Thoughts For The Day~*~Jittery ^*^*^ August 24, 2014

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~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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(\    ~~  /)
(   \ (AA)/   )
(_   /AA\ _)
  /AA\
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Jittery
^*^*^
"We believe and hope this book contains
all you will need to begin.
We know what you are thinking.
You are saying to yourself:
'I'm jittery and alone.  I couldn't do that.'
But you can.
You forget that you have just now tapped
a source of power much greater than yourself.
To duplicate, with such backing,
what we have accomplished is only a matter
of willingness, patience and labor."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 163
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

It's kind of fun to do the impossible.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
W H O  M E ?  =  Willingness, Honesty, Openmindedness, Must Exist

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

HP

From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":

"We were still arguing about the Twelve Steps. All this time I had refused to budge on these steps. I would not change a word of the original draft, in which  I had consistently used the word 'God,' and in one place the expression 'on our knees' was used. Praying to God on one's knees was still a big affront to Henry.  He was positive we would scare off alcoholics by the thousands when they read those Twelve Steps.  Though at first I would have none of it, we finally began to talk about the possibility of compromise. Who first suggested the actual compromise words I do not know, but they are words well known throughout the length and breadth of A.A. today: In Step Two we decided to describe God as a 'Power greater than ourselves.' In Steps Three and Eleven we inserted the words 'God as we understood Him.' From Step Seven we deleted the expression 'on our knees.' And, as a lead-in sentence to all the steps we wrote these words: 'Here are the steps we took which are suggested as a Program of Recovery.' A.A.'s Twelve Steps were to be suggestions only."

2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pgs. 166-67

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
A RIDDLE THAT WORKS

It may be possible to find explanations of spiritual experiences
such as ours, but I have often tried to explain my own and have
succeeded only in giving the story of it. I know the feeling it
gave me and the results it has brought, but I realize I may never
fully understand its deeper why and how.
AS BILL SEES IT, p. 313

I had a profound spiritual experience during an open A. A. meeting,
which led me to blurt out. "I'm an alcoholic!" I have not had a
drink since that day. I can tell you the words I heard just prior
to my admission, and how those words affected me, but as to why it
happened, I do not know. I believe a power greater than myself
chose me to recover, yet I do not know why. I try not to worry or
wonder about what I do not yet know; instead, I trust that if I
continue to work the Steps, practice the A. A. principles in my
life, and share my story, I will be guided lovingly toward a deep
and mature spirituality in which more will be revealed to me. For
the time being, it is a gift for me to trust God, work the Steps
and help others.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Perfection - Only the Objective

There can be no absolute humility for us humans. At best, we can merely glimpse the meaning and splendor of such a perfect ideal. Only God himself can manifest in the absolute; we human beings must needs live and grow in the domain of the relative. So we seek progress in humility for today.

<<<>>>

Few of us can quickly or easily become ready even to look at spiritual and moral perfection; we want to settle for only as much development as may get us by in life, according, of course, to our various and sundry ideas of what will get us by. Mistakenly, we strive for a self-determined objective, rather than for the perfect objective which is of God.

1. GRAPEVINE, JUNE 1961 - 2. TWELVE AND TWELVE, p. 68
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"If we are sorry for what we have done, and have the honest desire to
let God take us to better things, we believe we will be forgiven and
will have learned our lesson. If we are not sorry, and our conduct
continues to harm others, we are quite sure to drink. We are not
theorizing. These are facts out of our experience."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 70~

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

"When we saw our faults, we listed them. We placed them before us in
black and white. We admitted our wrongs honestly and we were willing
to set these matters straight. We reviewed our fears thoroughly. We
asked God to remove our fears and we commenced to outgrow fear. Many of us needed an overhauling in regard to sex. We came to believe that sex powers were God-given and therefore good, if used properly. Sex is never to be used lightly or selfishly, nor is it to be despised or
loathed. If sex is troublesome, we throw ourselves the harder into
helping others, and so take our minds off ourselves." Am I facing my
sex problems in the proper way?

Meditation for the Day

Cling to the belief that all things are possible with God. If this
belief is truly accepted, it is the ladder upon which a human soul
can climb from the lowest pit of despair to the sublime heights of
peace of mind. It is possible for God to change your way of living.
When you see the change in another person through the grace of God,
you cannot doubt that au things are possible in the lives of people
through the strength that comes from faith in Him who rules us all.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may live expectantly. I pray that I may believe deeply
that all things are possible with God.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Solution ^*^*^ August 23, 2014

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~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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(   \ (AA)/   )
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  /AA\
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Solution
^*^*^
"There is a solution.
Almost none of us liked the self-searching, the leveling
of our pride, the confessions of shortcomings
which the process requires for its successful
consummation.
But we saw that it really worked in others,
and we had come to believe in the
hopelessness and futility of life as we had been living it.
When, therefore, we were approached by those
in whom the problem had been solved,
there was nothing left for us but to pick up
the simple kit of spiritual tools laid at our feet.
We have found much of heaven
and we have been rocketed into a fourth dimension
of existence of which we had not even dreamed."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 25
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Thought to Consider . . .

