~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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The Gift
"Perhaps there is a better way -- we think so.
For we are now on a different basis of trusting
and relying upon God.
We trust infinite God rather than our finite selves.
We are in the world to play the role He assigns.
Just to the extent that we do as we think He would have us,
and humbly rely on Him,
does He enable us to match calamity with serenity."
c.1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 68
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Thought to Consider . . .
What I am is God's gift to me.
What I make of myself is my gift to Him.
G I F T = God Is Forever There
*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*
Tools
From "A Friend Looks at Alcoholics Anonymous:"
"Men and women who use alcohol as an
escape are not the only ones who are afraid
of life, hostile to the world, fleeing from it
into loneliness. Millions who are not alcoholics
are living today in illusory worlds, nurturing
the basic anxieties and insecurities of human
existence rather than face themselves with courage
and humility. To these people, A.A. can offer as
a cure no magic potion, no chemical formula, no
powerful drug. But it can demonstrate to them
how to use the tools of humility, honesty,
devotion, and love, which indeed are the heart
of the Twelve Steps of our recovery."
c. 1957, Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, page 279
*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
MY CHECKLIST, NOT YOURS
Gossip barbed with our anger, a polite form of murder by character assassination, has its satisfactions for us, too. Here we are not trying to help those we criticize; we are trying to proclaim our own righteousness.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p.67
Sometimes I don't realize that I gossiped about someone until the end of the day, when I take an inventory of the day's activities, and then, my gossiping appears like a blemish in my beautiful day. How could I have said something like that? Gossip shows its ugly head during a coffee break or lunch with business associates, or I may gossip during the evening, when I'm tired from the day's activities, and feel justified in bolstering my ego at the expense of someone else.
Character defects like gossip sneak into my life when I am not making a constant effort to work the Twelve Steps of recovery. I need to remind myself that my uniqueness is the blessing of my being, and that applies equally to everyone who crosses my path in life's journey. Today the only inventory I need to take is my own. I'll leave judgement of others to the Final Judge -- Divine Providence.
©Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.©
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Emotional Sobriety
If we examine every disturbance we have, great or small, we will find at the root of it some unhealthy dependency and its consequent unhealthy demand. Let us, with God's help, continually surrender these hobbling liabilities.
Then we can be set free to live and love; we may then be able to twelfth-step ourselves, as well as others, into emotional sobriety.
GRAPEVINE, JANUARY 1958
*~*~*~*~*^ 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
Am I deeply grateful to A.A. for what it has done for me in
regaining my sobriety and opening up an entirely new life for me?
A.A. has made it possible for me to carry on other interests in
business and in various other associations with people. It has made
a full life possible for me. It would perhaps be wrong if all my
activities were limited to A.A. work. it has made a well-rounded
life possible for me in work, in play, and in hobbies of various
kinds. But will I desert A.A. because of this? Will I accept a
diploma and become a graduate of A.A.? Do I realize that I could
have nothing worthwhile without A.A.?
Meditation for the Day
There is only one way to get full satisfaction from life and that
is to live the way you believe God wants you to live. Live with God
in that secret place of the spirit and you will have a feeling of
being on the right road. You will have a deep sense of satisfaction.
The world will have meaning and you will have a place in the world,
work to do that counts in the eternal order of things. Many things
will work for you and with you, as long as you feel you are on
God's side.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may have a sense of the eternal value of the work I
do. I pray that I may not only work for now, but also for eternity.
©Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012©
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Saturday, October 14, 2006
Thoughts For The Day~*~^*^*^*^*^ Foundation ^*^*^*^*^ October 14, 2006
~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Foundation
"Taking this book down from our shelf
we turn to the page which contains the twelve steps.
Carefully reading the first five proposals
we ask if we have omitted anything,
for we are building an arch through which
we shall walk free at last.
Is our work solid so far?
Are the stones properly in place?
Have we skimped on the cement put into the foundation?
Have we tried to make mortar without sand?"
c.1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 75
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Thought to Consider . . .
This day I choose to spend in perfect peace.
*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
G R A C E = Gently Releasing All Conscious Expectations
we shall perish of alcoholism if we do not. After
a time, though we may still rebel somewhat, we
commence to practice humility because this is
the right thing to do. Then comes the day when,
finally freed in large degree from rebellion, we
practice humility because we deeply want it
as a way of life."
*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
A PROGRAM FOR LIVING
When we retire at night, we constructively review our day. . . . On awakening let us think about the twenty-four hours ahead. . . . Before we begin, we ask God to direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest and self-seeking motives.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 86
I lacked serenity. With more to do than seemed possible, I fell further behind, no matter how hard I tried. Worries about things not done yesterday and fear of tomorrow's deadlines denied me the calm I needed to be effective each day. Before taking Steps Ten and Eleven, I began to read passages like the one cited above. I tried to focus on God's will, not my problems, and to trust that He would manage my day. It worked! Slowly, but it worked!
©Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.©
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Aspects of Spirituality
"Among A.A.'s there is still a vast amount of mix-up respecting what is material and what is spiritual. I prefer to believe that it is all a matter of motive. If we use our worldly possessions too selfishly, then we are materialists. But if we share these possessions in helpfulness to others, then the material aids the spiritual."
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"The idea keeps persisting that the instincts are primarily bad and are the roadblocks before which all spirituality falters. I believe that the difference between good and evil is not the difference between spiritual and instinctual man; it is the difference between proper and improper use of the instinctual. Recognition and right channeling of the instinctual are the essence of achieving wholeness."
1. LETTER, 1958 - 2. LETTER, 1954
*~*~*~*~*^ 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
How big a part of my life is A.A. ? Is it just one of my activities and a small one at that? Do I only go to A.A. meetings now and then and sometimes never go at all? Do I think of A.A. only occasionally? Am I reticent about mentioning the subject of A.A. to people who might need help? Or does A.A. fill a large part of my life? Is it the foundation of my whole life? Where would I be without A.A.? Does everything I have and do depend on my A.A. foundation? Is A.A. the foundation on which I build my life?
Meditation for the Day
Lay upon God your failures and mistakes and shortcomings. Do not dwell upon your failures, upon the fact that in the past you have been nearer a beast than an angel. You have a mediator between you and God - your growing faith - which can lift you up from the mire and point you toward the heavens. You can still be reconciled with the spirit of God. You can still regain your harmony with the Divine Principle of the universe.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may not let the beast in me hold me back from my spiritual destiny. I pray that I may rise and walk upright.
©Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012©
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