AA Thoughts For Today - May

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

May 16

A Real Answer

That the man who is making the approach has had the same difficulty, that he
obviously knows what he is talking about, that his whole deportment shouts at
the new prospect that he is a man with a real answer, that he has no attitude of
Holier Than Thou, nothing whatever except the sincere desire to be helpful; that
there are no fees to pay, no axes to grind, no people to please, no lectures to
be endured—these are the conditions we have found most effective.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) pp. 18 - 19

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

AA-related 'Alconym'
A A = Answer Available.

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

Martyrdom
"Self-pity is one of the most unhappy and
consuming defects that we know.
It is a bar to all spiritual progress
and can cut off all effective communication
with our fellows
because of its inordinate demands
for attention and sympathy.
It is a maudlin form of martyrdom,
which we can ill afford."
Bill W., Letter, 1966
As Bill Sees It, p. 238

Thought to Consider . . .
I can't have a better tomorrow
if I am thinking about yesterday all the time.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
PEACE
Praying Energetically Always Creates Ease

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

Real
From "Because I'm an Alcoholic":
"A.A. is my home now, and it is everywhere. I go to meetings when I travel here or in foreign countries, and the people
are family I can know because of what we share. As I write this, in my twenty-eighth year of sobriety, I am amazed to
look back and remember the woman or child. I was then, to see how far I've come out of that abyss. Alcoholics
Anonymous has enabled me to move from fantasies about what I might do with my life into living it, one day at a time."
2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 346

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

"I believe most of us would agree that the general idea of anonymity is sound, because it encourages alcoholics and the
families of alcoholics to approach us for help. Still fearful of being stigmatized, they regard our anonymity as an
assurance their problems will be kept confidential; that the alcoholic skeleton in the family closet will not wander in the streets."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., March 1946
"Our Anonymity Is Both Inspiration and Safety"
The Language of the Heart

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

"Faith without works was dead, he said. And how appallingly true for
the alcoholic! 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. If he did not
work, he would surely drink again, and if he drank, he would surely
die. Then faith would be dead indeed. With us it is just like that."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Bill's Story, pg. 14~

"Resentment is the "number one" offender. It destroys more
alcoholics than anything else."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 64~

When our inventory is carefully taken, and we have made peace with ourselves, the conviction follows that tomorrow’s
challenges can be met as they come.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 89

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Giving Up Defects
Looking at those defects we are unwilling to give up, we ought to erase the hard and fast lines that we have drawn.
Perhaps in some cases we shall say, 'This I cannot give up yet. . .' But we should not say to ourselves, 'This I will never give up!'
The moment we say, 'No, never!' our minds close against the grace of God. Such rebellion may be fatal. Instead, we
should abandon limited objectives and begin to move toward God's will for us. TWELVE AND TWELVE, PP. 68-69

Prayer For The Day: Oh God, hold me in the palm of your hand. I pray that you will mold me into what you want me to be. May I joyfully fill the role you have given to me and feel your peace deep in my soul, today and always, Amen.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

May 17

A Common Solution

The feeling of having shared in a common peril is one element in the
powerful cement which binds us. But that in itself would never have
held us together as we are now joined. The tremendous fact for every
one of us is that we have discovered a common solution.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) p. 17

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

AA-related 'Alconym'
F R O G = Fully Rely On God.

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

Fear
"This short word somehow touches
about every aspect of our lives.
It was an evil and corroding thread;
the fabric of our existence was shot through with it.
It set in motion trains of circumstances which
brought us misfortune we felt we didn't deserve.
But did not we, ourselves, set the ball rolling?
Sometimes we think fear
ought to be classed with stealing.
It seems to cause more trouble."
Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 67-8.

Thought to Consider . . .
Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows,
but only empties today of its strength.

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

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

Literature
From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":
"My elation was disturbed by disquieting thoughts. Suppose our embryo book were someday to become the chief text
for our fellowship. Our principal written asset would then be owned by an outside publisher, a fine and conservative one
surely, but nevertheless an outsider.
"Soon afterward, one of the most terrific power-drivers I have ever met got into the act. This was my friend Henry P.,
one-time Standard Oil executive and the very first alcoholic ever to stay sober even a little while in the New York group.
¦'Why don't we put this proposed book on a business basis and form a stock company? Let's sell shares to our own
folks right here in New York.' . . .
"I went back to [Harper's Editor and A.A. friend] Gene Exman and frankly explained to him what was about to happen. To
my utter amazement, he agreed, quite contrary to his own interest, that a society like ours ought to control and publish
its own literature."
2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pgs. 154-55

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

"AA's greatest power is not in the program itself, but in the examples of the men [and women] who have followed it."
Walla Walla,Wash., February 1955
"Prisoner AA,"
AA Grapevine

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

"Next we launched out on a course of vigorous action, the first step
of which is a personal housecleaning, which many of us had never
attempted. Though our decision was a vital and crucial step, it
could have little permanent effect unless at once followed by a
strenuous effort to face, and to be rid of, the things in ourselves
which had been blocking us. Our liquor was but a symptom. So we had
to get down to causes and conditions.
Therefore, we started upon a personal inventory. This was Step Four."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 63~

"The spiritual life is not a theory. We have to live it."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 83~

Most of us would declare that without a fearless admission of our defects to another human being we could not stay sober.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 57

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Beyond Agnosticism
We of agnostic temperament found that as soon as we were able to lay aside prejudice and express even a willingness
to believe in a Power greater than ourselves, we commenced to get results, even though it was impossible for any of us
to fully define or comprehend that Power, which is God.
'Many people soberly assure me that man has no better place in the universe than that of another completing organism,
fighting its way through life only to perish in the end. Hearing this, I feel that I still prefer to cling to the so-called illusion of
religion, which in my own experience has meaningfully told me something very different.'
1. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, P. 46
2. LETTER, 1946

Prayer For The Day: Dear Lord, there are times in my life when I seem to be getting no where, when I am forced to mark time. Help me to learn the hard lesson of patience, and to put my trust in You. ... Help me to use these times wisely, to sort out my relationship with You, and to gain a new perspective, that I may set more realistic goals, which will be pleasing to You. Give me patience to await Your timing. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

May 18

Our Choice

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. What was our choice to be?
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (We Agnostics) p. 53

Thought to Ponder . . .
No God, no peace --- know God, know peace.

