Thoughts For The Day~*~Progress ^*^*^ August 19, 2012

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 ~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Progress
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"Many of us exclaimed,
'What an order!  I can't go through with it.'
Do not be discouraged.
No one among us has been able to maintain
anything like perfect adherence to these principles.
We are not saints.
The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines.
The principles we have set down are guides to progress.
We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 60
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Thought to Consider . . .

Progress always involves risk.
You can't steal second base with your foot on first.

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

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

Things We Dreamed

Tradition Six: An AA group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the AA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.

Here are some of the things we dreamed. Hospitals didn't like alcoholics, so we thought we'd build a hospital chain of our own. People needed to be told what alcoholism was, so we'd educate the public, even rewrite school and medical textbooks. We'd gather up derelicts from skid rows, sort out those who could get well, and make it possible for the rest to earn their livelihood in a kind of quarantined confinement. Maybe these places would make large sums of money to carry on our other good works. We seriously thought of rewriting the laws of the land, and having it declared that alcoholics are sick people. No more would they be jailed; judges would parole them in our custody. We'd spill AA into the dark regions of dope addiction and criminality. We'd form groups of depressive and paranoid folks; the deeper the neurosis, the better we'd like it. It stood to reason that if alcoholism could be licked, so could any problem.

1981, AAWS, Inc., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pages 155-156

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
A FRAME OF REFERENCE

Referring to our list [inventory] again. Putting out of our minds the wrongs others had done, we resolutely looked for our own mistakes. Where had we been selfish, dishonest, self-seeking  and frightened?

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 67

There is a wonderful freedom in not needing constant approval from colleagues at work or from the people I love.  I wish I had know about this Step before, because once I developed a frame of reference, I felt able to do the next right thing, knowing that the action fit the situation and this it was the correct thing to do.

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

Everyone must agree that we A.A.'s are unbelievably fortunate people;
fortunate that we have suffered so much; fortunate that we can know,
understand, and love each other so supremely well.
These attributes and virtues are scarcely of the earned variety. Indeed, most of us are well aware that these are rare gifts which have their true origin in our kinship born of a common suffering and a common deliverance by the grace of God. Thereby we are privileged to communicate with each other to a degree and in a manner not very often surpassed among our nonalcoholic friends in the world around us.
<<<>>>

"I used to be ashamed of my condition and so didn't talk about it. But
nowadays I freely confess I am a depressive, and this has attracted other depressives to me. Working with them has helped a great deal."

1. GRAPEVINE, OCTOBER 1959 - 2. LETTER, 1954 - * Bill added that he had no
depression after 1955.
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"The delusion that we are like other people, or presently may be, has
to be smashed."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, Page 30~

"Perhaps there is a better way--we think so. For we are now on a
different basis; the basis of trusting and relying upon God. We
trust infinite God rather than our finite selves. We are in the
world to play the role He assigns. Just to the extent that we do as
we think He would have us, and humbly rely on Him, does He enable us to match calamity with serenity."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 68~

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

"People of faith have a logical idea of what life is au about.
There is a wide variation in the way each one of us approaches and
conceives of the Power greater than ourselves. Whether we agree with
a particular approach or conception seems to make little difference.
There are questions for each of us to settle for ourselves. But in
each case the belief in a Higher Power has accomplished the
miraculous, the humanly impossible. There has come a revolutionary
change in their way of living and thinking." Has there been a
revolutionary change in me?

Meditation for the Day

Worship is consciousness of God's divine majesty. As you pause to
worship, God will help you to raise your humanity to His divinity.
The earth is a material temple to enclose God's divinity. God brings
to those who worship Him a divine power, a divine love, and a divine
healing. You only have to open your mind to Him and try to absorb
some of His divine spirit. Pausing quietly in the spirit of worship,
turn your inward thoughts upward and realize that His divine power
may be yours, that you can experience His love and healing.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may worship God by sensing the eternal Spirit. I pray
that I may experience a new power in my life.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Anonymity ^*^*^ August 18, 2012

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~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Anonymity
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"And finally, we of Alcoholics Anonymous believe
that the principle of anonymity
has an immense spiritual significance. 
It reminds us that we are to place
principles before personalities;
that we are actually to practice a genuine humility.
This to the end that our great blessings may never spoil us;
that we shall forever live in thankful contemplation
of Him who presides over us all."
Tradition Twelve - the Long Form
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 567-8
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Thought to Consider . . .

Walk softly and carry a Big Book.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A N O N Y M O U S  =  
Actions, Not Our Names, Yield Maintenance Of Unity and Service.

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

Fatal

From: "How It Works" 

It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment leads only to futility and unhappiness. To the precise extent that we permit these, do we squander the hours that might have been worth while. But 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. 

2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, page 66
 *~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
GETTING WELL

Very deep, sometimes quite forgotten, damaging emotional conflicts persist below the level of consciousness.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, pp. 79 - 80

Only through positive action can I remove the remains of guilt and shame brought on by alcohol. Throughout my misadventures when I drank, my friends would say, "Why are you doing this? You're only hurting yourself." Little did I know behavior caused grave wounds to my soul. Step Eight provides me with a way of forgiving myself.
I alleviate much of the hidden damage when I made my list of those I have hurt. In making amens, I free myself of burdens, thus contributing to my healing.

