… the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing,
but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like
spiders across the stars. Jack Kerouac
Today's Tool:
Today’s tool is pretty simple, and some when in moments of great consternation can be easy to remember and for this drunk has been one of the cornerstones in overcoming fear. Quite simply, prayer helps me keep in fit spiritual condition. I’m reminded that with regards to returning to either a dry or wet drunk, my situation is quite clear, namely, “What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.”
Today, I choose prayer to help keep fit. For me prayer is simply an extension of my being reaching out to my Higher Power. I have found much guidance thru the years – 3rd step prayer, 7th step prayer, Serenity Prayer, Lord’s prayer, 23rd Psalm, just talking to God, praying together with others.
Today’s tool:
Pray
Have a great day!
Kurt
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,498 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "To Handle Sobriety":
"So when my liver had recovered after ten months,
I resumed drinking. At first, just one drink, on occasion.
Then drinks came more frequently but were carefully
spaced out. Soon my drinking was as bad as ever—
all day long every day. But I was trying frantically to
control it. And it had gone underground now, because
everyone knew I shouldn’t be drinking. Instead of drinking
in fancy bars and clubs, I had to carry a bottle of vodka in
my briefcase, duck into public toilets, and gulp from the bottle…"
© 2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition;
Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 556
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Self-forgiveness
I was walking along a sand road
on the West Coast of Florida, when an answer came to me.
I suddenly said to myself,
"I want everybody whom I hate or fear,
everybody who has ever injured me, or whom I may have injured --
I want them all to be as happy as I want to be.
I want them to be happy right now, wherever they are."
And then I thought of a couple of people
and named them out loud.
It was as if a black bird flew suddenly out of my heart.
I felt a wonderful sense of peace,
and my eyes filled with tears. . .
I slowly stopped fearing these people . . .
I forgave them forever, and I slowly began to forgive myself.
This self-forgiveness brought new self-respect. . .
I didn't hate myself as I had.
"At Last No Longer Apart" -- Big Book Stories --Updated
c. 1967 The AA Grapevine, Inc., November 1967, Vol. 24 No. 6
Thought to Ponder . . .
Forgiveness of others is a gift to yourself.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
T G I F =Thank God I'm Forgiven.
Today's Meditation:
I can depend on God to supply me with all the power I need to face any
situation, provided that I will sincerely believe in that power and honestly
ask for it, at the same time making all my life conform to what I believe
God wants me to be. I can come to God as a business manager would come to
the owner of the business, knowing that to lay the matter before Him means
immediate cooperation, providing the matter has merit.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may believe that God is ready and willing to supply me with
all that I need. I pray that I may ask only for faith and strength to meet
any situation.
Today's Quotable:
The measure of a man's real character is what he would do if he knew he
would never be found out. T.B. Macaulay
Today's Tool:
Today is going to be a great day! I can feel it!
Today's tools are the following:
Utilize, don't analyze.
My part is to improve the present moment.
Act rather than react!
Asking for help is a sign of strength not weakness.
No time to pontificate....have to go dry my hair!
If you don't understand these tools.....pick up the phone and call another alcoholic and ask.
Have a great day!
Laure
Basics Group, Durham NC
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,498 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "A Vision for You":
"Now and then a serious drinker, being dry at the moment says, 'I don’t miss it at all. Feel better. Work better. Having a better time.' As ex-problem drinkers, we smile at such a sally. We know our friend is like a boy whistling in the dark to keep up his spirits. He fools himself. Inwardly he would give anything to take half a dozen drinks and get away with them. He will presently try the old game again, for he isn’t happy about his sobriety. He cannot picture life without alcohol. Some day he will be unable to imagine life either with alcohol or without it. Then he will know loneliness such as few do. He will be at the jumping-off place. He will wish for the end."
