Saturday, September 01, 2007

Thoughts For The Day~*~Growing Up ^*^* September 1, 2007

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

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Growing Up

"As we grow spiritually,
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.
We have learned that the satisfaction of instincts
cannot be the sole end and aim of our lives.
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,
Copyright © 1952 A.A.W.S. Inc.


Thought to Consider . . .

The program has helped me grow up enough
to be a kid again.



*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
C H A N G E =
C
hoosing Honesty Allows New Growth Every day.


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

Balance
From "Helping Others":

'Self-centeredness was my problem. All my life people had been doing things for me and I not only expected it, but I was ungrateful and resentful they didn't do more. Why should I help others, when they were supposed to help me? If others had troubles, didn't they deserve them? I was filled with self-pity, anger and resentment. Then I learned that by helping others, with no thought of return, I could overcome this obsession with selfishness, and if I understood humility, I would know peace and serenity. No longer do I need to drink."

© 1990 AAWS, Inc.; Daily Reflections, pg. 214


*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
WILLINGNESS TO GROW

"If more gifts are to be received, our awakening has to go on."

- AS BILL SEES IT, p. 8

Sobriety fills the painful "hole in the soul" that my alcoholism created.  Often I feel so physically well that I believe my work is done.  However, joy is not just the absence of pain; it is the gift of continued spiritual awakening.  Joy comes from ongoing and active study, as well as application of the principles of recovery in my everyday life, and from sharing that experience with others.  My Higher Power presents many opportunities for deeper spiritual awakening.  I need only to bring into my recovery the willingness to grow.  Today I am ready to grow.

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

Many oldsters who have put our A.A. "booze cure" to severe but successful
tests still find they often lack emotional sobriety. To attain this, we must
develop real maturity and balance (which is to say, humility) in our
relations with ourselves, with our fellows, and with God.

<<<>>>

Let A.A. never be a closed corporation; let us never deny our experience, for
whatever it may be worth, to the world around us. Let our individual members heed the call to every field of human endeavor. Let them carry the experience and spirit of A.A. into all these affairs, for whatever good they may accomplish. For not only has God saved us from alcoholism; the world has received us back into its citizenship.

1. GRAPEVINE, JANUARY 1958 - 2. A.A. COMES OF AGE, pp. 232-233

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"...with the alcoholic, whose hope is the maintenance and growth of a
spiritual experience, this business of resentment is infinitely
grave. We found that it is fatal. For when harboring such feelings
we shut ourselves off from the sunlight of the Spirit. The insanity
of alcohol returns and we drink again. And with us, to drink is to
die."

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

"Be careful not to brand new prospects as alcoholics. Let them draw their own conclusion. But talk to them about the hopelessness of alcoholism. Tell them exactly what happened to you and how you recovered. Stress the spiritual feature freely. If they are agnostics or atheists, make it emphatic that they do not have to agree with your conception of God. They can choose any conception they like, provided it makes sense to them. The main thing is that they be willing to believe in a Power greater than themselves and that they live by spiritual principles." Do I hold back too much in speaking of the
spiritual principles of the program?

Meditation for the Day

"I will never leave nor forsake Thee." Down through the centuries, thousands have believed in God's constancy, untiringness, and unfailing love. God has love. Then forever you are sure of His love. God has power. Then forever you are sure, in every difficulty and temptation, of His strength. God has patience. Then always there is One who can never tire. God has understanding. Then always you will understand and be understood. Unless you want Him to go, God will never leave you. He is always ready with power.

Prayer for the Day


I pray that I may feel that God's love will never fail. I pray that I may
have confidence in His unfailing power.

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





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Friday, August 31, 2007

Thoughts For The Day~*~A New World ^*^*^ August 31, 2007

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

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A New World
^*^*^
"W
e 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."
©1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 84

^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to C
onsider . . .

W
ithin our wonderful new world,
we have found freedom from our fatal obsession.



*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F I T  =  Faith, Intuition, and Trust


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

Pathway
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

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
A UNIQUE PROGRAM

"Alcoholics Anonymous will never have a professional class. We  have gained some understanding of the ancient words "Freely ye have received, freely give." We have discovered that at the point of professionalism, money and spirituality do not mix.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 166

I believe that Alcoholics Anonymous stands alone in the treatment of alcoholism because it is based solely on the principle of one alcoholic sharing with another alcoholic. This is what makes the program unique.  When I decided that I wanted to stay sober, I called a woman who I knew was a sober member of A.A., and she carried the message of Alcoholics Anonymous to me.  She received no monetary compensation, but rather was paid by staying sober another day herself.  Today I could ask for no payment other than another day free from alcohol, so in that respect, I am generously paid for my labor.

