AA Thoughts For Today - June

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

June 16

Amends
The question of how to approach the man we hated will arise.
It may be he has done us more harm than we have done him
and, though we may have acquired a better attitude toward him,
we are still not too keen about admitting our faults. Nevertheless,
with a person we dislike, we take the bit in our teeth. It is harder
to go to an enemy than to a friend, but we find it much more
beneficial to us.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 77

Thought to Ponder
It is the highest form of self-respect to admit mistakes
and to make amends for them.

AA-related 'Alconym'
A A = Attitude Adjustment.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Fun
"Every day, I feel a little bit more useful,
more happy, and more free.
Life, including some ups and downs, is a lot of fun.
I am part of AA which is a way of life.
If I had not become an active alcoholic and joined AA,
I might never have found my own identity
or become a part of anything."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 417

Thought to Consider . . .
Joy is in knowing there is an answer.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F I N E = Free, Independent, New and Energetic

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

Living
From "Fear of Fear:"
"I can't afford resentments against
anyone, because they are the build-up of
another drunk. I must live and let live."
1976, Alcoholics Anonymous, page 325

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Alcoholics Anonymous has an answer to problems in sobriety, making sobriety, eventually, something wonderful instead of something that can drive people to drink."
Tasmania, December 2006
"Solutions,"
AA Grapevine

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Most of us have been unwilling to admit we were real alcoholics. No
person likes to think he is bodily and mentally different from his
fellows. Therefore, it is not surprising that our drinking careers
have been characterized by countless vain attempts to prove we could
drink like other people. The idea that somehow, someday he will
control and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession of every
abnormal drinker. The persistence of this illusion is astonishing.
Many pursue it into the gates of insanity or death."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, Page 30~

"The great fact is just this, and nothing less: That we have had deep
and effective spiritual experiences which have revolutionized our
whole attitude toward life, toward our fellows and toward God's
universe. The central fact of our lives today is the absolute
certainty that our Creator has entered into our hearts and lives in a
way which is indeed miraculous. He has commenced to accomplish those
things for us which we could never do by ourselves."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 25~

"I pointed out that I had had nothing to drink whatever for three years, and this in the face of difficulties that would have made nine out of ten men drink their heads off."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 138 (To Employers)

"And they have increasingly found a peace of mind which can stand firm in the face of difficult circumstances."
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 104 (Step Eleven)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

On studying the Twelve Steps, many of us exclaimed, 'What an order! I can't go through with it.' Do not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles. We are not saints.
The point is that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines. The principles we have set down are guides to progress. We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection.
We recovered alcoholics are not so much brothers in virtue as we are brothers in our defects, and in our common strivings to overcome them.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

June 17

Grace

The fact was we really hadn't cleaned house so that the grace
of God could enter us and expel the obsession. In no deep or
meaningful sense had we ever taken stock of ourselves, made
amends to those we had harmed, or freely given to any other
human being without any demand for reward. We had not even
prayed rightly. We had always said, "Grant me my wishes"
instead of "Thy will be done."
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Two) p. 32

Thought to Ponder
Trust God. Clean house. Help others.

AA-related 'Alconym'
A B C = Accept, Begin, Continue.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Neighbors

"Near you, alcoholics are dying helplessly
like people on a sinking ship.
If you live in a large place, there are hundreds.
High and low, rich and poor,
these are future fellows of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Among them you will make lifelong friends.
You will be bound to them with new and wonderful ties,
for you will escape disaster together
and you will commence shoulder to shoulder
your common journey.
Then you will know what it means to give of yourself
that others may survive and rediscover life.
You will learn the full meaning of
'Love they neighbor as thyself.' "
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 152-3

Thought to Consider . . .
Let us always love the best in others -
and never fear their worst.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
B O G G L E = Bad Or Good, God Loves Everyone

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

Rescued From Shipwreck
From "There Is a Solution:"
"We are people who normally would not mix.... We are like the passengers of a great liner the moment after
rescue from shipwreck when camaraderie, joyousness and democracy pervade the vessel from steerage to Captain's table. Unlike the feelings of the ship's passengers, however, our joy in escape from disaster does not subside as we go our individual ways....
"The tremendous fact for every one of us is that we have discovered a common solution."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd edition: 17

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"I am still arrogant, egocentric, self-righteous, with no humility, even phony at times, but I'm trying to be a better person and help my fellowman. Guess I'll never be a saint, but whatever I am, I want to be sober and in AA."
July 1975
"One of Those Bad Cons Nobody Can Reach,"
AA Grapevine

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Though there is no way of proving it, we believe that early in our
drinking careers most of us could have stopped drinking. But the
difficulty is that few alcoholics have enough desire to stop while
there is yet time."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 32

"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~

"This dream world has been replaced by a great sense of purpose, accompanied by a growing consciousness of the power of God in our lives."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 130 (The Family Afterward)

"At these critical moments, if we remind ourselves that "it is better to comfort than to be comforted, to understand than to be understood, to love than to be loved," we will be following the intent of Step Eleven."
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 103 (Step Eleven)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Though many theologians hold that sudden spiritual experience amount to a special distinction, if not a divine appointment of some sort, I question this view. Every human being, no matter what his attributes for good or evil, is a part of the divine spiritual economy. Therefore, each of us has his place, and I cannot see that God intends to exalt one over another.
So it is necessary for all of us to accept whatever positive gifts we receive with a deep humility, always bearing in mind that our negative attitudes were first necessary as a means of reducing us to such a state that we would be ready for a gift of the positive ones via the conversion experience. Your own alcoholism and the immense deflation that finally resulted are indeed the foundation upon which your spiritual experience rests.