© 2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition;
Alcoholics Anonymous, pgs. 151-52
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
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:
"He makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends the rain on
the just and the unjust." God does not interfere with the working of
natural laws. The laws of nature are unchangeable, otherwise we could not
depend on them. As far as natural laws are concerned, God makes no
distinction between good and bad people. Sickness or death may strike
anywhere. But spiritual laws are also made to be obeyed. ON our choice of
good or evil depends whether we go upward to true success and victory in
life or downward to loss and defeat.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may choose today the way of the spiritual life. I pray that I
may live today with faith and hope and love.
Today's Quotable:
Fear is faith turned inside-out.
Today's Tool:
Part 1: "Believe more deeply. Hold your face up to the Light, even though
for the moment you do not see". From "As Bill Sees It", #3, from a letter he
wrote in 1950.
This always reminds me to have faith and it always give me hope.
Part 2: A good friend of mine in AA talked to me yesterday about
affirmations. I tend to live on the dark side where I only notice the things
I am NOT doing instead of the things I am doing/feeling/living. My
affirmation for today is (this took a loooonngg time to figure out)
"You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you
have a right to be here." (Max Ehrmann)
Rita
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,498 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "A Vision for You":
"Next day found the prospect more receptive. He had been thinking it over. 'Maybe you're right,' he said. 'God ought to be able to do anything.' Then he added, 'He sure didn't do much for me when I was trying to fight this booze racket alone.'
"On the third day the lawyer gave his life to the care and direction of his Creator, and said he was perfectly willing to do anything necessary. … He had begun to have a spiritual experience.
"That afternoon he put on his clothes and walked from the hospital a free man. … [H]e had found God – and in finding God had found himself."
© 2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition;
Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 158
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Just For Today
It is not always the quantity of good things that you do,
it is also the quality that counts.
Above all, take it one day at a time.
c.1967 AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 11
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
Just for today, I choose not to drink
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
J F T = Just For Today.
A MEMBER SHARES:
HI all! I am Kelly, and I am an alcoholic. I just got back from a much-needed vacation. My husband and I both have not really had one since . well, ever! "Work, work, work. Go, go, go," was our mode of operation. It was interesting how we had to work at relaxing. But we got the hang of it pretty fast. Now, to stay in that mode by remembering how we did it. If I stay in this day today, I will have plenty to do. I will have, by the grace of God, all I need and I will have rest. If I do what I used to do before I got sober and found AA, that rest will go down the drain and it will be because of my choices today.
My husband and I are both recovering alcoholics, and we are learning together and separately how to live one day at a time. We don't have this down perfectly, but we are sure aware of the difference . how we have been in the last almost two years, and what we were like before. Georgia is on fire about 80 miles north of here and we can see and smell the smoke, the Virginia Tech tragedy, and all my email being hijacked, kind of stressed me, ya know? But what can I do about any of this? What good am I if I start letting circumstances dictate my day and my usefulness? Somehow, the Serenity Prayer is going to become a living prayer today, yesterday, and tomorrow. But especially today. Otherwise I will, and can easily, get tripped out . resulting in being blinded to what's really pressing right now. Like someone needing and wanting help. There is a difference between needing it and wanting it. I need wisdom to know the difference.
And what can I offer? For me, it's God's will for my life today. I am not a firefighter. I am not the president. I am not God, and I don't have a crystal ball, either. Humbling huh? I love it. I learn through a lot of pain and wasted energy what I can and what I cannot do every day, as I learn more about who I am and where I am going. There is always hope if I take hold of it today. So this "Just for Today" thing I speak of takes some practice I guess for the rest of my life. This will be challenged in many ways, and the bigger the challenge, the more opportunities to grow.
Today's Meditation:
I believe that my life is being refined like gold in a crucible. Gold does
not stay in the crucible, only until it is refined. I will never despair or
be despondent. I now have friends who long for me to conquer. If I should
err or fail, it would cause pain and disappointment to them. I will keep
trying to live a better life.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may always call on God's strength, while the gold of my life is
being refined. I pray that I may see it through, with God's help.