AA-related 'Alconym'
W I L L I N G = When I Live Life, I Need God.

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

Sponsor
"If we are fooling ourselves,
a competent adviser can see this quickly.
And, as he skillfully guides us away from our fantasies,
we are surprised to find that we have few
of the usual urges to defend ourselves
against unpleasant truths.
In no other way can fear, pride,
and ignorance be so readily melted.
After a time, we realize that we are standing firm
on a brand-new foundation for integrity,
and we gratefully credit our sponsors,
whose advice pointed the way."
Bill W., Box 1980: The AA Grapevine, August 1961.
As Bill Sees It, p. 248

Thought to Consider . . .
A recovering alcoholic without a sponsor is much like leaving Dracula in charge of the blood bank.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
C A R D S =
Call your sponsor,
Ask for help from your Higher Power,
Read the Big Book,
Do the Twelve Steps,
Stay active in your group.

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

Roles
From "Action and Patience":
"I heard that we can't keep what we have unless we give it away. And so I found a woman someone a little newer than I
was and I shared with her what you had shared with me. Looking back on it, I doubt that I helped this woman very much,
but I helped myself beyond measure. I stayed sober, day by day, through sharing my experience, strength, and hope
with her, through putting action into the A.A. program while, at the same time, waiting for her, not forcing my action on
her. This was patience supporting the action, though I didn't call it patience at the time; the word was not a part of my
emotional vocabulary."
1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 42

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevinek Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"My home group's primary purpose is to carry the AA message to the alcoholic who still suffers. Some of those have
much sobriety, because the alcoholic who still suffers is not necessarily a newcomer. However, when newcomers do
show up at our home group we try to focus our discussion on what's in the Big Book and how it can help them if they
are willing to follow some simple suggestions."
Paso Robles, Calif., May 1998
"The Cement That Binds Us,"
AA Grapevine

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

"The minute we put our work on a service plane, the alcoholic
commences to rely upon our assistance rather than upon God. He
clamors for this or that, claiming he cannot master alcohol until
his material needs are cared for. Nonsense. Some of us have taken very hard knocks to learn this truth: Job or no job,
wife or no wife, we simply do not stop drinking so long as we place dependence upon other people ahead of
dependence on God."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 98~

"We have found much of heaven and we have been rocketed into a fourth
dimension of existence of which we had not even dreamed."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 25~

Every newcomer in Alcoholics Anonymous is told, and soon realizes for himself, that his humble admission of
powerlessness over alcohol is his first step toward liberation from its paralyzing grip.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 72

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Two Roads for the Old-timer
The founders of many groups ultimately divide into two classes known in A.A. slang as 'elder statesmen' and 'bleeding deacons.'
The elder statesman sees the wisdom of the group's decision to run itself and holds no resentment over his reduced
status. His judgment, fortified by considerable experience, is sound; he is willing to sit quietly on the side lines patiently awaiting developments.
The bleeding deacon is just as surely convinced that the group cannot get along without him. He constantly connives for
re-election to office and continues to be consumed with self-pity. Nearly every old-timer in our Society has gone through
this process in some degree. Happily, most of them survive and live to become elder statemen. They become the real
and permanent leadership of A.A. TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 135

Prayer For The Day: Dear heavenly Father, thank you that I am well, and strong and able to work. I do appreciate the work You have called me to do. Lord, sometimes I do get weary, but help me not to complain. I am most blessed to be Your child and I thank You for Your abundant blessings in my life. Lord, use each of us to reach out to those that do not have the blessings that we have. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

May 19

A.A.'s Simple Prayer

With each passing day of our lives, may every one of us sense
more deeply the inner meaning of A.A.'s simple prayer:

God grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change,
Courage to change the things we can.
And wisdom to know the difference.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Twelve) p. 125

Thought to Ponder . . .
Serenity isn't freedom from the storm;
it is peace within the storm.

AA-related 'Alconym'
P A U S E = Pause Action Until Serenity Emerges.

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

Attitudes
"We find that our old attitudes toward our instincts
need to undergo drastic revisions.
Our desires for emotional security and wealth,
for personal prestige and power,
for romance, and for family satisfactions -
all these have to be tempered and redirected.
If we place instincts first,
we have got the cart before the horse;
we shall be pulled backward into disillusionment.
But when we are willing to place
spiritual growth first -
then and only then do we have a real chance."
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 114

Thought to Consider . . .
I have learned that my actions are far more important than my thoughts.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
EGO
Easing God Out

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

Open
From "A Vision for You":
"But life among Alcoholics Anonymous is more than attending gatherings and visiting hospitals. Cleaning up old
scrapes, helping to settle family differences, explaining the disinherited son to his irate parents, lending money and
securing jobs for each other, when justified these are everyday occurrences. No one is too discredited or has sunk too
low to be welcomed cordially if he means business. Social distinctions, petty rivalries and jealousies these are laughed
out of countenance. Being wrecked in the same vessel, being restored and united under one God, with hearts and
minds attuned to the welfare of others, the things which matter so much to some people no longer signify much to
them. How could they?"
2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 161

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

"Each day I feel myself growing in recovery. I can honestly say I'm happier now than ever before in my adult life."
Palmdale, Calif., July 1992
"An Unexpected Shot at Life,"
AA Grapevine

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

"But my friend sat before me, and he made the pointblank declaration
that God had done for him what he could not do for himself. His
human will had failed. Doctors had pronounced him incurable.
Society was about to lock him up. Like myself, he had admitted
complete defeat. Then he had, in effect, been raised from the dead,
suddenly taken from the scrap heap to a level of life better than
the best he had ever known!"
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Bill's Story, pg. 11~

