AA Thought For Today - October

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

October 30

Suggestions
If you have decided you want what we have
and are willing to go to any length to get it -- then you are ready to take certain steps.
At some of these we balked.
We thought we could find an easier, softer way. But we could not.
With all the earnestness at our command, we beg of you to be fearless and thorough
from the very start.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 58

Thought to Ponder . . .
All of AA's suggestions are free.
The ones I don't take are the ones I end up paying for.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
N O W = No Other Way.

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

Principles
"Experience shows that few alcoholics
will long stay away from a group
just because they don't like the way it is run.
Most return and adjust themselves
to whatever conditions they must.
Some go to a different group, or form a new one.
In other words, once an alcoholic fully realizes
that he cannot get well alone,
he will somehow find a way to get well and stay well
in the company of others."
Bill W., Letter, 1943
c.1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 312

Thought to Consider . . .
It isn't difficult to make a mountain out of a molehill
- just add a little dirt.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H A L T = Honestly, Actively, Lovingly, Tolerant.

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

Grim Routine
From: "Chapter 7: Make it snappy"
During this 17-year period [1918-1935], Dr. Bob had worked out a grim routine that permitted him to drink and somehow still maintain his medical practice. Careful never to go near the hospital while he was drinking, he would stay sober until four o'clock in the afternoon. It was really a horrible nightmare, this earning money, getting liquor, smuggling it home, getting drunk, morning jitters, taking large doses of sedatives to make it possible for me to earn more money, and so on ad nauseum, he wrote. I used to promise my wife, my friends, and my children that I would drink no more - promises which seldom kept me sober through the day, though I was very sincere when I made them.
1984, AAWS, Inc., "PASS IT ON", page 140

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

"My perception of any situation is in my control -- I have a choice about which way my mind will react. I try my best to look for positive solutions; I take my problems to my sponsor or I let my friends at a meeting know what is going on inside me."
Pinellas Park, Fla, November 2006
"How the Universe Works,"
No Matter What: Dealing with Adversity in Sobriety

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

"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~

Since the home has suffered more than anything else, it is well that
a man exert himself there. He is not likely to get far in any
direction if he fails to show unselfishness and love under his own
roof. We know there are difficult wives and families, but the man
who is getting over alcoholism must remember he did much to make them so.
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 127~

Some of us once had great self-confidence, but it didn't fully solve the fear problem, or any other.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.68

We found that freedom from fear was more important than freedom from want.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.122

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Had I not been blessed with wise and loving advisers, I might have cracked up long ago. A doctor once saved me from death by alcoholism because he obliged me to face up to the deadliness of that malady. Another doctor, a psychiatrist, later on helped me save my sanity because he led me to ferret out some of my deep-lying defects. From a clergyman I acquired the truthful principles by which we A.A.'s now try to live.
But these precious friends did far more than supply me with their professional skills. I learned that I could go to them with any problem whatever. Their wisdom and their integrity were mine for the asking.
Many of my dearest A.A. friends have stood with me in exactly this same relation. Oftentimes they could help where others could not, simply because they were A.A.'s.

Prayer for the Day: New Day - Thank You, God, for today. This is the beginning of a new day. I can waste it or use it for good. What I do today is important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever- leaving in it's place something I have traded for it. I want it to be gain, not loss; good, not evil; success, not failure; in order that I shall not regret the price I paid for today.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

October 31

Fear
Fear has caused suffering when I could have had more faith.
There are times when fear suddenly tears me apart,
just when I'm experiencing feelings of joy, happiness and a lightness of heart.
Faith -- and a feeling of self-worth toward a Higher Power --
helps me endure tragedy and ecstasy.
When I choose to give all my fears over to my Higher Power, I will be free.
- Daily Reflections, p. 181

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

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
F E A R = False Events Appearing Real.

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

Trudging
"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.
May God bless you and keep you -- until then."
c.1976AAWS, Alcohlics Anonymous, p. 164

Thought to Consider . . .
I didn't know how sick I was until I started getting better.
*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F A I T H = Fantastic Adventures In Trusting Him

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

Us All
STEP TEN: Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
"Finally, we begin to see that all people, including ourselves, are to some extent emotionally ill as well as frequently wrong, and then we approach true tolerance and see what real love for our fellows actually means. It will become more and more evident as we go forward that it is pointless to become angry, or to get hurt by people who, like us, are suffering from the pains of growing up."
© 1952, AAWS, Inc., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page 92

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

"At the end of each day ... I hope that I can say a short prayer of gratitude for another day of sobriety. Anything else good that happens is a bonus."
White Rock, British Columbia, May 2005
"Life--It Happens,"
No Matter What: Dealing with Adversity in Sobriety

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

"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

Whether the family goes on a spiritual basis or not, the alcoholic
member has to if he would recover. The others must be convinced of
his new status beyond the shadow of a doubt. Seeing is believing to
most families who have lived with a drinker.
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 135~

When resentful thoughts come, try to pause and count your blessings.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.119

When in doubt we can always pause, saying, "Not my will, but Thine, be done.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.93

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

There are those who predict that A.A. may well become a new spearhead for a spiritual awakening throughout the world. When our friends say these things, they are both generous and sincere. But we of A.A. must reflect that such a tribute and such a prophecy could well prove to be a heady drink for most of us - that is, if we really came to believe this to be the real purpose of A.A., and if we commenced to behave accordingly.
Our Society, therefore, will prudently cleave to its single purpose: the carrying of the message to the alcoholic who still suffers. Let us resist the proud assumption that since God has enabled us to do well in one area we are destined to be a channel of saving grace for everybody.

Prayer for the Day: Release Me - Lord, keep me from the habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from the craving to straighten out everybody's affairs. Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details - give me wings to get to the point. I ask for the grace to listen to the tales of others pains. Help me to endure them in patience. But seal my lips on my own aches and pains -- they are increasing, and my love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally it is possible that I may be mistaken. Keep me reasonably sweet. I do not want to be a saint -- some of them are so hard to live with -- but becoming a bitter old timer would be one of the crowning works of my alcoholism. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places and talents in unexpected people. And give me, O Lord, the grace to tell them so. Make me thoughtful, but not moody; helpful, but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all - but Thou knowest, Lord, that I want a few friends in the end.