Today's Quotable:
This has always been a motto of mine: Attempt the impossible in order to
improve your work. Bette Davis
Today's Tool:
Morning!
I’m working with two newcomers right now and I meet with each of them once a week. Although my schedule is hectic and I’m raising two children alone, I have set this time aside because I know by working with newcomers, it’s going to save my life, it’s the right thing to do and I honestly enjoy it!! This is one of my favorite paragraphs in the big book. Page 89, Working with Others
“Life will take on new meaning. To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you, to have a host of friends-this is an experience you must not miss. We know you will not want to miss this. Frequent contact with newcomers and with each other is the bright spot of our lives.”
I’m blessed to have newcomers in my life, to be able to pass on what was so freely given to me. I usually let newcomers know if they want to get in the book, then give me a call. It’s takes them months, even years but they hear something and remember what I’ve said. My experience is that some of them actually call, so something must be working, most likely the higher power!
Tool for the day: Work with a newcomer Thanks for letting me share.
Michelle P.
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,498 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "Hope:"
"Hope is the key that unlocks the door of discouragement. The program promises me that if I do not pick up the first drink today, I will always have hope. Having come to believe that I keep what I share, every time I encourage, I receive courage. It is with others that, with the grace of God and the Fellowship of A.A., I trudge the road of happy destiny. May I always remember that the power within me is far greater than any fear before me. May I always have patience, for I am on the right road."
c. 1990, Daily Reflections, page 70
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Guarantee
I realize that all I'm guaranteed in life is today.
The poorest person has no less
and the wealthiest has no more
-- each of us has but one day.
What we do with it is our own business;
how we use it is up to us individually.
c. 1976 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous (Third Edition), p. 473
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
What have I been given today?
Am I willing to reach out and grasp it?
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
O D A A T = One Day At A Time.
Today's Meditation:
Disillusionment and doubt spoil life. The doubting ones are the
disillusioned ones. When you are in doubt, you are on the fence. You are not
going anywhere. Doubt poisons all action. "Well, I don't know" --so you
don't do anything. You should meet life with a "Yes," an affirmative
attitude. There is good in the world and we can follow that good. There is
power available to help us to do the right thing; therefore we will accept
that power. There are miracles of change in people's lives; therefore we
will accept those miracles as evidence of God's power.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I will not be paralyzed by doubt. I pray that I go along on the
venture of faith.
Today's Quotable:
"Without passion man is a mere latent force and possibility, like the flint
which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth its spark."
Today's Tool:
Don't Take A Drink, No Matter What, Just for Today.
I have seen many people relapse, including myself, in the rooms. I had 7 years, and then drank for 7 more before coming back. I just celebrated my year June 7th.
I have seen people relapse with all different stories - went to meetings all the time and still drank, stopped going to meetings and drank. Drank because it was a sunny/not sunny day. Had/didn't have money. Was/wasn't a secretary of a meeting. Had a resentment against a friend/meeting/coffee maker/ dog/cat/ car/leaf. Had 89 days/ 30 years/13 years.
The one common denominator in all the people that have relapsed -myself included - is the day they drank, they had not asked their higher power for help staying sober all day that day, no matter what.
So if you haven't yet, thank God for letting you stay sober today, and ask for help staying sober the rest of the day NO MATTER WHAT.
Love You,
Kathleen "Kaki" Flynn
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,498 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "God Is Good":
"Each day, God gives us a new challenge. Sometimes, it is prosperity; sometimes, adversity. Prosperity can lead to complacency; adversity, to self-pity. Either one of these reactions is a luxury I cannot afford. I do not always fully accept my adversities as good while I am going through them, but the mere fact that I am now able to write these words proves the logic in my faith that God is good."
© 1973 AAWS, Inc.;
Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 87
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
The Perfect Gift
While the fact of my alcoholism is not a choice,
what I choose to do about it is.
