Daily Recovery Readings - February

[bluidkiti]

February 14

Daily Reflections

February 14 - http://www.aa.org/lang/en/aareflecti...4&rdm=2&rdd=14

************************************************** *********

As Bill Sees It

http://upperpeninsulaoa.com/wp-conte...BillSeesIt.pdf
http://csoaamaine.org/absi/

************************************************** *********

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Each Day a New Beginning (Women)
Food for Thought
Language of Letting Go
Today's Gift
Touchstones (Men)
Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Walk In Dry Places
Keep It Simple

************************************************** *********

Alcoholics Anonymous - First Edition

Chapter 8 - TO WIVES

Among us are wives, relatives and friends whose problem has been solved, as well as some who have not yet found a happy solution. We want the wives of Alcoholics Anonymous to address the wives of men who drink too much. What they say will apply to nearly everyone bound by ties of blood or affection to an alcoholic.

p. 104

************************************************** *********

If you keep falling in the same hole, go down a different road.

It is not easy to straighten in the oak the crook that grew in the sapling. --American Proverb

"Silence is one of the hardest things to refute." --Josh Billings

Little deeds of kindness, little words of love, help to make earth happy like the heaven above. --Julia A. Fletcher Carney

Faith is not only a belief and a feeling, it is an action. Action, really does speak louder than words. --Shelley

Let us dedicate ourselves to peace within ourselves, that wherever we go, we bring peace and we learn to find peace in all things. --John Morton

God treasures each of us as a rare and lovely flower. --Patricia Bellah

************************************************** *********

Father Leo's Daily Meditation

LOVE

"Let there be spaces in your
togetherness."
-- Kahlil Gibran

As an alcoholic I demanded love and was possessive of others. I had a
selfish love that treated people as "things" --- for my own
satisfaction and survival. I was claustrophobic in my affection and
smothered any creative love; my fear of being alone made me
blackmail people with my needs and emotions.

Today I can love people while still allowing them to breathe. An
important part of my program is detachment; I take responsibility for
me and I allow others to take responsibility for themselves. I give the
people I love space.

Sometimes I need to love a person enough to let them go. Spiritually I
am beginning to understand that in order to be free, I must give
freedom to others.

God, in the "spaces" of my love is the growth experienced.

************************************************** *********

Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in the mighty heavens. Psalm 150:1

"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles." Isaiah 40:31

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. 1 John 3:1

************************************************** *********

Daily Inspiration

Don't ever grow too old for your birthdays or give up on your dreams. Lord, help me to know where You are leading me today and face this adventure with excitement.

Never let what you can't do get in the way of what you can do. Lord, help me to recognize my abilities and focus only on my strengths so that each day I will get nearer to my goals.

[bluidkiti]

February 15

Daily Reflections

February 15 - http://www.aa.org/lang/en/aareflecti...4&rdm=2&rdd=15

************************************************** *********

As Bill Sees It

http://upperpeninsulaoa.com/wp-conte...BillSeesIt.pdf
http://csoaamaine.org/absi/

************************************************** *********

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Each Day a New Beginning (Women)
Food for Thought
Language of Letting Go
Today's Gift
Touchstones (Men)
Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Walk In Dry Places
Keep It Simple

************************************************** *********

Alcoholics Anonymous - First Edition

Chapter 8 - TO WIVES

As wives of Alcoholics Anonymous, we would like you to feel that we understand as perhaps few can. We want to analyze mistakes we have made. We want to leave you with the feeling that no situation is too difficult and no unhappiness too great to be overcome.

p. 104

************************************************** *********

We are responsible for the effort, not the outcome.

Better the foot slip than the tongue. --French Proverb

"The walls we build around us to keep out the sadness also keep out the joy." --Jim Rohn

"You must look into people, as well as at them." --Lord Chesterfield

God, help me recognize that I am a part of your creation and don't need to fight it. Help me live in peace and celebration of life. --Melody Beattie

************************************************** *********

Father Leo's Daily Meditation

HUMILITY

"I am a man; nothing human is
alien to me."
-- Terence

Humility is not so much about trying to be "good" as accepting that I
am imperfect. For too long I thought that humility was "keeping the
peace", appearing to be "perfect", bottling up my anger and
resentments --- living a life of "people-pleasing".

Today I understand that humility is being real. It is accepting my
humanity and being honest in my relationships. Humility is respecting
the lives of others but also respecting my own. Humility is seeking to
reveal that divinity that God has given to my life. Humility is knowing
that in the lives of my fellow man --- the good and the bad --- is me.

Master, let me have the humility to be real.

************************************************** *********

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me." John 14:1

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:6-5

************************************************** *********

Daily Inspiration

Hide your troubles and disappointments and you will find that they grow much smaller from neglect. Lord, help me to direct my focus so that I can make a difference today with a smile and a kind word.

Prayer may not always change a situation, but it will always change us. Lord, I accept Your answers to my prayers because I know that they will always be right and, in Your wisdom, best for me.

