Saturday, November 12, 2011

Thoughts For The Day~*~Spiritual Life ^*^*^November 13, 2011

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Spiritual Life
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"
The spiritual life is not a theory.
We have to live it.
Unless one's family expresses a desire to live upon
spiritual principles
we think we ought not to urge them.
We should not talk incessantly to them about spiritual matters.
They will change in time.
Our behavior will convince them more than our words.
We must remember that ten or twenty years
of drunkenness would make a skeptic out of anyone."

Reprinted from Alcoholics Anonymous, Page 83, with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.


Thought to Consider . . .

Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching?

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
P A C E =Positive Attitudes Change Everything

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*
Unconditional
From: "Getting our of the "if trap" 

But then, after a sober while, for some of us there comes a time when - plop! - a new discovery slaps us in the face. That same old eiffy thinking habit of our tippling days has, without our seeing it, attached itself to not drinking. Unconsciously, we have placed conditions on our sobriety. We have begun to think sobriety is just fine - if everything goes well, or if nothing goes askew. 

In effect, we are ignoring the biochemical, unchangeable nature of our ailment. Alcoholism respects no ifs. It does not go away, not for a week, for a day, or even for an hour, leaving us nonalcoholic and able to drink again on some special occasion or for some extraordinary reason - not even if it is a once-in-a-lifetime celebration, or if a big sorrow hits us, or if it rains in Spain or the stars fall on Alabama. Alcoholism is for us unconditional, with no dispensations available at any price. 

1998, AAWS, Inc., Living Sober, page 63

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
LOOKING OUTWARD

We ask especially for freedom from self-will, and are careful to make no requests for ourselves only. We may ask for ourselves, however, if others will be helped.  We are careful never to pray for our own selfish ends.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 87

As an active alcoholic, I allowed selfishness to run rampant in my life.  I was so attached to my drinking and other selfish habits that people and moral principles came second.  Now, when I pray for the good of others rather than my "own selfish ends," I practice a discipline in letting go of selfish attachments, caring for my fellows and preparing for the day when I will be required to let go of all earthly attachments.

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

Vision is, I think, the ability to make good estimates, both for the immediate and for the more distant future. Some might feel this sort of striving to be heresy against "One day at a time." But that valuable principle really refers to our mental and emotional lives and means chiefly that we are not foolishly to repine over the past nor wishfully to daydream about the future.
As individuals and as a fellowship, we shall surely suffer if we cast the whole job of planning for tomorrow onto a fatuous idea of providence. God's real providence has endowed us human beings with a considerable capability for foresight, and He evidently expects us to use it. Of course, we shall often miscalculate the future in whole or in part, but that is better than to refuse to think at all.

TWELVE CONCEPTS, p. 41

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity
from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 89~

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

Who am I to judge other people? Have I proved by my great success in life that I know all the answers? Exactly the opposite. Until I came into A.A., my life could be called a failure. I made all the mistakes one could make. I took all the wrong roads there were to take' On the basis of my record, am I a fit person to be a judge of other people? Hardly. In A.A. I have learned not to judge people. I am so often wrong. Let the results of what they do judge them. It's not up to me, Am I less harsh in my judgment of people?

Meditation for the Day

In our time of meditation, we again seem to hear: "Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Again and again we seem to hear God saying this to us. "Come unto me" for the solution of every problem, for the overcoming of every temptation, for the calming of every fear, for all our needs, physical, mental, or spiritual, but mostly, "come unto me" for the strength we need to live with peace of mind and the power to be useful and effective.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may go to God today for those things that I need to help me live. I pray that I may find real peace of mind.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

Friday, November 11, 2011

Thoughts For The Day~*~Practice ^*^*^*^*^ November 12, 2011

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

"God willing, we members of AA may never again
have to deal with drinking,
but we do have to deal with sobriety every day.
How do we do it?
By learning -- through practicing the Twelve Steps
and through sharing at meetings --
how to cope with the problems
that we looked to booze to solve, back in our drinking days."
c. 1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 560

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Thought to C
onsider . . .

There's no elevator, you have to take the Steps.


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

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

Red Flags
From: "The Perpetual Quest"

Many years later, although alcohol is not part of my life and I no longer have the compulsion to drink, it can still occur to me what a good drink tastes like and what it can do for me, from my stand-at-attention alcoholic taste buds right down to my stretched out tingling toes. As my sponsor used to point out, such thoughts are like red flags, telling me that something is not right, that I am stretched beyond my sober limit. It's time to get back to basic AA and see what needs changing. That special relationship with alcohol will always be there, waiting to seduce me again. I can stay protected by continuing to be an active member of AA.

