Thoughts For The Day~*~Defects ^*^*^ July 21, 2007

 ~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
^*^*^*^*^
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  /AA\
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Defects
^*^*^
"What we must recognize now is that
we exult in some of our defects.
We really love them.
Who, for example, doesn't like to feel
just a little superior to the next fellow,
or even quite a lot superior?
Isn't it true that we like to let greed masquerade as ambition?
To think of liking lust seems impossible.
But how many men and women speak love with their lips,
and believe what they say,
so they can hide lust in a dark corner of their minds?
And even while staying within conventional bounds,
many people have to admit
that their imaginary sex excursions are apt to be
all dressed up as dreams of romance."
1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 66-7
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

If I want God to remove my character defects,
I'll have to stop doing them.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
B A T H  =  Behavior, Attitude, Thinking, and Habits

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*
 

Growth

From "Readiness to Serve Others"

"The Light to freedom shines bright on my fellow alcoholics as each one of us challenges that other to grow. The Steps to self-improvement have small beginnings, but each Step builds the ladder out of the pit of despair to new hope. Honesty becomes my tool to unfurl the chains which bound me. A sponsor, who is a caring listener, can help me to truly hear the message guiding me to freedom."

1990 AAWS, Inc.; Daily Reflections, pg. 160

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
PRICELESS GIFT          

By this time in all probability we have gained some measure of release from
our more devastating handicaps. We enjoy moments in which there is something like real peace of mind. To those of us who have hitherto known only excitement, depression, or anxiety -- in other words, to all of us -- this
newfound peace is a priceless gift.     

TWELVE  STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, P. 74


I am learning to let go and let God, to have a mind that is open and a heart
that is willing to receive God's grace in all my affairs; in this way I can
experience the peace and freedom that come as a result of surrender. It has
been proven that an act of surrender, originating in desperation and defeat,
can grow into an ongoing act of faith, and that faith means freedom and 
victory.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
The Hour of Decision

"Not all large decisions can be well made by simply listing the pros and cons of a given situation, helpful and necessary as this process is. We cannot
always depend on what seems to us to be logical. When there is doubt about our logic, we wait upon God and listen for the voice of intuition. If, in
meditation, that voice is persistent enough, we may well gain sufficient
confidence to act upon that, rather than upon logic. "If, after an exercise
of these two disciplines, we are still uncertain, then we should ask for
further guidance and, when possible, defer important decisions for a time. By then, with more knowledge of our situation, logic and intuition may well
agree upon a right course. "But if the decision must be now, let us not evade it through fear. Right or wrong, we can always profit from the experience."

LETTER, 1966

A continuos look at our assets and liabilities, and a real desire to learn
and grow by this means are necessities for us. We alcoholics have learned
this the hard way. More experienced people, of course, in all times and
places have practiced unsparing self-survey and criticism.

12x12 p. 88
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"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.' We have then
completed Step Seven."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 76~


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

If we feel the need to say something to put another member on the right
track, we should try to say it with understanding and sympathy, not with a
critical attitude. We should keep everything out in the open and aboveboard.
The A.A. program is wonderful, but we must really follow it. We must all pull
together or we'll all be sunk. We enjoy the privilege of being associated
with A.A. and we are entitled to all its benefits. But gossip and criticism
are not tolerance, and tolerance is an A.A. principle that is absolutely
necessary to group unity. Am I truly tolerant of all my group's members?

