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Rank: Advanced Member  Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 1,430 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From “Having Fun Yet”:
"When my own house is in order, I find the different parts of my life are more manageable. Stripped from the guilt and remorse that cloaked my drinking years, I am free to assume my proper role in the universe, but this condition requires maintenance. I should stop and ask myself, Am I having fun yet? If I find answering that question difficult or painful, perhaps I’m taking myself too seriously—and finding it difficult to admit that I’ve strayed from my practice of working the program to keep my house in order.”
© 1990 AAWS, Inc.;
Daily Reflections, pg. 31
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Concern
If we have the opportunity to help in some practical way
when our loved ones or other people we are concerned about
are in trouble -- let's do so.
If there is no such opportunity,
let's pray for them and believe that, in doing so,
we are helping to connect their minds to God's influence.
But let's not expect same-day service.
The important part is not to cancel our prayers by later worrying.
(There is a vast difference between being concerned and worrying.)
Long-distance, unconditional faith is the best kind.
c. 1973 AAWS, Came To Believe . . ., p. 26
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
The Three "C's" -- Concern, Compassion, Consideration.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
H E L P = Hope, Encouragement, Love, Patience.
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:
I have been feeling self-pity and fear a lot over the last week. It started
with some health issues with my mother. I feared the worst for her and then
I started worrying about other family members (addiction & mental health issues).
Then I started thinking about how this is affecting me, my relationships, my career...
until reaching a true state of nuttiness.
OK. So what do I do with all these fears. I learned in the program to ask questions
about my fears:
1. Is the fear based on anything real? or is it based on things I'm imagining and projecting
2. If there is a real component to it, Can I do something about it? If the answer is
yes, then take action if the answer is no, turn it over to God
Another way of looking at fear is: False Evidence Appearing Real
As far as my family is concerned, I'm mostly fearing situations that I'm projecting. My sponsor
keeps reminding me that my success rate at projecting is NOT too good. So I'm trying to
stay focused on the Now and not go into worry/projecting mode.
I'm also asking God for help here.
The following passage helps from the bb helps me:
"We asked ourselves why we had them [fears]. Wasn't it because self-reliance failed us? ...
Perhaps there is a better way - we think so. For we are now on a different basis; the basis of
trusting and relying upon God. We trust infinite God rather than our finite selves. We are working
to play the role He assigns. Just to the extent that we do as we think He would have us,
and humbly rely on Him, does He enable us to match calamity with serenity." (bb p68)
Thanks for the opportunity to share. See you tomorrow,
David
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 1,430 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "Into Action":
"When ready, we say something like this: 'My Creator; I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in the way of my usefulness to you and my fellows. Grant me strength, as I go out from here, to do your bidding. Amen.'”
© 2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition;
Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 76
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Serenity
That word "serenity" looked like an impossible goal
when we first saw the prayer.
In fact, if serenity meant apathy, bitter resignation,
or stolid endurance, 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 a 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:
The inward peace that comes from trust in God truly passes all understanding. That peace no one can take from you. No person has the power to disturb that inner peace. But you must be careful not to let in the world's worries and distractions. You must try not to give entrance to fears and despondency. You must refuse to open the door to the distractions that disturb your inward peace. Make it a point to allow nothing today to disturb your inner peace, your heart-calm.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may not allow those about me to spoil my peace of mind. I pray that I may keep a deep inner calm throughout the day.
Today's Quotable:
You have within you right now, everything you need to deal with whatever the world can throw at you. - Brian Tracy
Today's Tool:
Good Morning, and Welcome to the Day,
It is early, and the household has yet to awake. The day promises to be one filled with wonder, and discovery, and magic, and adventure. Both in the physical, and spiritual world.
I am as not able to get to as many meetings as I need, for all AA members have a different requirement. But, for me, I need at least 3 or 4 meetings a week. At least! Some members can go once a week, once a month, or only once a year for a chip.
I use to judge all those others that do it differently then I. Not because I like to tear people down, but because it finally dawned on me that I personally could not do it their way. I can to see, after beating myself up as judgmental, that it was not so much as judging them, as it was an inner realization of what I could, and could not do, for my maintaining sobriety.