3rd Step Prayer:
"God, I offer myself to Thee—to build with me and to do with
me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better
do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may
bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy
Way of life. May I do Thy will always!"
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 63~

So, practicing these Steps, we had a spiritual awakening about which finally there was no question.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 109

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Basis of All Humility
For just so long as we were convinced that we could live exclusively by our own individual strength and intelligence, for
just that long was a working faith in a Higher Power impossible.
This was true even when we believed that God existed. We could actually have earnest religious beliefs which
remained barren because we were still trying to play God ourselves. As long as we placed self-reliance first, a genuine
reliance upon a Higher Power was out of the question.
That basic ingredient of all humility, a desire to seek and do God's will, was missing. TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 72

Prayer For The Day: Lord our God, we thank you that we have often felt you close to us. We thank you that you are near us and that you strengthen the weak. Remember us and give each one the help he needs to be true to his calling. Remember all mankind and grant that we may go forward in spirit and in truth. Give new light to the peoples who are still in great darkness. Let your kingdom and your reign be revealed and your name at last be honored by all. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

May 20

Freedom From Fear

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

Thought to Ponder . . .
Situations I fear are rarely as bad as the fear itself.

AA-related 'Alconym'
F E A R = Face Everything And Recover.

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

Communicate
"From the beginning,
communication in AA has been no ordinary transmission
of helpful ideas and attitudes.
It has been unusual and sometimes unique.
Because of our kinship in suffering,
and because our common means of deliverance
are effective for ourselves only when
constantly carried to others,
our channels of contact have always been charged with
the language of the heart."
Bill W., July 1960
1988AAGrapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 243

Thought to Consider . . .
To help each other, is to help ourselves.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
Y A N A = You Are Not Alone

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

Honesty
STEP FIVE: Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
"More realism and therefore more honesty about ourselves are the great gains we make under the influence of Step
Five. As we took inventory, we began to suspect how much trouble self-delusion had been causing us. This had
brought a disturbing reflection. If all our lives we had more or less fooled ourselves, how could we now be so sure that
we weren't still self-deceived? How could we be certain that we had made a true catalog of our defects and had really
admitted them, even to ourselves? Because we were still bothered by fear, self-pity, and hurt feelings, it was probable
we couldn't appraise ourselves fairly at all. Too much guilt and remorse might cause us to dramatize and exaggerate
our shortcomings. Or anger and hurt pride might be the smoke screen under which we were hiding some of our defects
while we blamed others for them. Possibly, too, we were still handicapped by many liabilities, great and small, we never
knew we had.
"Hence it was most evident that a solitary self-appraisal, and the admission of our defects based upon that alone,
wouldn't be nearly enough. We'd have to have outside help if we were surely to know and admit the truth about
ourselves the help of God and another human being."
1952, AAWS, Inc.; Printed 2005; Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pgs. 58-59

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

"Through Step Five, God has removed my shame about being an alcoholic."
Syracuse, N.Y., May 2001
"Lifting the Burden,"
Step By Step

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

"We alcoholics are sensitive people. It takes some of us a long time
to outgrow that serious handicap."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 125~

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

“Beginning with Step Four, we commenced to search out the things in ourselves which had brought us to physical,
moral, and spiritual bankruptcy.”
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 107

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Defects and Repairs
More than most people, the alcoholics leads a double life. He is very much the actor. To the outer world he presents his
stage character. This is the one he likes his fellows to see. He wants to enjoy a certain reputation, but knows in his
heart he doesn't deserve it.
Guilt is really the reverse side of the coin of pride. Guilt aims at self-destruction, and pride aims at the destruction of others.
The moral inventory is a cool examination of the damages that occurred to us during life and a sincere effort to look at
them in a true perspective. This has the effect of taking the ground glass out of us, the emotional substance that still
cuts and inhibits.

Prayer For The Day: Lord God, I do earnestly pray that thou wilt give me strength to break away, if I may be trying to free myself from habits that mar my character. May I not lose courage and fall back in the old ways, but by faith be led where I should go. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

May 21

The Root of Our Troubles

Selfishness—self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles.
Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity,
we step on the toes of our fellows and they retaliate. Sometimes they hurt
us, seemingly without provocation, but we invariably find that at some time
in the past we have made decisions based on self which later placed us in a
position to be hurt. So our troubles, we think, are basically of our own making.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 62

Thought to Ponder . . .
.When I choose the behavior, I choose the consequences.

AA-related 'Alconym'
I S M = I, Self, Me.

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

Defiance
"'As psychiatrists have often observed,
defiance is the outstanding characteristic of
many an alcoholic.
When we encountered AA,
the fallacy of our defiance was revealed.
At no time had we asked what God's will was for us;
instead we had been telling Him what it ought to be.
No man, we saw,
could believe in God and defy Him, too.
Belief meant reliance, not defiance.
In AA we saw the fruits of this belief:
men and women spared from alcohol's final catastrophe.'"
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 31

Thought to Consider . . .
While it isn't always easy, if I keep it simple, it works.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
SIT
Stay In Today

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

Beginning
From "Tightrope":
"My sponsor was a living damper on my intolerance. But even more, he told me that it would be all right for me to doubt
God, that A.A. was not a religious program and, to belong, I did not have to adhere to any set of beliefs.
"He suggested that for me a good starting point would simply be recognition of the fact that I had failed in running the
world in short, acceptance of the fact that I was not God. He also suggested that I might try occasionally to act as if I
believed. Somewhere I had heard that it is easier to act yourself into a new way of thinking than to think yourself into a
new way of acting, and this made sense in the context of 'acting as if.'"
2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 366

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

"I can recognize that I'm caught up in my will when I desperately struggle to slam a square peg into a round hole. That's
the time for me to back off and trust that God's will is far better than mine."
Elloree, S.C., November 2013
"Square Peg, Round Hole,"
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~

"More than most people, the alcoholic leads a double life. He is very
much the actor. To the outer world he presents his stage character.
This is the one he likes his fellows to see. He wants to enjoy a
certain reputation, but knows in his heart he doesn't deserve it."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 73~

So, practicing these Steps, we had a spiritual awakening about which finally there was no question.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 109

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

'Restore Us to Sanity'
Few indeed are the practicing alcoholics who have any idea how irrational they are, or, seeing their irrationality, can bear
to face it. For example, some will be willing to term themselves 'problem drinkers,' but cannot endure the suggestion
that they are in fact mentally ill.
They are abetted in this blindness by a world which does not understand the difference between sane drinking and
alcoholism. 'Sanity' is defined as 'soundness of mind.' Yet no alcoholic, soberly analyzing his destructive behavior,
whether the destruction fell on the dining-room furniture or his own moral fiber, can claim 'soundness of mind' for himself.

