A Prayer & Some Thoughts - November

[bluidkiti]

November 16

Lead Me Lord

Lord,
I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that, if I do this, You will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore, I will trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone.

~ Thomas Merton (1915-1968)

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Just a Thought

After we have found sobriety through the A.A. program, we gradually began to get a peace of mind and serenity which we never thought were possible.


This peace of mind is based on a feeling that fundamentally all is well. That does not mean that all is well on the surface of things. Little things can keep going wrong and big things can keep on upsetting us. But deep down in our hearts we know that everything is eventually going to be alright, now that we are living sober lives.

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

Have I achieved a deep down, inner calm?

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Just a Contemplation

Mature Living

Being in error now and then is part of our human existence. Many of us, however, feel unbearable self-reproach when we make a mistake. Some compulsive people even blame themselves for errors beyond their control.

But the worst mistake is the refusal, or denial, of responsibility for mistakes. This comes from a strange belief that we can erase the mistake by refusing to accept it. It may stem from the belief that we should be above mistakes. This is immature thinking.

We are learning and growing when we accept our mistakes graciously and immediately move to correct them. Most of the time, when this is done, the distress passes quickly and we can go on to other matters.

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The Obsession

The idea that somehow, some day, he will control and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal drinker. The persistence of this illusion is astonishing. Many pursue it into the gates of insanity or death.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 30

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Just a Quote

"Love is caring for another human being and allowing them to be who they are and make their own choices without any demand that they meet yours." ~ Vickie Dishner

[bluidkiti]

November 17

Prayer for Laughter

Dear God,
As I stumble through this life, help me to create more laughter than tears, dispense more cheer than gloom, spread more cheer than despair. Never let me become so indifferent, that I will fail to see the wonders in the eyes of a child, or the twinkle in the eyes of the aged. Never let me forget that my total effort is to cheer people up, make them happy, and forget momentarily, all the unpleasantness in their lives. And in my final moment, may I hear You whisper: When you made My people smile, you made Me smile.
Amen

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Just a Thought

Fear and worry had me down.

My drinking increased them. I worried about what I had done when I was drunk. I was afraid of what the consequences might be. I was afraid to face people because of the fear of being found out. Fear kept me in hot water all the time. I was a nervous wreck from fear and worry. I was a tied-up bundle of nerves. I had a fear of failure, of the future, of growing old, of sickness, of hangovers, of suicide. I had a wrong set of ideas and attitudes. When A.A. told me to surrender these fears and worries to a Higher Power, I did so. I now try to think of faith instead of fear.

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

Have I put faith in place of fear?

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Just a Contemplation

Pain

Our pain is often associated with events in the past, which are still troubling us unconsciously. If we are willing to stay with the emotional discomfort and pain, we will eventually gain understanding.

When we are able to identify the source of the pain, we can examine it in the light of our present maturity and begin to put it behind us. As long as we avoid feeling the pain, we deny ourselves the healing which our Higher Power can give us.

Can & will I accept the pain that is necessary for continued growth.

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Lessons

I find the willingness to give thanks by contemplating the lessons learned from past suffering--lessons which have led to blessings I now enjoy. I can remember how the agonies of alcoholism, the pain of rebellion and thwarted pride, have often led me to God's grace, and so to a new freedom.

As Bill See It Page 266

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Just a Quote

"A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love." ~ Basil (329-379 A.D.)

[willbe275]

"Put your mind into gear before you put your mouth into drive Prayer "

What you DO, speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.

When I am worried, it’s usually because I’m trying to do everything myself. When I’m at Peace, it’s usually because I remember that God’s in Charge.

Before you assume, learn the facts. Before you judge, understand why. Before you hurt someone, feel. Before you speak, Think.

[bluidkiti]

November 18


Resentment Prayer

Dear God,
Please help me to honestly take stock. Help me to search out the flaws in my make-up which caused my failure. Help me to see where resentment has plagued me and resulted in spiritual malady, but more importantly help me to understand my part in these resentments. Help me to resolutely look for my own mistakes and to understand where I had been selfish, dishonest, self-seeking and frightened. Please help me to be searching and fearless in my endeavor to write my inventory.

