Saturday, May 19, 2007

Thoughts For The Day~*~Attitudes ^*^*^*^*^ May 19, 2007

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

(\    ~~  /)
(   \ (
AA)/   )
(_   /
AA
\ _)
  /
AA\

^*^*^*^*^

Attitudes

"We find that our old attitudes toward our instincts
need to undergo drastic revisions.
Our desires for emotional security and wealth,
for personal prestige and power,
for romance, and for family satisfactions -
all these have to be tempered and redirected.
If we place instincts first,
we have got the cart before the horse;
we shall be pulled backward into disillusionment.
But when we are willing to place
spiritual growth first -
then and only then do we have a real chance."
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 114

Thought to Consider . . .

I have learned that my actions are far more important than my thoughts.



*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
EGO
Easing God O
ut


*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*
 

Option
From "The Prisoner Freed":

"If something does come along that sort of upsets me, instead of walking in and throwing a buck at the barman and asking for a drink, I walk into a telephone booth, drop a dime in the box, and call somebody who was so kind as to give me his name and telephone number to meet such an emergency. I don't have any resentments. I had a rough lot, but I don't worry about that, after hearing the stories of many others. I think I am very lucky that there are people like A.A.'s [sic] and an A.A. program to hang on to and carry me through."

(c) 2003, AAWS, Inc.; Experience, Strength & Hope, pg. 393

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
GIVING WITHOUT STRINGS

And he well knows that his own life has been made richer, as an extra dividend of giving to another without any demand for a return.

AS BILL SEES IT, p.  69

The concept of giving without strings was hard to understand when I first came into the program.  I was suspicious when others wanted to help me.  I thought, "What do they want in return?"  But I soon learned the joy of helping another alcoholic and I understood why they were there for me in the beginning.  My attitudes changed and I wanted to help others.  Sometimes I became anxious, as I wanted them to know the joys of sobriety, that life can be beautiful.  When my life is full of a loving God of my understanding and I give that love to my fellow alcoholic, I feel a special richness that is hard to explain.


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

Though I still find it difficult to accept today's pain and anxiety with any great degree of serenity - as those more advanced in the spiritual life seem able to do - I can give thanks for present pain nevertheless.

I find the willingness to do this by contemplating the lessons learned from past suffering - lessons which have led to the blessings I now enjoy. I can remember how the agonies of alcoholism, the pain of rebellion and thwarted pride, have often led me to God's grace, and so to a new freedom.

GRAPEVINE, MARCH 1962


*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"But my friend sat before me, and he made the pointblank declaration
that God had done for him what he could not do for himself. His
human will had failed. Doctors had pronounced him incurable.
Society was about to lock him up. Like myself, he had admitted
complete defeat. Then he had, in effect, been raised from the dead,
suddenly taken from the scrap heap to a level of life better than
the best he had ever known!"

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Bill's Story, pg. 11~


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

Fellowship is a big part of staying sober. The doctors call it group therapy. We never go to an A.A. meeting without taking something out of it. Sometimes we don't feel like going to a meeting and we think of excuses for not going. But we usually end up by going anyway and we always get some lift out of every meeting. Meetings are part of keeping sober. And we get more out of a meeting if we try to contribute something to it. Am I contributing my share at meetings?

Meditation for the Day

"He brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings." The first part, "He brought me up out of a horrible pit," means that by turning to God and putting my problems in His hands, I am able to overcome my sins and temptations. "He set my feet upon a rock" means that when I trust God in all things, I have true security. "He established my goings" means that if I honestly try to live the way God wants me to live, I will have God's guidance in my daily living.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that my feet may be set upon a rock. I pray that I may rely on God to guide my comings and goings.


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





See what's free at AOL.com.

Friday, May 18, 2007

Thoughts For The Day~*~Sponsor ^*^*^*^*^ May 18, 2007

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

(\    ~~  /)
(   \ (
AA)/   )
(_   /
AA
\ _)
  /
AA\

^*^*^*^*^

Sponsor

"If we are fooling ourselves,
a competent adviser can see this quickly.
And, as he skillfully guides us away from our fantasies,
we are surprised to find that we have few
of the usual urges to defend ourselves
against unpleasant truths.
In no other way can fear, pride,
and ignorance be so readily melted.
After a time, we realize that we are standing firm
on a brand-new foundation for integrity,
and we gratefully credit our sponsors,
whose advice pointed the way."


Bill W., Box 1980: The AA Grapevine, August 1961.
As Bill Sees It, p. 248




Thought to Consider . . .

A recovering alcoholic without a sponsor is much like leaving Dracula in charge of the blood bank.




*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
C A R D S =
Call your sponsor,
Ask for help from your Higher Power,
Read the Big Book,
Do the Twelve Steps,
Stay active in your group.