Prayer For The Day: Dear Lord, grant me the strength to get through today. Grant me your wisdom to handle situations I cannot control.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

May 22

Recovered

We, of Alcoholics Anonymous, are more than one hundred men and
women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind
and body. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered
is the main purpose of this book. For them, we hope these pages will
prove so convincing that no further authentication will be necessary.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Foreword To First Edition) p. xiii

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

AA-related 'Alconym'
G I F T S = Getting It From The Steps.

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

Daily Reprieve
"It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action
and rest on our laurels.
We are headed for trouble if we do,
for alcohol is a subtle foe.
We are not cured of alcoholism.
What we really have is a daily reprieve
contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 85

Thought to Consider . . .
The road to recovery is always under construction.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
ACTION
Any Change Toward Improving One's Nature

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

Inspiration
From "This Spirit Touch":
"At some time, perhaps in a more moderate way, nearly everyone has experienced this spirit touch of God the fleeting
feeling of insight, love, joy, and 'The world is right.' Once, I thought that only unusual circumstances made these
moments possible. Actually, I now think, they are forecasts of what one can have if one is willing to take the time and
make the effort. Peace, love, and joy can be sought through quiet thinking and honest prayer. The wholeness, the new
awareness, that is produced affects one's relationship with God and man to a degree greater than would seem possible
in ordinary life."
1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 65

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

"Over the years I've gone to different types of groups to meet different needs in my life or to share experience, strength,
and hope about a particular problem I was struggling with. Some days I've been part of the solution for another suffering
alcoholic; other days I've been the one who was suffering.
"Thanks to our Fifth Tradition, no matter what my needs or my location I can find an AA group where I can talk about --
and listen to -- not drinking one day at a time, practicing the principles in all of my affairs, and being happily and usefully whole."
Kensington, Md., May 1996
"A Consistent Message,"
AA Grapevine

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

"It did not satisfy us to be told that we could not control our
drinking just because we were maladjusted to life, that we were in
full flight from reality, or were outright mental defectives. These
things were true to some extent, in fact, to a considerable extent
with some of us. But we are sure that our bodies were sickened as
well. In our belief, any picture of the alcoholic which leaves out
this physical factor is incomplete."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Doctor's Opinion, pg. xxvi~

"We have begun to comprehend their futility and their fatality. We
have commenced to see their terrible destructiveness. We have begun
to learn tolerance, patience and good will toward all men, even our
enemies, for we look on them as sick people."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, Pg. 70~

And when we turn away from meditation and prayer, we likewise deprive our minds, our emotions, and our intuitions of
vitally needed support.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 97

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

God-Given Instincts
Creation gave us instincts for a purpose. Without them we wouldn't be complete human beings. If men and women
didn't exert themselves to be secure in their persons, made no effort to harvest food or construct shelter, there would
be no survival. If they didn't reproduce, the earth wouldn't be populated. If there were no social instinct, there would be no society.
Yet these instincts, so necessary for our existence, often far exceed their proper functions. Powerfully, blindly, many
times subtly, they drive us, dominate us, and insist upon ruling our lives.
We tried to shape a sane 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.

Prayer For The Day: Dear Lord, thank you for all that you do. I ask you to forgive me when I judge others. Help me be more understanding and forgiving as no one is perfect, least of all me.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

May 23

Prayer

Therefore, we ought to consider each request carefully to see what
its real merit is. Even so, when making specific requests, it will be
well to add to each one of them this qualification: "…if it be Thy will."
We ask simply that throughout the day God place in us the best
understanding of His will that we can have for that day, and that we
be given the grace by which we may carry it out.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Eleven) p. 102

Thought to Ponder . . .
Life is fragile, handle with prayer.

AA-related 'Alconym'
P U S H = Pray Until Something Happens.

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

Acceptance
"And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today.
When I am disturbed, it is because I find
some person, place, thing, or situation
- some fact of my life -
unacceptable to me, and I can find
no serenity until I accept that person,
place, thing, or situation as being exactly
the way it is supposed to be at this moment.
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, p. 417 4th Edition
Note: Dr. Paul O., author of these words, passed away 5.12.00.

Thought to Consider . . .
"My serenity is directly proportional to my level of acceptance."
Dr. Paul O., Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 417

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
ABC
Acceptance, Belief, Change

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

Inspiration
From "This Spirit Touch":
"At some time, perhaps in a more moderate way, nearly everyone has experienced this spirit touch of God, the fleeting
feeling of insight, love, joy, and 'The world is right.' Once, I thought that only unusual circumstances made these
moments possible. Actually, I now think, they are forecasts of what one can have if one is willing to take the time and
make the effort. Peace, love, and joy can be sought through quiet thinking and honest prayer. The wholeness, the new
awareness, that is produced affects one's relationship with God and man to a degree greater than would seem possible
in ordinary life."

