A Prayer & Some Thoughts - May

[bluidkiti]

May 16


Prayer For Patience

God, teach us what it means to have faith in silence.
When we face trials that are beyond our understanding, help us to find peace.
Help me be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.
You set all things in accordance to your time.
Remind us to wait patiently, and find peace in your plan.

~ Dick Woodward

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Just a Thought

One of the best things about the A.A. program is the peace of mind and serenity that it can bring us.

In our drinking days, we had no peace of mind or serenity. We had the exact opposite, a kind of turmoil and that "quiet desperation" we knew so well. The turmoil of our drinking days was caused partly by our physical suffering, the terrible hangovers, the cold sweats, the shakes and the jitters. But it was caused even more by our mental suffering, the loneliness, the feeling of inferiority, the lying, the remorse that every alcoholic understands.

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

Have I achieved more peace of mind?

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Just a Contemplation

Perfectionism

Expecting ourselves to be perfect puts us in a guilty and anxious state. Expecting others to be perfect is equally destructive; it makes others feel ashamed and may interfere with their growth.

People are human and vulnerable, and that is wonderful. We can accept and cherish that idea. Expecting others to be perfect puts us in that state of moral superiority. Expecting ourselves to be perfect makes us feel rigid and inferior. We can let go of both ideas.

We do not need to go to the other extreme; tolerating anything people throw our way. We can still expect appropriate, responsible behavior from ourselves. But most of us can afford to loosen up a bit. And when we stop expecting others to be perfect, we may discover that they're doing much better than we thought. When we stop expecting ourselves to be perfect, we'll discover the beauty in ourselves.

I will practice tolerance, acceptance, and love of others as they are, and myself as I am. I will strive for that balance between expecting too much and expecting too little from others and myself.

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Language of the Heart

Why, at this particular point in history, has God chosen to communicate His healing grace to so many of us? Every aspect of this global unfoldment can be related to a single crucial word. The word is "communication." There has been a lifesaving communication among ourselves, with the world around us, and with God.

From the beginning, communication in A.A. has been no ordinary transmission of helpful ideas and attitudes. 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.

As Bill Sees It Page 195

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Just a Quote

“I’ve learned that anything in life worth having comes from patience and hard work.” ~ Greg Behrendt

[bluidkiti]

May 17


Peace in Life Prayer


Dear Lord,
When I suffer despair and lack of confidence, lead me to hope, faith, and trust.
Lead me away from dishonesty and deceit toward eternal truth.
Allow eternal peace and tranquility to fill my heart, my mind, my life, and my world.
Amen


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Just a Thought

Many of us have cast aside old ideas without acquiring new ones.

Disillusionment and spiritual confusion mark our age. Many men and women are creeping through life on their hands and knees, merely because they refuse to rely on any power but themselves. Many of them feel that they are being brave and independent, but actually they are only courting disaster. Anxiety and the inferiority complex have become the greatest of all modern plagues. In A.A. we have the answer to these ills.

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

Have I ceased to rely on myself only?

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Just a Contemplation

Praise

Hearing the good words and praise from another person is harder for some of us to accept than criticism and abuse. Perhaps it is easier to receive what we are accustomed to, or maybe we feel a loss of control when someone compliments us. This is a time for us to begin accepting others' actions. We do not need to be in control of our relationships at all times. When friends offer sincere compliments, we don't need to push them away or brush them off.

All we need to do is allow others' positive messages to come into us. In a good relationship we listen to the feelings of our friends, and sometimes that means truly listening as they tell us their good feelings about us.

I will be open to the compliments that come my way without controlling them.

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Paradox

We Give Away to Keep. That seems absurd and untrue.

How can you keep anything if you give it away?
But in order to keep whatever it is we get in AA, we must go about giving it away to others, for no fees or rewards of any kind.
When we cannot afford to give away what we have received so freely in AA, we had better get ready for our next 'drunk.' It will happen every time.
We've got to continue to give it away in order to keep it.

