Saturday, February 11, 2012

Thoughts For The Day~*~Faith ^*^*^*^*^ February 12, 2012

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

(\  ~~~ /)
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AA\

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Faith
W
e had seen spiritual release,
but liked to tell ourselves it wasn't true.
Actually, we were fooling ourselves,
for deep down in every man, woman, and child,
is the fundamental idea of God.
It may be obscured by calamity, by pomp,
by worship of other things,
but in some form or other it is there.
For faith in a Power greater than ourselves,
and miraculous demonstrations of that power
in human lives,
are facts as old as man himself.
c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 55

^*^*^*^*^


Thought to Consider . . .

We found the Great Reality deep down within us.


*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F A I T H =  Found Always In Trusting Him.


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

HP?
Step Two: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

"'You can, if you wish, make A.A. itself your "higher power." Here's a very large group of people who have solved their alcohol problem. In this respect they are certainly a power greater than you, who have not even come close to a solution. Surely you can have faith in them. Even this minimum of faith will be enough. You will find many members who have crossed the threshold just this way. All of them will tell you that, once across, their faith broadened and deepened. Relieved of the alcohol obsession, their lives unaccountably transformed, they came to believe in a Higher Power, and most of them began to talk of God.'"

1952, AAWS, Inc.; Printed 2005; Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pgs. 27-28


*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
"THE ROOT OF OUR TROUBLES"

Selfishness -- self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p.  62

How amazing the revelation that the world, and everyone in it, can get along just fine with or  without me.  What a relief to know that people, places and things will be perfectly okay without my control and direction.  And how wordlessly wonderful to come to believe that a power greater than me exists separate and apart from myself.  I believe that the feeling of separation I experience between me and God will one day vanish.  In the meantime, faith must serve as the pathway to the center of my life.

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

As a rule, the average newcomer wanted his family to know immediately what he was trying to do. He also wanted to tell others who had tried to help him - his doctor, his minister, and close friends. As he gained confidence, he felt it right to explain his new way of life to his employer and business associates. When opportunities to be helpful came along, he found he could talk easily about A.A. to almost anyone.
These quiet disclosures helped him to lose his fear of the alcoholic stigma, and spread the news of A.A.'s existence in his community. Many a new man and woman came to A.A. because of such conversations. Since it is only at the top public level that anonymity is expected, such communications were well within
its spirit.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, pp. 185-186
Copyright 1967 Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc

*~*~*~*~*^ 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

As we look back on all those troubles we used to have when we were drinking, the hospitals, the jails, we wonder how we could have wanted that kind of a life. As we look back on it now, we see our drinking life as it really was and we're glad we're out of it. So after a few months in A.A., we find that we can honestly say that we want something else more than drinking. We've learned by experience that a sober life is really enjoyable and we wouldn't go back to the old drunken way of living for anything in the world. Do I want to keep sober a lot more than I want to get drunk?

Meditation for the Day

My spiritual life depends on an inner consciousness of God. I must be led in all things by my consciousness of God and I must trust Him in all things. My consciousness of God will always bring peace to me. I will have no fear, because a good future lies before me as long as I keep my consciousness of God. if in every single happening, event, and plan I am conscious of God, then no matter what happens, I will be safe in God's hands.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may always have this consciousness of God. I pray for a new and better life through this God consciousness.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

Friday, February 10, 2012

Thoughts For The Day~*~Miracles ^*^*^*^*^ February 11, 2012

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

(\  ~~~ /)
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AA
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AA\

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Miracles
S
ince these things have happened among us,
they can happen with you.
Should you wish them above all else,
and be willing to make use of our experience,
we are sure they will come.
The age of miracles is still with us.
Our own recovery proves that!
c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 153

^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

Don't give up before the miracle happens.


*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H O P E =  Happy Our Program Exists

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

Request
From "Into Action":

"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, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives."

2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 86

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
THE LIMITS OF SELF-RELIANCE

We asked ourselves why we had them [fears].  Wasn't it because self-reliance failed us?

