A Prayer & Some Thoughts - August

[bluidkiti]

August 1


Prayer to Do Good

Lord
If this day I have done or said anything to increase the pain of the world.
Pardon the unkind word, the impatient gesture, the hard and selfish deed, the failure to show sympathy and kindly help where I had the opportunity, but missed it; and enable me so to live that I may daily do something to lessen the tide of human sorrow, and add to the sum of human happiness.
Amen

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Just a Thought

Alcohol is our weakness.

We suffer from mental conflicts from which we look for escape by drowning our problems in drink. We try through drink to push away from the realities of life. But alcohol does not feed, alcohol does not build, it only borrows from the future and it ultimately destroys. We try to drown our feelings in order to escape life's realities, little realizing or caring that in continued drinking we are only multiplying our problems.

So ............

Have I got control over my unstable emotions?

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Just a Contemplation

Expressing Gratitude

How can we express gratitude when we feel it?
We can begin by simply using the proper forms of courtesy at all times; this reminds us that we can't live without other people. The best way to express gratitude, however, is to "pass on" the good that has come to us. This is more effective when we share ideas and experiences that have helped us on the way to self-improvement.

It's also a good idea to dismiss thoughts and statements that are forms of prideful boasting. Even telling people how hard we've worked for the 12 Step program can detract from our gratitude. And never, under any circumstances, should we put others under obligation to us. I'll discover ways to express my gratitude today. I'll know that my best way of doing it is to pass on good ideas to others.

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Rewards

The rewards of sobriety are bountiful and as progressive as the disease they counteract. Certainly among these rewards for me are the release from the prison of uniqueness, and the realization that participation in the AA way of life is a blessing and a privilege beyond estimate -- a blessing to live a life free from the pain and degradation of drinking and filled with the joy of useful, sober living, and a privilege to grow in sobriety one day at a time and bring the message of hope as it was brought to me.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 451

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Just a Quote

"I will seek direction and strength from God while moving toward my goals today." ~ Jack Casey

[bluidkiti]

August 2


Prayer to End Anxiety

God,
I feel hopeless. Give me the strength to banish anxiety from my heart.
Help me find a place where my mind can rest easy and appreciate and enjoy today without fretting.
I can’t banish the stranglehold of anxiety on my own, but I know and trust You will help me overcome.
With you all things are possible. Help me free my heart and mind.
Amen

~ Kristy H.

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Just a Thought

We must know the nature of our weakness before we can determine how to deal with it.

When we are honest about its presence, we may discover that it might even be imaginary and can be overcome by a change of thinking. We admit that we are alcoholics and we would be foolish if we refused to accept our handicap and do something about it. So by honestly facing our weakness and keeping ever present the knowledge that, for us, alcoholism is a disease with which we are afflicted, we can take the necessary steps to arrest it.

So ............

Have I fully accepted my weaknesses?

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Just a Contemplation

Spirituality

Spirituality is a creative and positive energy that forever seeks new ways to improve and heal itself. Spirituality is never satisfied with mediocrity. God is alive in musicians, writers, singers and prophets -- and always the standard of "excellence" is searched for; best can be made better!

As an alcoholic I often settled for convenience, "no sweat", mediocrity. My motto was "Why bother? It can be done tomorrow." I had low energy. Addiction robs the human being of God's productive energy.

In recovery I seek the best because I believe I am the best; God made me -- and I respect His choice!

Lord, save me from the "comfortable way" that makes no demands on me.

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Now

Now is the time, the only time there is.
And if we are not kind to ourselves right now, we certainly cannot rightfully expect respect or consideration from others.
We have found we can enjoy, sober, every good thing we enjoyed while drinking -- and many, many more.
It takes a little practice, but the rewards more than make up for the effort. . . Unless we cherish our own recovery, we cannot survive to become unselfish, ethical, and socially responsible people.