[bluidkiti]

February 16

Daily Reflections

February 16 - http://www.aa.org/lang/en/aareflecti...4&rdm=2&rdd=16

************************************************** *********

As Bill Sees It

http://upperpeninsulaoa.com/wp-conte...BillSeesIt.pdf
http://csoaamaine.org/absi/

************************************************** *********

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Each Day a New Beginning (Women)
Food for Thought
Language of Letting Go
Today's Gift
Touchstones (Men)
Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Walk In Dry Places
Keep It Simple

************************************************** *********

Alcoholics Anonymous - First Edition

Chapter 8 - TO WIVES

We have traveled a rocky road, there is no mistake about that. We have had long rendezvous with hurt pride, frustration, self-pity, misunderstanding and fear. These are not pleasant companions. We have been driven to maudlin sympathy, to bitter resentment. Some of us veered from extreme to extreme, ever hoping that one day our loved ones would be themselves once more.

pp. 104-105

************************************************** *********

What you are is God's Gift to you. What you become is your gift to God.

Take time for solitude. How else can you contemplate the blessings of recovery. --Abby Warman

In my pain I seek the comfort and guidance of my Higher Power. Grace and gratitude are the gifts I receive. --Rose Casey

God does not require that we be successful, only that we be faithful. --Mother Teresa

Spiritual experience is personal and individual. --Veronica Ray

Like a loving parent, God prepares good things for us. --Einar Ingvi Magnusson

************************************************** *********

Father Leo's Daily Meditation

ENEMIES

"The Bible tells us to love our
neighbors and also to love our
enemies; probably because they
are generally the same people."
-- G. K. Chesterton

The spiritual program that I embrace makes me look to where I am,
rather than where I want to be. I must live in the now, rather than the
never-never-land of tomorrow.

To love my world I need to seek to understand those people who live
in my world. To love my world involves an acceptance of those who
are different from me. I must seek to build bridges, rather than
barriers. It is so easy for me to talk about loving and being concerned
for the starving millions and forgetting to love and relate to the typist
in my office or the neighbor down the street.

I have some experience of people who can be difficult because I lived
with the addicted me for many years; I am the key to my enemies.

Teach me to accept in love those who, for today, I do not like.

************************************************** *********

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 1: 1-13

Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day. Psalm 25:4-5

************************************************** *********

Daily Inspiration

No troubles that we face are new to this world. Guide and protect me, Lord, and strengthen my faith and trust in You so that I will not falter.

God gives us power, love and self-discipline, not fear and timidness. Lord, I will not be afraid to proclaim that You are my God. All will see it in my actions.

[bluidkiti]

February 17

Daily Reflections

February 17 - http://www.aa.org/lang/en/aareflecti...4&rdm=2&rdd=17

************************************************** *********

As Bill Sees It

http://upperpeninsulaoa.com/wp-conte...BillSeesIt.pdf
http://csoaamaine.org/absi/

************************************************** *********

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Each Day a New Beginning (Women)
Food for Thought
Language of Letting Go
Today's Gift
Touchstones (Men)
Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Walk In Dry Places
Keep It Simple

************************************************** *********

Alcoholics Anonymous - First Edition

Chapter 8 - TO WIVES

Our loyalty and the desire that our husbands hold up their heads and be like other men have begotten all sorts of predicaments. We have been unselfish and self-sacrificing. We have told innumerable lies to protect our pride and our husbands’ reputations. We have prayed, we have begged, we have been patient. We have struck out viciously. We have run away. We have been hysterical. We have been terror stricken. We have sought sympathy. We have had retaliatory love affairs with other men.

p. 105

************************************************** *********

If you want to feel rich, just count the things money can't buy. --Cited in BITS & PIECES

The alcoholic is in no greater peril than when he takes sobriety for granted.

There is no place where God is not. --Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., Fire In The Soul

A positive attitude can overcome most daily troubles. So wake up and set your mind to it, first thing every day.

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. --e. e. cummings

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

Whom do I need to forgive? --Suzannah Willingham

************************************************** *********

Father Leo's Daily Meditation

BELONGING

"But one day when I was sitting
quiet and feeling like a
motherless child, which I was, it
came to me that feeling of being
part of everything, not separate
at all. I knew that if I cut a tree,
my arm would bleed."
-- Alice Walker

Today I am aware of the truth that I belong. I am an essential part of
God's world. I share divinity because God made me. Today I choose
to seek that spiritual center in me that is forever positive and
creative. Today I am the center of my universe.

Past hurts and wrongs cannot take away the uniqueness in my life.
Past abuses and painful put-downs, my years of alternating between
the lost child and the scapegoat in my family need not make me a
victim today. Today I am free to choose recovery and an acceptance
of self. Today I choose to associate with the winners of this world.
Today I participate in creation by being a creative person for me.
Yesterday's pain need not have any power in my life today.

When I kneel before the stream, mountains and stars, I feel me.

************************************************** *********

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1:12

************************************************** *********

Daily Inspiration

There is a purpose for our trials and burdens just as there is a purpose for the joys and wonders in our lives. Lord, grant me Your peace as Your plan for me unfolds.

Thoughts are powerful, so pay close attention to what you think about. Lord, help me to think thoughts of love, peace and abundance so that this becomes my experience.