Meditation for the Day

"Faith can move mountains." That expression means that faith can change any
situation in the field of personal relationships. If you trust Him, God shows
you the way to "move mountains." If you are humble enough to know that you
can do little by yourself to change a situation, if you have enough faith to
ask God to give you the power you need, and if you are grateful enough for
the grace He gives you, you can, "move mountains." Situations will be changed
for the better by your presence.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may have enough faith to make me really effective. I pray that
I may learn to depend less on myself and more on God.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may have enough faith to make me really effective. I pray that
I may learn to depend less on myself and more on God.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Fear ^*^*^ July 20, 2007

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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(   \ (AA)/   )
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  /AA\
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Fear
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"Unreasonable fear that our instincts will not be satisfied
drives us to covet the possessions of others,
to lust for sex and power,
to become angry when our instinctive demands
are threatened,
to be envious when the ambitions of others
seem to be realized while ours are not.
We eat, drink, and grab for more of everything than we need,
fearing we shall never have enough.
And with genuine alarm at the prospect of work,
we stay lazy.
We loaf and procrastinate,
or at best work grudgingly and under half steam.
These fears are the termites that ceaselessly devour
the foundations of whatever sort of life we try to build."
1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 49
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Thought to Consider . . .

Fear is a darkroom for developing negatives

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F E A R  =  Forgetting Everything's All Right

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

Wholeness

From "This Spirit Touch":

"I believe completeness is waiting for anyone who will take the time to make the effort, through quiet thinking, honest prayer, chosen reading, and exercise. Those are the ingredients. It is an adventure so worthwhile that all else fades in comparison, yet it makes all else worthwhile. – Richmond, Virginia, USA"

© 1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30^th printing 2004, pg. 66

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
SHORTCOMINGS REMOVED

But now the words "Of myself I am nothing, the Father doeth the works" began to carry bright promise and meaning. 

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 75

When I put the Seventh Step into action I must remember that there are no blanks to fill in. It doesn't say, "Humbly asked  Him to (fill in the blank) remove our shortcomings."  For years, I filled in the imaginary blank with "Help me!" "Give me the courage to," and "Give me the strength," etc. The Step says simply that God will remove my shortcomings. The only footwork I must do is "humbly ask," which for me means asking with the knowledge that of myself I am nothing, the Father within "doeth the works."
Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Unlimited Choice

Any number of alcoholics are bedeviled by the dire conviction that if ever
they go near A.A. they will be pressured to conform to some particular brand
of faith or theology. They just don't realize that faith is never an
imperative for A.A. membership; that sobriety can be achieved with an easily
acceptable minimum of it, and that our concepts of a Higher Power and God - as we understand Him - afford everyone a nearly unlimited choice of spiritual belief and action.

<<<>>>

In talking to a prospect, stress the spiritual feature freely. If the man be
agnostic or atheist, make it emphatic that he does not have to agree with
your conception of God. He can choose any conception he likes, provided it
makes sense to him. The main thing is that he be willing to believe in a
Power greater than himself and that he live by spiritual principles.

1. GRAPEVINE, APRIL 1961 - 2. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 93

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"When we retire at night, we constructively review our day. Were we
resentful, selfish, dishonest or afraid? Do we owe an apology? Have
we kept something to ourselves which should be discussed with another
person at once? Were we kind and loving toward all? What could we
have done better? Were we thinking of ourselves most of the time? Or
were we thinking of what we could do for others, of what we could
pack into the stream of life? But we must be careful not to drift
into worry, remorse or morbid reflection, for that would diminish our
usefulness to others. After making our review we ask God's
forgiveness and inquire what corrective measures should be taken."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 86~
*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

We must be loyal to the group and to each member of it. We must never accuse members behind their backs or even to their faces. It's up to them to tell us themselves if anything is wrong. More than that, we must try not to think bad things about any members, because if we do, we're consciously or unconsciously hurting that person. We must be loyal to each other if A.A. is
going to be successful. While we're in this lifeboat, trying to save
ourselves and each other from alcoholism, we must be truly and sincerely
helpful to each other. Am I a loyal member of my group?