The journey today will reveal many things about myself. That is what I have come to love about the steps, traditions, and concepts of AA. For they will work you. And reveal what you are doing right, and what you are not doing right. What is right? Well, we could pontificate on that all day, but I do have an answer. Like any good alcoholic, I may be wrong, but I am never in doubt!
In the Big Book, contained within the 11th step portion, it states, was I loving and kind toward all. Bill, threw in all, I know, to plug the loop hole.
For me, I have come to accept that love, and service are the key, and the benchmark. I have also come to realize that action is the key. Words are truly cheap, when it comes down to it. The actions are the proof of my 3rd step commitment.
Well, I must run and enter the day. There is a letter to a fellow AA that I have been neglecting.
Go gently, have a great day, Love Always,
Joe
Carpi Deim
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 1,430 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "Remembering Your Last Drunk:"
"That's not a typographical error. The word is 'drunk,' not 'drink,' as you'll see.
"One A.A. member puts it this way: 'I know that stopping in for a drink will never again be -- for me -- simply killing a few minutes and leaving a buck on the bar. In exchange for that drink, what I would plunk down now is my bank account, my family, our home, our car, my job, my sanity, and probably my life. It's too big a price, too big a risk.'
"He remembers his last drunk, not his first drink."
c. 1998, Living Sober - page 51-52
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
The Tyrant
In the life of each AA member, there still lurks a tyrant.
His name is alcohol. He is cunning, ruthless.
And his weapons are misery, insanity, and death.
No matter how long we may be sober,
he always stands at each man's elbow,
ever watchful of an opportunity
to resume his destruction.
Like an agent of the Gestapo, he ever threatens
each AA citizen with torture or extinction.
Unless, of course, the AA citizen is willing to live unselfishly,
often placing the welfare of AA as a whole
ahead of his own personal plans and ambitions.
Bill W., July 1946
c. 1988 AA Grapevine, The Language Of The Heart, p. 34
With permission, The AA Grapevine, Inc.
^*^*^*^*^
Thought to Ponder . . .
I am not just one drink away from a drunk.
I am one drink away from never being sober again
in this lifetime.
* * *
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
D E A D = Drinking Ends All Dreams.
Today's Meditation:
Nobody entirely escapes temptation. You must expect it and be ready for it
when it comes. None of us is entirely safe. You must try to keep your
defenses up by daily thought and prayer. That is why we have these daily
meditations. You must be able to recognize temptation when it comes. The
first step toward conquering temptation always is to see it clearly as
temptation and not to harbor it in your mind. Dissociate yourself from it,
put it out of your mind as soon as it appears. Do not think of excuses for
yielding to it. Turn at once to the Higher Power for help.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may be prepared for whatever temptation my come to me. I pray
that I may see it clearly and avoid it with the help of God.
Today's Quotable:
One, who makes no mistakes, never makes anything.
Today's Tool:
A friend of mine is about 90 days sober. She keeps emailing me and telling
me that if one more person tells her to "take it easy" that she is going to
scream! She said that there is life outside of AA. She wants her old life
back, just without the drugs and alcohol.
I tried once to keep my old lifestyle and sobriety - I got drunk. Even this
time, I was at a place where I did not want to drink, but I wasn't sure I
wanted this AA thing, either. I was at that jumping off place the BB talks
about. One of those (monotonous) sayings that kept me coming back was
"don't quit before the miracle happens". Of course, I thought it was
getting the perfect boyfriend or job, etc..., only to find out that it is so
much more.
Today's tool: Don't quit before the miracle happens.
Peace out (I just heard that and think it sounds so cool!),
Charlotte
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 1,430 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "The Opening to the Spiritual World":
"Yes, I began with blind faith, but the proof of truth is that it works. I believed those who said they had suffered from alcoholism, but, through A.A., were now enjoying sobriety. So the truth was there for me to see. But shortly I knew the truth from my own experience. I was not only released from the compulsion to drink; I was guided toward a compulsion to live!" – El Cerrito, California
© 1973 AAWS, Inc.;
Came to Believe, pg. 3
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
New World
We no longer live in a completely hostile world.