[bluidkiti]

February 18

Daily Reflections

February 18 - http://www.aa.org/lang/en/aareflecti...4&rdm=2&rdd=18

************************************************** *********

As Bill Sees It

http://upperpeninsulaoa.com/wp-conte...BillSeesIt.pdf
http://csoaamaine.org/absi/

************************************************** *********

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Each Day a New Beginning (Women)
Food for Thought
Language of Letting Go
Today's Gift
Touchstones (Men)
Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Walk In Dry Places
Keep It Simple

************************************************** *********

Alcoholics Anonymous - First Edition

Chapter 8 - TO WIVES

Our homes have been battle-grounds many an evening. In the morning we have kissed and made up. Our friends have counseled chucking the men and we have done so with finality, only to be back in a little while hoping, always hoping. Our men have sworn great solemn oaths that they were through drinking forever. We have believed them when no one else could or would. Then, in days, weeks, or months, a fresh outburst.

p. 105

************************************************** *********

"The real measure of your wealth is how much you'd be worth if you lost all your money." --Anonymous

When we practice loving kindness towards others, we run out of willingness and generosity quickly if we think it all has to come from us. When we understand that love comes through us, there is an endless Source. --Mary Manin Morrissey

"Don't worry that children never listen to you. Worry that they are always watching you." --Robert Fulghum, 20th-century American author

When we walk in God's light, we are transformed. --Eleanor Park Kammer

As long as a man stands in his own way, everything seems to be in his way. --Ralph Waldo Emerson

************************************************** *********

Father Leo's Daily Meditation

LAW

"The life of the law has not been
logic; it has been experience."
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

Today I respect the law. In this way I respect the society in which I
live. I am not "an island unto myself". I live in a community and have
a responsibility to myself and that community --- such is sobriety.

For years I did what I wanted and tried not to be "found out". I was
manipulative, dishonest and unhappy; to stay sick is depressing and
exhausting.

Then I decided to remove the pain. I accepted the disease and began
to "change" my life. I discovered the "spiritual law" of freedom with
responsibility. Law is the collective experience of the many who
choose to live a certain way, and today I choose to live amongst them.
My understanding of spirituality involves respecting the laws that
give me the dignity of citizenship.

O Lord, help me to see that in the laws of civilization is the gift of
freedom.

************************************************** *********

"I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will tell of all thy wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in thee, I will sing praise to thy name, O Most High." Psalm 9:1-2

"O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you." Psalm 63:1

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Ephesians 5:8-10

************************************************** *********

Daily Inspiration

Never be too busy to pray. Lord, without Your presence in my life, today would be barren.

We don't choose how or when we will die, but we do decide how we will live. Lord, forgive my frequent drifting and help me to see clearly the best path for me.

[bluidkiti]

February 19

Daily Reflections

February 19 - http://www.aa.org/lang/en/aareflecti...4&rdm=2&rdd=19

************************************************** *********

As Bill Sees It

http://upperpeninsulaoa.com/wp-conte...BillSeesIt.pdf
http://csoaamaine.org/absi/

************************************************** *********

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Each Day a New Beginning (Women)
Food for Thought
Language of Letting Go
Today's Gift
Touchstones (Men)
Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Walk In Dry Places
Keep It Simple

************************************************** *********

Alcoholics Anonymous - First Edition

Chapter 8 - TO WIVES

We seldom had friends at our homes, never knowing how or when the men of the house would appear. We could make few social engagements. We came to live almost alone. When we were invited out, our husbands sneaked so many drinks that they spoiled the occasion. If, on the other hand, they took nothing, their self-pity made them killjoys.

p. 105

************************************************** *********

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen nor touched... but are felt in the heart. --Hellen Keller

"It is awfully important to know what is and what is not your business." --Gertrude Stein

We need to let the old go, so the new can emerge. --Peggy Bassett

The more I force things, the tougher my life gets. --Helen Neujahr

My daily choice is to rise and shine or rise and whine. --Anonymous

************************************************** *********

Father Leo's Daily Meditation

PREJUDICE

"The chief cause of human errors
is to be found in the prejudices
picked up in childhood."
-- Rene Descartes

During the past few years I have begun to recognize how many of my
prejudices were planted in childhood. Family, teachers, priests and
"the neighborhood" passed on to me prejudices: " The Jews are bad
because they killed Jesus." "Blacks are inferior to white people ---
but you should be kind to them." "Women should obey the man of the
house." "Gays are child molesters." "People who do not accept Jesus will not
go to Heaven." "Sex is for having babies and you should not enjoy
it."

Today I live with the problem of knowing that these statements are
untrue but a part of me is still affected by them.

Today my spiritual program demands that I expose prejudice for the
"hate-mail" that it is, and try to pass on to the next generation the
joy that comes from love, acceptance and freedom.

Let the children grow in freedom.

************************************************** *********

"For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. 'Plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me when you seek for me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13

The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.
Lamentations 3:24-25

************************************************** *********

Daily Inspiration

Joy is left if you rid your heart of all that pulls you down. Lord, help me to heal my spirit and grow from today's experiences.

You have a responsibility to be the best that you can be. Lord, may I find a good balance in my life so that I neither neglect myself and my duties nor my responsibility to those that need or depend on me.