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p.  68

All of my character defects separate me from God's will.  When I ignore my association with Him I face the world and my alcoholism alone and must depend on self-reliance.  I have never found security and happiness through self-will and the only result is a life of fear and discontent.  God provides the path back to Him and to His gift of serenity and comfort.  First, however, I must be willing to acknowledge my fears and understand their source and power over me.  I frequently ask God to help me understand how I separate myself from Him.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*
~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Self-Confidence and Will Power

When first challenged to admit defeat, most of us revolted. We had approached A.A. expecting to be taught self-confidence. Then we had been told that so far as alcohol was concerned, self-confidence was no good whatever; in fact, it was a total liability. There was no such thing as personal conquest of the alcoholic compulsion by the unaided will.

<<<>>>

It is when we try to make our will conform with God's that we begin to use it rightly. To all of us, this was a most wonderful revelation. Our whole trouble had been the misuse of will power. We had tried to bombard our problems with it instead of attempting to bring it into agreement with God's intention for us. To make this increasingly possible is the purpose of A.A.'s Twelve Steps.

TWELVE AND TWELVE - 1. p. 22 - 2. p. 40
Copyright1967 Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc

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

"The greatest enemies of us alcoholics are resentment, jealousy,
envy, frustration, and fear."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, To Employers, pg. 145~


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

If we're going to stay sober, we've got to learn to want something else more than we want to drink. When we first came into A.A., we couldn't imagine wanting anything else so much or more than drinking. So we had to stop drinking on faith, on faith that some day we really would want something else more than drinking. But after we've been in A.A. for a while, we learn that a sober life can really be enjoyed. We learn how nice it is to get along well with our family, how nice it is to do our work well, whether at home or outside, how nice it is to try to help others. Have I found that when I keep sober, everything goes well for me?

Meditation for the Day

There is almost no work in life so hard as waiting. And yet God wants me to wait. All motion is more easy than calm waiting, and yet I must wait until God shows, me His will. So many people have marred their work and hindered the growth of their spiritual lives by too much activity. If I wait patiently, preparing myself always, I will be some day at the place where I would be. And much toil and activity could not have accomplished the journey so soon.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may wait patiently. I pray that I may trust God and keep preparing myself for a better life.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

Thursday, February 09, 2012

Thoughts For The Day~*~Let Go ^*^*^*^*^ February 10, 2012

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

(\  ~~~ /)
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AA
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AA\

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Let Go
I
f you have decided you want what we have
and are willing to go to any length to get it --
then you are ready to take certain steps.
At some of these we balked.
We thought we could find an easier, softer way.
But we could not.
With all the earnestness at our command,
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.
c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 58

^*^*^*^*^


Thought to Consider . . .

When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
G I F T S =  Getting It From The Steps
*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*
Stereotypes
Tradition Two: For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority- a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.

"Former group leaders divide into two classes known in A.A. slang as 'elder statesmen' and 'bleeding deacons.' The elder statesman is the one who sees the wisdom of the group's decision, who holds no resentment over his reduced status, whose judgment, fortified by considerable experience, is sound, and who is willing to sit quietly on the sidelines awaiting developments. The bleeding deacon is one who is just as surely convinced that the group cannot get along without him, who constantly connives for reelection to office, and who continues to be consumed with self-pity."
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, 2005, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., pg. 135

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
I DON'T RUN THE SHOW

When we became alcoholics, crushed by a self-imposed crisis we could not postpone or evade, we had to fearlessly face the proposition that either God is everything or else He is nothing.  God either is, or He isn't.   What was our choice to be?

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p.  53

Today my choice is God.  He is everything.  For this I am truly grateful.  When I think I am running the show I am blocking God from my life.  I pray I can remember this when I allow myself to get caught up into self.  The most important thing is that today I am willing to grow along spiritual lines, and that God is everything.  When I was trying to quit drinking on my own, it never worked; with God and A.A., it is working.  This seems to be a simple thought for a complicated alcoholic.

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

Around 1943 or 1944, the Central Office asked the groups to list their membership rules and send them in. After they arrived we set them all down. A little reflection upon these many rules brought us to an astonishing conclusion.
If all of these edicts had been in force everywhere at once it would have been practically impossible for any alcoholic to have ever joined A.A. About nine-tenths of our oldest and best members could never have got by!

