Thoughts For The Day~*~Way of Life ^*^*^ July 27, 2014

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~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Way of Life
^*^*^
"The AA way of life is the way we always
should have tried to live.
'Grant us the serenity to accept the things
we cannot change,
courage to change the things we can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.'
These thoughts become part of our daily lives.
They are not ideas of resignation
but of the recognition of certain
basic facts of living."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 382-3
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Every day is a gift.
That is why we call it the present.

 

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
B E S T  =  Been Enjoying Sobriety Today?

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

Progress

From "A Glacier Melts":

"A.A. provided for me a means by which I could overcome the compulsion to drink and, more important, a means by which I could achieve a personality change or spiritual awakening--- a surrender to life. Though I have had problems and deep troubles since that summer ten years ago, my faith has not been shaken. I cannot say that I have found God as I understand Him, but rather that I have faith in Something which remains a mystery to me and which I continue to seek. - Fresno, California, USA"

1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30^th printing 2004, pg. 59

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
GIVING FREELY

We will make every personal sacrifice necessary to insure the unity of Alcoholics Anonymous. We will do this because we have learned to love God and one another. 

A.A. COMES OF AGE, p. 234


To be self-supporting through my own contributions was never a strong characteristic during my days as a practicing alcoholic.  The giving of time or money always demanded a price tag.

As a newcomer I was told "we have to give it away in order to keep it."  As I began to adopt the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous in my life, I soon found it was a privilege to give to the Fellowship as an expression of the gratitude I felt in my heart.  My love of God and of others became the motivating factor in my life, with no thought of return.  I realize now that giving freely is God's way of expressing Himself through me.
Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Reason - a Bridge to Faith

We were squarely confronted with the question of faith. We couldn't duck the issue. Some of us had already walked along the bridge of reason toward the desired shore of faith, where friendly hands stretched out in welcome. We were grateful that reason had brought us so far. But, somehow, we couldn't quite step ashore. Perhaps we had been relying too heavily on reason that last mile, and we did not like to lose our support.
Yet, without knowing it, had we not been brought to where we stood by a
certain kind of faith? For did we not believe in our own reasoning? Did we not have confidence in our ability to think? What was that but a sort of faith? Yes, we had been faithful, abjectly faithful to the god of reason. So, in one way or another, we discovered that faith had been involved all the time!

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, pp. 53-54
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Step Eleven suggests prayer and meditation. We shouldn't be shy on this matter of prayer. Better men than we are using it constantly."

Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 85
 
*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*

A.A. Thought for the Day

To paraphrase the psalm: "We alcoholics declare the power of liquor and drunkenness showeth its handiwork. Day unto day uttereth hangovers and night unto night showeth suffering.
The law of A.A. is perfect, converting the drunk. The
testimony of A.A. is sure, making wise the simple. The
statutes of A.A. are right, rejoicing the heart. The program
of A.A. is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the first
drink is clean, enduring forever." Have I any doubt about the power of liquor?

Meditation for the Day

"Walk humbly with thy Lord." Walking with God means practicing the presence of God in your daily affairs. It means asking God for strength to face each new day. It means turning to Him
often during the day in prayer for yourself and for other
people. It means thanking Him at night for the blessings you
have received during the day. Nothing can seriously upset you
if you are "walking with God." You can believe that He is
beside you in spirit, to help you and to guide you on your
way.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may try to walk humbly with God. I pray that I
may turn to Him often as to a close friend.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~The Gift ^*^*^ July 26, 2014

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~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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The Gift
^*^*^
"When asked, 'Are there any conditions?'
we joyfully reply, 'No, not a one.'
When skeptically he comes back saying,
'But certainly there must be things
that I have to do and believe,' we quickly answer,
'In Alcoholics Anonymous there are no musts.'
Cynically, perhaps, he then inquires,
'What is all this going to cost me?'
We are able to laugh and say,
'Nothing at all, there are no fees and dues.'
Thus, in a brief hour, is our friend disarmed
of his suspicion and rebellion . . .
Alcoholics Anonymous is saying,
'We have something precious to give,
if only you will receive.'
That is all."
Bill W., February 1948
1988AAGrapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 79
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

Sobriety is a gift, not a right

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
G I F T S  =  Getting It From The Steps

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

Stories

From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":

"We had not gone much farther with the text of the book when it was evident that something more was needed. There would have to be a story or case history section. We would have to produce evidence in the form of living proof, written testimonials of our membership itself. It was felt also that the story section could identify us with the distant reader in a way that the text itself might not. At this point Dr. Bob and the Akronites played a vital role. The Akron group was the larger and had more case history material, and the means of putting it into story form now appeared. Two years earlier a former newspaperman, Jim S., had been lifted off skid row and nursed back to health and sobriety. Jim and Dr. Bob went after all the Akronites who had substantial sobriety records for testimonial material. In most cases Jim interviewed the prospects and wrote their stories for them. Dr. Bob wrote his own. By January the Akronites had produced eighteen fine stories."