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

Many newcomers, having experienced little but constant deflation, feel a
growing conviction that human will is of no value whatever. They have become persuaded, sometimes rightly so, that many problems besides alcohol will not yield to a headlong assault powered only by the individual's will. However, there are certain things which the individual alone can do. All by himself, and in the light of his own circumstances, he needs to develop the quality of willingness. When he acquires willingness, he is the only one who can then make the decision to exert himself along spiritual lines. Trying to do this is actually an act of his own will. It is a right use of this faculty.
Indeed, all of A.A.'s Twelve Steps require our sustained and personal
exertion to conform to their principles and so, we trust, to God's will.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, p. 40
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Do not let any prejudice you may have against spiritual terms deter
you from honestly asking yourself what they mean to you. At the
start, this was all we needed to commence spiritual growth, to
effect our first conscious relation with God as we understood Him.
Afterward, we found ourselves accepting many things which then
seemed entirely out of reach. That was growth, but if we wished to
grow we had to begin somewhere. So we used our own conception, however limited it was."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 47~

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

"Call on new prospects while they are still jittery. They may be more
receptive when depressed. See them alone if possible. Tell them enough about your drinking habits and experiences to encourage them to speak of
themselves. if they wish to talk, let them do so. If they are not
communicative, talk about the troubles liquor has caused you, being careful
not to moralize or lecture. When they see you know all about the drinking
game, commence to describe yourself as an alcoholic and tell them how you
learned you were sick." Am I ready to talk about myself to new prospects?

Meditation for the Day

Try not to give way to criticism, blame, scorn, or judgment of others when
you are trying to help them. Effectiveness in helping others depends on
controlling yourself. You may be swept away by a temporary natural urge to
criticize or blame, unless you keep a tight rein on your emotions. You should
have a firm foundation of spiritual living which makes you truly humble, if
you are going to really help other people. Go easy on them and be hard on
yourself. That is the way you can be used most to uplift a despairing spirit.
And seek no personal recognition for what you are used by God to accomplish.

Prayer for the Day


I pray that I may try to avoid judgment and criticism. I pray that I may
always try to build up others instead of tearing them down.

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





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Thursday, August 30, 2007

Thoughts For The Day~*~Fear ^*^*^ August 30, 2007

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

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Fear
^*^*^
"W
hen, with God's help, we calmly accepted our lot,
then we found we could live at peace with ourselves
and show others who still suffered the same fears
that they could get over them, too.
We found that freedom from fear was more important
than freedom from want."
1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,  p.
122
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to C
onsider . . .

Courage is the willingness to accept fear and act anyway.



*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F E A R  =  Face Everything And Recover


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

Others
From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":

"A group of laymen whose combined religious training and experience had been small indeed had produced a volume which described release from alcoholism by spiritual means. What would our Catholic friends think? We had not the slightest inkling.

"Then the good news came. By messenger we had sent the book Alcoholics Anonymous to the Catholic Committee on Publications in the New York Archdiocese. Our messenger was Morgan R., released only a few weeks before from Greystone asylum and himself the first Catholic to put in an appearance in New York [A.A.]. … Not long after he returned with wonderful things to tell us.

"The Committee, he said, had nothing but the best to say of our efforts. From their point of view the book was perfectly all right …"

© 2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pgs. 168-69


*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
THE ONLY REQUIREMENT. . .

"At one time. . .every A.A. group had many membership rules.   Everybody was scared witless that something or somebody would capsize the boat. . .The total list was a mile long.   If all those rules had been in effect
everywhere, nobody could have possibly joined A.A. at all,. . ."


TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS,   p. 139-140

I'm grateful that the Third Tradition only requires of me a desire to stop
drinking.   I had been breaking promises for years.   In the Fellowship I
didn't have to make promises, I didn't have to concentrate. It only required
my attending one meeting, in a foggy condition, to know I was home.   I
didn't have to pledge undying love.   Here, strangers hugged me.   "It gets
better," they said, and "One day at a time, you can do it."   They were no
longer strangers, but caring friends. I ask God to help me to reach out to
people desiring sobriety, and to, please keep me grateful!


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

Let Go Absolutely

After failure on my part to dry up any drunks, Dr. Silkworth reminded me of
Professor William James's observation that truly transforming spiritual
experiences are nearly always rounded on calamity and collapse. "Stop
preaching at them," Dr. Silkworth said, "and give them the hard medical facts first. This may soften them up at depth so that they will be willing to do
anything to get well. Then they may accept those spiritual ideas of yours,
and even a Higher Power."

<<<>>>

We beg of you to be fearless and thorough from the very start. Some of us
have tried to hold on to our old ideas, and the result was nil -- until we
let go absolutely.