(aka 4th Step Prayer)

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Just a Thought

Step One is, "We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable."

This step states the membership requirement of A.A. We must admit that our lives are disturbed. We must accept the fact that we are helpless before the power of alcohol. We must admit that we are licked as far as drinking is concerned and that we need help. We must be willing to accept the bitter fact that we cannot drink like normal people. And we must make, as gracefully as possible, surrender to the inevitable fact that we must stop drinking.

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

Is it difficult for me to admit that I am different from normal drinkers?

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Just a Contemplation

Self-love

An important part of our lives is simply tending to our basic needs. Paying attention to these things only when they become crises makes our lives unbalanced and crisis oriented.

Self-love allows us to be responsible for our care, and it puts us in a stronger position to help others, to be creative. I have to look after the essentials of my personal care and my family's care before I take on other things.

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God Is Here

The Power, which restores us to sanity, is not something remote and abstract, which we must search for by reading books and performing great feats. Our Higher Power is with us constantly and is involved in the minute details of every day. We do not have to wait and work to become acceptable to God. He accepts us now, just as we are.

To be aware of the presence of God in our lives every day, all we need is the willingness to be open to Him. What we may have spent years searching for or denying turns out to be the ground of our existence and the Power that sustains us every minute.


(Not sure who the author is)

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Just a Quote

"We must positively and definitely extend forgiveness to everyone to whom it is possible that we can owe forgiveness, namely, to anyone who we think can have injured us in any way." ~ Emmet Fox

[bluidkiti]

November 19


Prayer of Celebration

Great Spirit,
We join our minds and hearts in prayer and celebration. We celebrate Your essence within each of us. We celebrate the Love which connects us. We celebrate the work that we have before us. Today, we reach out and bless each and every person. We embrace each other like the members of a big family that we really are and we commit ourselves to live from love in all ways. Each of us is Your ambassador and we let Your light shine through our lives into each workplace, town and home that we touch. Together, we proclaim the Truth that You,Great Spirit, are Love, and that You love each person just as they are. Thank You. Thank You. And so it is. Amen.

(Based on an Old American Native Prayer)

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Just a Thought

A drinking life isn't a happy life.

Drinking cuts you off from other people and from God. One of the worst things about drinking is loneliness. And one of the best things about A.A. is the fellowship. Drinking cuts you off from other people, at least from the people who really matter to you, your wife and children, your family and real friends. No matter how much you love them, you build up a wall between you and them by drinking. You're cut off from any real companionship with them. As a result, you're terribly lonely.

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

Have I got rid of my loneliness?

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Just a Contemplation

Outlook

We choose the lives we lead. Accepting full responsibility for our actions is one of the requirements of maturity. Not always the easiest thing to do. An unexpected benefit of accepting our responsibility is that it heightens our awareness of personal power. Our attitude about any condition, present or future, is within our power, if we take it.

Life is "doing unto us" only what we allow. And it will favor us with whatever we choose. If we look for excitement, we'll find it. We can search out the positive in any experience. All situations present seeds of new understanding, if we are open to them. Our responses to the events around us determine whatever meaning life offers. We are in control of our outlook. And our outlook decides our future.

(From the writings of Karen Casey)

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Maintenance and Growth

It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment leads only to futility and unhappiness. To the precise extent we permit these, do we squander the hours that might have been worthwhile. But with the alcoholic, whose hope is the maintenance and growth of a spiritual experience, this business of harboring resentment is infinitely grave. For then we shut ourselves off from the sunlight of the spirit. The insanity of alcohol returns and we drink again. And with us, to drink is to die.

If we were to live, we had to be free of anger. The grouch and the sudden rage were not for us. Anger is the dubious luxury of normal men, but for us alcoholics it is poison.