Prayer for the Day: Let me turn to my Higher Power throughout my day today in order to come into regular contact with it.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

June 18

Three Pertinent Ideas

Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our
personal adventures before and after make clear three pertinent ideas:
(a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives.
(b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism.
(c) That God could and would if He were sought.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 85

Thought to Ponder
I can't, God can, I'll ask Him to.

AA-related 'Alconym'
N U T S = Not Using The Steps.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Resentment
"Resentment is the 'number one' offender.
It destroys more alcoholics than anything else.
>From it stem all forms of spiritual disease,
for we have been not only mentally and physically ill,
we have been spiritually sick.
When the spiritual malady is overcome,
we straighten out mentally and physically."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 64

Thought to Consider . . .
We are prisoners of our own resentments.
Forgiveness unlocks the door and sets us free.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F A I L U R E =
Fearful, Arrogant, Insecure, Lonely, Uncertain, Resentful, Empty.

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

Service and Support
From "The Joys of Service:"
"In Denver in 1975 at the International Convention, I heard many great things, but one that stands out is: 'The key to
happiness is not to concentrate on yourself, but to lose yourself in others.' I liked what Carl W. told our group when he
ended his talk with these words for new people: 'Let us love you until you can learn to love yourselves.'"
1993, The Home Group: Heartbeat of AA, page 51

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Step Six may be the greatest act of courage in the whole twelve-step process: a total act of faith. I have to trust that
God will see the big picture and make the right choices."
Tujunga, California, June 2010
"My Armor,"
Step By Step

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"...we tried to shape a sane and sound ideal for our future sex life.
We subjected each relation to this test - was it selfish or not? We
asked God to mold our ideals and help us to live up to them. We
remembered always that our sex powers were God-given and therefore
good, neither to be used lightly or selfishly nor to be despised and
loathed."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 69

"We agnostically inclined would not feel satisfied with a proposal
which does not lend itself to reasonable approach and interpretation.
Hence we are at pains to tell why we think our present faith is
reasonable, why we think it more sane and logical to believe than not
to believe, why we say our former thinking was soft and mushy when we
threw up our hands in doubt and said, 'We don't know.'"
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 53~

"For if an alcoholic failed to perfect and enlarge his spiritual life through work and self-sacrifice for others, he could not
survive the certain trials and low spots ahead."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 15 (Bill's Story)

"This being so, we think it logically follows that sobriety -- first, last, and all the time -- is the only thing we need to work for."
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 45 (Step Four)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

My experience as an old-timer has to some degree paralleled your own and that of many others. We all find that the time comes when we are not allowed to manage and conduct the functional affairs of groups, areas, or, in my case, A.A. as a whole. In the end we can only be worth as much as our spiritual example has justified. To that extent, we become useful symbols--and that's just about it.
I have become a pupil of the A.A. movement rather than the teacher I once thought I was.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, give me the willingness to work diligently for my own happiness.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

June 19

Acceptance

Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in God’s world by mistake.
Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless
I accept life completely on life’s terms, I cannot be happy. I need
to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the
world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Acceptance Was The Answer) p. 417

Thought to Ponder
My serenity is directly proportional to my level of acceptance.

AA-related 'Alconym'
A B C = Accept, Begin, Continue.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Progress
"Day by day, we try to move a little
toward God's perfection.
So we need not be consumed by maudlin guilt
for failure to achieve His likeness and image by Thursday next.
Progress is our aim,
and His perfection is the beacon, light-years away,
that draws us on."
Bill W., Letter, 1966
1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 15

Thought to Consider . . .
There is no progress without change.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
G O D = Good Orderly Direction

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

It keeps getting better
From "Getting Active:"
"After our first month's sobriety, many of us notice a distinct difference. After three months, our minds seem still clearer. And during our second year of recovery, the change is striking. More mental energy seems available to us than ever before."
Living Sober, page 16

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Sobriety isn't a discrete list of tasks that you do and then check off; it's a state of being that pervades every aspect of your life."
Minneapolis, Minnesota, July 2008
"Lost in Translation,"
AA Grapevine

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"We feel that elimination of our drinking is but a beginning. A much
more important demonstration of our principles lies before us in our
respective homes, occupations and affairs."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 19~

Humility...
Humility... is a perpetual quietness of heart. It is to have no trouble. It is never to be fretted or vexed, irritable or sore; to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing against. It is to have a blessed home in myself where I can go in, shut the door, and kneel to my Higher Power in secret. Where I can be at peace, as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and about is seeming trouble.
-- Inscription on Dr. Bob's desk . . .

"In a few seconds he was overwhelmed by a conviction of the Presence
of God. It poured over and through him with the certainty and
majesty of a great tide at flood. The barriers he had built through
the years were swept away. He stood in the Presence of Infinite
Power and Love. He had stepped from bridge to shore. For the first
time, he lived in conscious companionship with his Creator."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 56~

"At last I was released from the bondage of my uniqueness."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 450 (He Lived Only to Drink)

"I insisted that few drunks could ever get well on their own steam, but that in our groups we could do together what we could not do separately."
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 152 (Tradition Five)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

We have seen A.A.'s ask with much earnestness and faith for God's explicit guidance on matters ranging all the way from a shattering domestic or financial crisis to a minor personal fault, like tardiness. A man who tries to run his life rigidly by this kind of prayers, by this self-serving demand of God for replies, is a particularly disconcerting individual. To any questioning or criticism of his actions, he instantly proffers his reliance upon prayer for guidance in all matters great or small.
He may have forgotten the possibility that his own wishful thinking and the human tendency to rationalize have distorted his so-called guidance. With the best of intentions, he tends to force his will into all sorts of situations and problems with the comfortable assurance that he is acting under God's specific direction.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, remove my delusion of uniqueness and allow me to humbly connect with my fellows.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

June 20

Way of Life

A.A.'s Twelve Steps are a group of principles, spiritual in
their nature, which, if practiced as a way of life, can expel
the obsession to drink and enable the sufferer to become
happily and usefully whole.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Foreward) p. 15

Thought to Ponder
The Twelve Steps -- a manuscript for rational living.