Meditation for the Day

Carry out God's guidance as best you can. Leave the results to Him. Do this
obediently and faithfully with no question that if the working out of the
guidance is left in God's hands, the results will be all right? Believe that
the guidance God gives you has already been worked out by God to produce the required results according to your case and in your circumstances. So follow God's guidance according to your conscience. God has knowledge of your individual life and character, your capabilities and your weaknesses.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may live according to the dictates of my conscience. I pray
that I may leave the results to God.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Sanity ^*^*^ July 19, 2007

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Sanity
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"Few indeed are the practicing alcoholics who have
any idea how irrational they are,
or seeing their irrationality, can bear to face it.
Some will be willing to term themselves 'problem drinkers,'
but cannot endure the suggestion that they are in fact
mentally ill.
They are abetted in this blindness by a world
which does not understand the difference
between sane drinking and alcoholism.
'Sanity' is defined as 'soundness of mind.'
Yet no alcoholic, soberly analyzing his destructive behavior,
whether the destruction fell on the
dining room furniture or his own moral fiber,
can claim 'soundness of mind' for himself."
©1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 32-3
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

If you think you have a problem with alcohol,
you probably do.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
D U E S  =  Desperately Using Everything but Sobriety

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*
 

Consensus

From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":

"At first they wanted the word 'God' deleted from the book entirely. Henry had come to believe in some sort of 'universal power,' but Jimmy still flabbergasted us by denouncing God at our meetings. Some members had been so angered that they wanted to throw him out of the group. But most of us thought it better to let him talk on, believing that eventually he would change his mind, which he later did. What Henry [P.], Jimmy [B.], and company wanted was a psychological book which would lure the alcoholic in. Once in, the prospect could take God or leave Him alone as he wished. To the rest of us this was a shocking proposal, but happily we listened and eventually learned something of great value. Actually our group conscience was at work to construct the most acceptable and effective book possible. Every voice in it was playing its appointed part to create an outcome that was to be nothing less than providential."

© 2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pg. 162-163

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
GRATEFUL FOR WHAT I HAVE

During this process of learning more about humility, the most profound result of all was the change in our attitude toward God.         

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 75

Today my prayers consist mostly of saying thank you to my Higher Power for my sobriety and for the wonder of God's abundance, but I need to ask also for help and the power to carry out His will for me.  I no longer need God each minute to rescue me from the situations I get myself into by not doing His will. Now my gratitude seems to be directly linked to humility.  As long as I have the humility to be grateful for what I have, God continues to provide for me.

©Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.©
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Source of Strength

When World War II broke out, our A.A. dependence on a Higher Power had its first major test. A.A.'s entered the services and were scattered all over the world. Would they be able to take discipline, stand up under fire, and endure the monotony and misery of war? Would the kind of dependence they had learned in A.A. carry them through? Well, it did. They had even fewer alcoholic lapses or emotional binges than A.A.'s safe at home did. They were just as capable of endurance and valor as any other soldiers. Whether in Alaska or on the Salerno beachhead, their dependence upon a Higher Power worked. Far from being a weakness, this dependence was their chief source of strength.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, pp. 38-39
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"There is a solution. Almost none of us liked the self-searching,
the leveling of our pride, the confession of shortcomings which the
process requires for its successful consummation. But we saw that it
really worked in others..."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 25~

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

Gossip about or criticism of personalities has no place in an A.A. clubroom.
Every man in A.A. is a brother and every woman is a sister, as long as he or
she is a member of A.A. We ought not to gossip about the relationships of any man or woman in the group. And if we say about another member, "I think she or he is taking a few drinks on the side," it's the worst thing we could do to that person. If a woman or a man is not living up to A.A. principles or has a slip, it's up to her or him to stand up in a meeting and say so. If they don't do that, they are only hurting themselves. Do I talk about other members behind their backs?

Meditation for the Day

To God, a miracle of change in a person's life is only a natural happening.
But it is a natural happening operated by spiritual forces. There is no
miracle in personalities too marvelous to be an everyday happening. But
miracles happen only to those who are fully guided and strengthened by God. Marvelous changes in people's natures happen so simply, and yet they are free from all other agencies than the grace of God. But these miracles have been prepared for by days and months of longing for something better. They are always accompanied by a real desire to conquer self and to surrender one's life to God.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may expect miracles in the lives of people. I pray that I may
be used to help people change.