Living Sober Page 42

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Just a Quote

“Our anxiety does not come from thinking about the future, but from wanting to control it.” ~ Kahlil Gibran

[bluidkiti]

August 3

Forgiving Others Prayer

Lord, please help me to remember the power of forgiveness, and please help me to extend this to others.
I know what it means to forgive, and I know all of the things you have forgiven me for.
Despite my feelings about them, please help me to remember that, like me, You love this person and care about his/her well-being.
Please help me to find love in my heart as well and to move past what was said and done.
Please help me to forgive them and to move past this.
Amen

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Just a Thought

I am glad to be a part of A.A., of that great fellowship that is spreading all over the world.

I am only one of the many A.A.'s, but I am one. I am grateful to be living at this time, when I can help A.A. to grow, when it needs me to put my shoulder to the wheel and help keep the movement going. I am glad to be able to be useful, to have a reason for living, a purpose in life. I want to lose my life in this great cause and so find it again.

So ............


Am I grateful to be an A.A.?

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Just a Contemplation

Growth

Just as when we were children and grew out of our favorite toys and clothes, we sometimes grow out of things as adults - people, jobs, and homes. This can be confusing. We may wonder why someone or something that was so special and important to us last year doesn't fit the same way in our life today. We may wonder why our feelings have changed.

When we were children, we may have tried to fit an outgrown article of clothing on to our body. Now, as adults, we may go through a time of trying to force fit attitudes that we have outgrown. We may need to do this to give ourselves time to realize the truth. What worked last year, what was so important and special to us in times past, doesn't work anymore because we've changed. We've grown.

We can accept this as a valid and important part of recovery. We can let ourselves go through experimentation and grief as we struggle to make something fit, trying to figure out if indeed it no longer fits, and why. We can explore our feelings and thoughts around what has happened.
Then, we can put last year's toys away and make room for the new.

I will let last year's toys be what they were: last year's toys. I will remember them with fondness for the part they played in my life. Then, I will put them away and make room for the new.

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Material Well-Being

Although financial recovery is on the way for many of us, we find we cannot place money first. For us, material well-being always follows spiritual progress; it never precedes.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 127

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Just a Quote

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you." ~ Lewis B. Smedes

[bluidkiti]

August 4


Prayer for Worry and Anxiety

Lord,
Sometimes I feel I can not face today, it is hard to keep going with such anxious thoughts running through my mind.
I ask for your peace to flood my being, that each moment I would surrender these worries, fears and anxieties to you.
I ask for your presence to walk with me through each part of my day, that I would not feel alone but know that I am loved.
And I ask for your strength to wake me each morning and keep me going. May I trust in you to see me through, lead me to calmer seas, balance and rest in heart, mind, body and soul.
Amen

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Just a Thought

Living a sober life.

If you can take your troubles as they come, if you can maintain your calm and composure amid pressing duties and unending engagements, if you can rise above the distressing and disturbing circumstances in which you are set down, you have discovered a priceless secret of daily living. Even if you are forced to go through life weighed down by some inescapable misfortune or handicap and yet live each day as it comes with poise and peace of mind, you have succeeded where most people have failed. You have wrought a greater achievement than a person who rules a nation.

So ............

Have I achieved poise and peace of mind?

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Just a Contemplation

Struggling to Control

We try and try to control the events of our lives. And not seldom the events in others' lives, too. The occasions are frequent when our will conflicts with God's. Then for a time we feel at a loss. Our direction is uncertain. But always, always, another door opens. A better way beckons. How stubborn we are! And how simple life would be were we to daily, fully, turn our will and our lives over to the care of God. God's help and direction in all things are always available. Turning a deaf ear is like trying to find a seat in a darkened movie theater unaided by the usher.

Every experience is softened when we face it accompanied by our higher power. Any past struggle, any present fear, is a testament to our attempts to do it alone. Too frequently we forge ahead, alone, only to have our way blocked. The detours need never be there. No door closes unless there is a better way. Divine order will prevail.