I believe I was born an alcoholic, but, one day at a time,
I can choose to die sober.
The path I choose keeps me from the dark place that no man should know. . .
The God of my understanding sends me messages
to remind me of this gift, often in bits and pieces
and over days or weeks.
I have found that if I am open and if I am spiritually ready,
I can recognize the message before me and realize it is the perfect gift.
I am awed. It is just what I always wanted.
The AA Grapevine, December 2007, pp 20-21
Thought to Ponder . . .
What I am is Gods gift to me.
What I make of myself is my gift to Him.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
G I F T = God Is Forever There.
Today's Meditation:
Build your life on the firm foundation of true gratitude to God for all His
blessings and true humility because of your unworthiness of these blessings.
Build the frame of your life out of self-discipline; never let yourself get
selfish or lazy or contented with yourself. Build the walls of your life
out of service to others, helping them to find the way to live. Build the
roof of your life out of prayer and quiet times, waiting for God's guidance
from above. Build a garden around your life out of peace of mind and
serenity and a sure faith.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may build my life on A. A. principles. I pray that it may be a
good building when my work is finished.
Today's Quotable:
The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a
thing makes it happen. Frank Lloyd Wright
Today's Tool:
Walk In Dry Places
Different routes to alcoholism
Understanding powerlessness
While alcoholics have much in common, the personal stories heard at AA open meetings show that we took different routes to alcoholism. Some became out-of-control drinkers almost from the beginning. Others lost control slowly after years of seemingly moderate drinking.
These differences are underscored by the fact that we also differ in physical and emotional traits. Some alcoholics, for example, were so emotionally disturbed that they became problem drinkers from the very start. Some appeared to "have it all together," yet became alcoholics after retirement or some other change in life patterns.
Whatever the route taken, we share in common our individual powerlessness at the time we knocked on AA's door. And the solution for each of us was the same: sobriety in AA.
The risk in listening to such different personal accounts is that some of us twist these differences into "proof" that we are not alcoholics. The reward of such sharing , however, is learning that we do have a common problem and that there is a solution that fits everyone, in spite of our differences.
I'll remember today that I came to AA because I was powerless over alcohol. That has not changed.
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,498 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "More about Alcoholism":
"Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.' Commencing to drink after a period of sobriety, we are in a short time as bad as ever. If we are planning to stop drinking, there must be no reservation of any kind, nor any lurking notion that someday we will be immune to alcohol."
© 2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition;
Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 33
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Acceptance
It is always worthwhile to consider how grossly that good word acceptance
can be misused.
It can be warped to justify nearly every brand of weakness, nonsense, and folly.
For instance, we can "accept" failure as a chronic condition,
forever without profit or remedy.
We can "accept" worldly success pridefully, as something of our own making.
We can also "accept" illness and death as evidence
of a hostile and godless universe.
With these twistings of acceptance, we AAs have had vast experience.
Hence we constantly try to remind ourselves
that these perversions of acceptance are just gimmicks for excuse-making:
a losing game at which we are, or at least have been,
the world's champions.
- Bill W., March 1962
c. 1988 The AA Grapevine, Inc., The Language Of The Heart, p. 270
Thought to Ponder . . .
We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust our sails.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A B C = Acceptance, Belief, Change.
Today's Meditation:
There is only one way to get full satisfaction from life and that is to live
the way you believe God wants you to live. Live with God in that secret
place of the spirit and you will have a feeling of being on the right road.
You will have a deep sense of satisfaction. The world will have meaning and
you will have a place in the world, work to do that counts in the eternal
order of things. Many things will work for you and with you, as long as you
feel you are on God's side.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may have a sense of the eternal value of the work I do. I
pray that I may not only work for now, but also for eternity
Today's Quotable:
If God is your co-pilot, SWITCH SEATS!