AA-related 'Alconym'
S T E P S = Solutions Through Each Powerful Step.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Egomania
"Our egomania digs two disastrous pitfalls.
Either we insist on dominating the people we know,
or we depend upon them far too much.
If we lean too heavily on people,
they will sooner or later fail us,
for they are human, too,
and cannot possibly meet our own incessant demands. . .
We have not once sought to be one in a family,
to be a friend among friends,
to be a worker among workers,
to be a useful member of society."
1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 53

Thought to Consider . . .
It is the highest form of self-respect to admit mistakes
and to make amends for them.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
E G O = Easing God Out

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

Staying stopped
From "A.A. Taught Him To Handle Sobriety:"
"Like most alcoholics I have known, I DID quit drinking at various times -- once for ten months on my own and during other interludes when I was hospitalized. It's no great trick to stop drinking, the trick is to STAY stopped."
1976, Alcoholics Anonymous, page 554

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"For me, there is no better feeling than the one I get running into another alcoholic when I'm feeling down. We alcoholics are bonded together by the sadness of a deadly disease and the miracle of a spiritual solution."
December 2006
"Between a Bartender and a Bad-Tempered Boss,"
AA Grapevine

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"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. Most of them give
freely of themselves, that their fellows may enjoy sound minds and
bodies."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 133~

"So our troubles, we think, are basically of our own making. They
arise out of ourselves, and the alcoholic is an extreme example of
self-will run riot, though he usually doesn't think so."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 62~

"We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous, and free."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 133 (The Family Afterward)

"If we ask, God will certainly forgive our derelictions."
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 65 (Step Six)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

The A.A. preoccupation with sobriety is sometimes misunderstood. To some, this single virtue appears to be the sole dividend of our Fellowship. We are thought to be dried-up drunks who otherwise have changed little, or not at all, for the better. Such a surmise widely misses the truth. We know that permanent sobriety can be attained only by a most revolutionary change in the life and outlook of the individual--by a spiritual awakening that can banish the desire to drink.'
'You are asking yourself, as all of us must: 'Who am I?'...'Where am I?'...'Whence do I go?' The process of enlightenment is usually slow. But, in the end, our seeking always brings a finding. These great mysteries are, after all, enshrined in completely simplicity. The willingness to grow is the essence of all spiritual development.

Prayer for the Day: Let me forgive myself and live freely just as I believe I am meant to.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

June 21

Common Solution

The tremendous fact for every one of us is that we have
discovered a common solution. We have a way out on
which we can absolutely agree, and upon which we can
join in brotherly and harmonious action.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) p. 17

Thought to Ponder
The solution is simple. The solution is spiritual.

AA-related 'Alconym'
S O L U T I O N S = Saving Our Lives Using The Inventory Of Needed Steps.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Change
"Let us never fear needed change.
Certainly we have to discriminate between
changes for worse and changes for better.
But once a need becomes clearly apparent
in an individual, in a group, or in AA as a whole,
it has long since been found out
that we cannot stand still and look the other way.
The essence of all growth is a willingness
to change for the better
and then an unremitting willingness
to shoulder whatever responsibility this entails."
Bill W., Grapevine, July 1965
1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 115

Thought to Consider . . .
God used two people to create me;
He used a whole Fellowship to change me.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A C T I O N = Any Change Toward Improving One's Nature.

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

Steps
From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":
"Though subject to considerable variation, it all boiled down into a pretty consistent procedure which comprised six steps. These were approximately as follows:
1. "We admitted that we were licked, that we were powerless over alcohol.
2. "We made a moral inventory of our defects or sins.
3. "We confessed or shared our shortcomings with another person in confidence.
4. "We made restitution to all those we have harmed by our drinking.
5. "We tried to help other alcoholics, with no thought of reward in money or prestige.
6. We prayed to whatever God we thought there was for power to practice these precepts.
"This was the substance of what, by the fall of 1938, we were telling newcomers. Several of the Oxford Groups other ideas and attitudes had been definitely rejected, including any which could involve us in theological controversy."
2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pg. 160

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Many blessings have been showered upon me during my five years and nine months of sobriety -- great spiritual gifts, as well as the more ordinary supplies of money and goods. These great gifts come one after the other in spite of my own foolishness and fumbling, as I very slowly grope my way toward the light of reason and love."
Universal City, California, February 1970
"Freedom Began in Prison,"
AA Grapevine

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Although financial recovery is on the way for many of us, we found
we could not place money first. For us, material well-being always
followed spiritual progress; it never preceded."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 127~

"We cannot be helpful to all people, but at least God will show us
how to take a kindly and tolerant view of each and every one."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 67~

"Returning home we find a place where we can be quiet for an hour, carefully reviewing what we have done."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 75 (Into Action)

"Many of us also like the experience of an occasional retreat from the outside world where we can quiet down for an undisturbed day or so of self-overhaul and meditation."
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 89 (Step Ten)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Only God can fully know what absolute honesty is. Therefore, each of us has to conceive what this great ideal may be--to the best or our ability.
'Fallible as we all are, and will be in this life, it would be presumption to suppose that we could ever really achieve absolute honesty. The best we can do is to strive for a better quality of honesty.
'Sometimes we need to place love ahead of indiscriminate 'factual honesty.' We cannot, under the guise of 'perfect honesty,' cruelly and unnecessarily hurt others. Always one must ask, 'What is the best and most loving thing I can do?'