[bluidkiti]

February 20

Daily Reflections

February 20 - http://www.aa.org/lang/en/aareflecti...4&rdm=2&rdd=20

************************************************** *********

As Bill Sees It

http://upperpeninsulaoa.com/wp-conte...BillSeesIt.pdf
http://csoaamaine.org/absi/

************************************************** *********

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Each Day a New Beginning (Women)
Food for Thought
Language of Letting Go
Today's Gift
Touchstones (Men)
Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Walk In Dry Places
Keep It Simple

************************************************** *********

Alcoholics Anonymous - First Edition

Chapter 8 - TO WIVES

There was never financial security. Positions were always in jeopardy or gone. An armored car could not have brought the pay envelopes home. The checking account melted like snow in June.
Sometimes there were other women. How heartbreaking was this discovery; how cruel to be told they understood our men as we did not!

pp. 105-106

************************************************** *********

God, please help me let go of my expectations and accept the gifts that you give me each day, knowing that there is beauty and wonder in each act of life. --Melody Beattie

"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile." --Mother Theresa

"Life has a way of creating roadblocks that end up as building blocks in our lives." --Doug Firebaugh

"Turn your troubles into treasures. Learn from them and grow from them." --Mark Victor Hansen

Teaching is the best way to learn.
Leading by example is the best way to teach.

************************************************** *********

Father Leo's Daily Meditation

CHRISTIANITY

"Going to Church doesn't make
you a Christian any more than
going to the garage makes you a
car."
-- Laurence J. Peter

I cannot help but believe that the truth of Christianity is about
bringing the world and mankind together, rather than creating
divisions and resentments. It must be much bigger than what we do or
say in any building. Christ's truth seeks to discover God in the
splendor of His varied world. In this sense, Christianity is an aspect of
the world's spirituality!

My addiction made me a small man with a small god. Constantly
focusing on the differences in the world stopped me from seeing the
glaring similarities; my exclusiveness kept me a lonely man. The
world of black and white, rather than shades of creative color, is a
sick and dangerous world to live in. Jesus Christ reveals for me the
"man for others"; the bridge by which reconciliation and harmony
can be achieved. His message for me is not so much a series of
dogmas as a revealed journey into Truth.

In the created stranger, help me to discover the friend.

************************************************** *********

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."
2 Peter 1:3

"A cheerful heart is good medicine..." Proverb 17:22a

"Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge." Psalm 16:1

************************************************** *********

Daily Inspiration

Prayer helps us see that God is not the cause of unpleasant happenings, but the healing of them. Lord, I trust in You for the right outcomes in all situations.

Each day is new! Each day is an opportunity to start again and be our best selves. Lord, silence my old ways of thinking, my old habits, and my old tapes inside my head.

[bluidkiti]

February 21

Daily Reflections

February 21 - http://www.aa.org/lang/en/aareflecti...4&rdm=2&rdd=21

************************************************** *********

As Bill Sees It

http://upperpeninsulaoa.com/wp-conte...BillSeesIt.pdf
http://csoaamaine.org/absi/

************************************************** *********

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Each Day a New Beginning (Women)
Food for Thought
Language of Letting Go
Today's Gift
Touchstones (Men)
Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Walk In Dry Places
Keep It Simple

************************************************** *********

Alcoholics Anonymous - First Edition

Chapter 8 - TO WIVES

The bill collectors, the sheriffs, the angry taxi drivers, the policemen, the bums, the pals, and even the ladies they sometimes brought home—our husbands thought we were so inhospitable. “Joykiller, nag, wet blanket”—that’s what they said. Next day they would be themselves again and we would forgive and try to forget.

p. 106

************************************************** *********

Words are the most powerful drug used by mankind. --Cited in Even More of...The Best of BITS & PIECES

I was led around by emotions rather than facts.

Honesty is the absence of the intent to deceive.

Every man must take time daily for quiet and meditation. In daily meditation lies the secret of power. No one can grow in either spiritual knowledge or power without it. --H. Emilie Cady

No matter what is happening in your life, know that God Is Waiting for you with open Arms.

Sometimes Love is just Love and can't be something you can analyze or even understand.

"It doesn't matter if your on the right track, if you don't move, you'll get run over" --Will Rogers

Today I know that I am doing the best I can and will be gentle with myself. I will watch what comes without struggle and will accept what is and adjust myself to it, rather than wanting it to be different than it is. --Ruth Fishel

************************************************** *********

Father Leo's Daily Meditation

ART

"Only work which is the product
of inner compulsion can have
spiritual meaning."
-- Walter Gropius

I have developed, in my recovery, an awareness of the beauty of this
world and an appreciation of what man can produce. Sobriety has
made art accessible. Today I can see beauty in paintings, sculpture,
music, literature and the natural "art" of nature.

Spirituality is always creative and it is at the center of all that is
good, noble and inspiring. Although I am not an artist, I can
appreciate and have a feeling of "belonging" to the beauty of this
world --- in a sense it all happens and takes shape through me. The
rediscovery of spirituality has brought the world and the universe into
my life.

Help me to have the desire to recreate Your splendors through my
experiences.

************************************************** *********

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15:13

"I can do all things in Him who strengthens me." Phillipians 4:13

"Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing." 1 Peter 3:8-9

"And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying.... Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well." Luke 12:29,31

************************************************** *********

Daily Inspiration

All the good things in life don't mean much if we fail to enjoy them. Lord, may I pause to notice my blessings and be joyful.