Alcoholics Anonymous (2nd Ed.), Pages 341-342

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Just a Quote

" God is invisible, though he is seen; incomprehensible, though manifested by grace; inconceivable, though conceived by human senses. " --- Turtullian (Born 160 AD, Carthage, Tunisia)

[bluidkiti]

May 18


Prayer for Curiosity

Lord, when did I lose the wonder and curiosity of a child?
How did this “I can do it all” attitude take over my brain?
When did sarcasm, doubt, fear and anger invade my every cell squeezing out trust, faith and the ability to marvel at the ordinary?
Lord I ask you for the eyes of a child:
To giggle at silly noises and pay attention to the whispers beneath the clamor
To peer deeply into the eyes of someone who cares
To squeal with delight with daily discoveries
To see the ordinary from a different point of view
To crawl on the floor exploring whatever is right in front of me
To learn something new each week and savor that moment
To feel the thrill of the quest in spying a desired object across the room and concentrating to use my entire body to reach it.
To smack my lips with new tastes and celebrate the miracle of each moment.
Lord pour into my heart refreshing waters of curiosity from your well of life, hope, and delight.
Touch my eyes to your marvels and heal my grown up blindness.
Connect me once again with your divine curiosity and sacred surprises.

~ Jean Wise


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Just a Thought

In A.A. we have “insurance.”

Our faith in God is a kind of “insurance” against the terrible things that might happen to us if we ever drink again. By putting our drink problem in the hands of God, we've taken out a sort of “insurance policy,” which “insures” us against the ravages of drink, as our homes are insured against destruction by fire.

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

Am I paying my A.A. “insurance premiums” regularly?

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Just a Contemplation

Twelfth Step Work

It is discouraging when someone we wish to help turns down the program. It is hard to know what to say or do when a friend who needs A.A. responds to our efforts with indifference or hostility. Sometimes, those we are trying to help take advantage of our time and patience. Often, we feel inadequate when we encounter a person with seemingly overwhelming and insoluble problems.

As we go about our Twelfth Step work, let's remember that the best way we can help someone else is by maintaining our own sobriety. Let's also remember to turn over our perplexities to our Higher Power. We do the best we can, according to the insight we are given at the time, and we leave the results to God.

Show me what to do for those I would help.

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Character

Many of us felt that we had plenty of character. There was a tremendous urge to cease forever. Yet we found it impossible. This is the baffling feature of alcoholism as we know it—this utter inability to leave it alone, no matter how great the necessity or the wish.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 34

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Just a Quote

“I am neither clever nor especially gifted. I am only very, very curious.” ~ Albert Einstein

[bluidkiti]

May 19


Responsibility for Our Words Prayer

Lord, nothing carries more potential for hope and harm, building up and tearing down, giving life and dolling death than our words. Therefore, as this day begins, we choose to take responsibility for our words.

Today, we will most likely experience difficult people and disappointing circumstances; challenging relationships and unplanned interruptions; personal limitations and repeat offenders. Lord, it’s our desire to respond with mercy and grace, as opposed to reacting out of irritation and anger. So we look to you for guidance.

May the words of our mouths, born out of the meditation of our hearts, reflect and reveal you will & guidance.
Amen

~ Peter Johnson

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Just a Thought

Living the Sober A.A. Life.

Every time we go to an A.A. meeting, every time we say the Lord's Prayer, every time we have a quiet time before breakfast, we're paying a premium on our insurance against taking that first drink. And every time we help another alcoholic, we're making a large payment on our drink insurance. We're making sure that our policy doesn't lapse.

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

Am I building up an endowment in serenity, peace, and happiness that will put me on easy street for the rest of my life?

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Just a Contemplation

Taking Care of Ourselves

Self-care is not, as some may think, a spin off of the “Me” generation. It isn't self-indulgence. It isn't selfishness - in the negative interpretation of that word.

We're learning to take care of ourselves, instead of obsessively focusing on another person. We're learning self-responsibility, instead of feeling excessively responsible for others. Self-care also means tending to our true responsibilities to others; we do this better when we're not feeling overly responsible.