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

Roles
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

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
FREEDOM TO BE ME

If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through.  We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p.  83

My first true freedom is the freedom not to have to take a drink today.  If I truly want it, I will work the Twelve Steps and the happiness of this freedom will come to me through the Steps -- sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.  Other freedoms will follow, and inventorying them is a new happiness.  I had a new freedom today, the freedom to be me.  I have the freedom to be the best me I have ever been.


©Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.©
*
~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Two Roads for the Oldtimer

The founders of many groups ultimately divide into two classes known in A.A. slang as "elder statesmen" and "bleeding deacons."

The elder statesman sees the wisdom of the group's decision to run itself and holds no resentment over his reduced status. His judgment, fortified by considerable experience, is sound; he is willing to sit quietly on the side lines patiently awaiting developments.

The bleeding deacon is just as surely convinced that the group cannot get along without him. He constantly connives for re-election to office and continues to be consumed with self-pity. Nearly every oldtimer in our Society has gone through this process in some degree. Happily, most of them survive and live to become elder statesmen. They become the real and permanent leadership of A.A.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, p. 135


*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"The minute we put our work on a service plane, the alcoholic
commences to rely upon our assistance rather than upon God. He
clamors for this or that, claiming he cannot master alcohol until
his material needs are cared for. Nonsense. Some of us have taken very hard knocks to learn this truth: Job or no job — wife or no wife — we simply do not stop drinking so long as we place dependence upon other people ahead of dependence on God."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 98~

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

We're in A.A. for two main reasons: to keep sober ourselves and to help others to keep sober. It's a well known fact that helping others is a big part of keeping sober yourself It's also been proved that it's very hard to keep sober all by yourself. A lot of people have tried it and failed. They come to a few A.A. meetings and then stay sober alone for a few months, but usually they eventually get drunk. Do I know that I can't stay sober successfully alone?

Meditation for the Day

Look by faith into that place beyond space or time where God dwells and whence you came and to which you shall eventually return. "Look unto Him and be saved." To look beyond material things is within the power of everyone's imagination. Faith's took saves you from despair. Faith's look saves you from worry and care. Faith's took brings a peace beyond all understanding. Faith's look brings you all the strength you need. Faith's look gives you a new and vital power and a wonderful peace and serenity.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may have faith's look. I pray that by faith I may look beyond the now to eternal life.


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





See what's free at AOL.com.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Thoughts For The Day~*~Fear^*^*^*^*^ May 17, 2007

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

(\    ~~  /)
(   \ (
AA)/   )
(_   /
AA
\ _)
  /
AA\

^*^*^*^*^

Fear

"This short word somehow touches
about every aspect of our lives.
It was an evil and corroding thread;
the fabric of our existence was shot through with it.
It set in motion trains of circumstances which
brought us misfortune we felt we didn't deserve.
But did not we, ourselves, set the ball rolling?
Sometimes we think fear
ought to be classed with stealing.
It seems to cause more trouble."
Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 67-8.

Thought to Consider . . .

Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows,
but only empties today of its strength.


*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F E A R = Forever Escaping And Retreating



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

 
Literature
From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":

"My elation was disturbed by disquieting thoughts. Suppose our embryo book were someday to become the chief text for our fellowship. Our principal written asset would then be owned by an outside publisher, a fine and conservative one surely, but nevertheless an outsider. …

"Soon afterward, one of the most terrific power-drivers I have ever met got into the act. This was my friend Henry P., one-time Standard Oil executive and the very first alcoholic ever to stay sober even a little while in the New York group. …'Why don't we put this proposed book on a business basis and form a stock company? Let's sell shares to our own folks right here in New York.' . . .

"I went back to [Harper's Editor and A.A. friend] Gene Exman and frankly explained to him what was about to happen. To my utter amazement, he agreed, quite contrary to his own interest, that a society like ours ought to control and publish its own literature."

© 2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pgs. 154-55


*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
. . .  AND FORGIVE

Under very trying conditions I have had, again and again, to forgive others -- also myself.

AS BILL SEES IT, p.  268

Forgiveness of self and forgiveness of others are just two currents in the same river, both hindered or shut off completely by the dam of resentment.  Once that dam is lifted, both currents can flow.  The Steps of A.A. allow me to see how resentment has built up and subsequently blocked off this flow in my life.  The Steps provide a way by which my resentments may -- by the grace of God as I understand Him -- be lifted.  It is as a result of this solution that I can find the necessary grace which enables me to forgive myself and others.


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

Fear somehow touched about every aspect of our lives. It was an evil and corroding thread; the fabric of our existence was shot through with it.
It set in motion trains of circumstances which brought us misfortune we felt we didn't deserve. But did not we often set the ball rolling ourselves?


***  ***

The problem of resolving fear has two aspects. We shall have to try for all the freedom from fear that is possible for us to attain. Then we shall need to find both the courage and the grace to deal constructively with whatever fears remain.

1. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, pp. 67-68
2. GRAPEVINE, JANUARY 1962


*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"Next we launched out on a course of vigorous action, the first step
of which is a personal housecleaning, which many of us had never
attempted. Though our decision was a vital and crucial step, it
could have little permanent effect unless at once followed by a
strenuous effort to face, and to be rid of, the things in ourselves
which had been blocking us. Our liquor was but a symptom. So we had
to get down to causes and conditions.

Therefore, we started upon a personal inventory. This was Step Four."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 63~


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

A lot of well-meaning people treat alcoholics like the priest and the Levite. They pass by on the other side by scorning them and telling them what low people they are, with no willpower. Whereas, they really have fallen for alcohol, in the same way as the man in the story fell among robbers. And the member of A.A. who is working with others is like the Good Samaritan. Am I moved with compassion? Do I take care of another alcoholic whenever I can?

Meditation for the Day

I must constantly live in preparation for something better to come. All of life is a preparation for something better. I must anticipate the morning to come. I must feet, in the night of sorrow, that understanding joy that tells of confident expectation of better things to come. "Sorrow may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." Know that God has something better in store for you, as long as you are making yourself ready for it. All your existence in this world is a training for a better life to come.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that when life is over, I will return to an eternal, space-less life with God. I pray that I may make this life a preparation for a better life to come.


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





See what's free at AOL.com.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Thoughts For The Day~*~Martyrdom ^*^*^*^*^ May 16, 2007

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
^*^*^*^*^
(\    ~~  /)
(   \ (AA/   )
(    /AA\ )
   /AA\
^*^*^*^*^
Martyrdom

"Self-pity is one of the most unhappy and
consuming defects that we know.
It is a bar to all spiritual progress
and can cut off all effective communication
with our fellows
because of its inordinate demands
for attention and sympathy.
It is a maudlin form of martyrdom,
which we can ill afford."

Bill W., Letter, 1966
As Bill Sees It, p. 238

Thought to Consider . . .

I can't have a better tomorrow
if I am thinking about yesterday all the time.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
PEACE
Praying Energetically Always Creates E
ase


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

Real
From "Because I'm an Alcoholic":

"A.A. is my home now, and it is everywhere. I go to meetings when I travel here or in foreign countries, and the people are family I can know because of what we share. As I write this, in my twenty-eighth year of sobriety, I am amazed to look back and remember the woman—or child—I was then, to see how far I've come out of that abyss. Alcoholics Anonymous has enabled me to move from fantasies about what I might do with my life into living it, one day at a time."

© 2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 346



*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
WE FORGIVE

Often it was while working on this Step with our sponsors or spiritual advisers that we first felt truly able to forgive others, no matter how deeply we felt they had wronged us.  Our moral inventory had persuaded us that all-round forgiveness was desirable, but it was only when we resolutely tackled Step Five that we inwardly knew we'd be able to receive forgiveness and give it, too.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p.  58

What a great feeling forgiveness is!  What a revelation about my emotional, psychological and spiritual nature.  All it takes is willingness to forgive; God will do the rest.


©Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.©
*
~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Start by Forgiving

The moment we ponder a twisted or broken relationship with another person, our emotions go on the defensive. To escape looking at the wrongs we have done another, we resentfully focus on the wrong he has done us. Triumphantly we seize upon his slightest misbehavior as the perfect excuse for minimizing or forgetting our own.

Right here we need to fetch ourselves up sharply. Let's remember that alcoholics are not the only ones bedeviled by sick emotions. In many instances we are really dealing with fellow sufferers, people whose woes we have increased.

If we are about to ask forgiveness for ourselves, why shouldn't we start out by forgiving them, one and all?

TWELVE AND TWELVE, p. 78
Copyright®1967 Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.


*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"Faith without works was dead, he said. And how appallingly true for
the alcoholic! For if an alcoholic failed to perfect and enlarge his
spiritual life through work and self-sacrifice for others, he could
not survive the certain trials and low spots ahead. If he did not
work, he would surely drink again, and if he drank, he would surely
die. Then faith would be dead indeed. With us it is just like that."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Bill's Story, pg. 14~

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

In the story of the Good Samaritan, the wayfarer fell among robbers and was left lying in the gutter, half dead. And a priest and a Levite both passed by on the other side of the road. But the Good Samaritan was moved with compassion and came to him and bound up his wounds and brought him to an inn and took care of him. Do I treat another alcoholic like the priest and the Levite or like the Good Samaritan?

Meditation for the Day

Never weary in prayer. When one day you see how unexpectedly your prayer has been answered, then you will deeply regret that you have prayed so little. Prayer changes things for you. Practice praying until your trust in God has become strong. And then pray on, because it has become so much a habit that you need it daily. Keep praying until prayer seems to become communion with God. That is the note on which true times of prayer should end.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may form the habit of daily prayer. I pray that I may find the strength I need, as a result of this communion.


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





See what's free at AOL.com.