There is no need to struggle today. I will breathe deeply and take my higher power with me, wherever I go. And the doors will be open for as far as I can see.

“Often God shuts a door in our face, and then subsequently opens the door through which we need to go.” ~ Catherine Marshall

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Faith

To go along with this deep-seated belief in God, I have developed an enormous faith in God. He is good. My understanding is that everything He sends my way is for my benefit. But the growth of this understanding has taken time, as well as a relinquishing of my resistance to change. I needed the trials and tribulations I have had, so that I could surrender and give up self. Only in complete acceptance of the utter defeat of my pride and ego could I begin to win.

Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, Pages 86-87

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Just a Quote

"Today I will try to raise, rather than lower, someone’s self-esteem." ~ Homer Pyle

[bluidkiti]

August 5


Living This Day Prayer

God, please come and be with me in my circumstances. Fill my thoughts with Your thoughts and Your wisdom. Please come and act on my behalf. Show me what to do and give me the power and strength to take responsibility where I can but let go of the rest and lay down the burden. Fill my heart with courage to act and to do the next right thing.

Please help me to change the things I can change, and leave the things I cannot change in Your care. Help me to seek first your kingdom and your righteousness as I live one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time.
Amen

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Just a Thought

Life is basically and fundamentally an inner attitude.

Just try to remember what troubled you most a week ago. You probably will find it difficult to remember. Why then should you unduly worry or fret over the problems that arise today? Your attitude toward them can be changed by putting yourself and your problems in God's hands and trusting Him to see that everything will turn out all right, provided you are trying to do the right thing. Your changed mental attitude toward your problems relieves you of their burden and you can face them without fear.

So ............

Has my mental attitude changed?

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Just a Contemplation

Spiritual Awakening

Many of us remember back to a vague time in childhood when our world seemed right and we were full of enthusiasm. Somehow, somewhere along the way, we lost that feeling of rightness and security.

For some of us who experience a spiritual awakening through the A.A. program, childhood faith is rediscovered and takes on new meaning. We may have lost sight of our real selves and abandoned our original faith in a Higher Power. When we have a spiritual awakening as a result of the Twelve Steps, everything falls into place, and what was lost is recovered, plus much more.

This spiritual awakening continues as we continue to work the program. It gives new meaning to our present lives and new hope for the future. We see that spiritual growth is "where it's at" and that nothing else will satisfy our needs and our longing.

May I continue to awaken.

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Coping With Anger

Few people have been more victimized by resentments than have we alcoholics. A burst of temper could spoil a day, and a well-nursed grudge could make us miserably ineffective. Nor were we ever skillful in separating justified from unjustified anger. As we saw it, our wrath was always justified. Anger, that occasional luxury of more balanced people, could keep us on an emotional jag indefinitely. These "dry benders' often led straight to the bottle.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 91

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Just a Quote

"Live neither in the past nor in the future, but let each day absorb all your interest, energy and enthusiasm. The best preparation for tomorrow is to live today superbly well." ~ William Osler

[bluidkiti]

August 5


Prayer When Confused

Lord,
I come before you today with my mind swirling with different thoughts and feelings. I have a hard decision to make and I just don't know what to do. I feel helpless and confused. I'm worried about the consequences to my decision. I worry about the impact my decision will have not only on myself but on others as well. To be honest, I fear making the wrong decision. I need your assistance making sure the decision I arrive at conforms to your will.
Amen

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Just a Thought

The program of Alcoholics Anonymous involves a continuous striving for improvement.

There can be no long resting period. We must try to work at it all the time. We must continually keep in mind that it is a program not to be measured in years, because we never fully reach our goals nor are we ever cured. Our alcoholism is only kept in abeyance by daily living of the program. It is a timeless program in every sense. We live it day by day, or more precisely, moment by moment - now.

So ............

Am I always striving for improvement?

