Thoughts For The Day~*~Gratitude ^*^*^*^*^ October 7, 2012

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

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Gratitude

"Another exercise that I practice is to try for a
full inventory of my blessings and then
for a right acceptance of the many gifts that are mine --
both temporal and spiritual. . .
I try to hold fast to the truth that a full and thankful heart
cannot entertain great conceits.
When brimming with gratitude,
one's heartbeat must surely result in outgoing love,
the finest emotion that we can ever know." FONT face=Georgia>
Bill. W., March 1962
c.1988AAGrapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 271
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Thought to Consider . . .

I have learned what a heart full of gratitude feels like.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H J F  =  Happy, Joyous, and Free

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

 

Best of Intentions

Step Eleven: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. 

Of course, it is reasonable and understandable that the question is often asked: "Why can't we take a specific and troubling dilemma straight to God, and in prayer secure from Him sure and definite answers to our requests?"

This can be done, but it has hazards. We have seen AAs ask with much earnestness and faith for God's explicit guidance on matters ranging all the way from a shattering domestic or financial crisis to correcting a minor personal fault, like tardiness. Quite often, however, the thoughts that seem to come from God are not answers at all. They prove to be well-intentioned unconscious rationalizations. The AA, or indeed any man, who tries to run his life rigidly by this kind of prayer, by this self-serving demand of God for replies, is a particularly disconcerting individual. To any questioning or criticism of his actions he instantly proffers his reliance upon prayer for guidance in all matters great or small. He may have forgotten the possibility that his own wishful thinking and the human tendency to rationalize have distorted his so-called guidance. With the best of intentions, he tends to force his own will into all sorts of situations and problems with the comfortable assurance that he is acting under God's specific direction. Under such an illusion, he can of course create great havoc without in the least intending it. 

1981, AAWS, Inc., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pages 103-104

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
DAILY MONITORING

Continued to take personal inventory . . .

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 88

        The spiritual axiom referred to in the Tenth Step -- "every time we are disturbed, no matter what the cause, there is something wrong with us" -- also tells me that there are no exceptions to it. No matter how unreasonable others may seem, I am responsible for not reacting negatively. Regardless of what is happening around me I will always have the prerogative, and the responsibility, of choosing what happens within me. I am the creator of my own reality.

        When I take my daily inventor y, I know that I must stop judging others. If I judge others, I am probably judging myself. Whoever is upsetting me most is my best teacher. I have much to learn from him or her, and in my heart, I should thank that person.

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

Assuming we are spiritually fit, we can do all sorts of things alcoholics are not supposed to do. People have said we must not go where liquor is served; we must not have it in our homes; we must shun friends who drink; we must avoid moving pictures which show drinking scenes; we must not go into bars; our friends must hide their bottles if we go to their houses; we mustn't think or be reminded about alcohol at all. Our experience shows that this is not necessarily so.
We meet these conditions every day. An alcoholic who cannot meet them still has an alcoholic mind; there is something the matter with his spiritual status. His only chance for sobriety would be some place like the Greenland icecap, and even there an Eskimo might turn up with a bottle of Scotch and ruin everything!

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, pp. 100-101
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~ *

"Follow the dictates of a Higher Power and you will presently live in
a new and wonderful world, no matter what your present circumstances!"

Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 100

*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought For The Day

Do I put too much reliance on any one member of the group? That
is, do I make a tin god out of some one person? Do I set that
person on a pedestal? If I do, I am building my house on sand.
A.A. members have "clay feet." They are all only one drink away
from a drunk, no matter how long they have been in A.A. This has
been proved to be true more than once. It's not fair to any member
to be singled out as a leader in A A. and to always quote that
member on the A.A. program. If that person should fail, where
would I be?

Meditation For The Day

You must always remember that you are weak but that God is strong.
God knows all about your weakness. He hears every cry for mercy,
every sign of weakness, every plea for help, every sorrow over
failure, every weakness felt and expressed. We only fail when we
trust too much to our own strength. Do not feel bad about your
weakness. When you are weak, that is when God is strong to help
you. Trust God enough, and your weakness will not matter. God
is always strong to save.