1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 65

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

"The word 'alcoholic' does not turn me off anymore; in fact, it is music to my ears when it applies to me."
July 1975
"One of Those Bad Cons Nobody Can Reach,"
AA Grapevine

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

"If we are planning to stop drinking, there must be no reservation
of any kind, nor any lurking notion that someday we will be immune to
alcohol."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 33~

"First of all, we had to quit playing God. It didn't work."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 62~

Only by discussing ourselves, holding back nothing, only by being willing to take advice and accept direction could we
set foot on the road to straight thinking, solid honesty, and genuine humility.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 59

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Within A.A., I suppose, we shall always quarrel a good bit. Mostly, I think, about how to do the greatest good for the
greatest number of drunks. We shall have our childish spats and snits over small questions of money management and
who is going to run our groups for the next six months. Any bunch of growing children (and that is what we are) would
hardly be in character if they did less.
These are the growing pains of infancy, and we actually thrive on them. Surmounting such problems, in A.A.'s rather
rugged school of life, is a healthy exercise.

Prayer For The Day: Dear heavenly Father, thank you that You called me to be Your servant. Lord, give me the grace to serve You well. I do thank You for Your wisdom also. Guide me daily in the things that I must do and show me my priorities. Help me to be sensitive to the needs of those around me. Lord, I am looking to You to meet all of my needs. Give me peace and confidence when I must deal with situations that are difficult for me. May I speak the truth in love and be open myself for correction when You see something in my life that needs changing. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

May 24

We Trust God

Perhaps there is a better way—we think so. For we are now on a different
basis; the basis of trusting and relying upon God. We trust infinite God rather
than our finite selves. We are in the world to play the role He assigns. Just to
the extent that we do as we think He would have us, and humbly rely on Him,
does He enable us to match calamity with serenity.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 68

Thought to Ponder . . .
Serenity isn't freedom from the storm; it is peace within the storm.

AA-related 'Alconym'
F R O G = Fully Rely On God.

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

Compulsion
"It helped me a great deal to become convinced
that alcoholism was a disease,
not a moral issue;
that I had been drinking as a result of a compulsion,
even though I had not been aware
of the compulsion at the time;
and that sobriety was not a matter of willpower.
I was afraid to let go of what I had
in order to try something new;
there was a certain sense of security in the familiar.
At last, acceptance proved to be the key
to my drinking problem.
When I stopped living in the problem
and began living in the answer,
the problem went away."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 417 4th Edition

Thought to Consider . . .
I have learned what a heart full of gratitude feels like.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
PACE
Positive Attitudes Change Everything

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

From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":
"To mollify the Trustees it was decided that the author's royalty [for the 'Big Book'] which would ordinarily be mine [Bill
W.'s] could go to the Alcoholic Foundation. I have now forgotten just what his hopes were, but they were fantastic. I
was not quite so optimistic, but I did feel sure that the proceeds of the book would enable several of us to become full-
time workers and to set up a general headquarters for our society. Whether this worked out or not, I was nevertheless
convinced that our fellowship ought to own and control its own literature."
2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pg. 157

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

"While wealth and authority lie at the foundation of many a noble institution, we of AA now apprehend, and thoroughly
well, that these things are not for us. Have we not found that one man's meat is often another man's poison?"
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., January 1947
"Will AA Ever Have a Personal Government?"
The Language of the Heart

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

"When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 64~

"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~

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

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Most surely, there can be no trust where there is no love, nor can there be real love where distrust holds its malign sway.
'But does trust require that we be blind to other people's motives or, indeed, to our own? Not at all; this would be folly.
Most certainly, we should assess the capacity for harm as well as the capability for good in every person that we would
trust. Such a private inventory can reveal the degree of confidence we should extend in any given situation.
'However, this inventory needs to be taken in a spirit of understanding and love. Nothing can so much bias our judgment
as the negative emotions of suspicion, jealousy, or anger.
'Having vested our confidence in another person, we ought to let him know of our full support. Because of this, more
often than not he will respond magnificently, and far beyond our first expectations.'

Prayer For The Day: Lord Jesus, you promised to be with your people always, and so we know that you are with us in good times and bad. Nothing that ever happens to us can separate us from your love. Help us always to be positive in our attitude that we may seek and find the best in people and in situations, and so draw good out of all that happens to us. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

May 25

A Priceless Gift

We enjoy moments in which there is something like real peace of mind.
To those of us who have hitherto known only excitement, depression, or
anxiety—in other words, to all of us—this newfound peace is a priceless gift.
Something new indeed has been added. Where humility had formerly stood
for a forced feeding on humble pie, it now begins to mean the nourishing
ingredient which can give us serenity.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Seven) p. 74

Thought to Ponder . . .
I never imagined that the greatest achievement of my life would be peace of mind.

AA-related 'Alconym'
G I F T S = Getting It From The Steps.

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

Choices
"Our necessities are certainly immense and compelling.
Each of us must conform reasonably well
to AA's Steps and Traditions,
or else we shall go mad or die of alcoholism.
Therefore the compulsion among most of us
to survive and grow soon becomes far stronger
than the temptation to drink or misbehave.
Literally, we must 'do or die.'
So we make the choice to live.
This, in turn, means the choice of AA
principles, practices, and attitudes.
This is our first great and critical choice.
Admittedly, this is made under the fearful and immediate
lash of John Barleycorn, the killer.
Plainly enough, this first choice is far more a necessity
than it is an act of virtue."
Bill W., May 1960
1988AAGrapevine, The Language of the Heart, pp. 301-2

Thought to Consider . . .
It was either AA or amen.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*

AA
Attitude Adjustment

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

Healing
From "We Walk This Way":
"Our A.A. friends also had this positive belief in the child's recovery. They did their best to revive my fast-dying energies,
and these positive forces of loving faith caused me to reassess my progress in the A.A. program. I was sober, but had I
turned my will over to the care of God as I understood Him? What was I doing about 'conscious contact' with my Higher
Power? Was the Tenth Step part of my daily life or only a once-tried effort?
"Most of the answers were negative. This meant that, while my daughter might be in a hopeless situation physically, I
was functioning in a way destined to retard any progress she might make spiritually and mentally. There was no other
solution than to get out of the child's way and work on myself."
1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pgs. 107-08