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

Not many people can truthfully assert that they love everybody.
Most of us must admit that we have loved but a few;
that we have been quite indifferent to the many.
As for the remainder - well, we have really disliked or hated them.
We A.A.'s find we need something much better than this
in order to keep our balance.
The idea that we can be possessively loving of a few,
can ignore the many, and can continue to
fear or hate anybody at all,
has to be abandoned, if only a little at a time.
We can try to stop making unreasonable demands
upon those we love.
We can show kindness where we had formerly shown none.
With those we dislike we can at least begin to
practice justice and courtesy,
perhaps going out of our way at times
to understand and help them.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, pp. 92-93

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

"We needed to ask ourselves but one short question. 'Do I now
believe, or am I even willing to believe, that there is a Power
greater than myself?' As soon as a man can say that he does believe,
or is willing to believe, we emphatically assure him that he is on
his way. It has been repeatedly proven among us that upon this
simple cornerstone a wonderfully effective spiritual structure can be
built."

Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 47
*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

"We of agnostic temperament have found that as soon as we were able to lay aside prejudice and express a willingness to believe in a Power greater than our selves, we commenced to get results, even though it was impossible for any of us to fully define or comprehend that Power, which we call God. As soon as you can say that you do believe or are willing to believe, you are on your way. Upon this simple cornerstone a wonderfully effective spiritual structure can be built." Am I willing to depend on a Power that I cannot fully define or comprehend?

Meditation for the Day

We seek God's presence and "they who seek shall find." It is not a question of searching so much as an inner consciousness of the Divine spirit in your heart. To realize God's presence you must surrender to His will in the small as well as in the big things of life. This makes God's guidance possible. Some things separate you from God-a false word, a fear-inspired failure, a harsh criticism, a stubborn resentment. These are the things that put a distance between your mind and God. A word of love, a selfless reconciliation, a kind act of helpfulness-these bring God closer.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may think and say and do the things that bring God
closer to me. I pray that I may find Him in a sincere prayer, a
kind word, or an unselfish deed.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Paradox ^*^*^ August 17, 2012

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~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Paradox
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"2. We GIVE AWAY TO KEEP.
That seems absurd and untrue.
How can you keep anything if you give it away?
But in order to keep whatever it is we get in AA,
we must go about giving it away to others,
for no fees or rewards of any kind.
When we cannot afford to give away
what we have received so freely in AA,
we had better get ready for our next 'drunk.'
It will happen every time.
We've got to continue to give it away in order to keep it."
The Professor and the Paradox.
1955AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, Second Edition, p. 341
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Thought to Consider . . .

I keep my sobriety by giving it away.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*

            H O P E  =  Helping Other People Every day.

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

 

Simple Beauty

From "A Prayer for All Seasons:"

 

"The power of [The Serenity Prayer] is overwhelming in that its simple beauty parallels the A.A. Fellowship.  There are times when I get stuck while reciting it, but if I examine the section which is troubling me, I find the answer to my problem....By accepting life as it is, I gain serenity.  By taking action, I gain courage and I thank God for the ability
to distinguish between those situations I can work on, and those I must turn over.  All that I have now is a gift from God: my life, my usefulness, my contentment, and this program.

 

"Alcoholics Anonymous IS the easier, softer way."

 

1990, Daily Reflections, page 221

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
RIGHTING THE HARM

In many instances we shall find that though the harm done others has
not been great, the emotional harm we have done ourselves has.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 79

Have you ever thought that the harm you did a business associate,
or perhaps a family member, was so slight that it really didn't
deserve an apology because they probably wouldn't remember it anyway?
If that person, and the wrong done to him, keeps coming to mind,
time and again, causing an uneasy or perhaps guilty feeling, then I
put that person's name at the top of my "amends list," and become
willing to make a sincere apology, knowing I will feel calm and
relaxed about that person once this very important part of my
recovery is accomplished.

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

"As sobriety means long life and happiness for the individual, so does unity mean exactly the same thing to our Society as a whole. Unified we live; disunited we shall perish."

<<<>>>

"We must think deeply of all those sick ones still to come to A.A. As they
try to 5make their return to faith and to life, we want them to find
everything in A.A. that we have found, and yet more, if that be possible. No care, no vigilance, no effort to preserve A.A.'s constant effectiveness and spiritual strength will ever be too great to hold us in full readiness for the day of their homecoming."

1. LETTER, 1949 - 2. TALK, 1959

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

"We never apologize to anyone for depending upon our Creator. We can
laugh at those who think spirituality the way of weakness.
Paradoxically, it is the way of strength. The verdict of the ages is
that faith means courage. All men of faith have courage. They trust
their God. We never apologize for God. Instead we let Him
demonstrate, through us, what He can do. We ask Him to remove our
fear and direct our attention to what He would have us be. At once,
we commence to outgrow fear."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 68~

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

"To one who feels he is an atheist or agnostic, a spiritual
experience seems impossible, but to continue as he is means
disaster. To be doomed to an alcoholic death or to live on a
spiritual basis are not always easy alternatives to face. But
we have to face the fact that we must find a spiritual basis of
life-or else. Lack of power is our dilemma. We have to find a
power by which we can live, and it has to be a power greater than
ourselves." Have I found that power by which I can live?