We are no longer lost and frightened and purposeless.
The moment we catch even a glimpse of God's will,
the moment we begin to see truth, justice and love
as the real and eternal things in life,
we are no longer deeply disturbed
by all the seeming evidence to the contrary
that surrounds us in purely human affairs.
We know that God lovingly watches over us..
c. 1952 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 105
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
^*^*^*^*^
Thought to Ponder . . .
God's world is perfect.
* * *
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
G I F T = God Is Forever There.
* * *
Today's Meditation:
Today can be lived in the consciousness of God's contact, upholding you in
all good thoughts, words, and deeds. If sometimes there seems to be a shadow
on your life and you feel out of sorts, remember that this is not the
withdrawal of God's presence, but only your own temporary unwillingness to
realize it. The quiet gray days are the days for doing what you must do, but
know that the consciousness of God's nearness will return and be with you
again, when the gray days are past.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may face the dull days with courage. I pray that I may have
faith that the bright days will return.
Today's Quotable:
Don't try to test your will power--give an alcoholic one shovel and one pail
and in an hour he or she will need 100 wheelbarrows.
A Member Shares:
I am an alcoholic and my name is Grace. When I came to the program of AA and I saw the word God, I thought it was time to leave. Although God's strength has carried me all my life, for many years I was not a good steward of that unconditional love and strength. I got sober and clean and found out the pure simplicity of my God. All He asks is that we reach out. I love having God's strength in my life, after thinking all these years that the bottle was my God. How sad, but now how awesome to know that God is with me at all times. Today I try one day at a time to be God-reliant and not self-reliant. For anyone who has yet to find their Higher Power, you can borrow mine. He is huge, and wouldn't mind. My God loves each of you, and so do I.
- Grace
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 1,430 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)
A Suggestion
My friend suggested what then seemed a novel idea.
He said,
"Why don't you choose your own conception of God?"
That statement hit me hard.
It melted the icy intellectual mountain
in whose shadow I had lived and shivered many years.
I stood in the sunlight at last.
It was only a matter of being willing to believe
in a Power greater than myself.
Nothing more was required of me to make my beginning.
I saw that growth could start from that point.
Upon a foundation of complete willingness I might build
what I saw in my friend.
Would I have it? Of course I would!
c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 12
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
A new world came into view.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
H O W = Honesty, Open-mindedness, Willingness.
Today's Meditation:
Our need is God's opportunity. First we must recognize our need. Often this means helplessness before some weakness or sickness and an admission of our need for help. Next comes faith in the power of God's spirit, available to us to meet that need. Before any need can be met, our faith must find expression. That expression of faith is all God needs to manifest His power in our lives. Faith is the key that unlocks the storehouse of God's resources.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may first admit my needs. I pray that then I may have faith that God will meet those needs, in the way which is best for me.
Today's Quotable:
Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor… Let no one ever come to you without leaving better or happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile; kindness in your warm greeting. Mother Teresa
My name is Julia and I'm a alcoholic
Perhaps my story will help someone to get sober and turn a seemingly
hopeless life around to one of inner peace and joy.
I was on that inevitable slide toward incarceration, a mental
institution, or oblivion, so caught up in the iron grip of Mr. Alcohol
that I was actually hoping for oblivion. Then one night my car went
under the back end of a pickup truck. Just before it hit, I came to with
the words flashing through my head, "this is the end of your drinking."
It was certainly not something I thought of myself, having been in a
blackout. It was my moment of truth.
The next day, filled with shame and remorse, and frightened beyond words
that if I ever picked up another drink I would end up killing someone
with my automobile, I went to my first AA meeting.
The signs posted on the walls of the room seemed so infantile at the
time, like "think, think, think," "one day at a time," "easy does it,"
"plan your work, and work your plan," "let go and let God," "easy does
it." These were thoughts that, as time went by, became the guideposts on
my rough road to sobriety. Without the alcohol to smother feelings of
anger, frustration, and hopelessness, I was an emotional wreck the first
few months, but managed to get to at least six meetings a week. Little
by little, I learned to turn my will and my life over to a Higher Power.
