~*~Step Eleven Group~*~: 8/25/24

Saturday, August 31, 2024

Thoughts For The Day~~Growing Up ^^*^ September 1

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~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~
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Growing Up

"As we grow spiritually, we find that our old attitudes toward our instincts need to undergo drastic revisions. Our desires for emotional security and wealth, for personal prestige and power, for romance, and for family satisfactions - all these have to be tempered and redirected. We have learned that the satisfaction of instincts cannot be the sole end and aim of our lives. If we place instincts first, we have got the cart before the horse; we shall be pulled backward into disillusionment. But when we are willing to place spiritual growth first - then and only then do we have a real chance."
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 114,
Copyright 1952 A.A.W.S. Inc.

Thought to Consider . . .

The program has helped me grow up enough to be a kid again.

*~*AACRONYMS*~*

C H A N G E
Choosing Honesty Allows New Growth Every day

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

Not Theorizing

From: "How It Works"

Suppose we fall short of the chosen ideal and stumble? Does this mean we are going to get drunk? Some people tell us so. But this is only a half-truth. It depends on us and on our motives. 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.
2001 AAWS Inc.
Alcoholics Anonymous, page 70

*^Daily Reflections^*

WILLINGNESS TO GROW

"If more gifts are to be received, our awakening has to go on."
AS BILL SEES IT, p. 8

Sobriety fills the painful "hole in the soul" that my alcoholism created. Often I feel so physically well that I believe my work is done. However, joy is not just the absence of pain; it is the gift of continued spiritual awakening. Joy comes from ongoing and active study, as well as application of the principles of recovery in my everyday life, and from sharing that experience with others. My Higher Power presents many opportunities for deeper spiritual awakening. I need only to bring into my recovery the willingness to grow. Today I am ready to grow.
Copyright 1990
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*

Toward Maturity

"Many oldsters who have put our A.A. 'booze cure' to severe but successful tests still find they often lack emotional sobriety. To attain this, we must develop real maturity and balance (which is to say, humility) in our relations with ourselves, with our fellows, and with God."
<<< >>>
"Let A.A. never be a closed corporation; let us never deny our experience, for whatever it may be worth, to the world around us. Let our individual members heed the call to every field of human endeavor. Let them carry the experience and spirit of A.A. into all these affairs, for whatever good they may accomplish. For not only has God saved us from alcoholism; the world has received us back into its citizenship."
1. GRAPEVINE, JANUARY 1958
2. A.A. COMES OF AGE, pp. 232-233

*~*^Big Book Quote^*~*

". . . with the alcoholic, whose hope is the maintenance and growth of a spiritual experience, this business of resentment is infinitely grave. We found that it is fatal. For when harboring such feelings we shut ourselves off from the sunlight of the Spirit. The insanity of alcohol returns and we drink again. And with us, to drink is to die."
Alcoholics Anonymous 4th Edition
How It Works, pg. 66

*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*

A.A. Thought for the Day

"Be careful not to brand new prospects as alcoholics. Let them draw their own conclusion. But talk to them about the hopelessness of alcoholism. Tell them exactly what happened to you and how you recovered. Stress the spiritual feature freely. If they are agnostics or atheists, make it emphatic that they do not have to agree with your conception of God. They can choose any conception they like, provided it makes sense to them. The main thing is that they be willing to believe in a Power greater than themselves and that they live by spiritual principles." Do I hold back too much in speaking of the spiritual principles of the program?

Meditation for the Day

"I will never leave nor forsake Thee." Down through the centuries, thousands have believed in God's constancy, untiringness, and unfailing love. God has love. Then forever you are sure of His love. God has power. Then forever you are sure, in every difficulty and temptation, of His strength. God has patience. Then always there is One who can never tire. God has understanding. Then always you will understand and be understood. Unless you want Him to go, God will never leave you. He is always ready with power.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may feel that God's love will never fail. I pray that I may have confidence in His unfailing power.
Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

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Friday, August 30, 2024

Thoughts For The Day~~A New World ^^*^ August 31

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~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~
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A New World

"We have entered the world of the Spirit. Our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness. This is not an overnight matter. It should continue for our lifetime. Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear. When these crop up, we ask God at once to remove them. We discuss them with someone immediately and make amends quickly if we have harmed anyone. Then we resolutely turn our thoughts to someone we can help."
1976 AAWS Alcoholics Anonymous p. 84

Thought to Consider . . .

