Thoughts For The Day~*~Powerless ^*^*^July 14, 2007

 ~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
^*^*^*^*^
(\    ~~  /)
(   \ (AA)/   )
(_   /AA\ _)
  /AA\
^*^*^*^*^
Powerless
^*^*^
"I had no problem admitting I was powerless over alcohol,
and I certainly agreed that my life had become
unmanageable.
I had only to reflect on the contrast between the plans I made
so many years ago for my life with what really happened
to know I couldn't manage my life drunk or sober.
AA taught me that willingness to believe
was enough for a beginning." 
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 550
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Life didn't end when I got sober ... it started.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A C T I O N  =  Any Change To Improve Our Natures

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

Upkeep

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

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
A NOURISHING INGREDIENT

Where humility had formerly stood for a forced feeding on humble pie, it now begins to mean the nourishing ingredient which can give us serenity.       

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 74

How often do I focus on my problems and frustrations?  When I am having a "good day" these same problems shrink in importance and my preoccupation with them dwindles.  Wouldn't it be better if I could find a key to unlock the "magic" of my "good days" for use on the woes of my "bad days"?

I already have the solution! Instead of trying to run away from my pain and wish my problems away, I can pray for humility!  Humility will heal the pain.  Humility will take me out of myself.  Humility, that strength granted to me by that "power greater than myself," is mine for the asking!  Humility will bring balance back into my life.  Humility will allow me to accept my humanness joyously.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
The Language of the Heart

Why, at this particular point in history, has God chosen to communicate His
healing grace to so many of us? Every aspect of this global unfoldment can be related to a single crucial word. The word is communication among ourselves, with the world around us, and with God.
From the beginning, communication in A.A. has been no ordinary transmission of helpful ideas and attitudes. 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.

A.A. TODAY, PP. 7-8
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
He Sold Himself Short - But he found that there was a Higher Power which had more faith in him than he had in himself.   Thus, A.A. was born in Chicago.
The day before I was due to go back to Chicago, a Wednesday and Dr. Bob's afternoon off, he had me down to the office and we spent three or four hours formally going through the Six-Step program as it was at that time.  The six
steps were:

1.   Complete deflation.
2.   Dependence and guidance from a Higher Power.
3.   Moral Inventory.
4.   Confession.
5.   Restitution.
6.   Continued work with other alcoholics.

c. 2001, Alcoholics Anonymous, page 266

*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*

A.A. Thought For The Day

One of the best things about the A.A. program is the
peace of mind and serenity that it can bring us.   In our
drinking days, we had no piece off mind or serenity.  
We had the exact opposite, a kind of turmoil and that
"quiet desperation" we knew so well.  
The turmoil of our drinking days was caused partly by our physical suffering, the terrible hangovers, the cold sweats,
the shakes and the jitters.   But it was caused even more by our mental
suffering, the loneliness, the feeling of inferiority, the lying, the remorse
that every alcoholic understands.  Have I achieved more peace of mind?

Meditation For The Day

Try to look for God's leading in all your personal relationships,
in all your dealings with other persons.   God will help you
to take care of all your relationships with people, if you are willing to let
Him guide you. Rejoice that God can protect
you and keep you from temptation and failure. 
God can protect you in all situations during the day, if you
will rely on His strength and go forward.   You should feel that you
are entering upon the stage of success in the proper way of living.  
You should not doubt that better things are ahead for you.   Go
forward unafraid because you feel deeply safe under God's protection.

Prayer For The Day

I pray that God may protect and keep me as long as I try to serve  Him.   I
pray that I may go forward today unafraid.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Triumph ^*^*^ July 13, 2007

 ~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
^*^*^*^*^
(\    ~~  /)
(   \ (AA)/   )
(_   /AA\ _)
  /AA\
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Triumph
^*^*^
"It is only at the moment when a member ceases to drink
that he asserts the right to
describe himself as an alcoholic. . .
What an unthinking world may look upon as defeat,
alcoholics in AA know as a triumph of the spirit,
a triumph of humility over false pride and self-centeredness.  How few human
beings ever have the courage
to stand up before their neighbors and, in humility,
describing themselves truthfully, to say:
'This is what I really am.' " 
©1985AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, p. 278
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Veni, vidi, velcro ... I came, I saw, I stuck around.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A A  =  Adventurers Anonymous

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*
 

Inexplicable

From "Why? I Don't Know":

"I don't attempt to explain with reason and logic why these things happen. When they happen, I just accept them. I feel perhaps that God, as I understand Him, found it necessary for me to suffer the pain and anguish of an addicted alcoholic and to go through the slow and, for me, difficult program of recovery in A.A. in order to be prepared and willing to do His will. I am grateful and thankful that God has given this to me. Perhaps it is because I take the Third Step every morning. My hopes and prayers are that each day I will be able to maintain this conscious contact with God. – Kingsport, Tennessee, USA"

© 1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30^th printing 2004, pg. 70

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
HUMILITY IS A GIFT

As long as we placed self-reliance first, a genuine reliance upon a Higher Power was out of the question. That basic ingredient of all humility, a desire to seek and do God's will, was missing.               