The words "I can't, He can" became my mantra, bringing me closer and
closer to that balance we all seek in sobriety.
After thirty years of trying to give away what this program has given
me, my life is still getting better and better. All I have to do is get
in touch with my Higher Power each morning, and keep Him close to me all
day. It is all about Him and about others, not about me anymore, except
to dress up and show up.
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 1,430 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "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 it. Frequent contact with newcomers and with each other is the bright spot of our lives."
c. 2001, Alcoholics Anonymous, page 89
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Unloved
I spent most of my life worrying about myself,
thinking that I was unwanted, that I was unloved.
I've learned since being in AA
that the more I worry about me loving you,
and the less I worry about you loving me,
the happier I'll be. . .
I have learned that the more I give,
the more I will have; the more I learn to give,
the more I learn to live.
c. 2003 AAWS, Experience, Strength and Hope, p. 218
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
We're not living just to be sober;
we are living to learn, to serve, and to love.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
H E L P = Hope, Encouragement, Love, Patience.
Today's Meditation:
There is no limit to what you can accomplish in helping others. Keep that thought always. Never relinquish any work or give up the thought of any accomplishment because it seems beyond your power. God will help you in all good work. Only give it up if you feel that it's not God's will for you. In helping others, think of the tiny seed under the dark, hard ground. There is no certainty that, when it has forced its way up to the surface, sunlight and warmth will greet it. Often a task seems beyond your power, but there is no limit to what you can accomplish with God's help.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may never become discouraged in helping others. I pray that I may always rely on the power of God to help me.
Today's Quotable:
A person starts to live when he can live outside himself. Einstein
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 1,430 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "Action and Patience":
"I heard that we can’t keep what we have unless we give it away. And so I found a woman—someone a little newer than I was—and I shared with her what you had shared with me. Looking back on it, I doubt that I helped this woman very much, but I helped myself beyond measure. I stayed sober, day by day, through sharing my experience, strength, and hope with her, through putting action into the A.A. program —while, at the same time, waiting for her, not forcing my action on her. This was patience supporting the action, though I didn’t call it patience at the time; the word was not a part of my emotional vocabulary."
© 1973 AAWS, Inc.;
Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 42
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Sponsors
No satisfaction has been deeper and no joy greater
than in a Twelfth Step job well done.
To watch the eyes of men and women open with wonder
as they move from darkness into light,
to see their eyes quickly fill with new purpose and meaning,
and above all to watch them awaken
to the presence of a loving God in their lives --
these things are the substance of what we receive
as we carry AA's message.
c. 1967 AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 29
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
My sponsor offers me self-forgetfulness
and kinship with another human being
of my own kind.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
C A R E = Comforting And Reassuring Each other.
Today's Meditation:
Shed peace, not discord, wherever you go. Try to be part of the cure of
every situation, not part of the problem. Try to ignore evil, rather than
to actively combat it. Always try to build up, never to tear down. Show
others by your example that happiness comes from living the right way. The
power of your example is greater than the power of what you say.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may try to bring something good into every situation today. I
pray that I may be constructive in the way I think and speak and act today.
Today's Quotable:
The last of the human freedoms is to choose one's attitudes. Victor Frankl
A MEMBER SHARES:
My name is Diana, and I'm an alcoholic. When I reminded my sponsor that the Steps were "just suggestions," she was not subtle. She responded that they're MUSTS if we want to stay sober. I took her seriously because I wanted to do the least amount of work possible to stay sober. So had she told me that I could stay sober whether or not I worked the Steps, of course I would have opted not to do them at all. My sponsor doesn't sugarcoat things. She is very direct and to the point. But she is just what I need. My sponsor tells me what I need to hear not what I want to hear. Sometimes she makes me angry, but when I sit and think about it, it is almost always because she is telling me some truth that I don't want to hear. She has never told me anything that would ever hurt me, or lead me to a drink. I was told at the beginning that sobriety could be as hard or as easy as I choose to make it. If I follow the suggestions, life usually goes pretty well, and if I don't, well, let's just say when the pain gets great enough, I finally listen to the suggestions. Life is great today, and it's all because of this program. Next month I will be celebrating four years of continuous sobriety. If a hardhead like me can do it, anyone can! Thanks so much for letting me share.