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, give me the willingness to sit quietly today with my thoughts and emotions. Let me not run from them, but acknowledge them with the help of Your love.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

June 22

Willingness

But now it appears that there are certain things which only
the individual 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 make
the decision to exert himself. Trying to do this is an act of his own
will. All of the Twelve Steps require sustained and personal exertion
to conform to their principles and so, we trust, to God's will.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Three) p. 40

Thought to Ponder
Willpower ... our will-ingness to use a Higher Power.

AA-related 'Alconym'
W H O = Willingness, Honesty, Open-mindedness.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Spirituality
"Do not let any prejudice you may have
against spiritual terms deter you
from honestly asking yourself what they mean to you.
At the start, this was all we needed
to commence spiritual growth,
to effect our first conscious relation with God
as we understood Him.
Afterward, we found ourselves accepting many things
which then seemed entirely out of reach.
That was growth, but if we wished to grow
we had to begin somewhere.
So we used our own conception, however limited it was."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 47

Thought to Consider . . .
The solution is simple.
The solution is spiritual.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
S O B E R = Spiritually On Beam; Everything's Right

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

Realization
From "An Open Heart":
"Suddenly, the words on the page hit me: 'The number of times that you win or lose is not important. The only thing that matters is the number of times that you try.' For several years I had tried to get someone else to solve my problem for me, but I had not realized I was doing so until that moment of insight. '... That you try.' I was exhilarated. Now I knew that I was an alcoholic and that I had the only qualification for membership in A.A., a desire to stop drinking , New York, New York"
1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 50

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Sound policy can only be made by rubbing the conservatives and the promoters together. Their discussions, if free from personal ambitions and resentment, can be depended upon to produce the right answers. For us, there is no other way."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., October 1945
"The Book Is Born"
The Language of the Heart"Although we can borrow from religion, medicine, and psychiatry, we are not any one of them. We cannot run hospitals nor half-way houses, nor marry the group with a religious sect. We cannot send lobbyists to Congress and we don't mix AA with banking enterprises. We aren't educators nor counselors. We cannot lend our name to any other cause except our own. The more we mind our own business, the greater our influence becomes; medicine, religion, and psychiatry start borrowing from our experience and ideas. So do the fields of education, research, and rehabilitation. All kinds of groups based on AA's Twelve Steps have evolved, groups that deal with gambling, eating, drug addiction, mental illness, divorce, etc. They've borrowed from the AA program and made their own adaptations. We didn't have to endorse them or lend our name. This tells us strongly that the more AA sticks to its primary purpose, the greater will be its helpful influence."
San Antonio, Texas, June 1996
"Simplicity Works Best,"
AA Grapevine

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"When we became alcoholics, crushed by a self-imposed crisis we could
not postpone or evade, we had to fearlessly face the proposition that
either God is everything or else He is nothing. God either is or He isn't."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 53~

"Now we need more action, without which we find that "Faith without works is dead.""
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 76 (Into Action)

"Nothing short of continuous action upon these as a way of life can bring the much-desired result."
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 40 (Step Three)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

We started upon a personal inventory, Step Four. A business which takes no regular inventory usually goes broke. Taking a commercial inventory is a fact-finding and a fact-facing process. It is an effort to discover the truth about the stock in trade. One object is to disclose damaged or unsalable goods, to get rid of them promptly and without regret. If the owner of the business is to be successful, he cannot fool himself about values.
We has to do exactly the same thing with our lives. We had to take stock honestly.
'Moments of perception can build into a lifetime of spiritual serenity, as I have excellent reason to know. Roots of reality, supplanting the neurotic underbrush, will hold fast despite the high winds of the forces which would destroy us, or which we would use to destroy ourselves.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me take action to push me toward my serenity rather than waiting on things to fit my expectations.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

June 23

Demands
Living upon a basis of unsatisfied demands, we were in a state of
continual disturbance and frustration. Therefore, no peace was to be
had unless we could find a means of reducing these demands. The
difference between a demand and a simple request is plain to anyone.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Seven) p. 76

Thought to Ponder
All I have feared to lose I have gained and all I feared to gain I have lost.

AA-related 'Alconym'
F E A R = Fighting Ego Against Reality.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Obedience
"We of AA obey spiritual principles,
at first because we must,
then because we ought to,
and ultimately because we love the kind of life
such obedience brings.
Great suffering and great love
are AA's disciplinarians;
we need no others."
1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 27

Thought to Consider . . .
The spiritual approach to recovery
is not about relinquishing responsibility for our lives
to some Cosmic Butler.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H A L T = Hope, Acceptance, Love, Tolerance

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

Before
From "The Family Afterward":
"This painful past may be of infinite value to other families still struggling with their problem. We think each family which
has been relieved owes something to those who have not, and when the occasion requires, each member of it should
be only too willing to bring former mistakes, no matter how grievous out of their hiding places. Showing others who
suffer how we were given help is the very thing which makes life seem so worth while to us now. Cling to the thought
that, in God's hands, the dark past is the greatest possession you have the key to life and happiness for others. With it
you can avert death and misery for them."
2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 124

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"I am still amazed at the aura around AA meetings ... No matter what our immediate problems, fears, or resentments,
we come to a halt when the meeting begins and focus on our primary purpose."
Pittsburgh, Penn., September 1991
"A Beacon in the Dark"
The Home Group: Heartbeat of AA

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment leads only to
futility and unhappiness. To the precise extent that we permit
these, do we squander the hours that might have been worth while."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 66

"When we became alcoholics, crushed by a self-imposed crisis we could
not postpone or evade, we had to fearlessly face the proposition that
either God is everything or else He is nothing. God either is or He isn't."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 53~

"There may be some wrongs we can never fully right. We don't worry about them if
we can honestly say to ourselves that we would right them if we could."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg 83

“During this process of learning more about humility, the most profound result of all was the changein our attitude toward God.”
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 75 (Step Seven)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Mine was exactly the kind of deep-seated block we so often see today in new people who say they are atheistic or agnostic. Their will to disbelieve is so powerful that apparently they prefer a date with the undertaker to an open-minded and experimental quest for God.
Happily for me, and for most of my kind who have since come along in A.A., the constructive forces brought to bear in our Fellowship have nearly always overcome this colossal obstinacy. Beaten into complete defeat by alcohol, confronted by the living proof of release, and surrounded by those who can speak to us from the heart, we have finally surrendered.
And then, paradoxically, we have found ourselves in a new dimension, the real world of spirit and faith. Enough willingness, enough open-mindedness--and there it is!

