Thoughts For The Day~*~Fear ^*^*^ August 30, 2006

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
^*^*^*^*^
(\    ~~  /)
(   \ (AA)/   )
(_   /AA\ _)
  /AA\
^*^*^*^*^
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."
©1952AAWS, 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!^*~*~*~*~*

Relief

From "He Lived Only to Drink":

"The people at the meetings gathered around me in kindness in those early days, and I did not drink. But the spiritual demons of withdrawal descended on me. I was black, and these people were white. What did they know about suffering? What could they tell me? I was black and bright, and the world had consistently rejected me for it. I hated this world, its people, and its punishing God. Yet I believed the people in A.A. were sincere and whatever they believed in was working for them. I just did not believe that A.A. would work for me as a black drunk.

"I genuinely believed that I was different until much later, when I had what I now know to be my first spiritual awakening: that I was an alcoholic and I didn't have to drink! I also learned that alcoholism, as an equal opportunity illness, does not discriminate – is not restricted to race, creed, or geography. At last I was released from the bondage of my uniqueness."

© 2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 305

*~*~*~*~*^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 ^*~*~*~*~*

"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."

Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 133
*~*~*~*^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©

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Step One ^*^*^ August 29, 2006

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
^*^*^*^*^
(\    ~~  /)
(   \ (AA)/   )
(_   /AA\ _)
  /AA\
^*^*^*^*^
Step One
^*^*^
"No other kind of bankruptcy is like this one.
Alcohol, now become 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 AA 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."
©1952AAWS, 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!^*~*~*~*~*

 

Thoroughgoing

Step Eight: Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

"We clung to the claim that when drinking we never hurt anybody but ourselves. Our families didn't suffer, because we always paid the bills and seldom drank at home. Our business associates didn't suffer, because we were usually on the job. Our reputations hadn't suffered, because we were certain few knew of our drinking. Those who did would assure us that, after all, a lively bender was only a good man's fault. What real harm, therefore, had we done? No more, surely, than we could easily mend with a few casual apologies.

"This attitude, of course, is the end result of purposeful forgetting. It is an attitude which can only be changed by a deep and honest search of our motives and actions."

©1952, AAWS, Inc.; Printed 2005; Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pg. 79

*~*~*~*~*^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 ^*~*~*~*~*
"The less people tolerated us, the more we withdrew from society,
from life itself. As we became subjects of King Alcohol, shivering
denizens of his mad realm, the chilling vapor that is loneliness
settled down. It thickened, ever becoming blacker. Some of us
sought out sordid places, hoping to find understanding companionship
and approval. Momentarily we did—then would come oblivion and
the awful awakening to face the hideous Four Horsemen—Terror,
Bewilderment, Frustration, Despair."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, pg. 151~
*~*~*~*^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 geed 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©

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Self-appraisal ^*^*^ August 28, 2006

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
^*^*^*^*^
(\    ~~  /)
(   \ (AA)/   )
(_   /AA\ _)
  /AA\
^*^*^*^*^
Self-appraisal
^*^*^
"I used to be a champ at unrealistic self-appraisal.
I wanted to look only at the part of my life
which seemed good.
Then I would greatly exaggerate whatever virtues
I supposed I had attained.
Next I would congratulate myself on the grand job
I was doing.
So my unconscious self-deception never failed
to turn my few good assets into serious liabilities.
This astonishing process was always a pleasant one. . .
I was falling straight back
into the pattern of my drinking days. . .
I shall forever regret the damage I did to people around me.
Indeed, I still tremble when I realize
what I might have done to AA and to its future."
Bill W., June 1961
©1988AAGrapevine, The Language of the Heart,  pp. 256-7
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A A  =  Altered Attitudes

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*
 

Medicine

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. But we have seen remarkable transformations in our bodies. Hardly any one of our crowd now shows signs 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^*~*~*~*~*
LIGHTENING THE BURDEN

showing others who suffer how we were given help is the very thing which
makes life seem so worth while to us now. . . . the dark past is . . . the
key to life and happiness for others.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 124

Since I have been sober, I have been healed of many pains: deceiving my
partner, deserting my best friend, and spoiling my mother's hopes for my
life.   In each case someone in the program told me of a similar problem, and
I was able to share what happened to me.   When my story was told, both of us got up with lighter hearts.

©Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.©
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Hard on Ourselves, Considerate of Others

We cannot disclose anything to our wives or our parents which will hurt them
and make them unhappy. We have no right to save our own skins at their
expense. Such damaging parts of our story we tell to someone else who will understand, yet be unaffected. The rule is, we must be hard on ourselves, but always considerate of others.

<<<>>>

Good judgment will suggest that we ought to take our time in making amends to our families. It may be unwise at first to rehash certain harrowing episodes. While we may be quite willing to reveal the very worst, we must be sure to remember that we cannot buy our own peace of mind at the expense of others.

1. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 74 - 2. TWELVE AND TWELVE, p. 84
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Everybody knows that those in bad health, and those who seldom play,
do not laugh much. So let each family play together or separately as
much as their circumstances warrant. We are sure God wants us to be
happy, joyous, and free."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 132~

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

"We must continue to take personal inventory and continue to set right any
new mistakes as we go along. We should 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 must not rest on our laurels. We are headed for trouble if we do. We are not cured of
alcoholism. What we really have is a daily reprieve, contingent on the
maintenance of our spiritual condition." Am I checking my spiritual condition
daily?