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 72

When I first came to A.A., I wanted to find some of the elusive quality called humility.  I didn't realize I was looking for humility because I thought it would help me get what I wanted, and that I would do anything for others if I thought God would somehow reward me for it.  I try to remember now that the people I meet in the course of my day are as close to God as I am ever going to get while on this earth. I need to pray for knowledge of God's will today, and see how my experiences with hope and pain can help other people; if I can do that, I don't need to search for humility, it has found me.
©Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.©
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
The Obsession and the Answer

The idea that somehow, someday, he will control and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal drinker. The persistence of this illusion is astonishing. Many pursue it into the gates of insanity or death.
<<<>>>
Alcoholism, not cancer, was my illness, but what was the difference? Was not Alcoholism took longer to do its killing, but the result was the same. So, I
decided, if there was a great Physician who could cure the alcoholic
sickness, I had better seek Him at once.

1. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, P. 30
2. A.A. COMES OF AGE, P. 61
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"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."

Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 84

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

Before alcoholics come into A.A., they are "flying blind." But A.A. gives
them a directed beam in the A.A. program. As long as they keep on this beam, the signal of sobriety keeps coming through. If they have a slip, the signal is broken. if they swing off course into drunkenness, the signal stops.
Unless they regain the A.A. directed beam, they are in danger of crashing
against the mountain peak of despair. Am I on the beam?

Meditation for the Day

Be expectant. Constantly expect better things. Believe that what God has in
store for you is better than anything you ever had before. The way to grow
old happily is to expect better things right up to the end of your life and
even beyond that. A good life is a growing, expanding life, with ever
widening horizons, an ever greater circle of friends and acquaintances, and
an ever greater opportunity for usefulness.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may await with complete faith for the next good thing in store
for me. I pray that I may always keep an expectant attitude toward life.

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

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Belief ^*^*^ July 12, 2007

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
^*^*^*^*^
(\    ~~  /)
(   \ (AA)/   )
(_   /AA\ _)
  /AA\
^*^*^*^*^
Belief
^*^*^
"Despite contrary indications,
I had little doubt that a mighty purpose and rhythm
underlay all.
How could there be so much of precise and immutable law,
and no intelligence?
I simply had to believe in a
Spirit of the Universe,
who knew neither time nor limitation."
- Bill W.
©1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 10
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Faith is not belief without proof;
it's trust without reservation.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A B C  =  Acceptance, Belief, Change

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

Spirituality

From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":

"The liberals were the largest contingent and they had no objection to the use of the word "God" throughout the [Big] book, but they were dead set against any other theological proposition. They would have nothing to do with doctrinal issues. Spirituality, yes. But religion, no—positively no. Most of our members, they pointed out, believed in some sort of deity. But when it came to theology we could not possibly agree among ourselves, so how could we write a book that contained any such matter? There was no such thing as group opinion in these areas and there never could be. Alcoholics who had tried the missions were forever complaining about this very thing. The alcoholic's unreasoning rebellion against the specifically religious approach had severely handicapped the missions. The liberals said they did not intend to be critical; they only wanted us to remember the hard facts. Those contentions could not be denied. It was true that we could not agree on a religious basis for our fellowship and that the straight religious approach had worked in relatively few cases."

© 2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pg. 162-63 

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~^*~*~*~*~*
GIVING UP CENTER STAGE

For without some degree of humility, no alcoholic can stay sober at all. . .Without it, they cannot live to much useful purpose, or, in adversity, be able to summon the faith that can meet any emergency.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 70

Why do I balk at the word "humility"?  I am not humbling myself toward other people, but toward God, as I understand Him.  Humility means "to show submissive respect," and by being humble I realize I am not the center of the universe. When I was drinking, I was consumed by pride and self-centeredness. I felt the entire world revolved around me, that I was master of my destiny. Humility enables me to depend more on God to help me overcome obstacles, to help me with my own imperfections, so that I may grow spiritually. I must solve more difficult problems to increase my proficiency and, as I encounter life's stumbling blocks, I must learn to overcome them through God's help. Daily communion with God demonstrates my humility and provides me with the realization that an entity more powerful than I is willing to help me if I cease trying to play God myself.

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

Our first attempts at inventories are apt to prove very unrealistic. I used
to be a champ at unrealistic self-appraisal. On certain occasion, I wanted to
look at the part of my life which seemed good. Then I would greatly
exaggerate whatever virtues I supposed I had attained. Next I would
congratulate myself on the grand job I was doing in A.A.
Naturally this generated a terrible hankering for still more
accomplishments, and still more approval.
I was falling straight back into the pattern of my drinking days.
Here were the same old goals power, fame, and applause.
Besides, I had the best alibi known as the spiritual
objective made this utter nonsense seem perfectly right.