Today's Tool:
MISSED MEETINGS WARNING
WINTER SPIRITUAL CONDITION STATEMENT
July 9, 8:00 AM
THIS MORNING
EXTENDED PERIODS OF NOT GETTING WHAT I WANT, ANGER AND FRUSTRATION HAVE LED TO AN ACCUMULATION OF RESENTMENTS. (HIGHER)POWER OUTAGES SINCE MIDNIGHT. CONTINUED ACCUMULATION EXPECTED WITH DEVELOPMENT OF ISOLATION, 100% CERTAINTY THAT NO ONE UNDERSTANDS.
THIS AFTERNOON
RESENTMENT WILL GIVE WAY TO GRATITUDE WITH AN APPROACHING ACCEPTANCE FRONT. THE SUNSHINE OF THE SPIRIT MAY COME OUT FOR BRIEF PERIODS. ALL RESENTMENT SHOULD TURN OVER TO SERENITY BY MID AFTERNOON.
THIS EVENING
CONTINUED SERENITY WITH HOPE BUILDING AS THE EVENING PROGRESSES, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE 8:00 HOUR. ALL (HIGHER)POWER SHOULD BE RESTORED.
LONG TERM OUTLOOK
CONDITIONS MAY VARY IN YOUR AREA. TAKE PRECAUTIONS ON DAY AT A TIME AND MAKE PREPARATIONS FOR POSSIBLE LOSS OF (HIGHER)POWER.
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,498 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "Our Southern Friend":
"He asks me if I am willing to right all the wrongs I have ever done to anyone, no matter how wrong I thought the others were. Am I willing to be honest with myself about myself and tell someone about myself, and am I willing to think of other people, of their needs instead of myself, in order to get rid of the drink problem?
"'I'll do anything,' I reply.
"'Then all your troubles are over,' says the man . . . ."
© 2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition;
Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 214
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Prayer
I felt completely defeated. Then I remembered the words of my sponsor:
"When all else has failed, grab a rope and hang on.
Ask God for strength to stay sober for one day."
I went into that filthy bathroom and got down on my knees.
"God, teach me to pray," I begged. I remained there a long time,
and when I arose and left the room, I knew I never had to drink again.
I came to believe, that day, that God would help me maintain my sobriety.
. . . He had been within me at all times, just as He is in all people,
and I uncovered Him by clearing away the wreckage of my past.
c. 1973 AAWS, Came To Believe . . ., p. 36
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
Trying to pray is praying.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A S A P = Always Say A Prayer.
Today's Meditation
We can believe that somehow the cry of the human soul is never unheard by
God. It may be that God hears the cry, even if we fail to notice God's
response to it. The human cry for help must always evoke a response of some
sort from God. It may be that our failure to discern properly keeps us
unaware of the response. But one thing we can believe is that the grace of
God is always available for every human being who sincerely calls for help.
Many changed lives are living proof of this fact.
Today's Prayer
I pray that I may trust God to answer my prayer as He sees fit. I pray that
I may be content with whatever form that answer may take.
Today's Quotable
Begin somewhere. You cannot build a reputation on what you intend to do.
Liz Smith
Today's Tool:
Recently having had eye surgery I have had to do something I don't do well-and that is PAUSE.
In the 11th step, in the Big Book, Bill W wrote "We pause when agitated"
What an order! I always try to revert back to my favorite tool, (certainly don't always succeed)
The 7 T'S. Take The Time To Think This Through
Can't tell you how many times this simply tool has made a big difference in a decision, this
has kept me out of trouble many times, with God's help.
A wonderful way to live with life on life's terms.
Today's tool , PAUSE and do the 7 T's.
Have a great day if you want to, otherwise stay miserable.