Alcoholics Anonymous, Page 66

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Just a Quote

“God doesn’t give you the people you want, he gives you the people you need. To help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you the person you were meant to be.” – Anonymous A.A.

[bluidkiti]

November 20


Today's Prayer

Lord,
Shape me this day in ways that are in keeping with your will and purposes.
When I am weary, please lift me up.
When I am drawing inward, show me the way to community and serving.
When I am confused, grant a clarity that cuts through the many things that masquerade as truth.
When I am feeling alone, keep me company.
I ask you for this gift of hope to sustain and strengthen me.
Amen

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Just a Thought

There are no leaders in A.A., except as they volunteer to accept responsibility.

The work of carrying on A.A. --leading group meetings, serving on committees, speaking before other groups, doing twelfth-step work, spreading A.A. among the alcoholics of the community--all these things are done on a volunteer basis. If I don't volunteer to do something concrete for A.A., the movement is that much less effective. I must do my fair share to carry the load. A.A. depends on all its members to keep it alive and to keep it growing.

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

Am I doing my share for A.A.?

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Just a Contemplation

Freedom in Acceptance

When we accept ourselves, with all our imperfections, we can then begin to accept others just as they are. This is especially exciting when we apply this discovery to our own families. A family is like a bouquet of flowers arranged in a common vase. Each flower is different.

It isn't important that we know why one flower is blue and one white. We don't have to understand how a rose becomes a rose to appreciate the arrangement. We just accept it for what it is. Acceptance of others does not mean agreement or approval. How boring if we only accepted those who reflected our own ideas and opinions! How dull to look upon a bouquet of exactly the same flowers.

Today, I will accept the differences between us as part of our beauty together.

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Antidote For Fear

When our failings generate fear, we then have soul-sickness. This sickness, in turn, generates still more character defects.

Unreasonable fear that our instincts will not be satisfied drives us to covet the possessions of others, to lust for sex and power, to become angry when our instinctive demands are threatened, to be envious when the ambitions of others seem to be realized while ours are not. We eat, drink, and grab for more of everything than we need, fearing we shall never have enough. And, with genuine alarm at the prospect of work, we stay lazy. We loaf and procrastinate, or at best work grudgingly and under half steam.

These fears are the termites that ceaselessly devour the foundations of whatever sort of life we try to build.

As Bill Sees It Page 196

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Just a Quote

“The heart of human excellence often begins to beat when you discover a pursuit that absorbs you, frees you, challenges you, or gives you a sense of meaning, joy, or passion.” ~ Terry Orlick

[bluidkiti]

November 21


Give Us Hope

When evil darkens our world, give us light.
When despair numbs our souls, give us hope.
When we stumble and fall, lift us up.
When doubts assail us, give us faith.
When nothing seems sure, give us trust.
When ideals fade, give us vision.
When we lose our way, be our guide!
That we may find serenity in Your presence, and purpose in doing Your will.

~ John D. Rayner

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Just a Thought

What makes an effective talk at an A.A. meeting?

It is not a fine speech with fine choices of words and an impressive delivery. Often a few simple words direct from the heart are more effective than the most polished speech. There is always a temptation to speak beyond your experience, in order to make a good impression. This is never effective. What does not come from the heart does not reach the heart. What comes from personal experience and a sincere desire to help the other person, reaches the heart.

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

Do I speak for effect or with a deep desire to help?

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Just a Contemplation

Thoughts

We control our thoughts by controlling our self-talk. At any moment we choose we can talk to ourselves differently.

The fight comes with the emotions that are attached to our thoughts. If our emotion is high and seems to be out of control, we can say to ourselves STOP IT!, take a few deep breaths, then ask the Creator for the right thought or the right decision or the right action.

If we practice this for a while, our thought life will be different. It helps if in the morning we ask God to direct our thinking. God loves to help us.