GRAPEVINE, JUNE 1961
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"We realized that the people who wronged us were perhaps spiritually
sick. Though we did not like their symptoms and the way these
disturbed us, they, like ourselves, were sick too. We asked God to
help us show them the same tolerance, pity, and patience that we
would cheerfully grant a sick friend. When a person offended we said
to ourselves, 'This is a sick man. How can I be helpful to him? God
save me from being angry. Thy will be done."

Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 66
*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought For The Day

Today is ours. Let us live today as we believe God wants us to live.
Each day will have a new pattern which we cannot foresee.   But we
can  open each day with a quiet period in which we say a little prayer,
asking God to help us through the day.  Personal contact with God, as
we understand Him, will from day to day bring us nearer to an
understanding of His will for us.   At the close of the day, we offer Him
thanks for another day of sobriety.   A full, constructive day has been
lived and we are grateful.  Am I asking God each day for strength and
thanking Him each night?

Meditation For The Day

If you believe that God's grace has saved you, then you must believe that He
is meaning to save you yet more and keep you in the way that you should go.
Even human rescuers would not save you from drowning 
only to place you in other deep and dangerous waters.
Rather, they would place you on dry land, there to restore you.
God, who is your rescuer, would certainly do this and even more.
God will complete the task He sets out to do.   He will not
throw you overboard, if you are depending on Him.

Prayer For The Day

I pray that I may trust God to keep me in the way.  
I pray that I may rely on Him not to let me go

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Anger ^*^*^ July 11, 2007

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
^*^*^*^*^
(\    ~~  /)
(   \ (AA)/   )
(_   /AA\ _)
  /AA\
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Anger
^*^*^
"It is a spiritual axiom that every time we are disturbed,
no matter what the cause, there is something wrong with us. 
If somebody hurts us and we are sore,
we are in the wrong also. 
But are there no exceptions to this rule? 
What about 'justifiable' anger? 
If somebody cheats us, aren't we entitled to be mad? 
Can't we be properly angry with self-righteous folk? 
For us in AA these are dangerous exceptions. 
We have found that justifiable anger
ought to be left to those better qualified to handle it."
©1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 90 
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Anger is the hot wind that extinguishes the light of reason.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A N G E R  =  Any No Good Energy Rising

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Todayy!^*~*~*~*~*

Reward

From "The Keys of the Kingdom":

"There is no more aloneness, with that awful ache, so deep in the heart of every alcoholic that nothing, before, could ever reach it. That ache is gone and never need return again.

"Now there is a sense of belonging, of being wanted and needed and loved. In return for a bottle and a hangover, we have been given the Keys of the Kingdom."

© 2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 276

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
A TURNING POINT

A great turning point in our lives came when we sought for humility as something we really wanted, rather than as something we must have.       
                                
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 75

Either the A.A. way of life becomes one of joy or I return to the darkness and despair of alcoholism. Joy comes to me when my attitude concerning God and humility turns to one of desire rather than of burden. The darkness in my life changes to radiant light when I arrive at the realization that being truthful and honest in dealing with my inventory results in my life being filled with serenity, freedom, and joy. Trust in my Higher Power deepens, and the flush of gratitude spreads through my being. I am convinced that being humble is being truthful and honest in dealing with myself and God. It is then that humility is something I "really want," rather than being "something I must have."
©Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.©
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Carrying the Message

The wonderful energy the Twelfth Step releases, by which it carries our
message to the next suffering alcoholic and finally translates the Twelve
Steps into action upon all our affairs, is the payoff, the magnificent
reality of A.A.
<<<>>>
Never talk down to an alcoholic from any moral or spiritual hilltop; simply
lay out the kit of spiritual tools for his inspection. Show him how they
worked with you. Offer him friendship and fellowship.

1. TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 109
2. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, P. 95
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"Your job now is to be at the place where you may be of maximum
helpfulness to others, so never hesitate to go anywhere if you can
be helpful. You should not hesitate to visit the most sordid spot on
earth on such an errand. Keep on the firing line of life with these
motives and God will keep you unharmed."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 102~


*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought For The Day

       We in Alcoholics Anonymous do not try to chart the path for the
       human soul or try to lay out a blueprint of the working of faith, as
one might plan a charity drive.  We do tell the newcomer that we have
       renewed our faith in a Higher Power.  In the telling, our faith is
       further renewed.  We believe that faith is always close at hand,
       waiting for those who will listen to the heartbeat of the spirit.  We
       believe there is a force for good in the universe and that if we link
up with this force, we are carried onward to a new life.  Am I in this
stream of goodness?

       Meditation for the Day

       God will protect you from the forces of evil, if you will rely on Him.
       You can face all things through the power of God which strengthens
       you.  Once God has set on you His stamp and seal of ownership, all His
       strength will serve and protect you.  Remember that you are a child of
       the Father.  Realize that the Father's help is always ready and
       available to all His children, so that they can face anything.  God
will do all that is necessary for your spiritual well-being, if you will
let Him live His way.

       Prayer for the Day

       I pray that I may rely on God as I go through this day. I pray that I
       may feel deeply secure, no matter what happens to me.

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

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