Prayer for the Day: God, direct my thinking today so that it be empty of self pity, dishonesty, self-will, self-seeking and fear. God, inspire my thinking, decisions and intuitions. Help me to relax and take it easy. Free me from doubt and indecision. Guide me through this day and show me my next step. God, show me what I need to do to take care of any problems. I ask all these things that I may be of maximum service to you and my fellow man. In the spirit of the Steps I pray. AMEN

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

June 24

Resentments

Ask for their health, their prosperity, their happiness, and you will
be free. Even when you don’t really want it for them and your prayers
are only words and you don’t mean it, go ahead and do it anyway.
Do it every day for two weeks, and you will find you have come to
mean it and to want it for them, and you will realize that where you
used to feel bitterness and resentment and hatred, you now feel
compassionate understanding and love.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Acceptance Was The Answer) p. 552

Thought to Ponder
Resentment is like acid, eating away at the vessel it is stored in.

AA-related 'Alconym'
S W A T = Surrender, Willingness, Action, Trust.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Self-will
"The first requirement is that we be convinced
that any life run on self-will can hardly be a success.
On that basis we are almost always
in collision with something or somebody,
even though our motives are good.
Most people try to live by self-propulsion.
Each person is like an actor who wants
to run the whole show;
is forever trying to arrange the lights, the ballet,
the scenery and the rest of the players in his own way.
If his arrangements would only stay put,
if only people would do as he wished,
the show would be great.
Everybody, including himself, would be pleased.
Life would be wonderful."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 60-1

Thought to Consider . . .
It's not making a mistake that will kill me.
It's defending it that does the damage.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
N U T S = Not Using The Steps

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

Orderly Transfer
From: "When AA Came of Age"
The full attendance of thousands of A.A.s at St. Louis, representing an accurate cross-section of A.A. opinion, now sat in convention before us. On the auditorium stage was the Service Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous, about a hundred men and women who were the named and chosen representatives of the whole fellowship. The Conference, having completed the fifth year of its experimental period with a record of high success, was no longer an experiment. It was the instrument destined to become the heart of A.A.'s Third Legacy of Service and the whole of A.A.'s conscience, world-wide.
In the simple ceremony that followed, I offered a resolution to the effect that our society should now take its affairs into its own hands and that its Conference ought to become the permanent successor to the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Amid a roar of acclamation from the floor, the Convention carried that resolution. There was silence, and then we heard chairman Smith offer the resolution to the Conference for its confirmation. A simple show of hands expressed the consent of the Conference and marked the exact moment when A.A. came of age. It was four o'clock. [July 3, 1955]
1985, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, page 47

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Tradition Six enjoins the group never to go into business nor ever to lend the AA name or money credit to any 'outside' enterprise, no matter how good ... We would thus divide the spiritual from the material, confine the AA movement to its sole aim and insure (however wealthy as individuals we may become) that AA itself shall always remain poor. We dare not risk the distractions of corporate wealth."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., April 1948
"Tradition Six"
The Language of the Heart

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Actually we were fooling ourselves, for deep down in every man,
woman, and child, is the fundamental idea of God. It may be obscured
by calamity, by pomp, by worship of other things, but in some form or
other it is there. For faith in a Power greater than ourselves, and
miraculous demonstrations of that power in human lives, are facts as
old as man himself."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 55

"We have three little mottoes which are apropos.
Here they are:
First Things First
Live and Let Live
Easy Does It."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 135~

“Helping others is the foundation stone of your recovery.”
-Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, p. 97 (Working with Others)

“Surrounded by so many A.A. friends, these so-called loners tell us they no longer feel alone.”
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions – p. 120 (Step Twelve)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

All kinds of people have found their way into A.A. Not too long ago, I sat talking in my office with a member who bears the title of Countess. That same night, I went to an A.A. meeting. It was winter, and there was a mild-looking little gent taking the coats. I said, 'Who's that'
And somebody answered, 'Oh, he's been around for a long time. Everybody likes him. He used to be one of Al Capone's mob.' That's how universal A.A. is today.
We have no desire to convince anyone that there is only one way by which faith can be acquired. All of us, whatever our race, creed, or color, are the children of a living Creator, with whom we may form a relationship upon simple and understandable terms as soon as we are willing and honest enough to try.

Prayer for the Day: God, forgive me where I have been resentful, selfish, dishonest or afraid today. Help me to not keep anything to myself but to discuss it all openly with another person - show me where I owe an apology and help me make it. Help me to be kind and loving to all people. Use me in the mainstream of life, God. Free me of worry, remorse or morbid (sick) reflections that I may be of usefulness to others. AMEN

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

June 25

Alcoholic Illness

But not so with the alcoholic illness, for with it there goes annihilation
of all the things worth while in life. It engulfs all whose lives touch the
sufferer's. It brings misunderstanding, fierce resentment, financial
insecurity, disgusted friends and employers, warped lives of blameless
children, sad wives and parents—anyone can increase the list.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) p. 18

Thought to Ponder
Right actions for the future are the best apologies for wrong ones in the past.