Within our wonderful new world, we have found freedom from our fatal obsession.

*~*AACRONYMS*~*

P A I D
Pitiful And Incomprehensible Demoralization

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

Pathway

From "He Had Been Listening":

"In thinking all this over, it finally became obvious to me that the God I thought had judged and damned me had done nothing of the sort. He had been listening, and in His own good time His answer came. His answer was threefold: the opportunity for a life of sobriety; Twelve Steps to practice, in order to attain and maintain that life of sobriety; fellowship within the program, ever ready to sustain and help me each twenty-four-hour day."
St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
1973 AAWS Inc.
Came to Believe, 30^th printing 2004, pg. 11

*^Daily Reflections^*

A UNIQUE PROGRAM

Alcoholics Anonymous will never have a professional class. We have gained some understanding of the ancient words "Freely ye have received, freely give." We have discovered that at the point of professionalism, money and spirituality do not mix.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 166

I believe that Alcoholics Anonymous stands alone in the treatment of alcoholism because it is based solely on the principle of one alcoholic sharing with another alcoholic. This is what makes the program unique. When I decided that I wanted to stay sober, I called a woman who I knew was a sober member of A.A., and she carried the message of Alcoholics Anonymous to me. She received no monetary compensation, but rather was paid by staying sober another day herself. Today I could ask for no payment other than another day free from alcohol, so in that respect, I am generously paid for my labor.
Copyright 1990
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*

Morning Thoughts

"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^*~*

"Now we go out to our fellows and repair the damage done in the past. We attempt to sweep away the debris which has accumulated out of our effort to live on self-will and run the show ourselves. If we haven't the will to do this, we ask until it comes. Remember it was agreed at the beginning we would go to any lengths for victory over alcohol."
Alcoholics Anonymous 4th Edition
Into Action, pg.76

*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*

A.A. Thought for the Day

"Call on new prospects while they are still jittery. They may be more receptive when depressed. See them alone if possible. Tell them enough about your drinking habits and experiences to encourage them to speak of themselves. If they wish to talk, let them do so. If they are not communicative, talk about the troubles liquor has caused you, being careful not to moralize or lecture. When they see you know all about the drinking game, commence to describe yourself as an alcoholic and tell them how you learned you were sick." Am I ready to talk about myself to new prospects?

Meditation for the Day

Try not to give way to criticism, blame, scorn, or judgment of others when you are trying to help them. Effectiveness in helping others depends on controlling yourself. You may be swept away by a temporary natural urge to criticize or blame, unless you keep a tight rein on your emotions. You should have a firm foundation of spiritual living which makes you truly humble, if you are going to really help other people. Go easy on them and be hard on yourself. That is the way you can be used most to uplift a despairing spirit. And seek no personal recognition for what you are used by God to accomplish.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may try to avoid judgment and criticism. I pray that I may always try to build up others instead of tearing them down.
Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

Thursday, August 29, 2024

Thoughts For The Day~~Fear ^^*^ August 30

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~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~
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Fear

"When, with God's help, we calmly accepted our lot, then we found we could live at peace with ourselves and show others who still suffered the same fears that they could get over them, too. We found that freedom from fear was more important than freedom from want."
1952 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 122

Thought to Consider . . .

Courage is the willingness to accept fear and act anyway.

*~*AACRONYMS*~*

F E A R
Face Everything And Recover

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

Others

From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":

"A group of laymen whose combined religious training and experience had been small indeed had produced a volume which described release from alcoholism by spiritual means. What would our Catholic friends think? We had not the slightest inkling.

Then the good news came. By messenger we had sent the book Alcoholics Anonymous to the Catholic Committee on Publications in the New York Archdiocese. Our messenger was Morgan R., released only a few weeks before from Greystone asylum and himself the first Catholic to put in an appearance in New York [A.A.]. Not long after he returned with wonderful things to tell us.