<<<>>>

At last experience taught us that to take away any alcoholic's full chance for sobriety in A.A. was sometimes to pronounce his death sentence, and often to condemn him to endless misery. Who dared to be judge, jury, and executioner of his own sick brother?

1. GRAPEVINE, AUGUST 1946 - 2. TWELVE AND TWELVE, p. 141
Copyright®1967 Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

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

"Yes, there is a substitute and it is vastly more than that. It is a
fellowship in Alcoholics Anonymous. There you will find release from
care, boredom and worry. Your imagination will be fired. Life will
mean something at last. The most satisfactory years of your
existence lie ahead."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, pg. 152~

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

Since I realized that I had become an alcoholic and could never have any more fun with liquor and since I knew that from then on liquor would always get me into trouble, common sense told me that the only thing left for me was a life of sobriety. But I learned another thing in A.A., the most important thing anyone can ever learn. That I could call on a Higher Power to help me keep away from liquor. That I could work with that Divine Principle in the universe, and that God would help me to live a sober, useful, happy life. So now I no longer care about the fact that I can never have any more fun with drinking. Have I learned that I am much happier without it?

Meditation for the Day

Like a tree, I must be pruned of a lot of dead branches before I will be ready to bear good fruit. Think of changed people as trees that have been stripped of their old branches, pruned, cut, and bare. But through the dark, seemingly dead branches flows silently, secretly, the new sap, until with the sun of spring comes new life. There are new leaves, buds, blossoms, and fruit, many times better because of the pruning. I am in the hands of a Master Gardener, who makes no mistakes in His pruning.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may cut away the dead branches of my life. I pray that I may not mind the pruning, since it helps me to bear good fruit later.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Thoughts For The Day~*~Martyrdom ^*^*^*^*^ February 9, 2012

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

(\  ~~~ /)
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AA
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Martyrdom
S
elf-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
c. 1967 AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 238

^*^*^*^*^


Thought to Consider . . .

Poor me!  Poor me!  Pour me a drink.


*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
N U T S =  Not Using The Steps

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

 
Peace
From "Infinite Need":

"In practice, I have always found it rather difficult to let Allah's superior and flawless will prevail in my life and govern my will. However, when I make humble efforts, serenely accepting His will for me at some moment in my life, I feel absolutely relieved of the load I have carried on my shoulders. The mind does not wander any more [sic], and the heart is full of happiness at every breath I take."  Karachi, Pakistan

 1973 AAWS, Inc., printed 2004; Came to Believe, pg. 21

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
GETTING THE "SPIRITUAL ANGLE"

How often do we sit in AA meetings and hear the speaker declare, "But I haven't yet got the spiritual angle." Prior to this statement, he had described a miracle of transformation which had occurred in him -- not only his release from alcohol, but a complete change in his whole attitude toward life and the living of it.  It is apparent to nearly everyone else present that he has received a great gift;  " .  .  .  except that he doesn't seem to know it yet!"  We well know that this questioning individual will tell us six months or a year hence that he has found faith in God.

LANGUAGE OF THE HEART, p.  275

A spiritual experience can be the realization that a life which once seemed empty and devoid of meaning is now joyous and full.  In my life today, daily prayer and meditation, coupled with living the Twelve Steps, has brought about an inner peace and feeling of belonging which was missing when I was drinking.

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

No member of A.A. wants to deprecate material achievement. Nor do we enter into debate with the many who cling to the belief that to satisfy our basic natural desires is the main object of life. But we are sure that no class of people in the world ever made a worse mess of trying to live by this formula than alcoholics.
We demanded more than our share of security, prestige, and romance. When we seemed to be succeeding, we drank to dream still greater dreams. When we were frustrated, even in part, we drank for oblivion.
In all these strivings, so many of them well-intentioned, our crippling handicap was our lack of humility. We lacked the perspective to see that character-building and spiritual values had to come first, and that material satisfactions were simply by-products and not the chief aims of life
.

*~*~*~*~*^ 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

In the past, we kept right on drinking in spite of all the trouble we got into. We were foolish enough to believe that drinking could still be fun in spite of everything that happened to us. When we came into A.A., we found a lot of people who, like ourselves, had had fun with drinking, but who now admitted that liquor had become nothing but trouble for them. And when we found that this thing had happened to a lot of other people besides ourselves, we realized that perhaps we weren't such odd ducks after all. Have I learned to admit that for me drinking has ceased to be fun and has become nothing but trouble?