Meditation for the Day

Sunshine is the laughter of nature. Live out in the sunshine.
The sun and air are good medicine. Nature is a good nurse for
tired bodies. Let her have her way with you. God's grace is like
the sunshine. Let your whole being be enwrapped in the Divine
spirit. Faith is the soul's breathing in of the Divine spirit.
It makes glad the hearts of human beings. The Divine spirit heals
and cures the mind. Let it have its way and A will be well.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may live in the sunshine of God's spirit. I pray
that my mind and soul may be energized by it.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Friends ^*^*^ August 16, 2012

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~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Friends
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"You are going to meet these new friends
in your own community. 
Near you, alcoholics are dying helplessly
like people in a sinking ship. 
If you live in a large place, there are hundreds. 
High and low, rich and poor,
these are future fellows of Alcoholics Anonymous.  
Among them you will make lifelong friends. 
You will be bound to them with new and wonderful ties,
for you will escape disaster together and you will
commence shoulder to shoulder your common journey. 
Then you will know what it means to give of yourself
that others may survive and rediscover life. 
You will learn a full meaning of
'Love thy neighbor as thyself.' "
1976 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 152-3
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Thought to Consider . . .

When we love,
we see in others what we wish to have in ourselves.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
B O G G L E  =  Bad Or Good, God Loves Everyone

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

Equals

From "What is sponsorship?"

 

"Alcoholics Anonymous began with sponsorship.  When Bill W., only a few months sober, was stricken with a powerful urge to drink, this thought came to him: 'You need another alcoholic to talk to.  You need another alcoholic just as much as he needs you!'
"He found Dr. Bob, who had been trying desperately and unsuccessfully to stop drinking, and out of their common need A.A. was born.  The word 'sponsor' was not used then; the Twelve Steps had not been written; but Bill carried the message to Dr. Bob, who in turn safeguarded his own sobriety by sponsoring countless other alcoholics."
"In A.A., sponsor and sponsored meet as equals, just as Bill and Dr. Bob did."

 

1983, Questions & Answers on Sponsorship (A.A. Pamphlet P-15), page 7

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
"I HAD DROPPED OUT"

We might next ask ourselves what we mean when we say that we have "harmed" other people.  What kinds of "harm" do people do one another, anyway?  To define the word "harm" in a practical way, we might call it the result of instincts in collision, which cause physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual damage to people.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 80

I had been to Eighth Step meetings, always thinking, "I really haven't harmed many people, mostly myself." But the time came when I wrote my list out and it was not as short as I thought it would be. I either liked you, disliked you, or needed something  from you - it was that simple. People hadn't done what I wanted them to do and intimate relationships were out of hand because of my partners' unreasonable demands. Were these "sins of omission"?  Because of my drinking, I had "dropped out" - never sending cards, returning calls, being there for other people, or taking part in their lives. What a grace it has been to look at these relationships, to make my inventories in quiet, alone with the God of my understanding, and to go forth daily, with a willingness to be honest and forthright in my relationships.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
The Beginning of True Kinship

When we reached A.A., and for the first time in our lives stood among people who seemed to understand, the sense of belonging was tremendously exciting. We thought the isolation problem had been solved. But we soon discovered that, while we weren't alone any more in a social sense, we still suffered many of the old pangs of anxious apartness. Until we had talked with complete candor of our conflicts, and had listened to someone else do the same thing, we still didn't belong. Step Five was the answer. It was the beginning of true kinship with man and God.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, p. 57
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Opinions vary considerably as to why the alcoholic reacts
differently from normal people. We are not sure why, once a certain
point is reached, little can be done for him. We cannot answer the
riddle."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 22~

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

"The alcoholic is absolutely unable to stop drinking on the basis of
self-knowledge. We must admit we can do nothing about it ourselves.
Willpower and self-knowledge will never help in the strange mental
blank spots when we are tempted to drink. An alcoholic mentally is
in a very sick condition. The last flicker of conviction that we can
do the job ourselves must be snuffed out. The spiritual answer and
the program of action are the only hope. Only spiritual principles
will solve our problems. We are completely helpless apart from Divine
help. Our defense against drinking must come from a Higher Power."
Have I accepted the spiritual answer and the program of action?

Meditation for the Day

Rest now until life, eternal life, flowing through your veins and
heart and mind, bids you to bestir yourself. Then glad work will
follow. Tired work is never effective. The strength of God's spirit
is always available to the tired mind and body. He is your physician
and your healer. Look to these quiet times of communion with God for
rest, for peace, for cure. Then rise refreshed in spirit and go out
to work, knowing that your strength is able to meet any problems
because it is reinforced by God's power.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that the peace I have found will make me effective. I pray
that I may be relieved of all strain during this day.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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