Your last chance to do anything about today is right now. Lord, help me keep my thoughts on making this day better so that I build a good foundation for tomorrow.

[bluidkiti]

February 22

Daily Reflections

February 22 - http://www.aa.org/lang/en/aareflecti...4&rdm=2&rdd=22

************************************************** *********

As Bill Sees It

http://upperpeninsulaoa.com/wp-conte...BillSeesIt.pdf
http://csoaamaine.org/absi/

************************************************** *********

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Each Day a New Beginning (Women)
Food for Thought
Language of Letting Go
Today's Gift
Touchstones (Men)
Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Walk In Dry Places
Keep It Simple

************************************************** *********

Alcoholics Anonymous - First Edition

Chapter 8 - TO WIVES

We have tried to hold the love of our children for their father. We have told small tots that father was sick, which was much nearer the truth than we realized. They struck the children, kicked out door panels, smashed treasured crockery, and ripped the keys out of pianos. In the midst of such pandemonium they may have rushed out threatening to live with the other woman forever. In desperation, we have even got tight ourselves—the drunk to end all drunks. The unexpected result was that our husbands seemed to like it.

p. 106

************************************************** *********

If you find a flaw in someone else it means that you first found the flaw in yourself, otherwise you would not have recognized it.

Forgiveness is the way to true health and happiness. By not judging, we release the past and let go of our fears of the future. In so doing, we come to see that everyone is our teacher and that every circumstance is an opportunity for growth in happiness, peace and love. --Gerald G. Jampolsky

Whoever makes no mistakes is doing nothing. --Dutch Proverb

Today, I will take time to smell the flowers.

Joy isn't the absence of pain - it's the presence of God.

Worry is like a rocking chair--it gives you something to do but it doesn't get you anywhere. --Dorothy Galyean

Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey! --Barbara Hoffman

God is making something wondrous of my life. --Anita J. McIntosh

God calls us in the small choices of each day. --John Covington

************************************************** *********

Father Leo's Daily Meditation

PATRIOTISM

"For us, patriotism is the same
as the love of humanity."
-- Mohandas Gandhi

Today I am on the side of mankind. I am convinced that my welfare is
generated by the peace and stability of the world. The love and joy
that produces spiritual growth stems from my relationships in the
world: we cannot exist alone.

Today I strive to bring the world and people together; we must not
seek to be the same but rather rejoice in the richness of difference.

Drugs always divide, separate and isolate; spirituality unites. Today I
am an optimist for mankind because of what has happened in my own
life.

Thank You for a humanity that can be shared.

************************************************** *********

Let the wise listen and add to their learning and let the discerning get guidance. Proverbs 1 : 5

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him." Psalm 62:5

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait on the Lord. Psalm 31:24

************************************************** *********

Daily Inspiration

When you need to feel better about yourself, do something nice for someone else. Lord, help that I may make someone's day a little happier.

To have courage, think courageous, act courageous, and pray to God for courage. Lord, You are full of love for all who come to You.

[bluidkiti]

February 23

Daily Reflections

February 23 - http://www.aa.org/lang/en/aareflecti...4&rdm=2&rdd=23

************************************************** *********

As Bill Sees It

http://upperpeninsulaoa.com/wp-conte...BillSeesIt.pdf
http://csoaamaine.org/absi/

************************************************** *********

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Each Day a New Beginning (Women)
Food for Thought
Language of Letting Go
Today's Gift
Touchstones (Men)
Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Walk In Dry Places
Keep It Simple

************************************************** *********

Alcoholics Anonymous - First Edition

Chapter 8 - TO WIVES

Perhaps at this point we got a divorce and took the children home to father and mother. Then we were severely criticized by our husband’s parents for desertion. Usually we did not leave. We stayed on and on. We finally sought employment ourselves as destitution faced us and our families.

p. 106

************************************************** *********

The Seven "T's" ...
Take Time To Think The Thing Through.

In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. --Anne Frank

So, don't take for granted just what you see. Look under the mask, that's where the real person will be. --author unknown

God is present in all things, even those events and circumstances that seem terrible. Within any circumstance is the seed that can bear the fruit of the greater good, if we are willing to ask God to lead us in bringing forth that good. --Mary Manin Morrissey

Laughter is the sound of recovery.

"It doesn't matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off! You cannot make progress without making decisions." --Jim Rohn

"You can accomplish virtually anything if you want it badly enough and if you are willing to work long enough and hard enough." --Brian Tracy

"The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man's determination." --Tommy Lasorda

************************************************** *********

Father Leo's Daily Meditation

THOUGHT

"I was a free-thinker before I
knew how to think."
-- George Bernard Shaw

All of us are influenced by somebody. Not to be influenced is to
remain an ignorant person. Most of us hinder our thinking,
particularly around spiritual things, because of pride. We don't like
change. We find it hard to accept attitudes and opinions that differ
from our own. Pride keeps us deaf and often stupid. However, the
daily program of a lived spirituality encourages a variety of opinions
and attitudes. We can learn from different customs, lifestyles and
religions. We can be helped in our understanding of life by the
stranger.