The solution is simple.
The solution is spiritual.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H O P E  =  Heart Open; Please Enter.

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

Serenity

From "Happiness":

"The second tenet of the Serenity Prayer is too frequently slurred over. I am constantly amazed at the number of so-called obstacles I have overcome after giving them a second look, mustering what meager resources I have, then taking the hoe in hand.

"Serenity to me, therefore, is the absence of insoluble conflict. And it is up to me first to determine whether, after an honest look at myself, I can cope with the problem, then to decide whether it is to be tackled, passed over to another day, or dismissed forever. "New Hartford, New York, USA"

1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30^th printing 2004, pg. 111

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
BRINGING THE MESSAGE HOME

Can we bring the same spirit of love and tolerance into our
sometimes deranged family lives that we bring to our A. A. group?

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, pp. 111 -112

My family members suffer from the effects of my disease. Loving and
accepting them as they are -- just as I love and accept A. A. members
-- fosters a return of love, tolerance and harmony to my life. Using
common courtesy and respecting other's personal boundaries are
necessary practices for all areas of my life.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Looking for Lost Faith

Any number of A.A.'s can say, "We were diverted from our childhood faith. As material success began to come, we felt we were winning at the game of life. This was exhilarating, and it made us happy.
"Why should we be bothered with theological abstractions and religious duties, or with the state of our souls, here or hereafter? The will to win
should carry us through. "But then alcohol began to have its way with us. Finally, when all our score cards read 'zero,' and we saw that one more strike would put us out of the game forever, we had to look for our lost faith. It was in A.A. that we rediscovered it."

TWELVE AND TWELVE, pp. 28-29
*~*~*~*~*^ 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 who have accepted the A.A. principles have been faced with the
necessity for a thorough personal housecleaning. We must face and
be rid of the things in ourselves that have been blocking us. We
therefore take a personal inventory. We take stock honestly. We
search out the flaws in our make-up that caused our failure.
Resentment is the number-one offender. Life that includes deep
resentment leads only to futility and unhappiness. If we are to
live, we must be free of anger." Am I free of resentment and anger?

Meditation for the Day

Keep in mind the goal you are striving for, the good life you are
trying to attain. Do not let little things divert you from the
path. Do not be overcome by the small trials and vexations of each
day. Try to see the purpose and plan to which all is leading. if,
when climbing a mountain, you keep your eyes on each stony or
difficult place, how weary is your climb. But if you think of each
step as leading to the summit of achievement from which a glorious
landscape will open out before you, then your climb will be endurable
and you will achieve your goal.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may realize that life without a goal is futile.
I pray that I may find the good life worth striving for.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Guidance ^*^*^ August 22, 2014

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~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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  /AA\
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Guidance
^*^*^
"I am a firm believer in both guidance and prayer.
But I am fully aware, and humble enough, I hope,
to see there may be nothing infallible
about my guidance.
The minute I figure I have got a perfectly clear
pipeline to God, I have become egotistical enough
to get into real trouble.
Nobody can cause more needless grief than a power-driver
who thinks he's got it straight from God."
Bill W., Letter, 1950
1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 38
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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*~*~*
A S A P  =  Always Say A Prayer

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*
 

Only One Tool

From: "Availing yourself of a sponsor"  

An AA sponsor is not a professional caseworker or counselor of any sort. A sponsor is not someone to borrow money from, nor get clothes, jobs, or food from. A sponsor is not a medical expert, nor qualified to give religious, legal, domestic or psychiatric advice, although a good sponsor is usually willing to discuss such matters confidentially, and often can suggest where the appropriate professional assistance can be obtained.  

A sponsor is simply a sober alcoholic who can help solve only one problem: how to stay sober. And the sponsor has only one tool to use - personal experience, not scientific wisdom.  

Sponsors have been there, and often have more concern, hope, compassion, and confidence for us than we have for ourselves. They certainly have had more experience. Remembering their own condition, they reach out to help, not down.

