Thoughts For The Day~*~Control ^*^*^*^*^ May 6, 2012

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

"Most of us have been unwilling to admit
we were real alcoholics.
No person likes to think he is bodily and mentally
different from his fellows.
Therefore, it is not surprising
that our drinking careers have been characterized
by countless vain attempts to prove
we could drink like other people.
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."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 30

Thought to Consider . . .

When a person tries to control their drinking
they have already lost control.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
STEPS
Solutions To Every Problem in Sobriety

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

Honesty 

From "Our Survival:"

 

"The HONESTY expressed by the members of A.A. in meetings has the power to open my mind.  Nothing can block the flow of energy that HONESTY carries with it.  The only obstacle to this flow of energy is inebriation, but even then, no one will find a closed door if he or she has left and chooses to return.  Once he or she has received the gift of sobriety, each A.A. member is challenged on a daily basis to accept a program of HONESTY."

 

1990, Daily Reflections, page 311

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
"HOLD BACK NOTHING"

The real tests of the situation are your own willingness to confide and your full confidence in the one with whom you share your first accurate self-survey.  .  .  .  Provided you hold back nothing, your sense of relief will mount from minute to minute.  The dammed-up emotions of years break out of their confinement, and miraculously vanish as soon as they are exposed.  As the pain subsides, a healing tranquility takes its place.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p.  61-62

A tiny kernel of locked-in feelings began to unfold when I first attended A.A. meetings and self-knowledge then became a learning task for me.  This new self-understanding brought about a change in my responses to life's situations.  I realized I had the right to make choices in my life, and the inner dictatorship of habits slowly lost its grip.

I believe that if I seek God I can find a better way to live and I ask Him daily to assist me in living a sober life.

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

Provided you hold back nothing in taking the Fifth Step, your sense of relief will mount from minute to minute. The dammed-up emotions of years break out of their confinement, and miraculously vanish as soon as they are exposed. As the pain subsides, a healing tranquility takes its place. And when humility and serenity are so combined, something else of great moment is apt to occur.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 62

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

"We found that as soon as we were able to lay aside prejudice and
express even a willingness to believe in a Power greater than
ourselves, we commenced to get results, even though it was impossible for any of us to fully define or comprehend that Power, which is God."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 46~

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

I've noticed that the ones who do the most for A.A. are not in the habit of boasting about it. The danger of building myself up too much is that, if I do, I'm in danger of having a fall. That pattern of thought goes with drinking. If one side of a boat gets too far up out of the water, it's liable to tip over. Building myself up and drinking go together. One leads to the other. So if I'm going to stay sober, I've got to keep small. Have I got the right perspective on myself?

Meditation for the Day

The way sometimes seems long and weary. So many people today are weary. The weariness of others must often be shared by me. The weary and the heavy laden, when they come to me, should be helped to find the rest that I have found. There is only one sure cure for world-weariness and that is turning to spiritual things. In order to help bring about the turning of the weary world to God, I must dare to suffer, dare to conquer selfishness in myself, and dare to be filled with spiritual peace in the face of all the weariness of the world.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may be a help to discouraged people. I pray that I may have the courage to help bring about what the weary world needs but does not know how to get.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Power ^*^*^*^*^ May 5, 2012

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

"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 needed power wasn't there.
Our human resources,
as marshalled 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, p. 45

Thought to Consider . . .

Willpower ... our will-ingness to use a Higher Power.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
FAITH
For An Instant Trust Him

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

 

Destiny

"A Vision For You"

"Abandon yourself to God as you understand God. Admit your faults to Him and to your fellows. Clear away the wreckage of your past. Give freely of what you find and join us. We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit, and you will surely meet some of us as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny."

2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 164
*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
THE FOREST AND THE TREES

.  .  .  what comes to us alone may be garbled by our own rationalization and wishful thinking.  The benefit of talking to another person is that we can get his direct comment and counsel on our situation.  .  .  .