Mardi V
Baton Rouge
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,498 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "To Handle Sobriety":
"So when my liver had recovered after ten months, I resumed drinking. At first, just one drink, on occasion. Then drinks came more frequently but were carefully spaced out. Soon my drinking was as bad as ever— all day long every day. But I was trying frantically to control it. And it had gone underground now, because everyone knew I shouldn’t be drinking. Instead of drinking in fancy bars and clubs, I had to carry a bottle of vodka in my briefcase, duck into public toilets, and gulp from the bottle…"
© 2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition;
Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 556
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Self-concern
I can see why you are disturbed to hear
some AA speakers say, "AA is a selfish program."
The word "selfish" ordinarily implies that one is
acquisitive, demanding, and thoughtless
of the welfare of others.
Of course, the AA way of life does not at all
imply such undesirable traits. . .
Our own recovery and spiritual growth have to come first --
a right and necessary kind of self-concern.
c. 1967 AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 81
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
There is only one corner of the universe
I can be certain of improving,
and that's my own self.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
H O P E = Happy Our Program Exists.
Today's Meditation:
Having sympathy and compassion for all who are in temptation, a condition
that we are sometimes in, we have a responsibility towards them. Sympathy
always includes responsibility. Pity is useless because it does not have a
remedy for the need. But wherever our sympathy goes, our responsibility
goes too. When we are moved with compassion, we should go to the one in
need and bind up his wounds as best we can.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may have sympathy for those in temptation. I pray that I may
have compassion for others' trials.
Today's Quotable:
Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself. Chinese Proverb
A MEMBER SHARES:
My name is Peach, grateful to be here and grateful to be sober. When I first got here I didn't know I was an alcoholic, or even what one was. I knew I was having a problem with my drinking and beyond that, I thought I was just plain crazy ... lock-me-up-somewhere-and-throw-away-the-key kind of crazy. But I didn't want to be locked up either.
Because I just didn't want to play with life anymore. All of a sudden, I couldn't remember anything. I was having blackouts every night, and had no clue from losing things to finding stuff in the strangest places. I thought I was just nuts, and there was only the slightest little chance that I might be an alcoholic, or that alcohol might have something to do with it.
So I came to AA to find out if I really was nuts or if I was/am an alcoholic. The blackouts scared the heck out of me. I was afraid of injuring my family physically, and that kept me dry for a little while. But at first I was just doing it for them to protect them from me. But as I sat in the rooms and listened, and watched, and learned, I saw something in those "grateful alcoholics" that I wanted: hope, happiness, joy, freedom, peace of mind, serenity, harmony, and a sanity that allows one to live in the real world without drinking. Or feeling like you should be locked up in a straight jacket somewhere. I wanted what they had.
So I started to recover for me. I have to stay sober for me ... not for my family, nor anyone else. Selfish? Maybe a little, but by staying sober for me, I "get"to be there for my family, I "get" to help others, and I "get" to have all those wonderful things in my life that I saw in those "grateful alcoholics." I am truly blessed and very grateful to be an alcoholic, recovering within Alcoholics Anonymous. Thank you all for letting me share.
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,498 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "A Vision for You:"
"Near you, alcoholics are dying helplessly like people in a sinking ship....High and low, rich and poor, these are future fellows of Alcoholics Anonymous. Among them you will make lifelong friends. You will be bound to them with new and wonderful ties, for you will escape disaster together and you will commence shoulder to shoulder your common journey. Then you will know what it means to give of yourself that others may survive and rediscover life. You will learn the full meaning of 'Love thy neighbor as thyself.'"
c. 2001, Alcoholics Anonymous, pages 152-3
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Reprieve
It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action
and rest on our laurels.
We are headed for trouble if we do,
for alcohol is a subtle foe.
We are not cured of alcoholism.
What we really have is a daily reprieve
contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.
c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 85
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
Every day is a gift;
that is why we call it the present.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
J F T = Just For Today.
A MEMBER SHARES:
Hi family! I'm Steve, and I'm grateful to be an alcoholic today. Spiritual Condition? Hmm? I didn't have much of one when I got here almost 12 years ago. I didn't know what spiritual was, so whether I had the condition seems doubtful. I have one today though, and it's a leading factor in why I say I'm grateful to be an alcoholic. We have a daily reprieve from drinking again, which means death for this alcoholic, based on one thing and one thing only -- my Spiritual Condition, period.