Prayer For The Day

I pray that I may learn to lean on God's strength. I pray that I
may know that my weakness is God's opportunity.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Self-will ^*^*^*^*^ October 6, 2012

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~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Self-will

"The first requirement is that we be convinced
that any life run on self-will can hardly be a success.   
On that basis we are almost always in collision
with something or somebody,
even though our motives are good.  
Most people try to live by self-propulsion.  
Each person is like an actor
who wants to run the whole show;
is forever trying to arrange the lights, the ballet, the scenery
and the rest of the players in his own way.  
If his arrangements would only stay put,
if only people would do as he wished,
the show would be great.  
Everybody, including himself, would be pleased.  nbsp;
Life would be wonderful."
c.1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 60-1
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Thought to Consider . . .

Rule 62:  "Don't take yourself too damn seriously."

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
P R I D E  =  Pretty Ridiculous Individual Directing Everything

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

 

Incredible Things

From: "To Employers" 

Your man has probably been trying to conceal a number of scrapes, perhaps pretty messy ones. They may be disgusting. You may be at a loss to understand how such a seemingly above-board chap could be so involved. But these scrapes can generally be charged, no matter how bad, to the abnormal action of alcohol on his mind. When drinking, or getting over a bout, an alcoholic, sometimes the model of honesty when normal, will do incredible things. Afterward, his revulsion will be terrible. Nearly always, these antics indicate nothing more than temporary conditions. 

2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, pages 140-14

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
FACING OURSELVES

. . . . and Fear says, "You dare not look!"

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 49

How often I avoided a task in my drinking days, just because it
appeared so large! Is it any wonder even if I have been sober for
some time, that I will act that same way when faced with what
appears to be a monumental job, such as a searching and fearless
moral inventory of myself? What I discover after I have arrived
at the other side--when my inventory is completed--is that the
illusion was greater than the reality. The fear of facing myself
kept me at a standstill and, until I became willing to put
pencil to paper, I was arresting my growth based on an intangible.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
The Fine Art of Alibis

The majority of A.A. members have suffered severely from self-justification during their drinking days. For most of us, self-justification was the maker of excuses for drinking and for all kinds of crazy and damaging conduct. We had made the invention of alibis a fine art.
We had to drink because times were hard or times were good. We had to drink because at home we were smothered with love or got none at all. We had to drink because at work we were great successes or dismal failures. We had to drink because our nation had won a war or lost a peace. And so it went, ad infinitum.

<<<>>>

To see how our own erratic emotions victimized us often took a long time. Where other people were concerned, we had to drop the word "blame" from our speech and thought.

TWELVE AND TWELVE 1. pp. 46-47 - 2. p. 47
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"We know that while the alcoholic keeps away from drink, as he may do
for months or years, he reacts much like other men. We are equally
positive that once he takes any alcohol whatever into his system,
something happens, both in the bodily and mental sense, which makes
it virtually impossible for him to stop. The experience of any
alcoholic will abundantly confirm this."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 22~
*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought For The Day

Is it my desire to be a big shot in A.A.? Do I always want to be
up front in the limelight? Do I feel that nobody else can do as
good a job as I can? Or am I willing to take a seat in the back
row once in a while and let somebody else carry the ball? Part
of the effectiveness of any A.A. group is the development of new
members to carry on, to take over, from the older members. Am I
reluctant to give up authority? Do I try to carry the load for
the whole group? If so, I am not being fair to the newer members.
Do I realize that no one person is essential?   Do I know that
A.A. could carry on without me, if it had to?

Meditation For The Day

The Unseen God can help to make us truly grateful and humble.
Since we cannot see God, we must believe in Him without seeing.
What we can see clearly is the change in a human being, when he
sincerely asks God for the strength to change. We should cling
to faith in God and in His power to change our faith in God and
in His power to change our ways. Our faith in all Unseen God
will be rewarded by a useful and serviceable life. God will not
fail to show us the way we should live. When in real gratitude
and true humility we turn to Him.