1998, AAWS, Inc., Living Sober, page 27

 

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
SEEKING EMOTIONAL STABILITY

When we developed still more, we discovered the best possible source
of emotional stability to be God Himself. We found that dependence
upon His perfect justice, forgiveness, and love was healthy, and that
it would work where nothing else would. If we really depended upon
God, we couldn't very well play God to our fellows nor would we feel
the urge wholly to rely on human protection and care.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 116

All my life I depended on people for my emotional needs and security,
but today I cannot live that way anymore. By the grace of God, I
have admitted my powerlessness over people, places and things. I had
been a real "people addict"; wherever I went there had to be someone
who would pay some kind of attention to me. It was the kind of
attitude that could only get worse, because the more I depended on
others and demanded attention, the less I received.
I have given up believing that any human power can relieve me of
that empty feeling. Although I remain a fragile human being who
needs to work A. A. Steps to keep this particular principle before
my personality, it is only a loving God who can give me inner peace
and emotional stability.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Freed Prisoners
Letter to a prison group:

"Every A.A. has been, in a sense, a prisoner. Each of us has walled himself out of society; each has known social stigma. The lot of you folks has been even more difficult: In your case, society has also built a wall around you. But there isn't any really essential difference, a fact that practically all A.A.'s now know. "Therefore, when you members come into the world of A.A. on the outside, you can be sure that no one will care a fig that you have done time. What you are trying to be -- not what you were -- is all that counts with us."

<<<>>>

"Mental and emotional difficulties are sometimes very hard to take while we are trying to maintain sobriety. Yet we do see, in the long run, that transcendence over such problems is the real test of the A.A. way of living. Adversity gives us more opportunity to grow than does comfort or success."

1. LETTER, 1949 - 2. LETTER, 1964
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Let no alcoholic say he cannot recover unless he has his family
back. This just isn't so. In some cases the wife will never come
back for one reason or another. Remind the prospect that his
recovery is not dependent upon people. It is dependent upon his
relationship with God. We have seen men get well whose families have
not returned at all. We have seen others slip when the family came
back too soon."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 99~
*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

"Those who do not recover are people who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves. There are such unfortunates. They are not at fault. They seem to be born that way. They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living that demands rigorous honesty. Their changes are less than average. There are those, too, who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of them do recover, if they have the capacity to be honest." Am I completely honest with myself and with other people?

Meditation for the Day

You can make use of your mistakes, failures, losses, and sufferings.
It is not what happens to you so much as what use you make of it. Take
your sufferings, difficulties, and hardships and make use of them to
help some unfortunate soul who is faced with the same troubles. Then
something good will come out of your suffering and the world will be
a better place because of it. The good you do each day will live on,
after the trouble and distress have gone, after the difficulty and
the pain have passed away.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may make good use of my mistakes and failures. I pray
that some good may result from my painful experiences.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Fear ^*^*^ August 21, 2014

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~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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  /AA\
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Fear
^*^*^
"The practice of AA's Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
in our personal lives also brought incredible releases
from fear of every description,
despite the wide prevalence of formidable personal problems.
When fear did persist, we knew it for what it was,
and under God's grace we became able to handle it.
We began to see each adversity as a God-given
opportunity to develop the kind of courage
which is born of humility, rather than bravado.
Thus we were enabled to accept ourselves,
our circumstances, and our fellows."
Bill W., January 1962
1988AAGrapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 268
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Thought to Consider . . .

Courage is the willingness to accept fear
and act anyway.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F E A R  =  Fools Every Alcoholic Repeatedly

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*
 

Bill's Adolescent Depression

From: "Chapter One"  

With the onset of depression, his academic performance dropped. The upshot was that I failed German and, for that reason, could not graduate. Here I was, president of my senior class  and they wouldn't give me a diploma! My mother arrived, extremely angry, from Boston. A stormy scene took place in the principal's office. Still, I didn't get that diploma.  

He failed to graduate with his class (although school records now list him with the group). Following a summer of agonizing depression, he went to live with his mother near Boston and completed makeup work that qualified him for college.  

What had caused Bill to change from high achiever to a helpless depressive? As he saw it, the major problem was the he could no longer be Number One. I could not be anybody at all. I could not win, because the adversary was death. So my life, I thought, had ended then and there.

1984, AAWS, Inc., Pass It On The story of Bill Wilson and how the AA message reached the world, pages 36-37

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
WE JUST TRY

My stability came out of trying to give, not out of demanding that I receive.

THE BEST OF BILL, p. 46-47

As long as I try, with all my heart and soul, to pass along to others what has been passed along to me, and do not demand anything in return, life is good to me. Before entering this program of Alcoholics Anonymous I was never able to give without demanding something in return. Little did I know that, once I began to give freely of myself, I would begin to receive, without ever expecting or demanding anything at all. What I receive today is the gift of "stability", as Bill did; stability in my A.A. program; within myself; but most of all, in my relationship with my Higher Power, whom I choose to call God.