The Committee, he said, had nothing but the best to say of our efforts. From their point of view the book was perfectly all right "
2001 AAWS Inc.
Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pgs. 168-69

*^Daily Reflections^*

THE ONLY REQUIREMENT . . .

"At one time . . . every A.A. group had many membership rules. Everybody was scared witless that something or somebody would capsize the boat . . . The total list was a mile long. If all those rules had been in effect everywhere, nobody could have possibly joined A.A. at all . . ."
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS p. 139-140

I'm grateful that the Third Tradition only requires of me a desire to stop drinking. I had been breaking promises for years. In the Fellowship I didn't have to make promises, I didn't have to concentrate. It only required my attending one meeting, in a foggy condition, to know I was home. I didn't have to pledge undying love. Here, strangers hugged me. "It gets better," they said, and "One day at a time, you can do it." They were no longer strangers, but caring friends. I ask God to help me to reach out to people desiring sobriety, and to, please keep me grateful!
Copyright 1990
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*

Let Go Absolutely

"After failure on my part to dry up any drunks, Dr. Silkworth reminded me of Professor William James's observation that truly transforming spiritual experiences are nearly always rounded on calamity and collapse. 'Stop preaching at them,' Dr. Silkworth said, 'and give them the hard medical facts first. This may soften them up at depth so that they will be willing to do anything to get well. Then they may accept those spiritual ideas of yours, and even a Higher Power.'"
<<< >>>
"We beg of you to be fearless and thorough from the very start. Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas, and the result was nil - until we let go absolutely."
1. A.A. COMES OF AGE, p. 13
2. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 58

*~*^Big Book Quote^*~*

". . . I humbly offered myself to God, as I then understood Him, to do with me as He would. I placed myself unreservedly under His care and direction. I admitted for the first time that of myself I was nothing; that without Him I was lost. I ruthlessly faced my sins and became willing to have my new-found Friend take them away, root and branch."
Alcoholics Anonymous 4th Edition
Bill's Story, pg. 13

*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*

A.A. Thought for the Day

"Practical experience shows that nothing will so much ensure immunity from drinking as extensive work with other alcoholics. Carry the message to other alcoholics. You can help when no one else can. You can secure their confidence when others fail. Life will take on a new meaning for you. To watch people recover, to see them help others in turn, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow about you, to have a host of friends, this is an experience you must not miss." Am I always ready and willing to help other alcoholics?

Meditation for the Day

One secret of abundant living is the art of giving. The paradox of life is that the more you give, the more you have. If you lose your life in the service of others, you will save it. You can give abundantly and so live abundantly. You are rich in one respect - you have a spirit that is inexhaustible. Let no mean or selfish thought keep you from sharing this spirit. Of love, of help, of understanding, and of sympathy, give and keep giving. Give your personal ease and comfort, your time, your money, and most of all, yourself. And you will be living abundantly.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may live to give. I pray that I may learn this secret of abundant living.
Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Thoughts For The Day~~Step One ^^*^ August 29

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~A.A. Thought For The Day~
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Step One

"No other kind of bankruptcy is like this one. Alcohol, now becomes the rapacious creditor, bleeds us all of self-sufficiency and all will to resist its demands. Once this stark fact is accepted, our bankruptcy as going human concerns is complete. But upon entering A.A. we soon take quite another view of this absolute humiliation. We perceive that only through utter defeat are we able to take our first steps toward liberation and strength. Our admissions of personal powerlessness finally turn out to be firm bedrock upon which happy and purposeful lives may be built."
1952 AAWS
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 21

Thought to Consider . . .

Once we clear a hurdle, it doesn't seem so high.

*~*AACRONYMS*~*

S T E P S
Solutions To Every Problem in Sobriety

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

Reality I Had Feared

From: "No Man Is An Island"

I was spiritually bankrupt long before A.A. entered my life and long before alcoholism took over like a parasite under my skin. I had nothing, no faith at all to cling to. I had no faith in man, because along with my drinking I had lost faith in myself. I trusted no one, for others were but a mere reflection of my own self, and I could not trust me.

I got sober in A.A., and, like a miracle, the warm flood of reality I had feared for so long flowed over me, and I was no longer afraid. I began to wonder why. Along with sobriety, something new had come into my life.