2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pg. 164

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
THE "WORTH" OF SOBRIETY

Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS  p. 160

When I go shopping I look at the prices and if I need what I see, buy it and pay.  Now that I am supposed to be in rehabilitation, I have to straighten out my life.  When I go to a meeting, I take a coffee with sugar and milk, sometimes more than one.  But at the collection time, I am either too busy to take money out of  my purse, or I do not have enough, but I am there because I need this meeting.  I heard someone suggest dropping the price of a beer into the basket, and I thought, that's too much!  I almost never give one dollar.  Like many others, I rely on the more generous members to finance the Fellowship.  I forget that it takes money to rent the meeting room, buy my milk, sugar and cups.  I will pay, without hesitation, ninety cents for a cup of coffee at a restaurant after the meeting; I always have money for that.  So, how much is my sobriety and my inner peace worth?
Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
The Fellowship's Future

"It seems proved that A.A. can stand on its own feet anywhere and under any conditions. It has outgrown any dependence it might once have had upon the personalities or efforts of a few of the older members like me. New, able, and vigorous people keep coming to the surface, turning up where they are needed. Besides, A.A. has reached enough spiritual maturity to know that its final dependence is upon God."
<<<>>>
Clearly, our first duty to A.A.'s future is to maintain in full strength what we now have. Only the most vigilant caretaking can assure this. Never should we be lulled into complacent self-satisfaction by the wide acclaim and success that are everywhere ours. This is the subtle temptation which could render us stagnant today, perchance disintegrate us tomorrow. We have always rallied to meet and transcend failure and crisis. Problems have been our stimulants. How well, though, shall we be able to meet the problems of success?

1. LETTER, 1940 - 2. A.A. TODAY, p. 106
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"We think it no concern of ours what religious bodies our members
identify themselves with as individuals. This should be an entirely
personal affair which each one decides for himself in the light of
past associations, or his present choice."

Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 28
*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

When we come to the end of our lives on earth, we will
take no material thing with us. We will not take one cent
in our cold, dead hands. The only things that we may take
are the things we have given away If we have helped others,
we may take that with us; if we have given of our time and
money for the good of A.A., we may take that with us.
Looking back over our lives, what are we proud of? Not
what we have gained for ourselves, but what few good deeds
we have done. Those are the things that really matter in
the long run. What will I take with me when I go?

Meditation for the Day

"Hallowed be Thy Name." What does that mean to us? Here "name"
is used in the sense of "spirit." The words mean praise to God
for His spirit in the world, making us better. We should be
especially grateful for God's spirit, which gives us the
strength to overcome all that is base in our lives. His spirit
is powerful. It can help us to live a conquering, abundant
life. So we praise and thank Him for His spirit in our lives
and in the lives of others.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may be grateful for God's spirit in me. I pray
that I may try to live in accordance with it.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~New Life ^*^*^ July 25, 2014

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~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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New Life
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"We die to live.
That is a beautiful paradox straight out of the Biblical idea of being "born again" or "in losing one's life to find it."
When we work at our Twelve Steps,
the old life of guzzling and fuzzy thinking,
and all that goes with it, gradually dies,
and we acquire a different and a better way of life.
As our shortcomings are removed, one life of us dies,
and another life of us lives.
We in AA die to live."
1955AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, 2nd edition., pp. 341-2
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Thought to Consider . . .

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

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
T H I N K  =  The Happiness I Never Knew

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

Accept My Humanness

From: "A Nourishing Ingredient  

Where humility had formerly stood for a forced feeding on humble pie, it now begins to mean the nourishing ingredient which can give us serenity.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page 74  

How often do I focus on my problems and frustrations? When I am having a "good day" these same problems shrink in importance and my preoccupation with them dwindles. Wouldn't it be better if I could find a key to unlock the "magic" of my "good days" for use on the woes of my "bad days"?

I already have the solution! Instead of trying to run away from my pain and wish my problems away, I can pray for humility! Humility will heal the pain. Humility will take me out of myself. Humility, that strength granted to me by that "power greater than myself," is mine for the asking! Humility will bring balance back into my life. Humility will allow me to accept my humanness joyously. 