AA-related 'Alconym'
A A = Alcoholic's Answer.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Belonging
"There is no more 'aloneness,' with that awful ache,
so deep in the heart of every alcoholic
that nothing, before, could ever reach it.
That ache is gone and never need return again.
Now there is a sense of belonging,
of being wanted and needed and loved.
In return for a bottle and a hangover,
we have been given the Keys of the Kingdom."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 312

Thought to Consider . . .
If I'm not comfortable within myself,
I can't be comfortable with others.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A C T I O N = Any Change Toward Improving One's Nature

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

Plan
From "The Missing Link":
"Following this spiritual path made a major difference in my life. It seemed to fill that lonely hole that I used to fill with alcohol. My self-esteem improved dramatically, and I knew happiness and serenity as I had never known it before. I started to see the beauty and usefulness in my own existence, and tried to express my gratitude through helping others in whatever ways I could. A confidence and faith entered my life and unraveled a plan for me that was bigger and better than I could have ever imagined.
"It wasn't easy, and it has never been easy, but it gets so much better."
2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pgs. 287-88

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Even though some of the ghosts of the past may still be spooking around, popping up from time to time to scare me, today I can pretty much handle them. Today the only real monster I have to face is myself, that part of me that tries to urge me back to drinking."
Waukesha, Wisconsin, October 1994
"Trick or Treat,"
AA Grapevine

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Putting out of our minds the wrongs others had done, we resolutely
looked for our own mistakes. Where had we been selfish, dishonest,
self-seeking and frightened? Though a situation had not been entirely
our fault, we tried to disregard the other person involved entirely.
Where were we to blame? The inventory was ours, not the other man's.
When we saw our faults we listed them. We placed them before us in
black and white. We admitted our wrongs honestly and were willing to
set these matters straight."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 67~

"To be vital, faith must be accompanied by self sacrifice and
unselfish, constructive action."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 93

"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."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 70 (How It Works)

"Often it was while working on this Step with our sponsors or spiritual advisers that we first felt truly able to forgive others, no matter how deeply we felt they had wronged us."
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 58 (Step Five)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

The primary fact that we fail to recognize is our total inability to form a true partnership with another human being. Our egomania digs two disastrous pitfalls. Either we insist upon dominating the people we know, or we depend upon them far too much.L
If we lean too heavily on people, they will sooner or later fail us, for they are human, too, and cannot possibly meet our incessant demands. In this way our insecurity grows and festers.
When we habitually try to manipulate others to our own willful desires, they revolt, and resist us heavily. Then we develop hurt feelings, a sense of persecution, and a desire to retaliate.
My dependency meant demand--a demand for the possession and control of the people and the conditions surrounding me.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, grant that I may forgive others just as You have forgiven me.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

June 26

Thoroughness

Whatever the defects, they have finally ambushed us into
alcoholism and misery. Therefore, thoroughness ought to be
the watchword when taking inventory. In this connection,
it is wise to write out our questions and answers. It will be
an aid to clear thinking and honest appraisal. It will be the first
tangible evidence of our complete willingness to move forward.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Four) p. 54

Thought to Ponder
When I got busy, I got better.

AA-related 'Alconym'
W O R K = What Our Recovery Knows.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Surrender
"We surrender to win.
On the face of it, surrendering certainly does not
seem like winning.
But it is in AA.
Only after we have come to the end of our rope,
hit a stone wall in some aspect of our lives
beyond which we can go no further;
only when we hit "bottom" in despair and surrender,
can we accomplish sobriety
which we could never accomplish before.
We must, and we do,
surrender in order to win."
1955AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, 2nd Edition, p. 341

Thought to Consider . . .
Acceptance is not submission;
it is acknowledgment of the facts of a situation,
then deciding what you're going to do about it.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H O W = Honest, Open, and Willing

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

Bottom
From Medicine Looks at Alcoholics Anonymous":
"I heard of the need to hit bottom, of the necessity for accepting a higher Power, of the indispensability of humility.
These were ideas which had never crossed my professional horizon and certainly had never influenced my
nonprofessional thinking or attitudes. Revolutionary as they were, they nevertheless made sense, and I found myself
embarked on a tour of discovery.
"The individual alcoholic was always fighting an admission of being licked, of admitting that he was powerless. If and
when he surrendered, he quit fighting, admitted he was licked, and accepted the fact that he was powerless and
needed help. If he did not surrender, a thousand crises could hit him and nothing constructive would happen. The need
to induce surrender became a new therapeutic goal. The miracle of A.A. was now a little clearer, though the reason
was still obscure why the program and the fellowship of A.A. could induce a surrender which could in turn lead to a
period of no drinking." -- Dr. Harry Tiebout, 1955
2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pg. 247

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"I know that my errors of yesterday still have their effect; that my shortcomings of today may likewise affect our future.
So it is, with each and all of us."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., July 1965
"Responsibility Is Our Theme"
The Language of the Heart

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Abandon yourself to God as you understand God. Admit your faults to
Him and to your fellows. Clear away the wreckage of your past. Give
freely of what you find and join us. We shall be with you in the
Fellowship of the Spirit, and you will surely meet some of us as you
trudge the Road of Happy Destiny."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, pg. 164~

"Outsiders are sometimes shocked when we burst into merriment over a
seemingly tragic experience out of the past. But why shouldn't we
laugh? We have recovered, and have been given the power to help others."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 132~

" The only condition is that he trust in God and clean house ."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 98 (Working With Others

"This was not only faith; it was faith that worked under all conditions."
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 31 (Step Two)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

In our drinking time, we acted as if the money supply were inexhaustible, though between binges we'd sometimes go
to the other extreme and become miserly. Without realizing it, we were just accumulating funds for the next spree.
Money was the symbol of pleasure and self-importance. As our drinking became worse, money was only an urgent
requirement which could supply us with the next drink and the temporary comfort of oblivion it brought.
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.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, keep me out of my own will, and actively working to build my faith throughout my day.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

June 27

True Freedom

To get completely away from our aversion to the idea of being humble,
to gain a vision of humility as the avenue to true freedom of the
human spirit, to be willing to work for humility as something to be
desired for itself, takes most of us a long, long time. A whole lifetime
geared to self-centeredness cannot be set in reverse all at once.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Seven) p. 73

Thought to Ponder
With humility, we accept our place as one among many others.