I began to have concern for others. This word concern, along with its sister consideration, was an alien thing to me. I had believed myself capable of falling in love; I had thought myself a loving mother; but these emotions, I now perceive, had been reflections of my own self-interest. Nothing penetrated beyond my self. I began, in early sobriety, to feel compassion for other drunks, then for my children, then for my ex-husband. This compassion, a feeling accompanied later by love, opened the door to a huge fortress within me which had been forever locked.
1973 AAWS Inc.
Came to Believe, pages 118-119.

*^Daily Reflections^*

I CHOOSE ANONYMITY

We are sure that humility, expressed by anonymity, is the greatest safeguard that Alcoholics Anonymous can ever have.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 187

Since there are no rules in A.A. I place myself where I want to be, and so I choose anonymity. I want my God to use me, humbly, as one of His tools in this program. Sacrifice is the art of giving of myself freely, allowing humility to replace my ego. With sobriety, I suppress that urge to cry out to the world, "I am a member of A.A." and I experience inner joy and peace. I let people see the changes in me and hope they will ask what happened to me. I place the principles of spirituality ahead of judging, fault-finding, and criticism. I want love and caring in my group, so I can grow.
Copyright 1990
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*

Middle of the Road

"In some sections of A.A., anonymity is carried to the point of real absurdity. Members are on such a poor basis of communication that they don't even know each other's last names or where each lives. It's like the cell of an underground. In other sections, we see exactly the reverse. It is difficult to restrain A.A.'s from shouting too much before the whole public, by going on spectacular 'lecture tours' to play the big shot. However, I know that from these extremes we slowly pull ourselves onto a middle ground. Most lecture-giving members do not last too long, and the super anonymous people are apt to come out of hiding respecting their A.A. friends, business associates, and the like. I think the long-time trend is toward the middle of the road - which is probably where we should be."
LETTER, 1959

*~*^Big Book Quote^*~*

"We constantly remind ourselves we are no longer running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many times each day 'Thy will be done.' We are then in much less danger of excitement, fear, anger, worry, self-pity, or foolish decisions. We become much more efficient. We do not tire so easily, for we are not burning up energy foolishly as we did when we were trying to arrange life to suit ourselves."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 87

*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*

A.A. Thought for the Day

"We cannot get along without prayer and meditation. 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. Our thought lives will be placed on a much higher plane when we start the day with prayer and meditation. We conclude this period of meditation with a prayer that we will be shown through the day what our next step is to be. The basis of all our prayers is: Thy will be done in me and through me today." Am I sincere in my desire to do God's will today?

Meditation for the Day

Breathe in the inspiration of goodness and truth. It is the spirit of honesty, purity, unselfishness, and love. It is readily available if we are willing to accept it wholeheartedly. God has given us two things - His spirit and the power of choice - to accept or not, as we will. We have the gift of free will. When we choose the path of selfishness and greed and pride, we are refusing to accept God's spirit. When we choose the path of love and service, we accept God's spirit and it flows into us and makes all things new.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may choose the right way. I pray that I may try to follow it to the end.
Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012

~~Step Eleven Group~~

Saturday, August 31, 2024

Thoughts For The Day~~Growing Up ^^*^ September 1

Friday, August 30, 2024

Thoughts For The Day~~A New World ^^*^ August 31

Thursday, August 29, 2024

Thoughts For The Day~~Fear ^^*^ August 30

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Thoughts For The Day~~Step One ^^*^ August 29

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~*~Step Eleven Group~*~

Saturday, August 31, 2024

Thoughts For The Day~*~Growing Up ^*^*^ September 1

Friday, August 30, 2024

Thoughts For The Day~*~A New World ^*^*^ August 31

Thursday, August 29, 2024

Thoughts For The Day~*~Fear ^*^*^ August 30

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Thoughts For The Day~*~Step One ^*^*^ August 29

Followers

Blog Archive

Contributors

~~Step Eleven Group~~

Thoughts For The Day~~Growing Up ^^*^ September 1

Thoughts For The Day~~A New World ^^*^ August 31

Thoughts For The Day~~Fear ^^*^ August 30

Thoughts For The Day~~Step One ^^*^ August 29