Thoughts For The Day~*~Selfishness ^*^*^*^*^ April 14, 2013

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

"Selfishness - self-centeredness!
That, we think, is the root of our troubles.
Driven by a hundred forms of fear,
self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity,
we step on the toes of our fellows and they retaliate.
Sometimes they hurt us,
seemingly without provocation,
but we invariably find that at some time in the past
we have made decisions based on self
which later placed us in a position to be hurt.
So our troubles, we think,
are basically of our own making."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 62

Thought to Consider . . .

Spirituality is the ability
to get our minds off ourselves.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
BUT
Being Unconvinced Totally

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

Health

From "The Family Afterward":

"A body badly burned by alcohol does not often recover overnight nor do twisted thinking and depression vanish in a twinkling. We are convinced that a spiritual mode of living is a most powerful health restorative. We, who have recovered from serious drinking, are miracles of mental health.  Hardly one of our crowd now shows any mark of dissipation.

"But this does not mean that we disregard human health measures. God has abundantly supplied this world with fine doctors, psychologists, and practitioners of various kinds. Do not hesitate to take your health problems to such persons."

2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 133

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
THE "NUMBER ONE OFFENDER"

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 been spiritually sick.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS,  p.  64

As I look at myself practicing the Fourth Step, it is easy to gloss over the wrong that I have done, because I can easily see it as a question of "getting even" for a wrong done to me.  If I continue to relive my old hurt, it is a resentment and resentment bars the sunlight from my soul.  If I continue to relive hurts and hates, I will hurt and hate myself.  After years in the dark of resentments, I have found the sunlight.  I must let go of resentments; I cannot afford them.

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

We had a new Employer. Being all powerful, He provided what we needed, if we kept close to Him and performed His work well.
Established on such a footing, we became less and less interested in ourselves, our little plans and designs. More and more we became interested in seeing what we could contribute to life.
As we felt new power flow in, as we enjoyed peace of mind, as we discovered we could face life successfully, as we became conscious of His presence, we began to lose our fear of today, tomorrow, or the hereafter. We were reborn.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, P. 63

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

"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."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 62~

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

A police captain once told about certain cases he had come across in his police work. The cause of the tragedy in each case was drunkenness. He told his audience about a man who got into an argument with his wife while he was drunk and beat her to death. Then he went out and drank some more. The police captain also told about a woman who got too near the edge of an old quarry hole when she was drunk and fell one hundred and fifty feet to her death. When I read or hear these stories, do I think about our motto: "But for the grace of God"?

Meditation for the Day

I must keep balance by keeping spiritual things at the center of my life. God will give me this poise and balance if I pray for it. This poise will give me power in dealing with the lives of others. This balance will manifest itself more and more in my own life. I should keep material things in their proper place and keep spiritual things at the center of my life. Then I will be at peace amid the distractions of everyday living.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may dwell with God at the center of my life. I pray that I may keep that inner peace at the center of my being.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Amends ^*^*^*^*^ April 13, 2013

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

"Learning how to live in the greatest peace,
partnership, and brotherhood with all men and women,
of whatever description, is a moving
and fascinating adventure.
Every AA has found that he can make little headway
in this new adventure of living until he first backtracks
and really makes an accurate and unsparing survey
of the human wreckage he has left in his wake."
Bill W., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 77
As Bill Sees It, p. 145

Thought to Consider . . .

We are as sick as our secrets.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
DENIAL
Don't Even Notice I Am Lying

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

Setback

From "Evidence of a Miracle":

"Now I see how monumental my self-deception was. During that first thirteen years, my sobriety was not of the high quality it seemed to be. During the two years that followed, I actually convinced myself that it was a privilege to be able to drink. When I returned to A.A., its precepts seemed entirely new to me, particularly the meaning of the First Step, the 'atom bomb of the program.' Instead of taking the Steps and forgetting them, this time I began living them daily, finding new meaning in each one."

 1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30^th printing 2004, pg. 96

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
THE FALSE COMFORT OF SELF-PITY

Self-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.

AS BILL SEES IT, p.  238

The false comfort of self-pity screens me from reality only momentarily and then demands, like a drug, that I take an ever bigger dose.  If I succumb to this it could lead to a relapse into drinking.  What can I do?  One certain antidote is to turn my attention, however slightly at first, toward others who are genuinely less fortunate than I, preferably other alcoholics.  In the same degree that I actively demonstrate my empathy with them, I will lessen my own exaggerated suffering.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Principle Before Expediency

Most of us thought good character was desirable. Obviously, good character was something one needed to get on with the business of being self-satisfied. With a proper display of honesty and morality, we'd stand a better chance of getting what we really wanted. But whenever we had to choose between character and comfort, character-building was lost in the dust of our chase after what we thought was happiness.
Seldom did we look at character-building as something desirable in itself. We never thought of making honesty, tolerance, and true love of man and God the daily basis of living.
<<<>>>
How to translate a right mental conviction into a right emotional result, and so into easy, happy, and good living, is the problem of life itself.

