Thoughts For The Day~*~Fear ^*^*^*^*^ April 7, 2007

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Fear

"At heart we had all been abnormally fearful.
It mattered little whether we had sat on the shore of life
drinking ourselves into forgetfulness
or had plunged in recklessly and willfully
beyond our depth and ability.
The result was the same -
all of us had nearly perished
in a sea of alcohol."
Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 123-4

Thought to Consider . . .

I didn't make it all the way to the beach
to drown in the sand.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F E A R
Fools Every Alcoholic Repeatedly.

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Beginning

From "The Career Officer":

"At first, like everybody else, I could keep control when I drank, but if I did start to drink, even in those days,  I was always one of the last to leave the party."

(c) 2003, AAWS, Inc.; Experience, Strength & Hope, pg. 400

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
A WIDE ARC OF GRATITUDE

And, speaking for Dr.  Bob and myself, I gratefully declare that had it not been for our wives, Anne and Lois, neither of us could have lived to see A.A.'s beginning.

THE A.A. WAY OF LIFE, p.  67

Am I capable of such generous tribute and gratitude to my wife, parents and friends, without whose support I might never have survived to reach A.A.'s doors?  I will work on this and try to see the plan my Higher Power is showing me which links our lives together.

©Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.©
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Self-Respect Through Sacrifice

At the beginning we sacrificed alcohol. We had to, or it would have killed us. But we couldn't get rid of alcohol unless we made other sacrifices. We had to toss self-justification, self-pity, and anger right out the window. We had to quit the crazy contest for personal prestige and big bank balances. We had to take personal responsibility for our sorry state and quit blaming others for it.
Were these sacrifices? Yes, they were. To gain enough humility and self-respect to stay alive at all, we had to give up what had really been our dearest possessions--our ambition and our illegitimate pride.

A.A. COMES OF AGE, P. 287
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"We alcoholics are sensitive people. It takes some of us a long time
to outgrow that serious handicap."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 125~

*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

In A.A. alcoholics find a way to solve their personality problems. They do this by recovering three things. First, they recover their personal integrity. They pull themselves together. They get honest with themselves and with other people. They face themselves and their problems honestly, instead of running away. They take a personal inventory of themselves to see where they really stand. Then they face the facts instead of making excuses for themselves. Have I recovered my integrity?

Meditation for the Day

When trouble comes, do not say: "Why should this happen to me?" Leave yourself out of the picture. Think of other people and their troubles and you will forget about your own. Gradually get away from yourself and you will know the consolation of unselfish service to others. After a while, it will not matter so much what happens to you. It is not so important any more, except as your experience can be used to help others who are in the same kind of trouble.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may become more unselfish. I pray that I may not be thrown off the track by letting the old selfishness creep back into my life.

©Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012©

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Working With Others ^*^*^*^*^ April 6, 2007

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Working With Others

"Life will take on a 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."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 89

Thought to Consider . . .

Service is spirituality in action.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
HELP
Hope, Encouragement, Love and Patience

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Need

From "An Open Heart":

"Each day that I try to have a desire to be sober and to remember to keep an open heart, love and help flow into me. These bounties are unlimited in A.A. if we are fortunate enough to have the desire."

© 1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30^th printing 2004, pg. 51

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
A LIFETIME PROCESS

We were having trouble with personal relationships, we couldn't control our emotional natures, we were a prey to misery and depression, we couldn't make a living, we had a feeling of uselessness, we were full of fear, we were unhappy, we couldn't seem to be of real help to other people.  .  .  .

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p.  52

These words remind me that I have more problems than alcohol, that alcohol is only a symptom of a more pervasive disease.  When I stopped drinking I began a lifetime process of recovery from unruly emotions, painful relationships, and unmanageable situations.  This process is too much for most of us without help from a Higher Power and our friends in the Fellowship.  When I began working the Steps of the A.A. program, many of these tangled threads unraveled but, little by little, the most broken places of my life straightened out.  One day at a time, almost imperceptibly, I healed.  Like a thermostat being turned down, my fears diminished.  I began to experience moments of contentment.  My emotions became less volatile.  I am now once again a part of the human family.

©Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.©
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
When Defects Are Less than Deadly

Practically everybody wishes to be rid of his most glaring and destructive handicaps. No one wants to be so proud that he is scorned as a braggart, nor so greedy that he is labeled a thief. No one wants to be angry enough to ruin his health. No one wants to be agonized by chronic envy or paralyzed by sloth.
Of course, most human beings don't suffer these defects at these rock-bottom levels, and we who have escaped such extremes are apt to congratulate ourselves. Yet can we? After all, Hasn't it been self-interest that has enabled most of us to escape? Not much spiritual effort is involved in avoiding excesses which will bring us punishment anyway. But when we face up to the less violent aspects of these very same defects, where do we stand then?

TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 66
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"If there be divorce or separation, there should be no undue haste
for the couple to get together. The man should be sure of his
recovery. The wife should fully understand his new way of life. If
their old relationship is to be resumed it must be on a better basis,
since the former did not work. This means a new attitude and spirit
all around. Sometimes it is to the best interests of all concerned
that a couple remain apart. Obviously, no rule can be laid down.
Let the alcoholic continue his program day by day. When the time for
living together has come, it will be apparent to both parties."

Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, Page 99~

*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

All alcoholics have personality problems. They drink to escape from life, to counteract feelings of loneliness or inferiority, or because of some emotional conflict within them, so that they cannot adjust themselves to life. Alcoholics cannot stop drinking unless they find a way to solve their personality problems. That's why going on the wagon doesn't solve anything. That's why taking the pledge usually doesn't work. Was my personality problem ever solved by going on the wagon or taking the pledge?

Meditation for the Day

God irradiates your life with the warmth of His spirit. You must open up like a flower to this divine irradiation. Loosen your hold on earth, its cares, and its worries. Unclasp your hold on material things, relax your grip, and the tide of peace and serenity will flow in. Relinquish every material thing and receive it back again from God. Do not hold on to earth's treasures so firmly that your hands are too occupied to clasp God's hands as He holds them out to you in love.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may be open to receive God's blessing. I pray that I may be willing to relinquish my hold on material things and receive them back from God.

©Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012©

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Virtues ^*^*^*^*^ April 5, 2007

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Virtues

"We of AA are apt sometimes to brag
of the virtues of our fellowship.
Let us remember that none of these are earned virtues.
We have been forced into them, to begin with,
by the cruel lash of John Barleycorn.
We have adopted these attitudes, these practices,
this structure, not at first because we wished to
but because we had to.
But today I think we stand
willing to conform permanently and gladly
to the principles which experience,
under the grace of God,
has taught us."
Bill W., Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, p. 224

Thought to Consider . . .

Unless I accept my virtues,
I will be overwhelmed with my faults.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
LET GO
Leave Everything To God, Okay?

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Traditions

From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":

"You will remember that episode back in our living room on Clinton Street. That was the time when my group told me I [Bill W.] could never become an A.A. professional. With nearly every Tradition much the same thing has happened. At first, I obeyed because I had to; I would have lost my standing in A.A. if I had not. After a while I began to obey because I saw that the Traditions were wise and right. While I conformed because it was right to do, I still resisted inwardly.

"This was particularly true of anonymity. Today I hope I have come to a time in my A.A. life when I can obey because I really want to obey, because I really want the Traditions for myself as well as for A.A. as a whole."

© 2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pg. 136

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
TRUE BROTHERHOOD

We have not once sought to be one in a family, to be a friend among friends, to be a worker among workers, to be a useful member of society.  Always we tried to struggle to the top of the heap, or to hide underneath it.  This self-centered behavior blocked a partnership relation with any one of those about us.  Of true brotherhood we had small comprehension.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p.  53

This message contained in Step Four was the first one I heard loud and clear; I hadn't seen myself in print before!  Prior to my coming into A.A., I knew of no place that could teach me how to become a person among persons.  From my very first meeting, I saw people doing just that and I wanted what they had.  One of the reasons that I'm a happy, sober alcoholic today is that I'm learning this most important lesson.

©Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.©
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Spiritual Kindergarten

"We are only operating a spiritual kindergarten in which people are enabled to get over drinking and find the grace to go on living to better effect. Each man's theology has to be his own quest, his own affair."
<<< >>>
When the Big Book was being planned, some members thought that it ought to be Christian in the doctrinal sense. Others had no objection to the use of the word "God," but wanted to avoid doctrinal issues. Spirituality, yes. Religion, no. Still others wanted a psychological book, to lure the alcoholic in. Once in, he could take God or leave Him alone as he wished.
To the rest of us this was shocking, but happily we listened. Our group conscience was at work to construct the most acceptable and effective book possible.
Every voice was playing its appointed part. Our atheists and agnostics widened our gateway so that all who suffer might pass through, regardless of their belief or lack of belief.

1. LETTER, 1954
2. A.A. COMES OF AGE, PP. 162, 163, 167
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"Burn the idea into the consciousness of every man that he can get
well regardless of anyone. The only condition is that he trust in
God and clean house."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 98~
*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

People often ask what makes the A.A. program work. One of the answers is that A.A. works because it gets people away from themselves as the center of the universe. And it teaches them to rely more on the fellowship of others and on strength from God. Forgetting ourselves in fellowship, prayer, and working with others is what makes the A.A. program work. Are these things keeping me sober?

Meditation for the Day

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 seated 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.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may be in the right relationship to God. I pray that God will interpret to me the personalities of other people, so that I can understand them and help them.

©Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012©

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Sunlight^*^*^*^*^ April 4, 2007

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Sunlight

"When the thought was expressed to me
that there might be a God personal to me,
I didn't like the idea.
So my friend Ebby made what then seemed
a novel suggestion.
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."
Bill W., Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 12
As Bill Sees It, p. 313

Thought to Consider . . .

Joy isn't the absence of pain-- it's the presence of God.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
LET GO
Leave Everything To God, Okay?

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Confusion

From "The Housewife Who Drank at Home":

"I never knew which came first, the thinking or the drinking. If I could only stop thinking, I wouldn't drink. If I could only stop drinking, maybe I wouldn't think. But they were all mixed up together, and I was all mixed up inside. And yet I had to have that drink."

© 2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 297

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
CRYING FOR THE MOON

"This very real feeling of inferiority is magnified by his childish sensitivity and it is this state of affairs which generates in him that insatiable, abnormal craving for self-approval and success in the eyes of the world.  Still a child, he cries for the moon.  And the moon, it seems, won't have him!"

LANGUAGE OF THE HEART, p. 102

While drinking I seemed to vacillate between feeling totally invisible and believing I was the center of the universe.  Searching for that elusive balance between the two has become a major part of my recovery.  The moon I constantly cried for is, in sobriety, rarely full; it shows me instead its many other phases, and there are lessons in them all.  True learning has often followed an eclipse, a time of darkness, but with each cycle of my recovery, the light grows stronger and my vision is clearer.

©Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.©
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
"...In All Our Affairs

"The chief purpose of A.A. is sobriety. We all realize that without sobriety we have nothing.
"However, it is possible to expand this simple aim into a great deal of nonsense, so far as the individual member is concerned. Sometimes we hear him say, in effect, "Sobriety is my sole responsibility. After all, I'm a pretty fine chap, except for my drinking. Give me sobriety, and I've got it made!'
"As long as our friend clings to this comfortable alibi, he will make so little progress with his real life problems and responsibilities that he stands in a fair way to get drunk again. This is why A.A.'s Twelfth Step urges that we 'practice these principles in all our affairs.' We are not living just to be sober; we are living to learn, to serve, and to love."

LETTER, 1966
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
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.

- Pg. 85 - Into Action
*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

When I came into A.A., I found men and women who had been through the same things I had been through. But now they were thinking more about how they could help others than they were about themselves. They were a lot more unselfish than I ever was. By coming to meetings and associating with them, I began to think a little less about myself and a little more about other people. I also learned that I didn't have to depend on myself alone to get out of the mess I was in. I could get a greater strength than my own. Am I now depending less on myself and more on God?

Meditation for the Day

You cannot help others unless you understand the person you are trying to help. To understand the problems and temptations of others, you must have been through them yourself. You must do all you can to understand others. You must study their backgrounds, their likes and dislikes, their reactions and their prejudices. When you see their weaknesses, do not confront the person with them. Share your own weaknesses, sins, and temptations and let other people find their own convictions.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may serve as a channel for God's power to come into the lives of others. I pray that I may try to understand them.

©Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012©

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