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p.  60

I cannot count the times when I have been angry and frustrated and said to myself, "I can't see the forest for the trees!" I finally realized that what I needed when I was in such pain was someone who could guide me in separating the forest and the trees; who could suggest a better path to follow; who could assist me in putting out fires; and help me avoid the rocks and pitfalls.

I ask God, when I'm in the forest, to give me the courage to call upon a member of A.A.

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

My workshop stands on a hill back of our home. Looking over the valley, I see the village community house where our local group meets. Beyond the circle of my horizon lies the whole world of A.A.
<<<>>>
The unity of A.A. is the most cherished quality our Society has. Our lives, the lives of all to come, depend squarely upon it. Without unity, the heart of A.A. would cease to beat; our world arteries would no longer carry the life-giving grace of God.

1. A.A. TODAY, P. 7
2. TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 129

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

"Some drinkers have excuses with which they are satisfied part of the
time. But in their hearts they really do not know why they do it.
Once this malady has a real hold, they are a baffled lot. There is
the obsession that somehow, someday, they will beat the game. But
they often suspect they are down for the count."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 23~

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

I had to show off and boast so that people would think I amounted to something, when, of course, both they and I knew that I really didn't amount to anything. I didn't fool anybody. Although I've been sober for quite a while, the old habit of building myself up is still with me. I still have a tendency to think too well of myself and to pretend to be more than I really am. Am I always in danger of becoming conceited just because I'm sober?

Meditation for the Day

I cannot ascertain the spiritual with my intellect. I can only do it by my own faith and spiritual faculties. I must think of God more with my heart than with my head. I can breathe in God's very spirit in the life around me. I can keep my eyes turned toward the good things in the world. I am shut up in a box of space and time, but I can open a window in that box by faith. I can empty my mind of all the limitations of material things. I can sense the Eternal.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that whatever is good I may have. I pray that I may leave to God the choice of what good will come to me.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Inventory^*^*^*^*^ May 4, 2012

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

"A business which takes no regular inventory
usually goes broke.
Taking a commercial inventory is
a fact-finding and a fact-facing process.
If the owner of the business is to be successful,
he cannot fool himself about values.
We did exactly the same thing with our lives.
We took stock honestly.
Being convinced that self,
manifested in various ways,
was what had defeated us,
we considered its common manifestations."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 64

Thought to Consider . . .

In order to recover we have to uncover.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
WHO ME?
Willingness,Honesty, Open-mindedness,Must Exist

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

Peace

From "To Handle Sobriety:"

 

"The more I drank, the more I fantasized everything....I lived in a dream world.  A.A. led me gently from this fantasizing to embrace reality with open arms.  And I found it beautiful!  For, at last, I was at peace with myself.  And with others.  And with God."

2001, AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous, page 559

 

 *~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
"ENTIRELY HONEST"

We must be entirely honest with somebody if we expect to live long or happily in this world.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p.  73-74

Honesty, like all virtues, is to be shared.  It began after I shared ".  .  .  [my] whole life's story with someone .  .  .  " in order to find my place in the Fellowship.  Later I shared my life in order to help the newcomer find his place with us.  This sharing helps me to learn honesty in all my dealings and to know that God's plan for me comes true through honest openness and willingness.

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

Looking back, we see that our freedom to choose badly was not, after all, a very real freedom.
When we choose because we "must," this was not a free choice, either. But it got us started in the right direction.
When we choose because we "ought to," we were really doing better. This time we were earning some freedom, making ourselves ready for more.
But when, now and then, we could gladly make right choices without rebellion, hold-out, or conflict, then we had our first view of what perfect freedom under God's will could be like.

GRAPEVINE, MAY 1960

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

"If we were to live, we had to be free of anger. The grouch and the
brainstorm were not for us. They may be the dubious luxury of normal
men, but for alcoholics these things are poison."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 66~

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

When I was drinking, I always tried to build myself up. I used to tell tall stories about myself. I told them so often that I half believe some of them now, even though I know they aren't true. I used to hang around the lowbrow barrooms so I could feel superior to the other customers. The reason I always tried to build myself up was that I knew deep down in my heart that I really didn't amount to anything. It was a kind of defense against my feeling of inferiority. Do I still build myself up?