Self-care sometimes means me first, but usually, me too. It means we are responsible for ourselves and can choose to no longer be victims.

Self-care means learning to love the person we're responsible for taking care of - ourselves. We do not do this to hibernate in a cocoon of isolation and self indulgence; we do it so we can better love others, and learn to let them love us.

Self-care isn't selfish; it's self-esteem.

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Love

For me, AA is a synthesis of all the philosophy I've ever read, all of the positive, good philosophy, all of it based on love. I have seen that there is only one law, the law of love, and there are only two sins; the first is to interfere with the growth of another human being, and the second is to interfere with one's own growth.

Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, Page 542

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Just a Quote

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you **** well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." ~ P. J. O'Rourke

[bluidkiti]

May 20


Expressing Gratitude Prayer

Lord,
My blessings are many and my heart is filled with gratefulness for the gift of living, for the ability to love and be loved, for the opportunity to see the everyday wonders of creation, for sleep and water, for a mind that thinks and a body that feels.

I thank you, too, for those things in my life that are less than I would hope them to be. Even the things that seem challenging, unfair, or difficult. I rejoice that I am growing and learning. I thank you most of all for your unconditional and eternal love.
Amen

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Just a Thought

My drinking career.
As I look back over my drinking career, have I learned that you take out of life what you put into it? When I put drinking into my life, did I take out a lot of bad things? Hospitals with the D.T.'s? Jails for drunken driving? Loss of job? Loss of home and family?

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

When I put drinking into my life, was almost everything I took out bad?

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Just a Contemplation

Freedom

Many of us were oppressed and victimized as children. As adults, we may continue to keep ourselves oppressed.

Some of us don't recognize that caretaking and not setting boundaries will leave us feeling victimized.
Some of us don't understand that thinking of ourselves as victims will leave us feeling oppressed.
Some of us don't know that we hold the key to our own freedom. That key is honoring ourselves, and taking care of ourselves.

We can say what we mean, and mean what we say.
We can stop waiting for others to give us what we need and take responsibility for ourselves. When we do, the gates to freedom will swing wide.
Walk through.

I will understand that I hold the key to my freedom. I will stop participating in my oppression and victimization. I will take responsibility for myself, and let others do as they may.

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Good Question

When we find ourselves up-tight and even frantic, we can ask ourselves occasionally, Am I really that indispensable? or Is this hurry really necessary? What a relief to find the honest answer is frequently no! And such devices actually serve, in the long run, not only to help us get over the drinking problem and its old ways; they also enable us to become far more productive, because we conserve and channel our energy better. We arrange priorities more sensibly. We learn that many actions once considered vital can be eliminated if they are thoughtfully reexamined. How much does it really matter? is a very good question.

Living Sober, Pages 45-46

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Just a Quote

"Today, 1 will practice a welcoming attitude toward everyone I meet." ~ Edith Wharton

[bluidkiti]

May 21


Right Path Prayer

Dear God,
So many youths are addicted to drugs and alcohol.
They believe that addiction is the path that has been laid out for them.
But Lord, that is not true because you have great plans for them.
The enemy has fed them with lies so that he can keep them imprisoned to drugs and alcohol.
Please help them to understand their value and to see themselves the way you see them.
Uproot all the lies that the enemy has placed in their hearts about their identity.
Lead them in the right path and help them to become free.
Amen

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Just a Thought

Today, I try to live a sober life.

Since I've been putting sobriety into my life, I've been taking out a lot of good things. I can describe it best as a kind of quiet satisfaction. I feel good. I feel right with the world, on the right side of the fence. As long as I put sobriety into my life, almost everything I take out is good. The satisfaction you get out of living a sober life is made up of a lot of little things. You have the ambition to do things you didn't feel like doing when you were drinking.

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

Am I getting satisfaction out of living a sober life?

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Just a Contemplation

"Never’s”

Be careful what you say you’ll never do again. You might be building a wall between you and the good in your life.