1990, AAWS, Inc., Daily Reflections, page 204

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
THOSE WHO STILL SUFFER

For us, if we neglect those who are still sick, there is unremitting danger to our own lives and sanity.               
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 151

I know the torment of drinking compulsively to quiet my nerves and my fears.  I also know the pain of white-knuckled sobriety.  Today, I do not forget the unknown person who suffers quietly, withdrawn and hiding in the desperate relief of drinking.  I ask my Higher Power to give me His guidance and the courage to be willing to be His instrument to carry within me compassion and unselfish actions.  Let the group continue to give me the strength to do with others what I cannot do alone.
Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Praying for Others

While praying sincerely, we still may fall into temptation. We form ideas as to what we think God's will is for other people. We say to ourselves, "This one ought to be cured of his fatal malady" or "That one ought to be relieved of his emotional pain," and we pray for these specific things.
Such prayers, of course, are fundamentally good acts, but often they are
based upon a supposition that we know God's will for the person for whom we pray. This means that side by side with an earnest prayer there can be a certain amount of presumption and conceit in us.
It is A.A.'s experience that particularly in these cases we ought to pray
that God's will, whatever it is, be done for others as well as for ourselves.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, p. 104
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"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. Under these conditions we
can employ our mental faculties with assurance, for after all God
gave us brains to use. Our thought-life will be placed on a much
higher plane when our thinking is cleared of wrong motives."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 86~
*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

We are living on borrowed time. We are living today because of A.A. and the grace of God. And what there is left of our lives we owe to A.A. and to God. We should make the best use we can of our borrowed time and in some small measure pay back for that part of our lives which we wasted before we came into A.A. Our lives from now on are not our own. We hold them in trust for God and A.A. And we must do all we can to forward the great movement that has given us a new lease on life. Am I holding my life in trust for AA.?

Meditation for the Day

You should hold your life in trust for God. Think deeply on what that means. Is anything too much to expect from such a life? Do you begin to see how dedicated a life in trust for God can be? In such a life miracles can happen. if you are faithful, you can believe that God has many good things in store for you. God can be Lord of your life, controller of your days, of your present and your future. Try to act as God guides and leave all results to Him. Do not hold back, but go all out for God and the better life. Make good your trust.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may hold my life in trust for God. I pray that I may no longer consider my life as all my own.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Self-will ^*^*^ July 24, 2014

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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. 
Life would be wonderful."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 60-1
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Thought to Consider . . .

It's not making a mistake that will kill me. 
It's defending it that does the damage.

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

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

Orderly Transfer

From: "When AA Came of Age"  

The full attendance of thousands of A.A.s at St. Louis, representing an accurate cross-section of A.A. opinion, now sat in convention before us. On the auditorium stage was the Service Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous, about a hundred men and women who were the named and chosen representatives of the whole fellowship. The Conference, having completed the fifth year of its experimental period with a record of high success, was no longer an experiment. It was the instrument destined to become the heart of A.A.'s Third Legacy of Service and the whole of A.A.'s conscience, world-wide.

In the simple ceremony that followed, I offered a resolution to the effect that our society should now take its affairs into its own hands and that its Conference ought to become the permanent successor to the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous.  

Amid a roar of acclamation from the floor, the Convention carried that resolution. There was silence, and then we heard chairman Smith offer the resolution to the Conference for its confirmation. A simple show of hands expressed the consent of the Conference and marked the exact moment when A.A. came of age. It was four o'clock. [July 3, 1955]  

1985, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, page 47

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
HELPING OTHERS

Our very lives, as ex-problem drinkers, depend upon our
constant thought of others and how we may help meet their
needs.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 20

Self-centeredness was my problem. All my life people had
been doing things for me and I not only expected it but I
was ungrateful and resentful they didn't do more. Why
should I help others, when they were supposed to help me?
If others had troubles, didn't they deserve them? I was
filled with self-pity, anger and resentment. Then I
learned that by helping others, with no thought of return,
I could overcome this obsession with selfishness, and if
I understood humility, I would know peace and serenity.
No longer do I need to drink.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Virtue and Self-Deception

I used to take comfort from an exaggerated belief in my own honesty. My New England kinfolk had taught me the sanctity of all business commitments and contracts, saying, "A man's word is his bond." After this rigorous conditioning, business honesty always came easy; I never flim-flammed anyone. However, this small fragment of readily won virtue did produce some interesting liabilities. I never failed to whip up a fine contempt for those of my fellow Wall Streeters who were prone to shortchange their customers. This was arrogant enough, but the ensuing self-deception proved even worse. My prized business honesty was presently converted into a comfortable cloak under which I could hide the many serious flaws that beset other departments of my life. Being certain of this one virtue, it was easy to conclude that I had them all. For years on end, this prevented me from taking a good look at myself.