So how do I get one? Well, the Steps seem to indicate that if I do Step Twelve after the other eleven Steps, I will have a Spiritual Awakening. So I'll bet that has something to do with it. I had a spiritual experience, too, that preceded my Awakening. My Awakening happened three months after I'd finished the Steps and asked the God of my understanding to go from my head to my heart -- and He did. He's never left me in the ten years since. I've left Him, but when I turn back He's always there.
My Condition is directly related to what am I doing in my AA program -- if it's nothing, or if I'm angry, resentful, or fearful, my Condition deteriorates sometimes quickly sometimes slowly. My Home Group and my sponsor can see that in me sometimes before I can. My wife can look at me and say, "don't you need a meeting?" Yep! I guess I do. If I take time to pray, meditate, and sometimes just plain breathe, my Condition improves. How do you improve your Spiritual Condition?
Today's Meditation:
To truly desire to do God's will, therein lies happiness for a human being.
We start out wanting our own way. We want our wills to be satisfied. We
take and we do not give. Gradually we find that we are not happy when we
are selfish, so we begin to make allowances for other peoples' wills. But
this again does not give us full happiness, and we begin to see that the
only way to be truly happy is to try to do God's will. In these times of
meditation, we seek to get guidance so that we can find God's will for us.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may subordinate my will to the will of God. I pray that I may
be guided today to find His will for me.
Today's Quotable:
Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with
God, as we understood him, asking only for knowledge of His will for us and
the power to carry that out. Our Step Eleven
Today's Tool:
So what exactly does Accepting Spiritual Help Look like? As I think back to the time of my surrender, not only did the words "I need help!" come out of my mouth but maybe more importantly I began to act like I needed help. For me, it was as follows:
Magically and by the grace of God, I said, "I need help!" While that in and of itself seems miraculous what followed in the form of my willingness to take action is what is really amazing and I believe the evidence that I was finally willing to "accept spiritual help!"
-In response to my plea for help, I heard....Go to AA, and I did that immediately (Sun 3:30pm in Metuchen, NJ)!
-Before going it was suggested that I tell them that I was new and ask for a Big Book...during introductions, I said, "I am Brian, I am an alcoholic and I am new"...meeting ended and I couldn't leave without stating, "I need a Big Book."
-Well, they were fresh out of Big Books but said, "there is a meeting later tonight at 7 pm in Rahway, they'll have a copy."
-went to Rahway Sunday Night Step Meeting and got a Big Book and was asked, "are you sick and tired of being sick and tired?" I said, "yes" (mostly because it seemed the most correct not because i was sure what that meant). Then, Gerry D. asked me, "Are you willing to go to any lengths to stay sober?" Again I said, "yes" (again, because it seemed most correct). Gerry said, "well then, sweep the god dam floor!" Off I went, Serenity Stick in hand, sweeping and wondering, "what the hell does this have to do with staying sober?" (I realized what it had to do with staying sober 6 months later when it was time to pass that job on to somebody else. That broom saved my life!)
-Go to 90/90, "yes, I'll do that!"
-Get a sponsor, "yes, I'll do that too!"
-Join a home group, "Rahway Sunday Night Step Meeting, will do!"
-Stand at the door and welcome people at every meeting you go to, "yes, I'll do that!"
-Get to meetings early and stay late, "I am willing!"
-Look for the New Guy and share what you have with him, "I'll give it my best!"
and on and on and on, etc...
The point is, "Take action!!!" And before you know it you will have the momentum of sobriety and you will find yourself in the Current of Life and taking action never gets old!!!
Tool for the day: say "YES!" to whatever suggestions you hear today...