Meditation for the Day

God thought about the universe and brought it into being. His thought brought me into being. I must think God's thought after Him. I must often keep my mind occupied with thoughts about God and meditate on the way He wants me to live. I must train my mind constantly in quiet times of communion with God. It is the work of a lifetime to develop to full stature spiritually. This is what I am on earth for. it gives meaning to my life.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may think God's thoughts after Him. I pray that I may live as lie wants me to live.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Troubles ^*^*^*^*^ May 3, 2012

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

"So our troubles, we think,
are basically of our own making.
They arise out of ourselves,
and the alcoholic is an extreme example of
self-will run riot,
though he usually doesn't think so.
Above everything,
we alcoholics must be rid of this selfishness.
We must, or it kills us!
Many of us had moral and philosophical
convictions galore,
but we could not live up to them
even though we would have liked to.
Neither could we reduce our
self-centeredness much by wishing
or trying our own power.
We had to have God's help."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 62

Thought to Consider . . .

The task ahead of us
is never as great as the Power behind us.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
FINE
Feeling Insecure, Numb and Empty

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

Trust

From "CONCEPT III:"

 

"Our entire A.A. program rests squarely upon the principle of mutual trust.  We trust God, we trust A.A.,
and we trust each other.  Therefore we cannot do less than trust our leaders in service.  The 'Right of
Decision' that we offer them is not only the practical means by which they may act and lead effectively, but it
is also the symbol of our implicit confidence."

 

1962, AAWS, Inc.; Twelve Concepts  for World Service by Bill W., page 16

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
CLEANING HOUSE

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.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p.  60

It wasn't unusual for me to talk to God, and myself, about my character defects.  But to sit down, face to face, and openly discuss these intimacies with another person was much more difficult.  I recognized in the experience, however, a similar relief to the one I had experienced when I first admitted I was an alcoholic.  I began to appreciate the spiritual significance of the program and that this Step was just an introduction to what was yet to come in the remaining seven Steps.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
The New A.A. and His Family When alcoholism strikes, very unnatural situations may develop which work against marriage partnership and compatible union. If the man is affected, the wife must become the head of the house, often the breadwinner. As matters get worse, the husband becomes a sick and irresponsible child who needs to be looked after and extricated from endless scrapes and impasses. Very gradually, usually without any realization of the fact, the wife is forced to become the mother of an erring boy, and the alcoholic alternately loves and hates her maternal care.
Under the influence of A.A.'s Twelve Steps,
these situations are often set right.
<<<>>>
Whether the family goes on a spiritual basis or not, the alcoholic member has to if he would recover. The others must be convinced of his new status beyond the shadow of a doubt. Seeing is believing to most families who have lived with a drinker.

1. TWELVE AND TWELVE, PP. 117-118
2. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, P. 135

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

"Most of us sense that real tolerance of other people´s shortcomings
and viewpoints and a respect for their opinions are attitudes which
make us more useful to others."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 19~

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

A.A. teaches us to take it easy. We learn how to relax and to stop worrying about the past or the future, to give up our resentments and hates and tempers, to stop being critical of people, and to try to help them instead. That's what "Easy Does It" means. So in the time that's left to me to live, I'm going to try to take it easy, to relax and not to worry, to try to be helpful to others, and to trust God. For what's left of my life, is my motto going to be "Easy Does It"?

Meditation for the Day

I must overcome myself before I can truly forgive other people for injuries done to me. The self in me cannot forgive injuries. The very thought of wrongs means that my self is in the foreground. Since the self cannot forgive, I must overcome my selfishness. I must cease trying to forgive those who fretted and wronged me. it is a mistake for me even to think about these injuries. I must aim at overcoming myself in my daily life and then I will find there is nothing in me that remembers injury, because the only thing injured, my selfishness, is gone.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may hold no resentments. I pray that my mind may be washed clean of all past hates and fears.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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