Prayer For The Day

I pray that I may believe that God can change me. I pray that
I may be always willing to be changed for the better.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Virtues ^*^*^*^*^ October 5, 2012

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

"We of AA are apt to brag of the virtues of our fellowship.
Let us remember that none of these are earned virtues.
We have been forced into them, to begin with,
by the cruel lash of John Barleycorn.
We have adopted these attitudes, these practices,
this structure, not at first because we wished to
but because we had to.
And then, as time confirmed the seeming rightness
of our basic principles,
we began to conform because it was right to do so."
Bill W.,
c.1957AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, p. 224
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Thought to Consider . . . 

Life didn't end when I got sober -- it started

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
P R O G R A M =  People Relying On God Relay A Message

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

Choices

From "The Seed of God":

"But my spiritual growth became stronger from the experiences of others. It was explained to me that I could freely choose a God of my understanding. At first, I thought I was committing a sin by trying to change God, but I soon realized that God was constant, and the only changes that had to be made were in my sick mind."

1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30^th printing 2004, pgs. 59-60
*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
YESTERDAY'S BAGGAGE

For the wise have always known that no one can make much of his life until self-searching becomes a regular habit, until he is able to admit and accept what he finds, and until he patiently and persistently tries to correct what is wrong.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 88

I have more than enough to handle today, without dragging along yesterday's baggage too.  I must balance today's books, if I am to have a chance tomorrow.  So I ask myself if I have erred and how I can avoid repeating that particular behavior.  Did I hurt anyone, did I help anyone, and why?  Some of today is bound to spill over into tomorrow, but most of it need not if I make an honest daily inventory.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Speak Up Without Fear

Few of us are anonymous so far as our daily contacts go. We have dropped anonymity at this level because we think our friends and associates ought to know about A.A. and what it has done for us. We also wish to lose the fear of admitting that we are alcoholics. Though we earnestly request reporters not to disclose our identities, we frequently speak before semipublic gatherings. We wish to convince audiences that our alcoholism is a sickness we no longer fear to discuss before anyone.
If, however, we venture beyond this limit, we shall surely lose the principle of anonymity forever. If every A.A. felt free to publish his own name, picture, and story, we would soon be launched upon a vast orgy of personal publicity.

<<<>>>

"While the so-called public meeting is questioned by many A.A. members, I favor it myself providing only that anonymity is respected in press reports and that we ask nothing for ourselves except understanding."

1. GRAPEVINE, JANUARY 1946 - 2. LETTER, 1949
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"Most alcoholics owe money. We do not dodge our creditors. Telling
them what we are trying to do, we make no bones about our drinking;
they usually know it anyway, whether we think so or not. Nor are we
afraid of disclosing our alcoholism on the theory it may cause
financial harm. Approached in this way, the most ruthless creditor
will sometimes surprise us. Arranging the best deal we can we let
these people know we are sorry. Our drinking has made us slow to
pay.We must lose our fear of creditors no matter how far we have to go,
for we are liable to drink if we are afraid to face them."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 78~
*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought For The Day

Do I have any hard feelings about other group members or for any        
other A.A. group? Am I critical of the way a group member thinks or     
acts? Do I feel that another group is operating in the wrong way and     
do I broadcast it?   Or do I realize that all A.A. members, no matter       
what their limitations, have something to offer, some good, however       
little, that they can do for A.A. in spite of their handicaps? Do I       
believe that there is a place for all kinds of groups in A.A., provided     
they are following A.A. traditions, and that they can be effective even   
if I do not agree with their procedure?   Am I tolerant of people and       
groups?

Meditation For The Day

"The Lord shall preserve Thy going out and Thy coming in, from this    
time forth and even forever more." All your movements, your goings     
and comings can be guided by the Unseen Spirit. Every visit to help       
another, every unselfish effort to assist, can be blessed by that Unseen   Spirit. There can be a blessing on all you do, on every interview with      one who is suffering. Every meeting of a need may not be a chance       
meeting, but it may have been planned by the Unseen Spirit. Led by        the Spirit of the Lord, you can be tolerant, sympathetic, and       
understanding of others and so accomplish much.