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

"We are not a sociological entity, although sociologists find us fascinating. We are not a therapy group, although
remarkable healing takes place among us. And we are not a religion, even though some people want to see us as such
... We are a spiritual entity."
May 2006
"Tradition Five: What a Group 'Ought' to Be,"
AA Grapevine

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

"Some day we hope that Alcoholics Anonymous will help the public to
a better realization of the gravity of the alcoholic problem, but we
shall be of little use if our attitude is one of bitterness or
hostility. Drinkers will not stand for it.
After all, our problems were of our own making. Bottles were only a
symbol. Besides, we have stopped fighting anybody or anything. We
have to!"
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 103~

"Reminding ourselves that we have decided to go to any lengths to
find a spiritual experience, we ask that we be given strength and
direction to do the right thing, no matter what the personal
consequences may be."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 79~

Almost from the beginning, we have been positive that face-to-face work with the alcoholic who suffers could be based
only on the desire to help and be helped.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 166

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Learning how to live in the greatest peace, partnership, and brotherhood with all men and women, of whatever
description, is a moving and fascinating adventure.
But every A.A. has found that he can make little headway in this new adventure of living until he first backtracks and
really makes an accurate and unsparing survey of the human wreckage he has left in his wake.
The readiness to take the full consequences of our past acts, and to take responsibility for the well-being of others at
the same time, is the very spirit of Step nine.
TWELVE AND TWELVE
1. P. 77
2. P. 87

Prayer For The Day: Dear Father, thank you for today and all that you do. I love you Lord with all my heart. Please help me show this love to others as I go about the day.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

May 26

We Carry A.A.'s Message

To watch the eyes of men and women open with wonder as they move from
darkness into light, to see their lives quickly fill with new purpose and meaning,
to see whole families reassembled, to see the alcoholic outcast received back
into his community in full citizenship, and above all to watch these people awaken
to the presence of a loving God in their lives—these things are the substance of
what we receive as we carry A.A.'s message to the next alcoholic.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Twelve) p. 110

Thought to Ponder . . .
In AA, we discover that it is impossible to give
without receiving, or receive without giving.

AA-related 'Alconym'
H E A R T S = Helping Each Alcoholic Reach Their Sobriety.

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

Honesty

"Rarely have we seen a person fail
who has thoroughly followed our path.
Those who do not recover are people
who cannot or will not give themselves
to this simple program,
usually men and women who are
constitutionally incapable of
being honest with themselves.
There are such unfortunates.
They are not at fault;
they seem to have been born that way.
They are naturally incapable of
grasping and developing a manner of living
which demands rigorous honesty.
Their chances are less than average.
There are those, too, who suffer from
grave emotional and mental disorders,
but many of them do recover
if they have the capacity to be honest."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 58

Thought to Consider . . .

Every recovery from alcoholism
began with one sober hour.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
GOD
Give Others Dignity

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

Completeness
From "Into Action":
"This is perhaps difficult especially discussing our defects with another person. We think we have done well enough in admitting these things to ourselves. In actual practice, we usually find a solitary self-appraisal insufficient. Many of us thought it necessary to go much further. We will be more reconciled to discussing ourselves with another person when we see good reasons why we should do so. The best reason first: If we skip this vital step, we may not overcome drinking. Time after time newcomers have tried to keep to themselves certain facts about their lives. Almost invariably they got drunk. Having persevered with the rest of the program, they wondered why they fell. We think the reason is that they never completed their housecleaning. They took inventory all right, but hung on to some of the worst items in stock. They only thought they had lost their egoism and fear; they only thought they had humbled themselves. But they had not learned enough of humility, fearlessness and honesty, in the sense we find it necessary, until they told someone else all their life story."
2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pgs. 72-73

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

AA is not a separate country, cut off from the mainland of the real world; it is the schoolroom I missed somewhere along the line ... a treasure house of other people's experience, strength and hope."
Norman, Okla., July 1992
"Out of This World,"
AA Grapevine

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quotes ^*~*~*~*~*

"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, To Employers, pg. 143

"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

“The chief activator of our defects has been self-centered fear – primarily fear that we would lose something we already possessed or would fail to get something we demanded.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 76

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Perhaps more often than we think, we make no contact at depth with alcoholics who are suffering the dilemma of no faith.
Certainly none are more sensitive to spiritual cocksureness, pride, and aggression than they are. I'm sure this is something we too often forget.
In A.A.'s first years, I all but ruined the whole undertaking with this sort of unconscious arrogance. God as I understood Him had to be for everybody. Sometimes my aggression was subtle and sometimes it was crude. But either way it was damaging--perhaps fatally so--to numbers of nonbelievers.
Of course this sort of thing isn't confined to Twelfth Step work. It is very apt to leak out into our relations with everybody. Even now, I catch myself chanting that same old barrier-building refrain: 'Do as I do, believe as I do--or else!'

Prayer For The Day: Day by Day
Day by day, dear Lord of you
Three things I pray:
To see you more clearly,
To love you more dearly,
To follow you more nearly,
Day by day.
- St. Richard of Chichester

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

May 27

This Lifetime Job

So Step Six—"Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of
character"—is A.A.'s way of stating the best possible attitude one can take
in order to make a beginning on this lifetime job. This does not mean that we
expect all our character defects to be lifted out of us as the drive to drink was.
A few of them may be, but with most of them we shall have to be content with
patient improvement. The key words "entirely ready" underline the fact that
we want to aim at the very best we know or can learn.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Six) p. 65

Thought to Ponder . . .
We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection.

AA-related 'Alconym'
A R T = Always Remain Teachable.