He hurt me, so I’m never going to speak to him again. She hurt me, so I’m never going to get involved with women again.

Sometimes, our hurt feelings can be accurate and reliable warnings that we need to back off and stay away. But usually when we say never, it’s because we don’t want to be vulnerable and feel the hurt that came our way.

Saying never may be an indication that we’ve closed our hearts.

Have you built a wall with your “never’s”? Look. Peek underneath. Is there a feeling of hurt you need to feel, instead?

You got burned when you touched the hot stove, so you’re never going to go near a stove again? You’ll miss out on some tasty meals.

God, help me be vulnerable enough to feel my pain and learn my lesson, instead of saying never and building a big wall.

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Requirements

What if the doors to AA could really be locked against me?
What if it was possible to take away my membership?
Maybe because I hadn't paid my dues, or because I didn't meet some ethical or ethnic standards, or maybe because I "broke the rules" by going out and getting drunk, as I have a few times during my long association with the Fellowship? But then I recall the Preamble, and the Third Tradition . . . "The only requirement for AA membership," it says, "is a desire to stop drinking."

The Home Group: Heartbeat Of AA Page 69

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Just a Quote

"Never look back with regret because life is never perfect, but it offers us the perfect moment to start anew which is right now." ~ Jessica Mesman Griffith

[bluidkiti]

May 22


Prayer for Anxiety & Stress Relief


Lord,
I am weary and tired. The world around me has become difficult and hard to bear.
I lay all these burdens down before you. You are my strength and rock in times of trouble.
I listen and hear your presence in the trees and the flowers and all the beauty of nature.
I know you are involved in every aspect of my life whether I see it now or not.
I will choose to breathe deep, let go of fear and anxiety, and rest in you.
Amen


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Just a Thought


The satisfaction you get out of living a sober life is made up of a lot of little things.

But they add up to a satisfactory and happy life. You take out of life what you put into it. So I'd say to people coming into A.A.: "Don't worry about what life will be like without liquor. Just hang in there and a lot of good things will happen to you. And you'll have that feeling of quiet satisfaction and peace and serenity and gratitude for the grace of God."

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

Is my life becoming really worth living?

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Just a Contemplation

Limitations

Often, when we involve ourselves in a whirlwind of activities, plans, and expectations, we push ourselves so hard that we don't derive any satisfaction from success. We need to face our limitations. We can't do everything we want. Even when we can do a great deal, if we overextend ourselves, take on too much, we will not enjoy ourselves, and there is no reason not to enjoy our work.

Our activities are part of what we are. If we choose to live in a frantic hurry, worrying about the next moment instead of this one, we'll miss life entirely. Part of self-knowledge is learning to pace ourselves to our own speed, learning to set goals we can attain for each day. When we do this, we can say, "Now that I've completed this, I don't have to do one more thing to feel worthwhile."

Am I trying to do too much too fast?

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Choice

Any number of alcoholics are bedeviled by the dire conviction that if they ever go near A.A. they will be pressured to conform to some particular brand of faith or theology.

They just don't realize that faith is never an imperative for A.A. membership. that sobriety can be achieved with an easily acceptable minimum of it, and that our concepts of a Higher Power and God--as we understand Him--afford everyone a nearly unlimited choice of spiritual belief and action.

As Bill Sees It Page 201

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Just a Quote

"When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which never happened." ~ Winston Churchill

[bluidkiti]

May 23


Prayer for Strength and Courage

Lord,
Please give me strength when I am weak,
love when I feel forsaken,
courage when I am afraid,
wisdom when I feel foolish,
comfort when I am alone, hope when I feel rejected,
and peace when I am in turmoil.
Amen

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Just a Thought

For us humility and sobriety go hand in hand.

After we've been in A.A. for a while, we find out that if we're going to stay sober, we have to be humble people. The men and women in A.A. who have achieved sobriety are all humble people. When I stop to think that but for the grace of God I might be drunk right now, I can't help feeling humble. Gratitude to God for His grace makes me humble. When I think of the kind of person I was not so long ago, when I think of the person I left behind me, I have nothing to be proud of.