I know that I do not have all the answers. Perhaps you carry my
answers. Today I am prepared to listen to you.

God, the sustainer of all religions and philosophies, help us to
discover You in our differences.

************************************************** *********

It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

"But he said, 'What is impossible with men is possible with God.'" Luke 18:27

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2

************************************************** *********

Daily Inspiration

There is no better time than right now to do what we have been putting off. Lord, grant me motivation and focus that I may live so as to have no regrets about what I should have done.

If you feel the need to get even, try getting even with those that have helped you. Lord, free me from any thoughts of revenge because this only shuts the door to my own happiness.

[bluidkiti]

February 24

Daily Reflections

February 24 - http://www.aa.org/lang/en/aareflecti...4&rdm=2&rdd=24

************************************************** *********

As Bill Sees It

http://upperpeninsulaoa.com/wp-conte...BillSeesIt.pdf
http://csoaamaine.org/absi/

************************************************** *********

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Each Day a New Beginning (Women)
Food for Thought
Language of Letting Go
Today's Gift
Touchstones (Men)
Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Walk In Dry Places
Keep It Simple

************************************************** *********

Alcoholics Anonymous - First Edition

Chapter 8 - TO WIVES

We began to ask medical advice as the sprees got closer together. The alarming physical and mental symptoms, the deepening pall of remorse, depression and inferiority that settled down on our loved ones—these things terrified and distracted us. As animals on a treadmill, we have patiently and wearily climbed, falling back in exhaustion after each futile effort to reach solid ground. Most of us have entered the final stage with its commitment to health resorts, sanitariums, hospitals, and fails. Sometimes there were screaming delirium and insanity. Death was often near.

pp. 106-107

************************************************** *********

If I linger with half truths, alibis, excuses, I will reap the
consequences.

Hold your head high. Rise above the situation.
A new day is dawning. Look forward to a better time.
You have done your best. Forget the rest.
This is growth. We struggle, we learn, we overcome.
--Author Unknown

Words you speak can be your best attribute or your worst weapon.
It's up to you on how you decide to use them. Remember though,
it only takes once to say the wrong thing forever.

A smile is a gift you give to someone else.

We all have a "bad" day every once in a while. Your strength is determined by whether
or not you let that "bad" day ruin your day.

Being thoughtful only takes a moment of your time.
Being thoughtless will require more in explanations and apologies.

************************************************** *********

Father Leo's Daily Meditation

SELF

"Wherever two people meet,
there are really six people
present. There is each man as he
sees himself, each man as the
other person sees him, and each
man as he really is."
-- William James

Part of my spiritual journey involves the discovery of "self". For
years I pretended to be what I was not; for years I pretended to be
what I imagined myself to be; for years I pretended to be what you
wanted me to be --- always my real "self" eluded me.

Today I am beginning to know myself. I know my needs. I understand
my strengths. I accept my weaknesses and I live with my confusions.
>From the time I decided to put down the glass of alcohol, it
progressively got better --- but there is still a great deal I do not
understand. Man's inhumanity to man, the daily violence and
suffering, my own personal greed, cowardice and arrogance --- where
does it come from? I don't know and today that is okay. However, I
still search; my suspicion is that the answer lies within my own
insecurities.

In Your time, Master, may I grow in my understanding of self.

************************************************** *********

"Truly, I say to you, whoever says to the mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,'
and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be
done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have
received it and it will be yours."
Mark 11:23-24

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful;
he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,
he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
I Corinthians 10:13

"See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and
that is what we are.... Beloved, we are God's children now."
1 John 3:1-2

************************************************** *********

Daily Inspiration

When you follow God's way, your life will flourish according to His great plan for you. Lord, guide me and make me aware of the ways You are working in my life.

Use the power of positive images in your mind to bring about good experiences. Lord, I will let my faith in You nourish my thoughts so that I can develop a healthy and joyful reality.

[bluidkiti]

February 25

Daily Reflections

February 25 - http://www.aa.org/lang/en/aareflecti...4&rdm=2&rdd=25

************************************************** *********

As Bill Sees It

http://upperpeninsulaoa.com/wp-conte...BillSeesIt.pdf
http://csoaamaine.org/absi/

************************************************** *********

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Each Day a New Beginning (Women)
Food for Thought
Language of Letting Go
Today's Gift
Touchstones (Men)
Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Walk In Dry Places
Keep It Simple

************************************************** *********

Alcoholics Anonymous - First Edition

Chapter 8 - TO WIVES

Under these conditions we naturally make mistakes. Some of them rose out of ignorance of alcoholism. Sometimes we sensed dimly that we were dealing with sick men. Had we fully understood the nature of the alcoholic illness, we might have behaved differently.

p. 107

************************************************** *********

God, protect me from negative influences, which erode my beliefs.
Help me protect myself. Surround me with that which is positive,
edifying, and uplifting.
--Melody Beattie

It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man
can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson

We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much
as we speak.
--Epictetus

Have compassion for yourself and others.
Everyone is doing the best they can based on their life experiences.
Everyone is learning and growing, and so are you.
--HeartMath Discovery Program, Doc Childre and Sara Paddison

A great reform would take place in the world if we tried to live truth
instead of preaching it.