AA-related 'Alconym'
C H A N G E = Choosing Humility Allows New Growth Everyday.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Powerless
"Most certainly I was powerless over alcohol,
and for me, my life had become unmanageable.
It wasn't how far I had gone, but where I was headed.
It was important to me to see what alcohol had done to me
and would continue to do if I didn't have help.
At first it was a shock to realize I was an alcoholic,
but the realization that there was hope made it easier.
The baffling problem of getting drunk
when I had every intention of staying sober was simplified.
It was a great relief to know I didn't have to drink any more."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 379

Thought to Consider . . .
Just because I'm powerless
does not mean that I am helpless.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H O P E = Happy Our Program Exists

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

Faith
From "God is Good":
"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."
1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pgs. 86-87

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Tolerance is the art of seeing yourself as others see you -- and not getting mad about it."
June 1964
"Short Takes,"
AA Grapevine

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"In thinking about our day we may face indecision. We may not be
able to determine which course to take. Here we ask God for
inspiration, an intuitive thought or a decision. We relax and take
it easy. We don't struggle. We are often surprised how the right
answers come after we have tried this for a while."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 86

"In spite of the great increase in the size and the span of this
Fellowship, at its core it remains simple and personal. Each day,
somewhere in the world, recovery begins when one alcoholic talks with
another alcoholic, sharing experience, strength, and hope."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Foreword To Third Edition, pg. xxii~

“We meet frequently so that newcomers may find the fellowship they seek.”
- Alcoholics Anonymous p. 16 (Bill’s Story)

“In it, each member becomes an active guardian of our Fellowship”
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 183 (Tradition Eleven)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Those of us who have spent much time in the world of spiritual make-believe have eventually seen the childishness of it. This dream world has been replaced by a great sense of purpose, accompanied by a growing consciousness of the power of God in our lives.
We have come to believe He would like us to keep our heads in the clouds with Him, but that our feet ought to be planted on earth. That is where our fellow travelers are, and that is where our work must be done. There are the realities for us. We have found nothing incompatible between a powerful spiritual experience and a life of sane and happy usefulness.

Prayer for the Day: Dear Lord, I admit that I am powerless over my addiction. I admit that my life is unmanageable when I try to control it. Help me this day to understand The true meaning of powerlessness. Remove from me all denial of my addiction.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

June 28

Baffling Feature

Whether such a person can quit upon a nonspiritual basis depends upon
the extent to which he has already lost the power to choose whether he will
drink or not. Many of us felt that we had plenty of character. There was a
tremendous urge to cease forever. Yet we found it impossible. This is the
baffling feature of alcoholism as we know it—this utter inability to leave it
alone, no matter how great the necessity or the wish.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (More About Alcoholism) p. 34

Thought to Ponder
Alcohol — cunning, baffling, powerful!

AA-related 'Alconym'
H O P E = Hold On, Pain Ends.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Prayer
"The man said, 'The thing I do is to say
"God here I am and here are all my troubles.
I've made a mess of things and can't do anything about it.
You take me and all my troubles,
and do anything you want with me." '
I return to bed. It doesn't make sense. . .
I am in the bottom of hell.
And there a tremendous hope is born.
It might be true.
I tumble out of bed on my knees.
I know not what I say.
But slowly a great peace comes to me.
I feel lifted up. I believe in God.
I crawl back into bed and sleep like a child."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 504

Thought to Consider . . .
Faith is not belief without proof;
it's trust without reservation.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A S A P = Always Say A Prayer

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

Foundations
From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":
"In important matters there was still considerable disagreement between the Eastern and the Midwestern viewpoints.
Our people out there were still active Oxford Group members, while we in New York had withdrawn a year before. In
Akron and vicinity they still talked about the Oxford Groups absolutes: absolute honesty, absolute purity, absolute
unselfishness, and absolute love. This dose was found to be too rich for New Yorkers, and we had abandoned the
expressions. But all of us, East and West, were placing increasing emphasis on Dr. Silkworth's expression describing
the alcoholic's dilemma: the obsession plus the allergy. By now we knew from experience that the new prospect had
to accept Step One or get no place."
2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pgs. 160-61

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"I have no secrets, and I fear no man. I am not anxious about death. I am alive, forever, within this 24 hours."
Brooklyn, New York, June 1974
"The Fifth Step -- A Way to Stay High,"
Step By Step

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"...we aren't a glum lot. If newcomers could see no joy or fun in our existence,
they wouldn't want it. We absolutely insist on enjoying life."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 132

"Sometimes we think fear ought to be classed with stealing."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 68 (How It Works)

"Then fear, in turn, generates more character defects."
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 49 (Step Four)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

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.
Nothing pays of like restraint of tongue and pen. We must avoid quick-tempered criticism, furious power-driven argument, sulking, and silent scorn. These are emotional booby traps baited with pride and vengefulness. When we are tempted by the bait, we should train ourselves to step back and think. We can neither think nor act to good purpose until the habit of self-restraint has become automatic.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, remove my fear so that I may live in true faith today. I know that if I am in a true state of faith, the fear will dissipate.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

June 29

Fellowship

Life will take on new meaning. To watch people recover, to see them
help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up
about you, to have a host of friends—this is an experience you must
not miss. We know you will not want to miss it. Frequent contact with
newcomers and with each other is the bright spot of our lives.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Working With Others) p. 89

Thought to Ponder
Together we can do what we could never do alone.