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

Am I grateful and humble?

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Just a Contemplation

Grief

It is a sad occasion when we must say goodbye to a loved one or pet who has died. But grief is the only way we can come to understand our losses, and sharing grief helps us experience it more fully.

Perhaps we wish to grieve for something else we've lost, like fading youth, a job, a possession, or a habit we had come to enjoy. It's natural to feel grief over things like this, too.

We can share stories and good memories with other grievers, and give free reign to our tears. Sometimes it seems the more we talk, the sadder we feel about our losses, but when we share these feelings with others, we turn our losses into gain. We heal ourselves, pay tribute to those we grieve for, and share an intimate sense of loss with someone else.

Do I have grief to share?

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Today

But today is always here. Life is daily; today is all we have; and anybody can go one day without drinking.
First, we try living in the now just in order to stay sober -- and it works.
Once the idea has become a part of our thinking, we find that living life in 24-hour segments is an effective and satisfying way to handle many other matters as well.

Living Sober Page 7

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Just a Quote

"It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit." ~ Harry S Truman

[bluidkiti]

May 24


Prayer for Strength

God, please give me strength when I am weak,
love when I feel forsaken, courage when I am afraid,
wisdom when I feel foolish,
comfort when I am alone,
hope when I feel rejected,
and peace when I am in turmoil.
Amen

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Just a Thought

People believe in A.A. when they see it work.

An actual demonstration is what convinces them. What they read in books, what they hear people say doesn't always convince them. But when they see a real honest to goodness change take place in a person, a change from a drunkard to a sober, useful citizen, that's something they can believe because they can see it. There's really only one thing that proves to me that A.A. works.

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

Have I seen the change in people who come into A.A.?

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Just a Contemplation

Coping With Stress

Inevitably, there are times of stress in our lives.
Sometimes, the stress is outside or around us. We're feeling balanced, but our circumstances are stressful. Sometimes, the stress is within; we feel out of balance. When the stress is external and internal, we experience our most difficult times.

During stressful times, we can rely more heavily on our support systems. Our friends and groups can help us feel more balanced and peaceful in spite of our stressful conditions. Affirming that the events taking place are a temporarily uncomfortable part of a good, solid plan can help. We can assure ourselves that we will get through. We won't be destroyed. We won't crumple or go under.

Our most important focus during times of stress is taking care of ourselves. We are better able to cope with the most irregular circumstances; we are better able to be there for others, if we're caring for ourselves. We can ask ourselves regularly: What do we need to do to take care of ourselves? What might help us feel better or more comfortable?

Self-care may not come as easily during times of stress. Self-neglect may feel more comfortable. But taking care of us always works.

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Obsession

Most of us have been unwilling to admit we were real alcoholics. No person likes to think he is bodily and mentally different from his fellows. Therefore, it is not surprising that our drinking careers have been characterized by countless vain attempts to prove we could drink like other people. The idea that somehow, someday he will control and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal drinker. The persistence of this illusion is astonishing. Many pursue it into the gates of insanity and death. We learned that we had to fully concede to our innermost selves that we were alcoholics. This is the first step to recovery.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 30

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Just a Quote

"We can develop acceptance of any circumstances, but our success in doing so comes mainly through our reliance on God to show us the way." ~ Karen Casey

[bluidkiti]

May 25


Denial Prayer

Lord,
Forgive me for the ways I’ve sought to escape responsibility for my actions through various forms of denial. I invite You to reveal to me the truth about the impact of my past actions and behavior. I ask you to fill me with strength and courage to acknowledge and deal with what You reveal to me. I come to You weary of my burdens. I desire the new life of healing and hope that You promise when I live in truth. Amen

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Just a Thought

In A.A. we live in today.

We know from experience that as time goes on, the future takes care of itself. Everything works out well, as long as we stay sober. All we need to think about is today. When we get up in the morning and see the sun shining in the window, we thank God that He has given us another day to enjoy because we're sober, a day in which we may have a chance to help somebody.