(sorry that I'm a bit long winded)
Brian Suvick
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,498 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "It Might Have Been Worse:"
"The explanation that alcoholism was a disease of a two-fold nature, an allergy of the body and an obsession of the mind, cleared up a number of puzzling questions for me The allergy we could do nothing about. Somehow our bodies had reached the point where we could no longer absorb alcohol in our systems. The WHY is not important; the FACT is that one drink will set up a reaction in our system that requires more; that one drink was too much and one hundred drinks were not enough."
c. 2001, Alcoholics Anonymous, page 355
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Imaginary Perfections
When we early AA's got our first glimmer
of how spiritually prideful we could be, we coined this expression:
"Don't try to get too damned good by Thursday!"
That old-time admonition may look like another of those handy alibis
that can excuse us from trying our best.
Yet a closer view reveals just the contrary.
This is our way of warning against pride-blindness,
and the imaginary perfections we do not possess.
- Bill W., June 1961
c. 1990 The AA Grapevine, Inc., The Best of Bill, p. 39
Thought to Ponder . . .
The difference between pride and humility:
Pride is who is right.
Humility is what is right.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
W I S D O M = When Into Self, Discover Our Motives.
Today's Meditation:
God is the great interpreter of one human personality to another. Even personalities who are the nearest together have much in their natures that remains a sealed book to each other. And only as God enters and controls their lives are the mysteries of each revealed to the other. Each personality is so different. God alone understands perfectly the language of each and can interpret between the two. Here we find the miracles of change and the true interpretation of life.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may be in the right relationship to God. I pray God will interpret to me the personalities of other people, so that I can understand them and help them.
Today's Quotable:
I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess. Martin Luther
Today's Tool:
Today's tool: Expect good things.
A friend shared this tool with me not so long ago (funny how they call these tools clichés but I still need to have them pointed out to me) and I'm amazed at how it can change my whole attitude and perspective when I use it. I tend to think it is crucial that I expect the worst so that I can be prepared when it happens -- experience has shown this to be a highly ineffective tool. When I expect good things, I recognize them when they happen (all around me, every day).
From BB p. 133: "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." etc.
Hugs,
Michele
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 2,498 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "Working with Others":
"Let no alcoholic say he cannot recover unless he has his family back. This just isn’t so. In some cases the wife will never come back for one reason or another. Remind the prospect that his recovery is not dependent upon people. It is dependent upon his relationship with God. We have seen men get well whose families have not returned at all. We have seen others slip when the family came back too soon."
© 12001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition;
Alcoholics Anonymous, pgs. 99-100
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
If
Alcoholism respects no ifs.
It does not go away, not for a week, for a day, or even for an hour,
leaving us nonalcoholic and able to drink again on some special occasion
or for some extraordinary reason
-- not even if it is a once-in-a-lifetime celebration, or if a big sorrow hits us,
or if it rains in Spain or the stars fall on Alabama.
Alcoholism is for us unconditional,
with no dispensations available at any price. . .
Our sobriety can grow strong enough to enable us to cope with anything
-- and everybody.
And, as you'll see, we start liking that feeling, too.
c.1998 AAWS, Living Sober, pp. 63-4
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
If I don't drink today, I have the hope of a tomorrow.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
S W A T = Surrender, Willingness, Acceptance, Trust.
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
Today's Tool:
Today's tool comes from Daily Reflections page 346...."Practicing these principals in all our affairs." It talks about carrying the message in all parts of our life.....especially at home. There are 3 questions in the reading:
"Did I have a chance today to be a friend and miss it? (listening)
"Did I have a chance to rise above from a nasty situation and avoid it? (Pause)
"Did I have a chance to say "I am sorry" and refuse to" (accountability)
That reading says it all for me. Today I will try to be present in the moment and treat all the way I would want to be treated.
I am thankful for the opportunity to do the tools this week.
Thanks to Michele for her exceptional organizational skill!!!!!!
Laure
Basics Group, Durham NC
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