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

Fact
"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 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, p. 25

Thought to Consider . . .
Patience with others is Love,
Patience with self is Hope,
Patience with God is Faith.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
FEAR
Failure Expected And Received

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

Priorities
From "He Lived Only to Drink":
"I was also able to realize that this bonfire of resentment and rage was beckoning me to pick up a drink and plunge in to
my death. Then I realized that I had to separate my sobriety from everything else that was going on in my life. No matter
what happened or didn't happen, I couldn't drink. In fact, none of these things that I was going through had anything to do
with my sobriety; the tides of life flow endlessly for better or worse, both good and bad, and I cannot allow my sobriety to
become dependent on these ups and downs of living. Sobriety must live a life of its own."
2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pgs. 450-51

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

"I have learned in the program not to listen to the voice of my ego when it starts whispering things."
Clayton, Calif., May 2012
"Uprooted,"
AA Grapevine

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

"Despite all we can say, many who are real alcoholics are not going
to believe they are in that class. By every form of self-deception
and experimentation, they will try to prove themselves exceptions to
the rule, therefore nonalcoholic. If anyone who is showing inability
to control his drinking can do the right-about-face and drink like a
gentleman, our hats are off to him. Heaven knows, we have tried hard
enough and long enough to drink like other people!"
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 31~

"The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost
the power of choice in drink. Our so-called will power becomes
practically nonexistent. We are unable, at certain times, to bring
into our consciousness with sufficient force the memory of the
suffering and humiliation of even a week or a month ago. We are
without defense against the first drink."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 24~

Alcoholics especially should be able to see that instinct run wild in
themselves is the underlying cause of their destructive drinking.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 44

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

We can be grateful for every agency or method that tries to solve the problem of alcoholism--whether of medicine,
religion, education, or research. We can be open-minded toward all such efforts and we can be sympathetic when the
ill-advised ones fail. We can remember that A.A. itself ran for years on 'trial and error.'
As individuals, we can and should work with those that promise success--even a little success.
Every one of the pioneers in the total field of alcoholism will generously say that had it not been for the living proof of
recovery in A.A., they could not have gone on. A.A. was the lodestar of hope and help that kept them at it.

Prayer For The Day: Prayers for Those Torn by Alcohol and Drugs - I pray, O God of hope, for all persons and families whose lives are torn and disrupted by drugs and alcohol. Enable them to identify the illness. Strengthen them to seek help. Bless them with the power of your love, which imparts transformation and wholeness to those who trust in your name. Grant that as they walk this tortured road, they may journey together, bound close together in the bond of love. Shine your light upon them, Lord Christ, that they may see the path out of their misery, and give them the strength to follow it. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

May 28

Permanent Recovery

But when the broker gave him Dr. Silkworth’s description of alcoholism and its
hopelessness, the physician began to pursue the spiritual remedy for his malady
with a willingness he had never before been able to muster. He sobered, never
to drink again up to the moment of his death in 1950. This seemed to prove that
one alcoholic could affect another as no nonalcoholic could. It also indicated that
strenuous work, one alcoholic with another, was vital to permanent recovery.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Foreward To Second Edition) pp. xvi - xvii

Thought to Ponder . . .
To keep it, we have to give it away.

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

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

Prayer
"On awakening let us think about
the twenty-four hours ahead.
We consider our plans for the day.
Before we begin,
we ask God to direct our thinking,
especially asking that it be
divorced from self-pity,
dishonest or self-seeking motives."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 86

Thought to Consider . . .
Faith dares the soul to go beyond
what the eyes can see.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
CRAP
Carry Resentments Against People

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

Humility
STEP FIVE: Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
"Another great dividend we may expect from confiding our defects to another human being is humility a word often
misunderstood. To those who have made progress in A.A., it amounts to a clear recognition of what and who we really
are, followed by a sincere attempt to become what we could be. Therefore, our first practical move toward humility
must consist of recognizing our deficiencies."
1952, AAWS, Inc.; Printed 2005; Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pg. 58

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

"The most beautiful gifts of my life come to me in packages I do not recognize at first glance. In fact, I often don't see
them until I've stumbled over them. Yet I know that when I go about my business in service to AA and to others these
gifts will appear, usually in the most unexpected places."
Costa Mesa, Calif., February 1993
"The Gift of Sobriety,"
AA Grapevine

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

"'There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which
is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in
everlasting ignorance, that principle is contempt prior to
investigation.'"
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Appendice II, Spiritual
Experience, pg. 568

"Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and
fear. When these crop up, we ask God at once to remove them. We
discuss them with someone immediately and make amends quickly if we
have harmed anyone. Then we resolutely turn our thoughts to someone
we can help. Love and tolerance of others is our code."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 84

To escape looking at the wrongs we have done another, we resentfully focus on the wrong he has done us.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 78

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

When I am felling depressed, I repeat to myself statements such as these: 'Pain is the touchstone of progress.'...'Fear
no evil....'This, too, will pass.'...'This experience can be turned to benefit.'
These fragments of prayer bring far more than mere comfort. They keep me on the track of right acceptance; they
break up my compulsive themes of guilt, depression, rebellion, and pride; and sometimes they endow me with the
courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. GRAPEVINE, MARCH 1962

Prayer For The Day: Dear Lord, our time on earth is short. Please help me realize that it is not the amount of time, but the quality of the time I spend that counts.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

May 29

Neither Fear Nor Favor

Having so considered our day, not omitting to take due
note of things well done, and having searched our hearts
with neither fear nor favor, we can truly thank God for the
blessings we have received and sleep in good conscience.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Ten) p. 95

Thought to Ponder . . .
Inventory-taking is not always done in red ink.

AA-related 'Alconym'
A A = Always Aware.