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

Do I know that this day is all I have and that with God's help I can stay sober today?

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Just a Contemplation

Commitments

While many of us fear committing, it's good to weigh the cost of any commitment we are considering. We need to feel consistently positive that it's an appropriate commitment for us. Many of us have a history of jumping -- leaping headfirst -- into commitments without weighing the cost and the possible consequences of that particular commitment. When we get in, we find that we do not really want to commit and feel trapped.

Some of us may become afraid of losing out on a particular opportunity if we don't commit. It is true that we will lose out on certain opportunities if we are unwilling to commit. We still need to weigh the commitment. We still need to become clear about whether that commitment seems right for us. If it isn't, we need to be direct and honest with others and ourselves.

Be patient. Do some soul searching. Wait for a clear answer. We need to make our commitments not in urgency or panic but in quiet confidence that what we are committing to is right for us. Don't panic. We don't have to commit to what isn't right for us, even if we try to tell ourselves it should be right for us and we should commit.

In the excitement of making a commitment and beginning, we may overlook the realities of the middle. That is what we need to consider. We don't have to commit out of urgency, impulsivity, or fear. We are entitled to ask, Will this be good for me? We are entitled to ask if this commitment feels right. Often, we can trust our intuitive sense more than we can trust our intellect about commitments.

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Change

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

As Bill Sees It Page 115

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Just a Quote

“Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving.” ~ James E. Faust

[bluidkiti]

May 26


Prayer of Gratitude

Thank you, Lord, for the blessings you have bestowed on my life. You have given me family and friends who bless me every day with kind words and actions. They lift me up in ways that keep my eyes focused.

Also, thank you, Lord, for keeping me safe. You help me make better choices and provide me with advisors to help me with life’s difficult decisions. You speak to me in so many ways, if I just listen.

And Lord, I am so grateful for keeping those around me safe and loved. I hope that you provide me with the ability and sense to show them every day how much they matter. I hope that you give me the ability to give to them the same kindness they have provided to me.

I am extremely grateful for all of your blessings in my life, Lord. I pray that you remind me of just how blessed I am and that you never allow me to forget to show my gratitude in prayer and returned acts of kindness.
Amen

~ Kelli Mahoney

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Just a Thought

Men and women keep coming into A.A

Defeated by alcohol, often given up by doctors as hopeless cases, they themselves admitting they're helpless to stop drinking. When I see these men and women get sober and stay sober over a period of months and years, I know that A.A. works. The change I see in people who come into A.A. not only convinces me that A.A. works, but it also convinces me that there must be a Power greater than ourselves which helps us to make that change.

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

Am I convinced that a Higher Power can help me to change?

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Just a Contemplation

Courage

It is not unusual to feel afraid. It is unusual, however, to hear anyone admit to feeling afraid. Sometimes we think there are some people who are so cool and calm that they never feel afraid. This may make us think we're not as good because we know how often we feel afraid. This is why it is important to think about what courage really is. It is not the absence of fear. Courage is not letting fear stop us from doing what we need to do.

We might have to get up in front of a group to give a speech. We could give in to our fear and not give the speech, or we could admit our fear to those who love us, and then go ahead and do the best we can. To go ahead in the face of fear is courage.

What am I afraid of?

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A New Life

When we work at our Twelve Steps, the old life of guzzling and fuzzy thinking, and all that goes with it, gradually dies, and we acquire a different and better way of life. As our shortcomings are removed, one of us dies, and another life of us lives. We in AA die to live.

Experience, Strength and Hope, p. 156

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Just a Quote

"Sometimes we have to start over again when we don’t want to, didn’t plan on it, and don’t think it’s fair." ~ Pia Mellody

[bluidkiti]

May 27


Humility Prayer

God, I am far too often influenced by what others think of me.
I am always pretending to be either richer or smarter or nicer than I really am.
Please prevent me from trying to attract attention.
Don't let me gloat over praise on one hand or be discouraged by criticism on the other.
Nor let me waste time weaving imaginary situations in which the most heroic, charming, witty person present is myself.
Show me how to be humble of heart, like you.