1. TWELVE AND TWELVE, PP. 71-72
2. GRAPEVINE, JANUARY 1958
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"When working with a man and his family, you should take care not to
participate in their quarrels. You may spoil your chance of being
helpful if you do. But urge upon a man's family that he has been a
very sick person and should be treated accordingly. You should warn
against arousing resentment or jealousy. You should point out that
his defects of character are not going to disappear over night. Show
them that he has entered upon a period of growth. Ask them to
remember, when they are impatient, the blessed fact of his sobriety."

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

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

Having found my way into this new world by the grace of God and the help of A.A., am I going to take that first drink, when I know that just one drink will change my whole world? Am I deliberately going back to the suffering of that alcoholic world? Or am I going to hang onto the happiness of this sober world? Is there any doubt about the answer? With God's help, am I going to hang onto AA. with both hands?

Meditation for the Day

I will try to make the world better and happier by my presence in it. I will try to help other people find the way God wants them to live. I will try to be on the side of good, in the stream of righteousness, where all things work for good. I will do my duty persistently and faithfully, not sparing myself. I will be gentle with all people. I will try to see other people's difficulty and help them to correct it. I will always pray to God to act as interpreter between me and the other person.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may live in the spirit of prayer. I pray that I may depend on God for the strength I need to help me to do my part in making the world a better place.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Sharing ^*^*^*^*^ April 12, 2013

 

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

"In spite of the great increase in the size
and the span of this Fellowship,
at its core it remains simple and personal.
Each day, somewhere in the world,
recovery begins when one alcoholic talks
with another alcoholic,
sharing experience, strength, and hope."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. xxii

Thought to Consider . . .

We need each other's experience, strength, and hope,
regardless of age or length of sobriety.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H O P E
Help Open People's Eyes

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

 

Money

From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":

An aide "quickly took the glowing report to his friend, Mr. Rockefeller, who we thought would surely be interested. Here was medicine, here was religion, and here was a great good work, all in one package.  Mr. Rockefeller listened intently. He was tremendously impressed and said so. He has  repeatedly stated that his connection with Alcoholics Anonymous is numbered among the finest and most moving experiences of his life.

"Nevertheless, Mr. Rockefeller flatly turned down this plea for a large sum [$50,000], despite the fact that the project appealed to his every charitable inclination. After a rereading of  [the aide's] report, he said  'I am afraid that money will spoil this thing.' When he gave his reasons, they were identical with those advanced by the Akron group's minority [at an earlier meeting]. John D. Rockefeller, Jr., was guided then and there to save the A.A. fellowship from itself and from unnecessary hazards of money, property, and professionalism. It was one of the turning points in A.A.'s history.

"[The aide then] described the desperate financial plight of Dr. Bob and myself. On hearing of this, Mr. Rockefeller said, 'I will place $5,000 for their use in the treasury of the Riverside Church [NYC, NY]. You may draw on this as you like. This will give these men some temporary assistance. But this fellowship should soon become self-supporting.'"  An account by Bill W. of events which took place in December, 1937

 2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pgs. 150-51

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*

GIVING UP INSANITY

. . . where alcohol has been involved, we have been strangely insane.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p.  38

Alcoholism required me to drink, whether I wanted to or not.  Insanity dominated my life and was the essence of my disease.  It robbed me of the freedom of choice over drinking and, therefore, robbed me of all other choices.  When I drank, I was unable to make effective choices in any part of my life, and life became unmanageable.

I ask God to help me understand and accept the full meaning of the disease of alcoholism.

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

When we consult an A.A. friend, we should not be reluctant to remind him of our need for full privacy. Intimate communication is normally so free and easy among us that an A.A. adviser may sometimes forget when we expect him to remain silent. The protective sanctity of this most healing of human relations ought never be violated.
Such privileged communications have priceless advantages. We find in them the perfect opportunity to be as honest as we know how to be. We do not have to think of the possibility of damage to other people, nor need we fear ridicule or condemnation. Here, too. we have the best possible chance of spotting self-deception.