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Resolving Fear

Fear somehow touched about every aspect of our lives. It was an evil and corroding thread; the fabric of our existence was shot through with it. It set in motion trains of circumstances which brought us misfortune we felt we didn't deserve. But did we not often set the ball rolling ourselves?

Alcoholics Anonymous, pages 67-68

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Just a Quote

“You have the power to change your thoughts and your thoughts have the power to change your life.” ~ Ron Willingham

[bluidkiti]

November 22


Accepting Change Prayer

Lord,
I need Your strength to help me with acceptance of all things.
I struggle accepting change, new people, bad news, and so much more.
Ease my fears and remove my apprehensive thoughts as I work to implement new ways and accept different ideas in my life.
Give me the courage to welcome newness and changes in my life.
Amen

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Just a Thought

How do I talk with new prospects? Am I always trying to dominate the conversation?
.
Do I lay down the law and tell prospects what they will have to do? Do I judge them privately and feel that they have a small chance of making the program? Do I belittle them to myself? Or am I willing to bare my soul so as to get them talking about themselves? And, then, am I willing to be a good listener, not interrupting, but hearing them out to the end? Do I feel deeply that they are my brothers or my sisters?

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

Will I do all I can to help them along the path to sobriety?

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Just a Contemplation

Self-esteem

Long after a bitter failure, some of us still cling to the hope that we can erase the defeat in some spectacular way. One dream is to “prove ourselves” to those who scorned us or put us down. This never really works, even when we do become winners at some later time. For one thing, we may be proving ourselves to people who will never like us. If we are striving to show others that we can succeed, we are still dancing to their tune. We are accepting their idea of what success should be.

Many of us failed simply because we were alcoholics and could do no better. We might have destroyed opportunities that will never rise again. But by finding sobriety, we may already have proved ourselves to those who really count in our lives...... Including ourselves. I can prove today that the Twelve Step program works and that a loving Higher Power is present in my life.

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Circus Act

I realized I'd been living outside myself for so long I'd almost become a walking vacancy.
In my prized AA sobriety, I was still running a kind of circus which had numerous, highly believable posters plastered all over its outside -- See the Spectacular Non-Drinking Person! Watch How Movingly He can Recite the Twelve Steps! -- but which had nothing much going on inside the tent.
I've been working hard to shut that circus down ever since with varying degrees of success.

The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 3], Pages 237-238

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Just a Quote

"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

[bluidkiti]

November 23





Bill K.


unread,3:15 AM (1 hour ago)



to 12-step-...@googlegroups.com

Prayer for Guidance

God,
Help me trust you with my decisions and future.
Let me lean on you with all my heart instead of relying on my own imperfect understanding.
Give me clear guidance in my life. I ask for your help to direct my path.
Give me confidence that your direction is always the best way to go.
Amen

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Just a Thought


Am I critical of other members of A.A. or of new prospects?

Do I ever say about other members: "I don't think they're sincere, I think they're bluffing, or I think they're taking a few drinks on the quiet?" Do I realize that my doubtful and skeptical attitude is hurting those members, if only in my attitude toward them, which they cannot help sensing? Do I say about new prospects: "They'll never make the program," or do I say: "They'll only last a few months?"

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

If I take this attitude, I am unconsciously hurting those prospects' chances. Is my attitude always constructive and never destructive?

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Just a Contemplation

Achievements

It's said that alcoholics sometimes snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Some of us, deep down inside, don't really think we deserve success. We might be discouraged by feelings of guilt or low self-esteem, or perhaps we don't want to become targets of envy or competitive attacks. We need to practice acceptance of our current situation, always believing that we do have a right to achievements that match our talents and experience, indeed, such achievements may only be possible now that we're sober and thinking rightly.

Some people think that our occupations and our program are separate matters. But the very last idea in the 12 Steps is to practice our principles "in all our affairs." If we take the view that any useful work is a form of service, we'll find opportunities to be beneficial to everyone. With that attitude, we will also realize that we deserve success. I ‘ll know today that I have a right to do well in any legitimate activity for which I am qualified.