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Just a Contemplation

Kindness

Kindness is among the gifts we can most easily spread among others. The more we give of kind words and deeds, the more we discover that kindness is like a burning candle which lights many other candles without losing a trace of its own brightness. Our kindnesses are assets, which return unexpected dividends when we invest them in the happiness of others. Kindness is the very basis of love. It softens the most severe anger and gladdens the hardest hearts.

No kindness is too small to win and hold the affection of others because it is made up of gentleness, love, generosity, unselfishness, and caring.

What kindness do I have to offer today?

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Meditation

Aided by such instruction and example as we can find, it is essentially an individual adventure, something which each one of us works out in his own way.
But its object is always the same: to improve our conscious contact with God, with His grace, wisdom, and love. And let's always remember that meditation is in reality intensely practical. One of the first fruits is emotional balance.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Pages 101-102

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Just a Quote

" I need to face life and not run from it." ~ Leo Booth

[bluidkiti]

August 7


Requesting Help Prayer

Lord,
I come to you for strength—strength of body, strength of mind and strength of soul.
I come to you for wisdom—wisdom to know what I should do, wisdom to choose the course that means growth and understanding.
I come to you for courage—courage to face every experience, courage to stand strong and firm in the midst of situations that require much of me.
I come to you for serenity—serenity of heart and spirit. Bless me with your untroubled Spirit of peace.
Thank you, Lord, for listening to my plea.
Amen

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Just a Thought

Living in the Present.

Alcoholics are unable or unwilling, during their addiction to alcohol, to live in the present. The result is that they live in a constant state of remorse and fear because of their unholy past and its morbid attraction, or the uncertain future and its vague forebodings. So the only real hope for the alcoholic is to face the present. Now is the time. Now it is ours. The past is beyond recall. The future is as uncertain as life itself. Only now belongs to us.

So ............

Am I living in the now?

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Just a Contemplation

Finding Humor

For years I used to take myself too seriously. I thought that everything depended upon my thoughts, actions and decisions. Life was a series of agendas that had to be met; life was too serious to be joked about. I knew that I was not God, but I took responsibility for the whole universe. I had opinions on everything and everybody and I was, of course, always right.

As the years passed it grew painful being so responsible -- my control produced stress, tension and loneliness. Then a friend said to me, "Let go and let God." I began to detach and laugh at my insane behavior. I laughed more as I began to accept my humanness. I discovered spirituality in the joke. God must have a sense of humor -- after all, He made me.


"The one serious conviction that a man should have is that nothing is to be taken seriously." ~ Nicholas Murray Butler

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We Cannot Stand Still

How many of us would presume to declare, "Well, I'm sober and I'm happy. What more can I want, or do? I'm fine the way I am." We know that the price of such self-satisfaction is an inevitable backslide, punctuated at some point by a very rude awakening. We have to grow or else deteriorate. For us, the status quo can only be today, never for tomorrow. Change we must; we cannot stand still.

As Bill Sees It Page 25

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Just a Quote

“Instead of wishing things would change, I'm asking God for His strength to make a change.” ~ Lysa TerKeurst

[bluidkiti]

August 8


For Today Prayer

God,
Give me strength to live another day;
Let me not turn coward before its difficulties or prove recreant to its duties;
Let me not lose faith in other people;
Keep me sweet and sound of heart, in spite of ingratitude, treachery, or meanness;
Preserve me from minding little stings or giving them;
Help me to keep my heart clean, and to live so honestly and fearlessly that no outward failure can dishearten me or take away the joy of conscious integrity;
Open wide the eyes of my soul that I may see good in all things;
Grant me this day some new vision of thy truth;
Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness.
Amen

(from: Episcopal Church's Revised Common Lectionary)

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Just a Thought

Change using the 12 Steps of A.A.