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

Freedom
"So far, upon the total problem of several million
actual and potential alcoholics in the world,
we have made only a scratch.
In all probability, we shall never be able to touch
more than a fair fraction of the alcohol problem
in all its ramifications.
Upon therapy for the alcoholic himself,
we surely have no monopoly.
Yet it is our great hope that all those
who have as yet found no answer
may begin to find one in the pages of this book
and will presently join us on
the highroad to a new freedom."
Foreword to Second Edition
Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. xx-xxi

Thought to Consider....
"Within our wonderful new world,
we have found freedom from our fatal obsession."
Bill W., Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, p. 139

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
SOBRIETY
Stay Off Booze Recovery Is Everything To You

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

Surrender
From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":
"In medicine, we have learned a great deal about the physical treatment of the alcoholic. We have learned about
nutrition and the importance of a fully rounded diet, and vitamins and minerals. But we do know that these things are
necessary in the physical treatment and rehabilitation of the alcoholic. We know also that various kinds of drying out and
other forms of therapy have failed. They are not enough by themselves. We need something more.
"We know also that religious exhortation has failed, as has exhortation from people who have no grasp of the problem,
who oversimplify, people in whose view an alcoholic is a person who is perpetually thirsty with a fierce craving for
alcohol, people who do not know that a great many alcoholics hate alcohol worse than poison when they are sober,
because they know that it is poison.
"[A]s time went on I became less and less astonished as I saw the effectiveness of your work, as I saw a man of great
talent, a close friend of mine, a man who was almost on the verge of genius. I saw alcohol make its insidious inroads
upon his career, upon his relationships with his family and children, upon his standing in the community.
"I saw him on the verge of losing his job, and I saw him lose his job; and then I saw him surrender. I saw him throw up
his hands and quit, saying, 'I can't do it by myself. I've got to have help.' And with the spiritual help of his clergyman and
A.A., I have seen that man come back to a commanding position in his field, a man who is as sober today, as clear-
eyed and bright, as any person in this audience." Dr. W. W. Bauer, 1955
2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pgs. 241-43

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

"Whatever strengthens the spirituality of the group strengthens my spirituality, and vice versa."
May 2006
"Tradition Five: What a Group 'Ought' to Be"
AA Grapevine

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

"We are like men who have lost their legs; they never grow new ones.
Neither does there appear to be any kind of treatment which will
make alcoholics of our kind like other men. We have tried every
imaginable remedy. In some instances there has been brief recovery,
followed always by a still worse relapse. Physicians who are
familiar with alcoholism agree there is no such thing as making a
normal drinker out of an alcoholic. Science may one day accomplish
this, but it hasn't done so yet."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 30~

"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

Meditation is something which can always be further developed.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 101

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Almost none of us liked the self-searching, the leveling of our pride, the confusion of shortcomings which the Steps
require. But we saw that the program really worked in others, and we had come to believe in the hopelessness of life as
we had been living it.
When, therefore, we were approached by those in whom the problem had been solved, there was nothing left for us but
to pick up the simple kit of spiritual tools laid at our feet.
Implicit throughout A.A.s Traditions is the confession that our Fellowship has its sins. We admit that we have character
defects as a society and that these defects threaten us continually. our Traditions are a guide to better ways of working
and living, and they are to group survival and harmony what A.A.s Twelve Steps are to each member's sobriety and
peace of mind.

Prayer For The Day: Dear heavenly Father, I am thankful for the wonderful ways in which You take care of me. I do appreciate Your watchcare over my family and friends. Lord, I do desire to remain humble in my dealings with others who oppose me. Give me Your grace and wisdom when I must handle controversy. May I be humble when I am tested in this way and trust You to defend me instead of getting into contention with others. Lord, bless those who are reading this today and strengthen them to do Your will. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

May 30

Discovery
I discovered a fellowship of human beings that I’d never seen before.
I learned how to have self-respect through work that AA gave me to do.
I learned how to be a friend.
I learned how to go out and help other people—there was nowhere else I could have done that,
I have learned that the more I give, the more I will have;
the more I learn to give, the more I learn to live.
- Experience, Strength and Hope, p. 218

Thought to Ponder . . .
Learning is the very essence of humility. The two walk hand in hand.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Always Alive.

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

Unity

" 'Practically never have I heard a heated religious, political,
or reform argument among AA members.
So long as we don't argue these matters privately,
it's a cinch we never shall publicly.'
As by some deep instinct, we AA's have known
from the very beginning that we must never,
no matter what the provocation,
publicly take sides in any fight, even a worthy one. . .
. . . We do not enter into public controversy,
because we know that our Society will perish if it does.
We conceive the survival and spread
of Alcoholics Anonymous to be
something of far greater importance
than the weight we could collectively
throw back of any other cause."
1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 176-77

Thought to Consider . . .
Attitudes are contagious.
Is yours worth catching?

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
BUT
Being Unconvinced Totally

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

Messages
From "Mathematical Miracle":
"Finally, he found a basement bar on a quiet side street, practically deserted. He sat down on a bar stool and ordered a
double bourbon on the rocks.
"Then the bartender stopped in his tracks, took a long, hard look at the customer, leaned over the bar, and said in a low
tone, 'I was in Milwaukee about four months ago, and one night I attended an open meeting. You were on the speaking
platform, and you gave one of the finest A.A. talks I ever heard.
"For a few minutes, the customer sat there probably in a state of shock. Then he picked his money off the bar with
trembling hands and walked out, all desire for a drink drained out of him. Chicago, Illinois, USA"
1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 74

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

"I have learned to keep quiet when I disagree and to give others freedom to express opinions widely different from my
own -- without giving in to the urge to enlighten them. I am grateful for all the voices of AA."
Alexandria, Va., March 2007
"Humble Proportion,"
AA Grapevine

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

"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."
Alcoholics Anonymous, Working With Others, pg. 89

"Yes, there is a substitute and it is vastly more than that. It is a
fellowship in Alcoholics Anonymous. There you will find release from
care, boredom and worry. Your imagination will be fired. Life will
mean something at last. The most satisfactory years of your
existence lie ahead."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, pg. 152

Once we have a complete willingness to take inventory, and exert ourselves to do the job thoroughly, a wonderful light
falls upon this foggy scene.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 49

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Meditation is something which can always be further developed. It has no boundaries, of width or height or depth. 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 its first fruits is emotional balance.
With it we can broaden and deepen the channel between ourselves and God as we understand Him.

Prayer For The Day: Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for all you have done for me. You do so much and yet I still ask for more. Please forgive me and guide me to be appreciative for what I have and what is truly important.