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Just a Thought

It's been proven that we alcoholics can't get sober by our willpower.

We've failed again and again. Therefore I believe there must be a Higher Power, which helps me. I think of that power as the grace of God. And I pray to God every morning for the strength to stay sober today. I know that Power is there because it never fails to help me.

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

Do I believe that A.A. works through the grace of God?

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Just a Contemplation

Patience

Patience is a quality that frequently eludes us. We want what we want when we want it. Fortunately, we don't get it until the time is right, but the waiting convinces us our prayers aren't heard. We must believe that the answer always comes in its own special time and place. The frustration is that our timetable is seldom like God's.

When we look back over the past few weeks, months, or even years, we can recall past prayers. Had they all been answered at the time of request, how different our lives would be. We are each on a path unique to us, offering special lessons to be learned. Just as a child must crawl before walking, so must we move slowly, taking the steps in our growth in sequence.

Our prayers will be answered, sometime, somewhere. Of that we can be sure. They will be answered for our greater good. And they will be answered at the right time, the right place, in the right way.

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Helping Others

We realize now that we were excessively self-centered, chiefly concerned about our feelings, our problems, other people's reactions to us, and our own past and future.
Therefore, trying to get into communication with and help other people is a recovery measure for us, because it helps take us out of ourselves.
Trying to heal ourselves by helping others works, even when it is an insincere gesture. Try it some time.

Living Sober Page 85

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Just a Quote

“Losers live in the past. Winners learn from the past and enjoy working in the present toward the future.” ~ Denis Waitley

[bluidkiti]

May 28


Technology Wisdom Prayer

Spirit of love and connectivity, originator of emerging technologies, and ever evolving intelligences, you give me both a gift and challenge.
Help me choose wisely amid the endless tweets and plethora of knowledge that daily saturate my consciousness.
Immerse me in the power of your Providence.
Let it always be the well of wisdom from which I can draw meaning to make sense of the madness of my life.
That’s enough for me.

~ Sister Cathy Campbell
(Sisters of Providence)

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Just a Thought

Seeing is believing.

I don't believe that A.A. works because I read it in a book or because I hear people say so. I believe it because I see people getting sober and staying sober. An actual demonstration is what convinces me. When I see the change in people, I can't help believing that A.A. works. We could listen to talk about A.A. all day and still not believe it, but when we see it work, we have to believe it. Seeing is believing.

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

Do I see A.A. work every day?

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Just a Contemplation

Unused Capacities

Those of us who have suffered a broken bone and had to put up with a cast for several weeks know how hard it is to use muscles that have been inactive for so long. They have gotten weak from lack of use, and we have to begin to develop our strength all over again.

The same thing happens if we don't use our other capacities. If we don't constantly use our minds to think and learn, we become dull people, almost incapable of new thoughts and insights. If we don't use our hearts to love, we become uncaring and insensitive - much like Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. If we don't use our creative talents - to draw or write or sew, or whatever it is we're into - we lose the ability to do those things.

On the other hand, like our muscles, our other capacities can be strengthened and developed by daily use. We exercise our hearts by being kind and loving, our minds by thinking, our imaginations by being creative. In this way, we become spiritually powerful, a force for good in the world.

How can I exercise my assets today?

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Expectations

Peace is possible for me only when I let go of expectations.
When I am trapped in thoughts about what I want and what should be coming to me, I'm in a state of fear or anxious anticipation and this is not conducive to emotional sobriety. I must surrender -- over and over -- to my dependence on God, for then I find peace, gratitude and spiritual security.