Prayer For The Day

I pray that I may be led by the spirit of God. I pray that the Lord
will preserve my goings and my comings.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Ground Zero ^*^*^*^*^ October 4, 2012

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~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Ground Zero

"War fever ran high in the New England town
to which we new, young officers from Plattsburg
were assigned,
and we were flattered when the first citizens
took us to their homes, making us feel heroic.
Here was love, applause, war;
moments sublime with intervals hilarious.
I was part of life at last,
and in the midst of the excitement I discovered liquor.
I forgot the strong warnings and the prejudices
of my people concerning drink.
In time we sailed for "Over There."
We landed in England.
I visited Winchester Cathedral.
Much moved, I wandered outside.
My attention was caught by a doggerel on an old
tombstone:
'Here lies a Hampshire Grenadier
Who caught his death
Drinking cold small beer . . .'
Ominous warning -- which I failed to heed."
Bill W.,
c.1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous,  p. 1
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Thought to Consider . . .

I have learned what the Grace of God feels like.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H O P E = Helping Other People Every day

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

Endorsement

From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":

"The news wires carried the news of Mr. Rockefeller's [1940] dinner [planned by John D., Jr., but attended and moderated by his son, Nelson] all over the world. A few of the stories that appeared were somewhat lurid and ran under startling headlines. One headline informed the public: 'John D. Rockefeller dines tosspots.' But all the stories plugged A.A. just the same; even the tabloids gave us the glad hand. The total effect was to give Alcoholics Anonymous a public status of dignity and worth. Thus encouraged, considerable numbers of people went to their bookstores to buy the A.A. book. Orders poured in and our financial difficulties were much eased. Hundreds of requests for help came from alcoholics and their families all over the nation."

2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pgs. 185-86

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
A NECESSARY PRUNING

. . .we know that the pains of drinking had to come before sobriety, and emotional turmoil before serenity.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 94

I love spending time in my garden feeding and pruning my beautiful flowers.  One day, as I was busily snipping away, a neighbor stopped by.  She commented, "Oh! Your plants are so beautiful, it seems such a shame to cut them back."  I replied, "I know how you feel, but the excess must be removed so they can grow stronger and  healthier."  Later I thought that perhaps my plants feel pain, but God and I know it's part of the plan and I've seen the results.  I was quickly reminded of my precious A.A. program and how we all grow through pain.  I ask God to prune me when it's time, so I can grow.

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

Only one consideration should qualify our desire for a complete disclosure of the damage we have done. That will arise where a full revelation would seriously harm the one to whom we are making amends. Or - quite as important -- other people. We cannot, for example, unload a detailed account of extramarital adventuring upon the shoulders of our unsuspecting wife or husband.
It does not lighten our burden when we recklessly make the crosses of others heavier.

<<<>>>

In making amends, we should be sensible, tactful, considerate, and humble without being servile or scraping. As God's people, we stand on our feet; we don't crawl before anyone.

1. TWELVE AND TWELVE, p. 86 - 2. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 83
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"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."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 55~

*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought For The Day

Am I critical of other members of A.A. or of new prospects? Do I
ever say about other members: "I don't think they're sincere, I
think they're bluffing, or I think they're taking a few drinks on
the quiet?" Do I realize that my doubtful and skeptical attitude
is hurting those members, if only in my attitude toward them, which
they cannot help sensing? Do I say about new prospects: "They'll
never make the program," or do I say: "They'll only last a few
months?" If I take this attitude, I am unconsciously
hurting those prospects' chances. Is my attitude always
constructive and never destructive?

Meditation For The Day

To be attracted toward God and a better life, you must be spirit-
guided. There is wonderful illumination of thought given to those
who are spirit-guided. To those who are material-guided, there is
nothing in God or a finer life to appeal to them or to attract
them. But to those who are spirit-guided there is strength and
peace and calm to be found in communion with an Unseen Lord. To
those who believe in this God they cannot see but whose power
they can feel, life has a meaning and purpose. They are children
of the Unseen Lord, and all human beings are their brothers and
sisters.

Prayer For The Day

I pray that I may be spirit-guided. I pray that I may feel God's
presence and power in my life.

 

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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