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 1,430 Location: Caldwell Tex
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JUST FOR TODAY!
Giving
from: "I Must Learn"
"I think God gave each of us a unique personality, so that we in turn might give it to others. Now I CAN give it, with joy in life, warm, friendly, happy, sober!...
"I am convinced that there is some one thing I can do better than anyone else in this world. God thinks so. And he wants me to do it! Through the Twelve Steps, a good many A.A. members have found out what THEIR assigned chores on earth are. And they are doing them."
© 1973, Came to Believe..., page 101
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Sacrifice
The spiritual substance of anonymity is sacrifice.
Because AA's Twelve Traditions repeatedly ask us
to give up personal desires for the common good,
we realize that the sacrificial spirit
-- well symbolized by anonymity --
is the foundation of them all.
It is AA's proved willingness to make these sacrifices
that gives people their high confidence in our future.
c. 1953 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 184
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
The Twelve Steps tell us how it works;
the Twelve Traditions tell us why it works.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
T R U S T = Try Relying Upon Steps and Traditions.
Today's Meditation:
The world wonders when it sees a person who can unexpectedly draw large and unsuspected sums from the bank for some emergency. But what the world has not seen are the countless small sums paid into that bank, earned by faithful work over a long time. And so is the bank of the spirit. The world sees the person of faith make a demand on God's stores of power and the demand is met. The world does not see what that person has been putting in, in thanks and praise, in prayer and communion, in small good deeds done faithfully, steadily over the years
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may keep making deposits in God's bank. I pray that in my hour of need, I may call upon these.
Today's Quotable:
Dignity does not consist in possessing honors, but in deserving them.
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 1,430 Location: Caldwell Tex
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Just For Today!
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)
Laughter
AA has filled my days with friends, laughter, growth,
and the feeling of worth that is rooted in constructive activity.
My faith in, and contact with, my Higher Power
shines more brightly than I dreamed it could. . .
I am free to laugh all my laughter,
free to trust and be trusted, free to both give and receive help.
I am free from shame and regret, free to grow and work.
I have left that lonely, frightening, painful express train through hell.
I have accepted the gift of a safer, happier journey through life.
c.2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 543
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
Take time to laugh -- it is the music of the soul.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
H J F = Happy, Joyous, Free.
Today's Meditation:
God is your healer and your strength. You do not have to ask Him to come to you. He is always with you in spirit. At your moment of need He is there to help you. Could you know God's love and His desire to help you, you would know that He needs no pleading for help. Your need is God's opportunity. You must learn to rely on God's strength whenever you need it. Whenever you feel inadequate to any situation, you should realize that the feeling of inadequacy is disloyalty to God. Just say to yourself: I know that God is with me and will help me to think and say and do the right thing.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may never feel inadequate to any situation. I pray that I may be buoyed up by the feeling that God is with me.
Today's Quotable:
The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. Helen Keller
Today's Tool:
Do something fun.
This is from the Big Book (and As Bill Sees It, p. 218):
"For most normal folks, drinking means release from care, boredom, and worry. It means joyous intimacy with friends and a feeling that life is good.
"But not so with us in those last days of heavy drinking. The old pleasures were gone. There was an insistent yearning to enjoy life as we once did and a heartbreaking delusion that some new miracle of control would enable us to do it. There was always one more attempt -- and one more failure." (p. 151)
"We are sure God would like to see us happy, joyous, and free. Hence, we cannot subscribe to the belief that this life necessarily has to be a vale of tears, though it once was just that for many of us. But it became clear that most of the time we had made our own misery." (p. 133)
I have this deep-seated idea that having fun takes points off my "Virtue scorecard". My experience has shown me, however, that I have more energy and am actually MORE capable of being of service to other people and the world in general when I am doing what I need to to take care of myself and ensure that for the most part I am finding life to be an overall POSITIVE experience.
Thanks very, very much for your responses this week -- have a good week!
Michele
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 1,430 Location: Caldwell Tex
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JUST FOR TODAY!