Meditation for the Day

The lifeline, the line of rescue, is the line from the soul to God. On one end of the lifeline is our faith and on the other end is God's power. It can be a strong line and no soul can be overwhelmed who is linked to God by it. I will trust in this lifeline and never be afraid. God will save me from doing wrong and from the cares and troubles of life. I will look to God for help and trust Him for aid when I am emotionally upset.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that no lack of trust or fearfulness will make me disloyal to God. I pray that I may keep a strong hold on the lifeline of faith.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Thoughts For The Day~*~Vigilance ^*^*^*^*^ February 8, 2012

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

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AA
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AA\

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Vigilance

N
ow that we're in AA and sober,
and winning back the esteem of our friends
and business associates,
we find that we still need to exercise special vigilance.
As an insurance against "big-shot-ism"
we can often check ourselves by remembering
we are today sober only by the grace of God
and that any success we may be having
is far more His success than ours.
c. 1952 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 92

^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Consider . . .

Always remember you're unique ... just like everyone else.


*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H A L T =  Honestly, Actively, Lovingly, Tolerant.

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

 Today
From "Getting Ahead":

"I think that one of the main differences between an active alcoholic and a recovering alcoholic can be expressed as a matter of tense. The active alcoholic tends to live in the future or in the past. The sober alcoholic, using part of the philosophy he learns in his A.A. experience, lives or strives to live in the present."

1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 113

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
CONVINCING "MR. HYDE"

Even then, as we hew away, peace and joy will still elude us. That's the
place so many of us A.A. oldsters have come to. And it's a hell of a spot,
literally. How shall our unconscious -- from which so many of our fears,
compulsions and phony aspirations still stream -- be brought into line with what we actually believe, know and want! How to convince our dumb, raging and hidden "Mr. Hyde" becomes our main task.

THE BEST OF BILL, pp. 42-43

Regular attendance at meetings, serving and helping others is the recipe that many have tried and found to be successful. Whenever I stray from these basic principles, my old habits resurface and my old self also comes back with all its fears and defects. The ultimate goal of each A.A. member is permanent sobriety, achieved One Day at a Time.

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

Resentment is the Number One offender. It destroys more alcoholics than anything else. From it stem all forms of spiritual disease, for we have been not only mentally and physically ill, we have also been spiritually ill. When our spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically.
In dealing with our resentments, we set them on paper. We listed people, institutions, or principles with whom we were angry. We asked ourselves why we were angry. In most cases it was found that our self-esteem, our pocketbooks, our ambitions, our personal relationships (including sex) were hurt or threatened.

<<<>>>

"The most heated bit of letter-writing can be a wonderful safety valve -- providing the wastebasket is somewhere nearby."

1. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, pp. 64-65 - 2. LETTER, 1949
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Some day we hope that Alcoholics Anonymous will help the public to
a better realization of the gravity of the alcoholic problem, but we
shall be of little use if our attitude is one of bitterness or
hostility. Drinkers will not stand for it.

After all, our problems were of our own making. Bottles were only a
symbol. Besides, we have stopped fighting anybody or anything. We
have to!"

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 103~
*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

When the morning sun comes up on a nice bright day and we jump out of bed, we're thankful to God that we feet well and happy instead of sick and disgusted. Serenity and happiness have become much more important to us than the excitement of drinking, which lifts us up for a short while, but lets us way down in the end. Of course, all of us alcoholics had a lot of fun with drinking. We might as well admit it. We can look back on a lot of good times, before we became alcoholics. But the time comes for all of us alcoholics when drinking ceases to be fun and becomes trouble. Have I learned that drinking can never again be anything but trouble for me?

Meditation for the Day

I must rely on God. I must trust Him to the limit. I must depend on the Divine Power in all human relationships. I will wait and trust and hope, until God shows me the way. I will wait for guidance on each important decision. I will meet the test of waiting until a thing seems right before I do it. Every work for God must meet this test of time. The guidance will come, if I wait for it.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may meet the test of waiting for God's guidance. I pray that I will not go off on my own.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012