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

The A.A. emphasis on personal inventory is heavy because a great many of us have never really acquired the habit of accurate self-appraisal.
Once this healthy practice has become a habit, it will prove so interesting and profitable that the time it takes won't be missed. For these minutes and often hours spent in self-examination are bound to make all the other hours of our day better and happier. At length, our inventories become a necessity of everyday living, rather than something unusual or set apart.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, pp. 89-90
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"In dealing with resentments, we set them on paper. We listed
people, institutions or principles with whom we were angry. We asked
ourselves why we were angry. In most cases it was found that our
self-esteem, our pocketbooks, our ambitions, our personal
relationships,(including sex) were hurt or threatened."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 64~

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

"Who are you to say there is no God? This challenge comes to all of us. Are we capable of denying that there is a design and purpose in all of life as we know it? Or are we willing to admit that faith in some kind of Divine Principle is a part of our make-up, just as much as the feeling we have for a friend? We find a great Reality deep down within us, if we face ourselves as we really are. In the last analysis, it is only there that God may be found. When we find this Reality within us, we are restored to our right minds." Have I found the great Reality?

Meditation for the Day

"Behold, I make all things new." When you change to a new way of life, you leave many things behind you. It is only the earth-bound spirit that cannot soar. Loosen somewhat the strands that tie you to the earth. It is only the earthly desires that bind you. Your new freedom will depend on your ability to rise above earthly things. Clipped wings can grow again. Broken wings can regain a strength and beauty unknown before. if you will, you can be released and free.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may be freed from things that hold me down. I pray that my spirit may soar in freedom.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Newcomers ^*^*^ August 20, 2014

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~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Newcomers
^*^*^
"Abandon yourself to God as you understand God.
Admit your faults to Him and your fellows.
Clear away the wreckage of your past.
Give freely of what you find and join us.
We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit,
and you will surely meet some of us
as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny.
May God bless you and keep you - until then."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 164
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Thought to Consider . . .

Newcomers are the lifeblood of the program. 
But our oldtimers are the arteries.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A B C  =  Acceptance, Belief, Change

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

Impatient

From: "Gutter Bravado"  

Still very impatient, I wanted the whole deal right away. That's why I related so well to the story about a wide-eyed new person and an oldtimer. When the newcomer approached the oldtimer, envying his accomplishments and many years of sobriety, the oldtimer slapped down his hand like a gavel and said, "I'll trade you even! My thirty years for your thirty days - right now!" He knew what the newcomer had yet to find out: that true happiness is found in the journey, not the destination.

2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, pages 510-511

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
TOWARD EMOTIONAL FREEDOM

Since defective relations with other human beings have nearly always been the immediate cause of our woes, including our alcoholism, no field of investigation could yield more satisfying and valuable rewards than this one.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p.80

Willingness is a peculiar thing for me in that, over a period of time, it seems to come, first with awareness, but then with a feeling of discomfort, making me want to want to take some action.  As I reflected on taking the Eighth Step, my willingness to make amends to others came as a desire for forgiveness, of others and myself.  I felt forgiveness toward others after I became aware of my part in the difficulties of relationships. I wanted to feel the peace and serenity described in the Promises.  From working the first seven Steps, I became aware of whom I had harmed and that I had been my own worst enemy.  In order to restore my relationships with my fellow human beings, I knew I would have to change.  I wanted to learn to live in harmony with myself and others so that I could also live in emotional freedom.  The beginning of the end to my isolation - from my fellows and from God - came when I wrote my Eighth Step list.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*

~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
The Value of Human Will

Many newcomers, having experienced little but constant deflation, feel a growing conviction that human will is of no value whatever. They have become persuaded, sometimes rightly so, that many problems besides alcohol will not yield to a headlong assault powered only by the individual's will. However, there are certain things which the individual alone can do. All by himself, and in the light of his own circumstances, he needs to develop the quality of willingness. When he acquires willingness, he is the only one who can then make the decision to exert himself along spiritual lines. Trying to do this is actually an act of his own will. It is a right use of this faculty. Indeed, all of A.A.'s Twelve Steps require our sustained and personal exertion to conform to their principles and so, we trust, to God's will.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, p. 40
*~*~*~*~*^ 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

"When many hundreds of people are able to say that the consciousness
of the presence of God is today the most important fact of their
lives, they present a powerful reason why one should have faith.
When we see others solve their problems by simple reliance upon
some Spirit of the universe, we have to stop doubting the power of
God. Our ideas did not work, but the God-idea does. Deep down in
every man, woman, and child is the fundamental idea of God. Faith
in a Power greater than ourselves and miraculous demonstrations of
that power in our lives are facts as old as the human race." Am I
willing to rely on the Spirit of the universe?

Meditation for the Day

You should not dwell too much on the mistakes, faults, and failures
of the past. Be done with shame and remorse and contempt for
yourself. With God's help, develop a new self-respect. Unless you
respect yourself, others will not respect you. You ran a race, you
stumbled and fell, you have risen again, and now you press on
toward the goal of a better life. Do not stay to examine the spot
where you fell, only feel sorry for the delay, the shortsightedness
that prevented you from seeing the real goal sooner.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may not look back. I pray that I may keep picking
myself up and making a fresh start each day.

Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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