Giving
from: "I Must Learn"
"I think God gave each of us a unique personality, so that we in turn might give it to others. Now I CAN give it, with joy in life, warm, friendly, happy, sober!...
"I am convinced that there is some one thing I can do better than anyone else in this world. God thinks so. And he wants me to do it! Through the Twelve Steps, a good many A.A. members have found out what THEIR assigned chores on earth are. And they are doing them."
© 1973, Came to Believe..., page 101
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Sacrifice
The spiritual substance of anonymity is sacrifice.
Because AA's Twelve Traditions repeatedly ask us
to give up personal desires for the common good,
we realize that the sacrificial spirit
-- well symbolized by anonymity --
is the foundation of them all.
It is AA's proved willingness to make these sacrifices
that gives people their high confidence in our future.
c. 1953 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 184
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
The Twelve Steps tell us how it works;
the Twelve Traditions tell us why it works.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
T R U S T = Try Relying Upon Steps and Traditions.
Today's Meditation:
The world wonders when it sees a person who can unexpectedly draw large and unsuspected sums from the bank for some emergency. But what the world has not seen are the countless small sums paid into that bank, earned by faithful work over a long time. And so is the bank of the spirit. The world sees the person of faith make a demand on God's stores of power and the demand is met. The world does not see what that person has been putting in, in thanks and praise, in prayer and communion, in small good deeds done faithfully, steadily over the years
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may keep making deposits in God's bank. I pray that in my hour of need, I may call upon these.
Today's Quotable:
Dignity does not consist in possessing honors, but in deserving them.
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 1,430 Location: Caldwell Tex
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From "Moral Responsibility:"
"Some strongly object to the A.A. position that alcoholism is an illness. This concept, they feel, removes moral responsibility from alcoholics. As any A.A. knows, this is far from true. We do not use the concept of sickness to absolve our members from responsibility. On the contrary, we use the fact of fatal illness to clamp the heaviest kind of moral obligation onto the sufferer, the obligation to use A.A.'s Twelve Steps to get well."
c. 1967, As Bill Sees It, page 32
AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)
Motives
On awakening let us think about the twenty-four hours ahead.
We consider our plans for the day.
Before we begin, we ask God to direct our thinking,
especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity,
dishonest or self-seeking motives.
Under these conditions we can employ our mental faculties
with assurance, for after all God gave us brains to use.
Our thought-life will be placed on a much higher plane
when our thinking is cleared of wrong motives.
c.2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 86
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder . . .
May the road always lead where you need to be.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
H O P E = Hang On; Pray Every day.
Today's Meditation:
No work is of value without preparation. Every spiritual work must have
behind it much spiritual preparation. Cut short times of prayer and times
of spiritual preparation and many hours of work may be profitless. From the
point of view of God, one poor tool working all the time, but doing bad work
because of lack of preparation, is of small value compared with the sharp,
keen, perfect instrument working for only a short time, but which turns our
perfect work because of long hours of spiritual preparation.
Today's Prayer:
I pray that I may spend more time alone with God. I pray that I may get
more strength and joy from such times, so that they will add much to my
work.
Today's Quotable:
You will never find time for anything. If you want time you must make it.
Charles Buxton
Today's Tool:
I've been thinking about the Serenity Prayer this weekend,
specifically, "accept the things I cannot change." I'm feeling really
reluctant to accept that I'm not going to get my way.
I've had a good spell of acceptance, loving my life and grateful for most
things in it. Something changed and now I've changed. There's a situation
in which I'm not getting what I want, which makes me want it more and
sooner.
This weekend a 5 year-old explained to me about being a "sore loser", and
how everybody at some point in their lives is a sore loser. I think my
unwillingness to accept this situation means I'm a sore loser. But still,
I'm completely unwilling to believe that the way I want it isn't the way
it's supposed to be.
So I guess I'll give myself a break. Pray for the willingness to be willing
to be willing to accept. Do what's in front of me and not be too hard on
myself and others.
Hope y'all have a great day.
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Rank: Advanced Member Joined: 10/7/2008 Posts: 1,430 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: 1,430 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: 1,430 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: 1,430 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: 1,430 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: 1,430 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: 1,430 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: 1,430 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: 1,430 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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