GRAPEVINE, AUGUST 1961

"The Great Fact"

"We realize we know only a little.
God will constantly disclose more to you
and to us. Ask Him in your morning meditation
what you can do each day for
the man who is still sick.
The answers will come, if you own house is in order.
"But obviously you cannot transmit something you haven't got.
See to it that your relationship with Him is right, and great events will
come to pass for you and countless others.
This is the great fact for us."

- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 164
*~*~*~*~*^ 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, 3rd Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 55

"We have three little mottoes which are apropos.
Here they are:

First Things First
Live and Let Live
Easy Does It."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 135~
*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

A.A. is like a dike, holding back the ocean of liquor. If
we take one glass of liquor, it is like making a small hole
in the dike and once such a hole has been made, the whole
ocean of alcohol may rush in upon us. By practicing the A.A.
principles we keep the dike strong and in repair. We spot
any weakness or crack in that dike and make the necessary
repairs before any damage is done. Outside the dike is
the whole ocean of alcohol, waiting to engulf us again in
despair. Am I keeping the dike strong?

Meditation for the Day

Keep as close as you can to the Higher Power. Try to think,
act, live as though you were always in God's presence. Keeping
close to a Power greater than your-self is the solution to
most of the earth's problems. Try to practice the presence of
God in the things you think and do. That is the secret of
personal power. It is the thing that influences the lives of
others for good. Abide in the Lord and rejoice in His love.
Keep close to the Divine Spirit in the universe. Keep God
close behind your thoughts.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may keep close to the Mind of God. I pray that
I may live with Him in my heart and mind.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Ambition ^*^*^ July 23, 2014

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~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Ambition
^*^*^
" . . . the certainty that we are no longer isolated
in self-constructed prisons,
the surety that we need no longer be
square pegs in round holes
but can fit and belong in God's scheme of things -
these are the permanent and legitimate satisfactions of
right living for which no amount of pomp and
circumstance,
no heap of material possessions,
could possibly be substitutes.
True ambition is not what we thought it was.
True ambition is the deep desire
to live usefully and walk humbly under
the grace of God."
1953AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 124-5
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

The mighty oak tree was once a little nut
that held its ground.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F I T  =  Faith, Intuition, and Trust

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

Small Miracles

From: "A Late Start"  

Small miracles keep offering new opportunities just when I need change and growth. New friends have shown me hidden truths in those sayings that I once found so shallow. The lessons of tolerance and acceptance have taught me to look beyond exterior appearances to find the help and wisdom so often lurking beneath the surface. All my sobriety and growth, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, are dependent upon my willingness to listen, understand, and change.

2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, page 542

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
I ASK GOD TO DECIDE

"I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in the way of my usefulness to you and my fellows."                   
       
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 76

Having admitted my powerlessness and made a decision to turn my will and my life over to the care of God, as I understand  Him, I don't decide which defects get removed, or the order in which defects get removed, or the time frame in which they get removed. I ask God to decide which defects stand in the way of my usefulness to Him and to others, and them I humbly ask Him to remove them.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
The Building of Character

Since most of us are born with an abundance of natural desires, it isn't
strange that we often let these far exceed their intended purpose. When they drive us blindly, or we willfully demand that they supply us with more satisfactions or pleasures than are possible or due us, that is the point at which we depart from the degree of perfection that God wishes for us here on earth. That is the measure of our character defects, or, if you wish, of our Sins. If we ask, God will certainly forgive our dereliction's. But in no case does He render us white as snow and keep us that way without our cooperation. That is something we are supposed to be willing to work toward ourselves. He asks  only that we try as best we know how to make progress in the building of character.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, p. 65
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"We are people who normally would not mix. But there exists among us a fellowship, a friendliness, and an understanding which is indescribably wonderful."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 17~
*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

We should remember that all A.A.'s have "clay feet." We should not set any member upon a pedestal and mark her or him out as a perfect A.A. Its not fair to the person to be singled out in this fashion and if the person is wise she or he will not wish it. if the person we single out as an ideal A.A. has a fall, we are in danger of falling, too. Without exception, we are all only one drink away from a drunk, no matter how long we have been in A.A. Nobody is entirely safe. A.A. itself should be our ideal, not any particular member of it. Am I putting my trust in A.A. principles and not in any one member of the group?

Meditation for the Day

The inward peace that comes from trust in God truly passes all understanding. That peace no one can take from you. No person has the power to disturb that inner peace. But you must be careful not to let in the world's worries and distractions. You must try not to give entrance to fears and despondency. You must refuse to open the door to distractions that disturb your inward peace. Make it a point to allow nothing today to disturb your inner peace, your heart-calm.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may not allow those about me to spoil my peace of mind. I pray that I may keep a deep inner calm throughout the day.

 

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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