2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, pages 396-397


*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
MORNING THOUGHTS

Ask Him in your morning meditation what you can do each day for the man who is still sick.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 164

For many years I pondered over God's will for me, believing that perhaps a great destiny had been ordained for my life.  After all, having been born into a specific faith, hadn't I been told early that I was "chosen"?   It finally occurred to me, as I considered the above passage, that God's will for me was simply that I practice Step Twelve on a daily basis.  Furthermore, I realized I should do this to the best of my ability.  I soon learned that the practice aids me in keeping my life in the context of the day at hand.

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

Almost every newspaper reporter who covers A.A. complains, at first, of the difficulty of writing his story without names. But he quickly forgets this difficulty when he realizes that here is a group of people who care nothing for acclaim.
Probably this is the first time in his life he has ever reported on an organization that wants no personalized publicity. Cynic though he may be, this obvious sincerity quickly transforms him into a friend of A.A.

<<<>>>


Moved by the spirit of anonymity, we try to give up our natural desires for personal distinction as A.A. members, both among fellow alcoholics and before the general public. As we lay aside these very human aspirations, we believe that each of us takes part in the weaving of a protective mantle which covers our whole Society and under which we may grow and work in unity.

1. GRAPEVINE, MARCH 1946 - 2. TWELVE AND TWELVE, p. 187
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"When you discover a prospect for Alcoholics Anonymous, find out all
you can about him. If he does not want to stop drinking, don't
waste time trying to persuade him. You may spoil a later opportunity."


Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 90

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

I am less critical of other people, inside and outside of A.A. I used to run people down all the time. I realize now that it was because I wanted unconsciously to build myself up. I was envious of people who lived normal lives. I couldn't understand why I couldn't be like them. And so I ran them down. I called them sissies or hypocrites. I was always looking for faults in the other person. I loved to tear down what I called "a stuffed shirt" or "a snob." I have found that I can never make a person any better by criticism. A.A. has taught me this. Am I less critical of people?

Meditation for the Day

You must admit your helplessness before your prayer for help will be heard by God. Your own need must be recognized before you can ask God for the strength to meet that need. But once that need is recognized, your prayer is heard above all the music of heaven. It is not theological arguments that solve the problems of the questing soul, but the sincere cry of that soul to God for strength and the certainty of that soul that the cry will be heard and answered.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may send my voiceless cry for help out into the void. I pray that I may feel certain that it will be heard somewhere, somehow.


Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Thoughts For The Day~*~Amends ^*^*^*^*^ November 11, 2011

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

"Though the variations were many,
my main theme was always 'How godawful I am!'
Just as I often exaggerated my modest attainments by pride,
so I exaggerated my defects through guilt.
I would race about, confessing all (and a great deal more)
to whoever would listen.
Believe it or not, I took this widespread exposure
of my sins to be great humility on my part,
and considered it a great spiritual asset and consolation!
But later on I realized at depth that
the great harms I had done others were not truly regretted.
These episodes were merely the basis for
storytelling and exhibitionism."
Bill W., AAGrapevine, June 1961
c. 1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 311

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Thought to C
onsider . . .

Don't mess up an amends with an excuse.


*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
W H O   M E ? =
Willingness, Honesty, Open-mindedness, Must Exist

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

Aim Toward Perfection

Step Six: Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character 

Let's dispose of what appears to be a hazardous open end we have left. It is suggested that we ought to become entirely willing to aim toward perfection. We note that some delay, however, might be pardoned. That word, in the mind of a rationalizing alcoholic, could certainly be given a long term meaning. He could say, "How very easy! Sure, I'll head toward perfection, but I'm certainly not going to hurry any. Maybe I can postpone dealing with some of my problems indefinitely." Of course, this won't do. Such a bluffing of oneself will have to go the way of many another pleasant rationalization. At the very least, we shall have to come to grips with some of our worst character defects and take action toward their removal as quickly as we can. 

1981, AAWS, Inc., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page 69

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
SELF-ACCEPTANCE

We know that God lovingly watches over us.  We know that when we turn to Him, all will be well with us, here and hereafter.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 105

I pray for the willingness to remember that I am a child of God, a divine soul in human form, and that my most basic and urgent life-task is to accept, know, love and nurture myself.  As I accept myself, I am accepting God's will.  As I know and love myself, I am knowing and loving God.  As I nurture myself I am acting on God's guidance.

I pray for the willingness to let go of my arrogant self-criticism, and to praise God by humbly accepting and caring for myself.


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

If a mere code of morals or a better philosophy of life were sufficient to overcome alcoholism, many of us would have recovered long ago. But we found that such codes and philosophies did not save us, no matter how much we tried. We could wish to be moral, we could wish to be philosophically comforted, in fact, we could will these things with all our might, but the power needed for change wasn't there. Our human resources, as marshaled by the will, were not sufficient; they failed utterly.
Lack of power: That was our dilemma. We had to find a power by which we could live - and it had to be a Power greater than ourselves.


ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, pp. 44-45
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"If we are sorry for what we have done, and have the honest desire to
let God take us to better things, we believe we will be forgiven and
will have learned our lesson. If we are not sorry, and our conduct
continues to harm others, we are quite sure to drink. We are not
theorizing. These are facts out of our experience."


~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 70~
*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

When I think of all who have gone before me, I realize that I am only one, not very important, person. What happens to me is not so very important after all. And A.A. has taught me to be more outgoing, to seek friendship by going at least halfway, to have a sincere desire to help. I have more self-respect now that I have less sensitiveness. I have found that the only way to live comfortably with myself is to take a real interest in others. Do I realize that I am not so important after all?

Meditation for the Day

As you look back over your life, it is not too difficult to believe that what you went through was for a purpose, to prepare you for some valuable work in life. Everything in your life may well have been planned by God to make you of some use in the world. Each person's life is like the pattern of a mosaic. Each thing that happened to you is like one tiny stone in the mosaic, and each tiny stone fits into the perfected pattern of the mosaic of your life, which has been designed by God.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may not need to see the whole design of my life. I pray that I may trust the Designer.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Thoughts For The Day~*~Today ^*^*^*^*^ November 10, 2011

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

"I realize that all I'm guaranteed in life is today.
The poorest person has no less
and the wealthiest has no more --
each of us has but one day.
What we do with it is our own business;
how we use it is up to us individually.
I feel that I have been restored to health and sanity
these past years not through my own efforts
nor as a result of anything I may have done,
but because I've come to believe
-- to really believe --
that alone I can do nothing.
That my own innate selfishness and stubbornness
are the evils which, if left unguarded,
can drive me to alcohol.
I have come to believe that my illness is spiritual
as well as physical and mental,
and I know that for help in the spiritual sphere
I have to turn to a Higher Power."
c. 1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 473

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Thought to C
onsider . . .

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


*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
S  I  T  =  Stay In Today

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

Design for Living
From: "There Is A Solution" 

Here was the terrible dilemma in which our friend found himself when he had the extraordinary experience, which as we have already told you, made him a free man. 

We, in our turn, sought the same escape with all the desperation of drowning men. What seemed at first a flimsy reed, has proved to be the loving and powerful hand of God. A new life has been given us or, if you prefer, "a design for living" that really works. 

2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, page 28

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
A SENSE OF BELONGING

Perhaps one of the greatest rewards of meditation and prayer is the sense of belonging that comes to us.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 105

That's what it is - belonging!  After a session of meditation I knew that the feeling I was experiencing was a sense of belonging because I was so relaxed.  I felt quieter inside, more willing to discard little irritations.  I appreciated my sense of humor.  What I also experience in my daily practice is the sheer pleasure of belonging to the creative flow of God's world.  How propitious for us that prayer and meditation are written right into our A.A. way of life.

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

When our membership was small, we dealt with "low-bottom cases" only. Many less desperate alcoholics tried A.A., but did not succeed because they could not make the admission of their hopelessness.
In the following years, this changed. Alcoholics who still had their health, their families, their jobs, and even two cars in the garage, began to recognize their alcoholism. As this trend grew, they were joined by young people who were scarcely more than potential alcoholics. How could people such as these take the First Step?
By going back in our own drinking histories, we showed them that years before we realized it we were out of control, that our drinking even then was no mere habit, that it was indeed the beginning of a fatal progression.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, p. 23
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost
the power of choice in drink. Our so-called will power becomes
practically nonexistent. We are unable, at certain times, to bring
into our consciousness with sufficient force the memory of the
suffering and humiliation of even a week or a month ago. We are
without defense against the first drink."


~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 24~

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

I am less self-centered. The world used to revolve around me at the center. I cared more about myself, my own needs and desires, my own pleasure, my own way, than I did about the whole rest of the world. What happened to me was more important than any- thing else I could think of. I was selfishly trying to be happy and therefore I was unhappy most of the time. I have found that selfishly seeking pleasure does not bring true happiness. Thinking of myself all the time cut me off from the best in life. A.A. taught me to care less about myself and more about the other person, Am I less self-centered?

Meditation for the Day

When something happens to upset you and you are discouraged, try to feel that life's difficulties and troubles are not intended to arrest your progress in the spiritual life, but to test your strength and to increase your determination to keep going. Whatever it is that must be met, you are to either overcome it or use it. Nothing should daunt you for long, nor should any difficulty entirely overcome or conquer you. God's strength will always be there, waiting for you to use it, Nothing can be too great to be overcome, or if not overcome, then used,

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may know that there can be no failure with God. I pray that with His help I may live a more victorious life.


Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012