In following the A.A. program with its twelve steps, we have the advantage of a better understanding of our problems. Day after day our sobriety results in the formation of new habits, normal habits. As each twenty-four hour period ends, we find that the business of staying sober is a much less trying and fearsome ordeal than it seemed in the beginning.

So ............

Do I find it easier as I go along?

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Just a Contemplation

Understanding Why

For years I tried to understand my behavior around alcohol and I only came away more confused. Sometimes my efforts to understand led me into dishonesty and manipulation. I drank because I was lonely, angry, happy, overworked or because I had problems with life. You see, I tried to understand "why"!

Science has no definitive answer as to why some people are alcoholic other than to postulate the disease factor, with the emphasized advice, "Don't pick up the first drink." So today I don't understand why I am an alcoholic. I also believe that I can never drink alcohol without having alcohol problems. This cherished belief keeps me sober and gives me a God I can understand; a life that I can love; and a world I can live in.

Oh yes -- and I can remember where I have been today!

Help me to believe in what I know and to be content with the imperfection of my knowledge.

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Challenges

There is no easier, softer way.
To bring the great escape act into sobriety is to travel with a companion that led me to despair long ago.
The teaching I receive in Alcoholics Anonymous about courage and love helps me to continue to grapple with the challenges of life as they are given to me, one day at a time.

The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 3], Page 320

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Just a Quote

"Opposition is a natural part of life. Just as we develop our physical muscles through overcoming opposition - such as lifting weights - we develop our character muscles by overcoming challenges and adversity." ~ Stephen Covey

[bluidkiti]

August 9


Prayer of Trust

My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this, you will lead me by the right road, though I may seem to be lost in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
Amen

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Just a Thought

We found friendship in the fellowship.

In the association with members of the A.A. group to which we belong, we have the advantage of sincere friendship and understanding of the other members who, through social and personal contact, take us away from our old haunts and environments and help to remove in large measure the occasions of alcoholic suggestion. We find in this association a sympathy and a willingness on the part of most members to do everything in their power to help us.

So ............

Do I appreciate the wonderful fellowship of A.A.?

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Just a Contemplation

Self-Honesty

We were told at our first AA meeting that half-measures will avail us nothing. What's needed is a sincere desire to stop drinking and seek a way of life.

As we continue in the program, we learn that sincerity is an ingredient for success in everything we do. Quite often, we may find that we're failing in something simply because our heart isn't really in it. We can't force ourselves into a sincere posture. Instead, the answer is to know ourselves well enough to know just how we feel about everything we do.

We'll learn to be careful about attempting to do something when our heart is not really in it. We may be doing something we dislike merely for the recognition and money it gives us. For real sincerity, we need more than that, and the truths of the program will help us find it.

I'll be conscious today of the sincerity I have about the things I am attempting to do. There may be some things I need to abandon or at least change.

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Walk the Walk

A.A.'s often say, 'Our leaders do not drive by mandate; they lead by example.' If we would favorably affect others, we ourselves need to practice what we preach--and forget the 'preaching,' too. The quiet good example speaks for itself.

As Bill Sees It Page 183

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Just a Quote

“If there is anything we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something that could be better changed in ourselves.” ~ Carl Jung

[bluidkiti]

August 10


Morning Prayer

Lord, thank You for this day.
I ask that You guide my path today.
More specifically, my thoughts, words and actions.
Please be with me throughout the day and help me navigate whatever comes my way.
Most importantly, help me to reflect and live out your will.
Amen

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Just a Thought

In the beginning of Alcoholics Anonymous there were only two people.

Now there are many groups and millions of members. But there are probably millions of others who need our help. More and more people are making a start in A.A. each day. In the case of individual members, the beginning has been accomplished when they admit they are powerless and turn to a Power greater than themselves, admitting that their lives have become unmanageable. That Higher Power works for good in all things and helps us to accomplish much in individual growth and in the growth of A.A. groups.

So ............

Am I doing my part in helping A.A. to grow?