1. A.A. COMES OF AGE, p. 13 - 2. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 58

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"A body badly burned by alcohol does not often recover overnight nor
do twisted thinking and depression vanish in a twinkling. We are
convinced that a spiritual mode of living is a most powerful health
restorative."


Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 133
*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

"Practical experience shows that nothing will so much ensure immunity from drinking as extensive work with other alcoholics. Carry the message to other alcoholics. You can help when no one else can. You can secure their
confidence when others fail. Life will take on a new meaning for you. To
watch people recover, to see them help others in turn, to watch loneliness
vanish, to see a fellowship grow about you, to have a host of friends, this
is an experience you must not miss." Am I always ready and willing to help
other alcoholics?

Meditation for the Day


One secret of abundant living is the art of giving. The paradox of life is
that the more you give, the more you have. If you lose your life in the
service of others, you will save it. You can give abundantly and so live
abundantly. You are rich in one respect-you have a spirit that is
inexhaustible. Let no mean or selfish thought keep you from sharing this
spirit. Of love, of help, of understanding, and of sympathy, give and keep
giving. Give your personal ease and comfort, your time, your money, and most
of all, yourself. And you will be living abundantly.

Prayer for the Day


I pray that I may live to give. I pray that I may learn this secret of
abundant living.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012





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Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Thoughts For The Day~*~Step One ^*^*^ August 29, 2007

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Step One
^*^*^
"N
o other kind of bankruptcy is like this one.
Alcohol, now become the rapacious creditor,
bleeds us all of self-sufficiency and all will
to resist its demands.
Once this stark fact is accepted,
our bankruptcy as going human concerns is complete.
But upon entering AA we soon take quite another view
of this absolute humiliation.
We perceive that only through utter defeat
are we able to take our first steps
toward liberation and strength.
Our admissions of personal powerlessness
finally turn out to be firm bedrock upon which
happy and purposeful lives may be built."
1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,  p.
21
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to C
onsider . . .

Once we clear a hurdle, it doesn't seem so high.



*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
S T E P S   =   Solutions To Every Problem in Sobriety

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

 
Community
From "Crossing the River of Denial":

"I found everything I had ever looked for in Alcoholics Anonymous. I used to thank God for putting A.A. in my life; now I thank A.A. for putting God in my life. I found my tribe, the social architecture that fulfills my every need for camaraderie and conviviality. I learned how to live."

© 2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 336

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
I CHOOSE ANONYMITY

We are sure that humility, expressed by anonymity, is the greatest safeguard
that Alcoholics Anonymous can ever have.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 187

Since there are no rules in A.A. I place myself where I want to be, and so I
choose anonymity.   I want my God to use me, humbly, as one of His tools in
this program.   Sacrifice is the art of giving of myself freely, allowing
humility to replace my ego.   With sobriety, I suppress that urge to cry out
to the world,   "I am a member of A.A." and I experience inner joy and peace.   I let people see the changes in me and hope they will ask what happened to me.   I place the principles of spirituality ahead of judging, fault-finding, and criticism.   I want love and caring in my group, so I can grow.


©Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.©
*
~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Middle of the Road

"In some sections of A.A., anonymity is carried to the point of real
absurdity. Members are on such a poor basis of communication that they don't even know each other's last names or where each lives. It's like the cell of an underground.
"In other sections, we see exactly the reverse. It is difficult to restrain
A.A.'s from shouting too much before the whole public, by going on
spectacular 'lecture tours' to play the big shot.
"However, I know that from these extremes we slowly pull ourselves onto a
middle ground. Most lecture-giving members do not last too long, and the
super anonymous people are apt to come out of hiding respecting their A.A.
friends, business associates, and the like. I think the long-time trend is
toward the middle of the road - which is probably where we should be."

LETTER, 1959

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"The less people tolerated us, the more we withdrew from society,
from life itself. 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 didâ€"then would come oblivion and
the awful awakening to face the hideous Four Horsemenâ€"Terror,
Bewilderment, Frustration, Despair."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, pg. 151~
*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

"We cannot get along without prayer and meditation. 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. Our thought lives will be
placed on a much higher plane when we start the day with prayer and
meditation. We conclude this period of meditation with a prayer that we will
be shown through the day what our next step is to be. The basis of all our
prayers is: Thy will be done in me and through me today." Am I sincere in my
desire to do God's will today?

Meditation for the Day

Breathe in the inspiration of goodness and truth. It is the spirit of
honesty, purity, unselfishness, and love. It is readily available if we are
willing to accept it wholeheartedly. God has given us two things-His spirit
and the power of choice-to accept or not, as we will. We have the gift of
free will. When we choose the path of selfishness and geed and pride, we are
refusing to accept God's spirit. When we choose the path of love and service,
we accept God's spirit and it flows into us and makes all things new.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may choose the right way. I pray that I may try to follow it to
the end.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012





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