GRAPEVINE, AUGUST 1961
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"To get over drinking will require a transformation of thought and
attitude. We all had to place recovery above everything, for without
recovery we would have lost both home and business."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, To Employers, pg. 143~
*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

This sober world is a pleasant place for an alcoholic to live in. Once you've gotten out of your alcoholic fog, you find that the world looks good. You find real friends in A.A. You get a job. You feel good in the morning. You eat a good breakfast and you do a good day's work at home or outside. And your family loves you and welcomes you because you're sober. Am I convinced that this sober world is a pleasant place for an alcoholic to live in?

Meditation for the Day

Our need is God's opportunity. First we must recognize our need. Often this means helplessness before some weakness or sickness and an admission of our need for help. Next comes faith in the power of God's spirit, available to us to meet that need. Before any need can be met, our faith must find expression. That expression of faith is all God needs to manifest His power in our lives. Faith is the key that unlocks the storehouse of God's resources.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may first admit my needs. I pray that then I may have faith that God will meet those needs, in the way which is best for me.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Progress ^*^*^*^*^ April 11, 2013

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

"We claim spiritual progress rather than
spiritual perfection.
Our description of the alcoholic,
the chapter to the agnostic,
and our personal adventures before and after
make clear three pertinent ideas:
(a) That we were alcoholic and could not
manage our own lives.
(b) That probably no human power could
have relieved our alcoholism.
(c) That God could and would if He were sought."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 60

Thought to Consider . . .

Every recovery from alcoholism
began with one sober hour.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
BIG BOOK
Believing In God Beats Our Old Knowledge

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

Surrender

From "God Is Good":

"Before A.A., I could not, or would not, admit I was wrong. My pride would not let me. And yet I was ashamed of me. Caught in this conflict, I banished God from my life because I felt He asked me to adhere to a behavior pattern too high for a man of my human frailty. Somehow, I believed that there could be no forgiveness of any failure, that God required me to be all good. The moral of the story of the Prodigal Son eluded me.

"Since I thought trying was not enough, I stopped trying. That made me feel guilty. For a while, alcohol blotted out the guilt. Then alcohol became the greatest cause of my guilt. I had to be beaten to a pulp physically, mentally and emotionally, become bankrupt in all facets of my being, before I could give up my pride and admit defeat. Unfortunately, admitting was not sufficient. My situation got worse until I had to surrender completely. From the depths of my hell, I called out, "Oh God, help," and He led me to a place where I could find a way out of the maze and then sent me a group of people to lead the way."

1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30^th printing 2004, pg.86

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
A WORD TO DROP: "BLAME"

To see how erratic emotions victimized us often took a long time.  We could perceive them quickly in others, but only slowly in ourselves.  First of all, we had to admit that we had many of these defects, even though such disclosures were painful and humiliating.  Where other people were concerned, we had to drop the word "blame" from our speech and thought.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p.  47

When I did my Fourth Step, following the Big Book guidelines, I noticed that my grudge list was filled with my prejudices and my blaming others for my not being able to succeed and to live up to my potential.  I also discovered I felt different because I was black.  As I continued to work on the Step, I learned that I always had drunk to rid myself of those feelings.  It was only when I sobered up and worked on my inventory, that I could no longer blame anyone.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
"The Spiritual Angel"

How often do we sit in A.A. meetings and hear the speaker declare, "But I haven't yet got the spiritual angle." Prior to this statement, he has described a miracle of transformation which has 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 everyone else present that he has received a great gift, and that this gift is all out of proportion to anything that may be expected from simple A.A. participation. So we in the audience smile and say to ourselves, "Well, that guy is just reeking with the spiritual angle--except that he doesn't seem to know it yet!"

GRAPEVINE, JULY 1962
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Once more: The alcoholic at certain times has no effective mental
defense against the first drink. Except in a few rare cases, neither
he nor any other human being can provide such a defense. His defense
must come from a Higher Power."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 43~
*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

In that alcoholic world, one drink always leads to another and you can't stop till you're paralyzed. And the next morning it begins all over again. You eventually land in a hospital or jail. You lose your job. Your home is broken up. You're always in a mess. You're on the merry-go-round and you can't get off. You're in a squirrel cage and you can't get out. Am I convinced that the alcoholic world is not a pleasant place for me to live in?

Meditation for the Day

I must learn to accept self-discipline. I must try never to yield one point that I have already won. I must not let myself go in resentments, hates, fears, pride, lust, or gossip. Even if the discipline keeps me separated from some people who are without discipline, nevertheless I will carry on. I may have different ways and a different standard of living than some others. I may be actuated by different motives than some people. But I will try to live the way I believe God wants me to live, no matter what others say.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may be an example to others of a better way of living. I pray that I may carry on in spite of hindrances.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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