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Just a Contemplation

Achievements

Even the continuous sobriety we're enjoying is no shield from traps we seem to set for ourselves. At times, we can find ourselves in the foolish game of continuing to fight battles we've won or lost.

One losing battle is the attempt to win the approval of someone who has always disliked us. That person may be gone, but we still fight....and lose..... the same battle when we find ourselves in a similar situation.

We also may have won some battles without knowing it. This can happen when we've set our goals unrealistically high. We may be fairly successful in our work, for example, but still feel that we have failed because a high goal we set eluded us. That goal, however, may have been all but impossible to attain, and while we mourn our perceived failure, we ignore the successes we may have achieved in the meantime. Consequently, we should never let any of these battles interfere with our plan for sobriety. We must stay sober at all costs.

I'll not strive to impress people who may always disapprove of me. I will also accept my successes even if they fall short of my highest dreams.

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Choice

Like so many, I do not always surrender completely; I allow the cares and worries of the day to distort my thinking.
But as soon as I get back on the right track, I realize I have everything I need.
Whatever problems confront me, large or small, they can be solved wisely. Or they can be solved my way. The choice is mine.

Came To Believe Page 60

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Just a Quote

"There is no investment you'll ever make which will pay you so well as the effort to scatter sunshine and good cheer wherever you are." ~ John Quincy

[bluidkiti]

August 11


Worry Prayer

Lord, it’s so easy to fall into worry.
When my fears are reverberating in my mind, help me stop trying to fix everything myself.
Teach me to turn to You in prayer, trust You to be in charge and let Your peace reign over me.
Amen.

~ Francine Rivers

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Just a Thought

In Alcoholics Anonymous there is no thought of individual profit.

No greed or gain. No membership fees, no dues. Only voluntary contributions of our money and ourselves. All that we hope for is sobriety and regeneration, so that we can live normal, respectable lives and can be recognized by others as men and women willing to do unto others as we would be done by. These things we accomplish by the help of each other, by following the twelve steps and by the grace of God.

So ............

Am I willing to work for A.A. without material gain to myself?

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Just a Contemplation

Progress

One guiding factor in 12 Step groups is the sharing of experience and knowledge. The fact that a few people seem especially gifted as speakers and workers doesn't relieve us of the need for every person's participation.

Such group efforts are important to all human progress. For every outstanding person, there are hundreds who contribute to the success of any venture.

What we bring to the group is our experience as well as a strong commitment to the group's purpose. This makes our meetings warm, interesting, and helpful. The group can always be such a center if its members really are part of it.

I'll remind myself today that I can draw strength from the group and also make it stronger with my participation.

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Gratitude

I try to hold fast to the truth that a full and thankful heart cannot entertain great conceits.
When brimming with gratitude, one's heartbeat must surely result in outgoing love, the finest emotion we can ever know.

As Bill Sees It Page 37

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Just a Quote

“Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.
~ Unknown Author

[bluidkiti]

August 12


Prayer to Cast-Out Cares

Lord, it seems that so much in my life is broken.
I have so many concerns and cares, and they weigh me down.
While I desire to cast my cares upon You, I find I usually pick them back up again, and they only add more anxiety and stress.
Please help me learn to cast my cares on You as I learn what it means to rest and trust in You.
Amen.

~ Chrystal Evans Hurst

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Just a Thought

Until we came into A.A. most of us had tried desperately to stop drinking.

We were filled with the delusion that we could drink like our friends. We tried time and again to take it or leave it, but we could do neither. We always lapsed into ceaseless, unhappy drinking. Wives or husbands, families, friends, and employers threw up their hands in hurt bewilderment, in despair, and finally in disgust. We wanted to stop. We realized that every reason for drinking was only a crazy excuse.

So ............

Have I given up every excuse for drinking?

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Just a Contemplation

Forgiveness

So much of what I resent in others springs from my unhappiness with self. I hate in others what I know to be in myself: arrogance, pride, narrow-mindedness, snobbery and dishonesty.