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

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Fellowship ^*^*^ July 18, 2007

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Fellowship
^*^*^
"We were still trying to find emotional security
by being dominating or dependent upon others.
Even when our fortunes had not ebbed that much
and we nevertheless found ourselves alone in the world,
we still vainly tried to be secure by some unhealthy
kind of domination or dependence.
For those of us who were like that,
AA had a very special meaning.
Through it we begin to learn right relations
with people who understand us;
we don't have to be alone any more."
1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 116-17
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Who we are is God's gift to us. 
Who we become is our gift to God.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
Y A N A  =  You Are Not Alone.

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

'We'

From "The Housewife Who Drank at Home":

"The fellowship I found in A.A. enabled me to face my problem honestly and squarely. I couldn't do it among my relatives; I couldn't' do it among my friends. No one likes to admit that they're a drunk, that they can't control this thing. But when we come into A.A., we can face our problem honestly and openly."

© 2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 300

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
FALSE PRIDE

Many of us who had thought ourselves religious awoke to the limitations of this attitude. Refusing to place God first, we had deprived ourselves of His help.   

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p.75

Many false notions operate in false pride. The need for direction to live a decent life is satisfied by the hope experienced in the A.A. Fellowship. Those who have walked the way for years  - a day at a time - say that a God-centered life has limitless possibilities for personal growth. This being so, much hope is transmitted by the elder A.A.s.

I thank my Higher Power for letting me know that He works through other people, and I thank Him for our trusted servants in the Fellowship who aid new members to reject their false ideals and to adopt those which lead to a life of compassion and trust.  The elders in A.A. challenge the newcomers to "Come To" - so that they can "Come to Believe."  I ask my Higher Power to help my unbelief.
Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Arrogance and It's Opposite

A very tough-minded prospect was taken to his first A.A. meeting, where two
speakers (or maybe lecturers) themed their talks on "God as I understand
Him." Their attitude oozed arrogance. In fact, the final speaker got far
overboard on his personal theological convictions. Both were repeating my
performance of years before. Implicit in everything they said was the same
idea: "Folks, listen to us. We have the only true brand of A.A. - and you'd
better get it!" The new prospect said he'd had it -- and he had. His sponsor
protested that this wasn't real A.A. But it was too late, nobody could touch
him after that.
<<<>>>
I see "humility for today" as a safe and secure stance midway between violent emotional extremes. It is a quiet place where I can keep enough perspective and enough balance to take my next small step up the clearly marked road that points toward eternal values.

GRAPEVINE  1. APRIL 1961 - 2. JUNE 1961

Somehow, being alone with God doesn't seem as embarrassing as facing up to another person. Until we actually sit down and talk aloud about what we have so long hidden, our willingness to clean house is still largely theoretical. When we are honest with another person, it confirms that we have been honest with ourselves and with God.

12x12, p. 60
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"Sometimes we hear an alcoholic say that the only thing he needs to
do is to keep sober. Certainly he must keep sober, for there will be
no home if he doesn't. But he is yet a long way from making good to
the wife or parents whom for years he has so shockingly treated."

Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 82

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

Two things can spoil group unity -- gossip and criticism. To avoid these
divisive things, we must realize that we're all in the same boat. We're like
a group of people in a lifeboat after the steamer has sunk. If we're going to
be saved, we've got to pull together. Ifs a matter of life or death for us.
Gossip and criticism are sure ways of disrupting any A.A. group. We're all in
A.A. to keep sober ourselves and to help each other to keep sober. And
neither gossip nor criticism helps anyone to stay sober. Am I often guilty of
gossip or criticism?

Meditation for the Day

We should try to be grateful for all the blessings we have received and which we do not deserve. Gratitude to God for all His blessings will make us
humble. Remember that we could do little by ourselves, and now we must rely largely on God's grace in 'helping ourselves and others. People do not care much for those who are smug and self-satisfied or those who gossip and criticize. But people are impressed by true humility. So we should try to
walk humbly at all times. Gratitude to God and true humility is what makes us effective.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may walk humbly with God. I pray that I may rely on His grace
to carry me.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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