Meditation for the Day

Happiness cannot be sought directly; it is a byproduct of love and service.
Service is a law of our being. With love in your heart, there is always some
service to other people. A life of power and joy and satisfaction is built on
love and service. Persons who hate or are selfish are going against the law
of their own being. They are cutting themselves off from God and other
people. little acts of love and encouragement, of service and help, erase the
rough places of fife and help to make the path smooth. If we do these things,
we cannot help having our share of happiness.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may give my share of love and service. I pray that I may not
grow weary in my attempts to do the right thing.

©Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012©

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Thoughts For The Day~*~Vision ^*^*^ August 27, 2006

 ~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
^*^*^*^*^
(\    ~~  /)
(   \ (AA)/   )
(_   /AA\ _)
  /AA\
^*^*^*^*^
Vision
^*^*^
"Vision is, I think, the ability to make good estimates,
both for the immediate and for the more distant future.
Some might feel this sort of striving to be a sort of heresy,
because we AA's are constantly telling ourselves,
'One day at a time.'
But that valuable principle really refers to our
mental and emotional lives and means chiefly
that we are not foolishly to repine over the past
nor wishfully to day-dream about the future. . .
Vision is therefore the very essence of prudence,
an essential virtue if ever there was one."
Bill W., 1962
©1962AAWS, Twelve Concepts for World Service, 26th Printing, p. 40
^*^*^*^*^*

Thought to Consider . . .

The road to recovery is always under construction.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
O D A A T  =  One Day At A Time

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

Truth

From "Being wary of drinking occasions:"

"Great numbers of us (but not all) believe that the sooner
we establish the truth with our acquaintances, the better
it is for us.  We do not have to keep up any pretenses, and
most good people appreciate our honesty and encourage
our efforts to stay free of our addiction.  Saying aloud to
other people that we do not drink helps greatly to strengthen
our own determination to stay sober.  And there may be a
by-product: Occasionally, we find that making such a
statement encourages someone else present who also needs
or wants not to drink."
 
c. 1975, Living Sober, page 67
*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
CENTERING OUR THOUGHTS

When World War II broke out, our A.A. dependence on a Higher Power had its
first major test.   A.A.'s entered the services and were scattered all over
the world.   Would they be able to take the discipline, stand up under fire,
and endure . . . ?
                                        
AS BILL SEES IT, p. 200


I will center my thoughts on a Higher Power.   I will surrender all to this
power within me. I will become a soldier for this power, feeling the might
of the spiritual army as it exists in my life today.   I will allow a wave of
spiritual union to connect me through my gratitude, obedience and discipline
to this Higher Power.   Let me allow this power to lead me through the orders
of the day.   May the steps I take today strengthen my words and deeds, may I
know that the message I carry is mine to share, given freely by this power
greater than myself.

©Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.©
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
When and How to Give

Men who cry for money and shelter as a condition of their sobriety are on the
wrong track. Yet we sometimes do provide a new prospect with these very
things -- when it becomes clear that he is willing to place his recovery
first.
It is not whether we shall give that is the question, but when and how to
give. Whenever we put our work on a material plane, the alcoholic commences to rely upon alms rather than upon a Higher Power and the AA group. He continues to insist that he cannot master alcohol until his material needs are cared for.
Nonsense! Some of us have taken very hard knocks to learn this truth: that,
job or no job, wife or no wife, we simply do not stop drinking so long as we
place material dependence upon other people ahead of dependence on God.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 98
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
Men and women drink essentially because they like the effect
produced by alcohol. The sensation is so elusive that, while they
admit it is injurious, they cannot after a time differentiate the
true from the false. To them, their alcoholic life seems the only
normal one. They are restless, irritable and discontented, unless
they can again experience the sense of ease and comfort which comes
at once by taking a few drinks , drinks which they see others
taking with impunity."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Doctor's Opinion, pg. xxviii~
*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

"We must be willing to make amends to all the people we have harmed. We must do the best we can to repair the damage done in the past. When we make amends, when we say: 'I'm sorry,' the person is sure at least to be impressed by our sincere desire to set right the wrong. Sometimes people we are making amends to admit there own fault, so feuds of long standing melt away. Our most ruthless creditors win sometimes surprise us. in general, we must be willing to do the right thing, no matter what the consequences may be for us." Have I made a sincere effort to make amends to the people I have harmed?

Meditation for the Day

The grace of God cures disharmony and disorder in human relationships.
Directly you put your affairs, with their confusion and their difficulties,
into God's hands. He begins to effect a cure of all the disharmony and
disorder. You can believe that He will cause you no more pain in the doing of
it than a physician who knows how to effect a cure would cause a patient.
You can have faith that God will do all that is necessary as painlessly as
possible. But you must be wining to submit to His treatment, even if you
cannot now see the meaning or purpose of it.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may willingly submit to whatever spiritual discipline is
necessary. I pray that I may accept whatever it takes to live a better Me.

©Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012©

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