Today I am learning that as long as I refuse to forgive others, I am not capable of forgiving myself. Part of my denial is reflected in my attitudes towards others. Those character traits I refuse to forgive in others are buried within myself. I know that without forgiveness there is no freedom -- and I wish to grow in freedom.

Today I am learning the difference between forgiveness and acceptance. I can forgive other people without accepting their lifestyle. I can forgive myself and still see the need for change. In my forgiveness is the hope for tomorrow.

Without forgiveness, there can be no pure love.

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Simplicity

A willingness to do whatever I was told to do simplified the program for me. Study the AA book - don't just read it. They told me to go to meetings, and I still do at every available opportunity, whether I am at home or in some other city. Attending meetings has never been a chore for me. Nor have I attended them with a feeling of just doing my duty. Meetings are both relaxing and refreshing to me after a hard day. They said 'Get active," so I helped whenever I could, and still do.

Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, Page 381

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Just a Quote

“Love casts out fear; but conversely fear casts out love. And not only love. Fear also casts out intelligence, casts out goodness, casts out all thought of beauty and truth." ~ Aldous Huxley

[bluidkiti]

August 13


Enjoying Life Prayer


Lord,
I believe that everything is possible. I love life.
I appreciate life. I am enthusiastic about life. I am thankful for life.
Every phase of my life is fascinating and interesting to me.
Every day brings new ideas, new discoveries, new revelations, and new involvements.
There is no part of my life without purpose, and without meaning.
Everyday is a new opportunity to enjoy more of life in a multitude of ways.
Thank You for giving me so many reasons to smile.
Amen

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Just a Thought

We tried to study our alcoholic problem, wondering what was the cause of our strange obsession.

Many of us took special treatments, hospitalization, even confinement in institutions. In every case, the relief was only temporary. We tried through crazy excuses to convince ourselves that we knew why we drank, but we went on regardless. Finally drinking had gone far beyond even a habit. We had become alcoholics, men and women who had been destroying themselves against their own will.

So ............

Am I completely free from my alcoholic obsession?

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Just a Contemplation

View Point

Getting mad at someone, a friend perhaps, is normal. Everybody gets mad sometimes. But when we stay mad for very long, it ruins all the fun we'd planned on having throughout the day. Staying mad multiplies. Sometimes it seems we are mad at the dog, our mom, and another friend, even the TV.

Forgiving the people we're mad at works like magic. We don't even have to forgive them out loud. We can forgive them in our own minds. The result is the same. Pretty soon the whole day looks bright again. When we're mad, we are the ones who suffer most.

Who can I forgive today, and make my day a better one?

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Unmanageability

All the laws that are at work in the world are going to make every life unmanageable to one degree or another from time to time. But for the alcoholic there is not only an additional danger, but also an additional opportunity.
AA offers us a program of recovery from our past feelings about the unmanageability of life, a program that put life's unmanageability into perspective. That's more than most of the rest of the people in the world have going for them when they find their lives have become unmanageable.

The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 2], Page 58

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Just a Quote

“The desire to stop suffering is not the same thing as the desire to stop the behavior we are doing which causes us to suffer.” ~ Dr. James Golden

[bluidkiti]

August 14


When I Arise Prayer

Lord, thank you for another day to live.
And once again, I’m here asking for your help.
Help me with everything that I’ve got to do today.
Also with things that will come up that I’m not even going to know about.
I ask you for grace, mercy, guidance and protection.
I ask the same for my family and all those around me.
Amen

~ Susan Roulenski

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Just a Thought

We had become hopelessly sick people, spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

The power that controlled us was greater than ourselves - it was Alcohol. Many drinkers have said: "I hadn't gone that far; I hadn't lost my job on account of drinking; I still had my family; I managed to keep out of jail. True, I drank too much sometimes and I guess I managed to make quite an ass of myself when I did, but I still thought I could control my drinking. I didn't really believe that I was “an alcoholic."