AA-related 'Alconym'
Y A N A = You Are Not Alone.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Skeletons
"Now and then the family will be plagued
by spectres from the past,
for the drinking career of almost every alcoholic
has been marked by escapades, funny,
humiliating, shameful or tragic.
The first impulse will be to bury these skeletons
in a dark closet and padlock the door.
The family may be possessed by the idea
that future happiness can be based only
upon forgetfulness of the past.
We think that such a view is self-centered
and in direct conflict with the new way of living."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 123-4

Thought to Consider . . .
It's not making a mistake that will kill me.
It's defending it that does the damage.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F E A R = Forever Escaping And Retreating

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

Revelation
From "Shattered Glass":
"The crest of this experience lasted several hours. When I fell into an exhausted sleep, it was with the knowledge that I had at last begun my adjustment to life as an alcoholic. From that moment, things seemed to change from within. Gradually, I could recognize when I was getting in my own way, and I could step aside, for 'Thy will, not mine' had become more than mere words. There have been many times when this revelation has been hard to hold on to, but, little by little, it seems easier every day. My course has become two steps forward, one step backward, two more forward, instead of always complete retreat. The days are too short, and they are seldom dull. Each day is a new challenge to stay sober and to keep moving straight ahead. - Charleston, West Virginia"
1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 37

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Tolerance is the art of seeing yourself as others see you -- and not getting mad about it."
Concord, California, May 2012
"Weapons Down,"
AA Grapevine

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"When you discover a prospect for Alcoholics Anonymous, find out all
you can about him. If he does not want to stop drinking, don't
waste time trying to persuade him. You may spoil a later opportunity."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 90

"When we drew near to Him He disclosed Himself to us!"
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 57~

"To get over drinking will require a transformation of thought and attitude."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 143 (To Employers)

"When we are tempted by the bait, we should train ourselves to step back and think."
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 91 (Step Ten)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

The answer to the problem of alcoholism seems to be in educationeducation in schoolrooms, in medical colleges, among clergymen and employers, in families, and in the public at large. From cradle to grave, the drunk and the potential alcoholic will have to be completely surrounded by a true and deep understanding and by a continuous barrage of information.
This means factual education, properly presented. Heretofore, much of this education has attacked the immorality of drinking rather than the illness of alcoholism.
Now who is going to do all this education? Obviously, it is both a community job and a job for specialists. Individually, we A.A.s can help, but A.A. as such cannot , and should not, get directly into this field. Therefore, we must rely on other agencies, on outside friends and their willingness to supply great amounts of money and effort.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, relieve me of my constant thought of myself, and help me turn my thoughts to what I can do to benefit all others.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

June 30

Prayer and Meditation

Step Eleven suggests prayer and meditation. We shouldn’t be shy
on sharing about this matter of prayer. Better men than we are using
it constantly. It works, if we have the proper attitude and work at it.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) pp. 85 - 86

Thought to Ponder
Life is fragile, handle with prayer.

AA-related 'Alconym'
P A U S E = Pay Attention, Use Step Eleven.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Anonymity
"We now fully realize that 100 per cent personal anonymity
before the public is just as vital to the life of AA
as 100 percent sobriety is to the life
of each and every member.
This is not the counsel of fear;
it is the voice of long experience."
1957AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, p. 293

Thought to Consider . . .
Walk softly and carry a Big Book.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A N O N Y M O U S =
Actions, Not Our Names, Yield Maintenance Of Unity and Service.

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

Aware
From "Bill's Story":
"My friend suggested what then seemed a novel idea. He said, 'Why don't you choose your own conception of God?'
"That statement hit me hard. It melted the icy intellectual mountain in whose shadow I had lived and shivered many years. I stood in the sunlight at last."
2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 12

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Today, there are hundreds of [AA] centers shedding their warm illumination upon the lives of thousands, lighting the dark shoals where the stranded and hopeless lie breaking up -- those fingers of light already stretching to our beachheads in other lands.
"Now comes another lighted lamp -- this little newspaper called the Grapevine. May its rays of hope and experience ever fall upon the current of our AA life and one day illumine every dark corner of this alcoholic world."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., June 1944
"Editorial: The Shape of Things to Come"
AA Grapevine (Volume 1, Number 1)
Reprinted in The Language of the Heart

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"...we then look at Step Six. We have emphasized willingness as
being indispensable. Are we now ready to let God remove from us all
the things which we have admitted are objectionable? Can He now take
them all-every one? If we still cling to something we will not let
go, we ask God to help us be willing."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 76~

"To get over drinking will require a transformation of thought and
attitude. We all had to place recovery above everything, for without
recovery we would have lost both home and business."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, To Employers, pg. 143~

"If you have already made a decision, and an inventory of your grosser handicaps, you have made a good beginning."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 71 (How it Works)

"Our inventory enables us to settle with the past."
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 89 (Step Ten)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

When we early A.A.s got our first glimmer of how spiritually prideful we could be, we coined this expression: 'Dont try to be a saint by Thursday!'
That oldtime admonition may look like another of those handy alibis that can excuse us from trying for our best. Yet a closer view reveals just the contrary. This is our A.A. way of warning against pride-blindness, and the imaginary perfections that we do not posses.
Only Step One, where we made the 100 per cent admission that we were powerless over alcohol, can be practiced with absolute perfection. The remaining eleven Steps state perfect ideals. They are goals toward which we look, and the measuring sticks by which we estimate our progress.

Prayer for the Day: Today I will settle with the past in order that my Higher Power allows me to live fully in the present.