"I have been given a quiet place in bright sunshine."
--Bill W.

I am God's Melody of Life and He Sings His Song through me.

************************************************** *********

Father Leo's Daily Meditation

AMBITION

"The child without ambition is
like a watch with a broken
spring."
-- R. W. Stockman

It is not wrong to have ambition. It is not wrong to want to be
"somebody". The tragedy is that this has to be said!

For too long we have played the tapes in our head that discouraged
ambition and creative pride. We confused humility with timidity and
self-abuse. We waited for things to happen, rather than made them
happen.

Today I know that I am a creature of God --- created to create. God is
at work in my life. I am part of His miracle for the world.

O God, may I always have ambition for those things that are good and
true.

************************************************** *********

"Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in
me, and the God of peace will be with you."
Philippians 4:9

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand,
and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations,
knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and
character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured
out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Rom. 5:1-5

"So Jesus answered and said to them, Have faith in God."
Mark 11:22

************************************************** *********

Daily Inspiration

To receive the wonderful healing power of love, wish others well even when things aren't going so well for you. Lord, I rejoice in You always because You are blessing me daily no matter what my circumstances may be.

We are judged by our actions, not by our intentions. Lord, may I show my love for You through charity and goodness toward others.

[bluidkiti]

February 26

Daily Reflections

February 26 - http://www.aa.org/lang/en/aareflecti...4&rdm=2&rdd=26

************************************************** *********

As Bill Sees It

http://upperpeninsulaoa.com/wp-conte...BillSeesIt.pdf
http://csoaamaine.org/absi/

************************************************** *********

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Each Day a New Beginning (Women)
Food for Thought
Language of Letting Go
Today's Gift
Touchstones (Men)
Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Walk In Dry Places
Keep It Simple

************************************************** *********

Alcoholics Anonymous - First Edition

Chapter 8 - TO WIVES

How could men who loved their wives and children be so unthinking, so callous, so cruel? There could be no love in such persons, we thought. And just as we were being convinced of their heartlessness, they would surprise us with fresh resolves and new attentions. For a while they would be their old sweet selves, only to dash the new structure of affection to pieces once more. Asked why they commenced to drink again, they would reply with some silly excuse, or none. It was so baffling, so heartbreaking. Could we have been so mistaken in the men we married? When drinking, they were strangers. Sometimes they were so inaccessible that it seemed as though a great wall had been built around them.

p. 107

************************************************** *********

This is a great day to be sober, patient, tolerant, kindly and loving.

A positive attitude is a person's passport to a better tomorrow. --Anon

Gratitude is our most direct line to God and the angels. If we
take the time, no matter how crazy and troubled we feel, we
can find something to be thankful for. The more we seek gratitude,
the more reason the angels will give us for gratitude and joy to
exist in our lives.
--Terry Lynn Taylor

God, help me learn to respond to whatever environment I'm in by
taking the appropriate actions to take care of myself.
--Melody Beattie

Every new day is the beginning of the rest of your life. On each day
you can make new choices on how to live it.

No matter what the season, God is with us.
--George J. Waggoner

God's love reaches us wherever we are.
--Karen Christy Kurtz

************************************************** *********

Father Leo's Daily Meditation

UNIQUENESS

"Each honest calling, each walk of
life, has its own elite, its own
aristocracy based upon excellence
of performance."
-- James Bryant Conant

Everybody has a gift and a special feature that is unique to
themselves. Unfortunately so many people are so busy admiring the
gifts of others that they miss their own; they are so caught up in the
lives of others that they miss the "specialness" of their own
existence. One of the symptoms of my alcoholism was low self-esteem.
Of course I acted a role of confidence. I pretended that everything was
okay. I wore the mask of success --- but deep within myself, I was always
waiting for the world to find out that I was a fake, that something
was missing in my life.

In recovery I have discovered God's powerful gift of spirituality and I
know that through my life a uniqueness exists in the world. I have the
capacity to make the day better --- not only for myself but also for
others.

Thank You for the "specialness" of my life.

************************************************** *********

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow
to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
James 1:19-20

"Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."
Proverbs 12:18

We love because [God] first loved us.
1 John 4:19

************************************************** *********

Daily Inspiration

Lift yourself above the seriousness of life by keeping a gentle sense of humor. Lord, You have made me one of a kind. Help me to enjoy who I am.

No one can live for himself alone for then he will have no purpose in life. To give of self is one of life's greatest joys and blesses us with a full and rich life. Lord, help me to be selfless and loving to those around me.

[bluidkiti]

February 27

Daily Reflections

February 27 - http://www.aa.org/lang/en/aareflecti...4&rdm=2&rdd=27

************************************************** *********

As Bill Sees It

http://upperpeninsulaoa.com/wp-conte...BillSeesIt.pdf
http://csoaamaine.org/absi/

************************************************** *********

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Each Day a New Beginning (Women)
Food for Thought
Language of Letting Go
Today's Gift
Touchstones (Men)
Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Walk In Dry Places
Keep It Simple

************************************************** *********

Alcoholics Anonymous - First Edition

Chapter 8 - TO WIVES

And even if they did not love their families, how could they be so blind about themselves? What had become of their judgment, their common sense, their will power? Why could they not see that drink meant ruin to them? Why was it, when these dangers were pointed out that they agreed, and then got drunk again immediately?

pp. 107-108

************************************************** *********

The road to recovery is always under construction.