So ............

If I was one of these, have I fully changed my mind?

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Just a Contemplation

Accepting Help

Often in the past, we acted like we didn't need anyone. It takes courage to let others help us.
As we get better, our courage grows. We invite people into our lives. We help others, and we let others help us.

We will learn to let others help us if we work our program. Why? Because we need others to stay sober. When we have a problem, we talk about it in our group. When we need a shoulder to cry on, we call a friend or our sponsor. Over time, our relationships become one of the biggest rewards of recovery.

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Ready?

We shall need to make a brand new venture into open-mindedness.
We shall need to raise our eyes toward perfection, and be ready to walk in that direction.
It will seldom matter how haltingly we walk. The only question will be "Are we ready?”

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 68

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Just a Quote

"Accepting help is its own kind of strength" ~ Kiera Cass

[bluidkiti]

August 15

Prayer For Inner Peace

Oh Lord, sometimes my insides feel like a battle zone, where missiles are falling too close to home. Other times I’m caught in an endless storm, with thoughts flying out of control. Confusion reigns, and defeat creeps in to steal my joy. I need your peace-the deep-down-in-your-heart kind that stays with me day and night and speaks confidently into the wind. Calm my anxious spirit, Lord; all the attacking “if-onlys” and “what-ifs” fill me with needless worry.

I surrender and admit: I can’t control people, plans, or even all my circumstances, but I can yield those things to you, and focus on your goodness. Thank you today for every good gift you’ve given, every blessing you’ve sent, all the forgiveness I did not deserve, and, yes, for every trial you’ve allowed into my life. You bring good out of every circumstance if I’ll only let go and believe you. I know that when I pray and give thanks instead of worrying, you have promised that I can experience the kind of peace that passes all understanding. That’s your kind of peace, Lord. And it’s the kind I crave.

~ Mel Johnson

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Just a Thought

A.A. members will tell you that they can look back and clearly see that they were out of control.

Every one of us has gone through that stage when we wouldn't admit that we were alcoholics. It takes a lot of punishment to convince us, but one thing is certain. We all know from actual experience that when it comes to dishing out punishment, Alcohol has no equal.

So ............

Have I any reservations as to my status as an alcoholic?

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Just a Contemplation

Go With The Flow

Let go of fear and your need to control. Relinquish anxiety. Let it slip away, as you dive into the river of the present moment, the river of your life, your place in the universe. Stop trying to force the direction. Try not to swim against the current, unless it is necessary for your survival. If you've been clinging to a branch at the riverside, let go.

Let yourself move forward. Let yourself be moved forward.
Avoid the rapids when possible. If you can't, stay relaxed. Staying relaxed can take your safely through fierce currents. If you go under for a moment, allow yourself to surface naturally. You will.

Appreciate the beauty of the scenery, as it is. See things with freshness, with newness. You shall never pass by today's scenery again!
Don't think too hard about things. The flow is meant to be experienced. Within it, care for yourself. You are part of the flow, an important part. Work with the flow. Work within the flow. Thrashing about isn't necessary. Let the flow help you care for yourself. Let it help you set boundaries, make decisions, and get you where you need to be when it is time. You can trust the flow, and your part in it.

Today, I will go with the flow.

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A New Life

Is sobriety all that we are to expect of a spiritual awakening? No, sobriety is only a bare beginning; it is only the first gift of the first awakening. If more gifts are to be received, our awakening has to go on. As it does go on, we find that bit by bit we can discard the old life--the one that did not work--for a new life that can and does work under any conditions whatever.

Regardless of worldly success or failure, regardless of pain or joy, regardless of sickness or health or even of death itself, a new life of endless possibilities can be lived if we are willing to continue our awakening, through the practice of A.A.'s Twelve Steps.

As Bill Sees It Page 8

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Just a Quote

"Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can." ~ John Wesley