Daily Reflections Page 197

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Just a Quote

" I Understood Myself Only After I Destroyed Myself. And Only In The Process Of Fixing Myself, Did I Know Who I Really Was." ~ John Gillen

[bluidkiti]

May 29


Morning Prayer

God,
Thank you for the gift of today.
Refresh me. Invite me to discover your presence
In each person that I meet
And every event that I encounter.
Teach me when to speak and when to listen
When to ponder and when to share.
In moments of challenge and decision
Attune my heart to the whisperings of your Wisdom.
As I undertake ordinary and unnoticed tasks,
Gift me with simple joy.
When my day goes well, may I rejoice.
When it grows difficult, surprise me with
New possibilities.
When life is overwhelming, call me to
Sabbath moments
To restore your Peace and Harmony.
May my living today reveal your Goodness.

~ Pat Bergen, C.S.J, Xavier University

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Just a Thought

The A.A. program is one of submission, release, and action.

When we're drinking, we're submitting to a power greater than ourselves, alcohol. Our own wills are no use against the power of alcohol. One drink and we where powerless over alcohol. In A.A. we stop submitting to the power of alcohol. Instead, we submit to a Power, also greater than ourselves, which we call God.

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

Have I submitted myself to that Higher Power?

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Just a Contemplation

Crises

Yet we are not alone. An animal caught in a hole would cry out until someone came along and helped it out. We, too, can call out for help - to our Higher Power and to the important people in our lives. We can learn to trust that, with the help of our friends and our God, we will be able to crawl out of our holes.

With trust, we will climb out of our crises and be healed with the passage of time. Such holes are a part of our landscape, yet every time we will be able to climb out and walk, leaving the darkness behind us.

If I need help, will I ask for it?

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My Solution

Bewilderment, fear, and resentment moved into my life. And yet my ability to lie outwardly and to kid myself inwardly grew with every drink I took. Indeed, I had to drink now to live, to cope with the demands of everyday existence. When I encountered disappointments or frustrations - as I did more and more frequently - my solution was to drink. I had always been oversensitive to criticism and was acutely so now. When I was criticized or reprimanded, the bottle was my refuge and comfort.

Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Page 555

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Just a Quote

“Recovery is all about using our power to change our beliefs that are based on faulty data.” ~ Kevin McCormick

[bluidkiti]

May 30


To Remove Hatred Prayer

God,
I come to you in need because I carry so much hatred in me that causes me to sin and feel miserable . I have blocked you from my life, I only came to you when I needed something . I should’ve never took you for granted .

Now I hold all this hatred towards people who, I believe betrayed me or disappointed me I can never seem to let go of a grudge which intervenes in my everyday life. Please take this hatred and anger I hold inside and help me move on in my life . Amen

~ Crystal (Queens , NY)

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Just a Thought

By submitting to God, as I understood him,
We're released from the power of alcohol.

It has no more hold on us. We're also released from the things that were holding us down: pride, selfishness, and fear. And we're free to grow into a new life, which is so much better than the old life that there's no comparison. This release gives us serenity and peace with the world.

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

Have I been released from the power of alcohol?

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Just a Contemplation

Expressing Feelings

Many of us were raised to deny our feelings; that is, we might have been allowed to describe them politely, but we were not allowed to express feelings on the spot by wailing, jumping for joy, or dancing. This is often considered rude. In a proper home, we often hear, if people have feelings, they have them quietly. But many of us have suffered living this way.

We need a full and thorough expression of a feeling in order to know it, experience it, and move beyond it. This is the way we let go of sadness, for instance.

Feelings come and go. If we are not afraid to let them have their moment, we will not be afraid to express them.

What am I feeling right now?

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Bridge to Faith

We were squarely confronted with the question of faith. We couldn't duck the issue. Some of us had already walked along the bridge of reason toward the desired shore of faith, where friendly hands stretched out in welcome. We were grateful that reason had brought us so far. Perhaps we had been relying too heavily on reason that last mile, and we did not like to lose our support.

Yet, without knowing it, had we not been brought to where we stood by a certain kind of faith? For did we not believe in our own reasoning? Did we not have confidence in our ability to think? What was that but a sort of faith? Yes, we had been faithful to the god of reason. So, in one way or another, we discovered that faith had been involved all the time!

Alcoholics Anonymous Pages 53-54

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Just a Quote

"The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change." ~ Carl Rogers