A cool head keeps you out of hot water.

Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without
forgetting.
--Elizabeth Bibesco

God, help me take a deep breath and holler woohoo.
--Melody Beattie

A deeper bonding with one's spirit and with others at an essence level is
the spiritual opportunity of the new millennium, yet the first step is an
inside job -- starting with oneself. People have an innate desire to bond
with others in the spirit of love, but an essential first step is rolling up
our sleeves and applying some elbow grease toward managing attitudes
and emotions that are not in line with our heart or authentic self.
Then bonding becomes not an action you do but a way of being, the
way of love.
--Doc Childre

When the storms clouds threaten
And on the sea of life we're tossed,
When we don't know where we are going,
Feeling all alone and lost.......
There is a friend to turn to.
A calming hand to guide your way
He will make the dark clouds scatter
and brighter grows the day.
--Gloria Hall Wood

************************************************** *********

Father Leo's Daily Meditation

FACTS

"To treat your facts with
imagination is one thing, but to
imagine your facts is another."
-- John Burroughs

When I was drinking, I was always confusing fantasy with reality. Lies
got mingled with the facts and the facts became exaggerated. It was
almost impossible for me to distinguish between reality and fantasy,
imagination and fact. My life was a complicated lie.

Today I have a program of "rigorous" honesty; I must be rigorous and
stop the game before it starts. I need to practice the principles of
recovery in every area of my life. The spiritual road involves a
comprehensive journey and nothing need be left out.

God, who created the mountains, help me to take responsibility for the
grit between my toes.

************************************************** *********

"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My
heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song."
Psalm 28:7

"He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither
you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on
every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD."
Deuteronomy 8:3

"Come to me all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Accept
my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find
rest for your lives. The teaching I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is
light."
Matthew 11:28-30

************************************************** *********

Daily Inspiration

Time passes too quickly so waste none of it on anger, self-pity or the irritations of life. Lord, may my choices remove stress and free me to enjoy the goodness of today.

In your pursuit of happiness, pause to relax and be happy. Lord, slow me down just enough to enjoy all that You have given to me.

[bluidkiti]

February 28

Daily Reflections

February 28 - http://www.aa.org/lang/en/aareflecti...4&rdm=2&rdd=28

************************************************** *********

As Bill Sees It

http://upperpeninsulaoa.com/wp-conte...BillSeesIt.pdf
http://csoaamaine.org/absi/

************************************************** *********

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
Each Day a New Beginning (Women)
Food for Thought
Language of Letting Go
Today's Gift
Touchstones (Men)
Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Walk In Dry Places
Keep It Simple

************************************************** *********

Alcoholics Anonymous - First Edition

Chapter 8 - TO WIVES

These are some of the questions which race through the mind of every woman who has an alcoholic husband. We hope this book has answered some of them. Perhaps your husband has been living in that strange world of alcoholism where everything is distorted and exaggerated. You can see that he really does love with his better self. Of course, there is such a thing as incompatibility, but in nearly every instance the alcoholic only seems to be unloving and inconsiderate; it is usually because he is warped and sickened that he says and does these appalling things. Today most of our men are better husbands and fathers than ever before.

p. 108

************************************************** *********

"The value of life lies not in the length of days, but in the use we make of them ..."
--Michel de Montaigne

"The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes."
--Frank Lloyd Wright

There is in each of us a God-shaped vacuum that only God can fill.
--Blaise Pascal

Expectation is the greatest impediment to living. In anticipation of tomorrow, it loses
today.
--Seneca

And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.
--Abraham Lincoln

Sometimes even to live is an act of courage.
--Seneca

"This day I choose to spend in perfect peace."
--A Course in Miracles

When we are fearful, God's love can help us to be confident.
--Amanda Graham

O God, help us let your love conquer our fears.

************************************************** *********

Father Leo's Daily Meditation

PERFECTION

"He that is without sin amongst
you, let him cast the first stone."
-- Jesus Christ

It is so easy for me to focus on the failings of others and miss my own. My attraction to
gossip is that it is usually about other people and that keeps the attention away from me.
Sometimes I am made to "feel good" by exposing the weaknesses of others.

This attitude needs to be changed if I am ever to fully enjoy the fruits of sobriety. I do not
need to be drinking to behave like a drunk; gossip and character assassination are
reminiscent of my past addictive behavior. I do not need the side of me that seeks to
destroy the character of others. With my spiritual program, I am trying to change.

May I grow in my forgiveness and acceptance of others.

************************************************** *********

God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility
consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not
only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
Philippians 2:3-4

Jesus said, "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure,
pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into
your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Luke 6:38

"If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles."
Matthew 5:41

"Do to others as you would have them do to you."
Luke 6:31

************************************************** *********

Daily Inspiration

Set your priorities daily because some things in our path are just not important enough to use up our time and energy. Lord, with Your help I can have a full and enjoyable day.

God doesn't always end the storm, but He will calm your spirit and give you the courage you need. Lord, I have come to know and believe in the love You have for me.