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Light From A Prayer

"God grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

We treasure our "Serenity Prayer" because it brings a new light to us that can dissipate our oldtime and nearly fatal habit of fooling ourselves.

In the radiance of this prayer, we see that defeat, rightly accepted, need be no disaster. We now know that we do not have to run away, nor ought we again try to overcome adversity by still another bulldozing drive that can only push up obstacles before us faster than they can be taken down.

“As Bill Sees It” Page 20

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Just a Quote

“To experience peace does not mean that your life is always blissful. It means that you are capable of tapping into a blissful state of mind amidst the normal chaos of a hectic life.” ~ Jill Bolte Taylor

[bluidkiti]

November 24

Prayer For Uncertain Times

Lord God,
In this time of bewilderment and fear, we ask you to give us the courage to take care of one another.

For those who are ill, especially those who are frightened and alone, for those who cannot access healthcare, for those who are homeless and lost, hear our prayer!

In the midst of our sadness and grief, we ask you to give us words to comfort one another. For those who are dying, and for those who have already died from this virus, for those who tend them and for those with no one to tend them, hear our prayer!

In the midst of our own anxiety, we ask you to give us the courage to support one another as you would. For those who are unexpectedly unemployed, for employers who share what they can, for our government and financial institutions and those who lead them, hear our prayer!

In the midst of our struggle to ensure a healthy future for all who live on this planet, we ask you to give us the hope that surpasses our current understanding. For healthcare workers, spiritual leaders and our faith communities, for artists and poets, for prophets and teachers, hear our prayer!

In the midst of our growing awareness that all life on Earth is connected, we ask for the heart to respect and cherish all life. That all peoples recognize that we are all your children, hear our prayer!

We trust in you and your power working in us. Please hear and answer our prayers.
Amen! Amen!

~ Sister Cynthia Serjak, RSM

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Just a Thought

Making amends and restitution for the wrongs we have done is often very difficult.


It hurts our pride. But the rewards are great. When we go to a person and say we are sorry, the reaction we get is almost invariably good. It takes courage to make the plunge, but the results more than justify it. A load is off your chest and often an enemy has been turned into a friend.

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

Have I done my best to make all the amends and restitution possible?

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Just a Contemplation

Being Human

Being human means, we'll have hard times along with pleasant ones. Whether with friends, at school, or at home, we'll find reasons for sadness or anger as easily as for laughter. In every part of our lives, we're offered just what we need for growth.

Being the best, we know how to be doesn't mean we'll escape confusion or pain. Through the troubling times we learn to trust in a Higher Power; we learn patience; we learn to let go and let God decide outcomes. The troubling times offer us growth and serenity, our keys to happiness.

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"Loners"--but Not Alone

What can be said of many A.A. members who, for a variety of reasons, cannot have a family life? At first many of these feel lonely, hurt, and left out as they witness so much domestic happiness about them. If they cannot have this kind of happiness, can A.A. offer them satisfactions of similar worth and durability?

Yes-- whenever they try hard to seek out these satisfactions. Surrounded by so many A.A. friends, the so-called loners tell us they no longer feel alone. In partnership with others--women and men--they can devote themselves to any number of ideas, people, and constructive projects. They can participate in enterprises which would be denied to family men and women. We daily see such members render prodigies of service, and receive great joys in return.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 120

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Just a Quote

“It’s amazing what we can do if we will trust God enough to step out of our comfort zones!” ~ Brett Harris

[bluidkiti]

November 25

Simple Prayer of Gratitude

Thank you, Lord, for the blessings you have bestowed on my life. You have provided me with more than I could ever have imagined. You have surrounded me with people who always look out for me. 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 on you and make my spirit soar.

Also, thank you, Lord, for keeping me safe. You protect me from those things that seem to haunt others. 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 so that I always know you are here.

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 return acts of kindness.

Thank you, Lord.

~ By Kelli Mahoney

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Just a Thought

You get the power to overcome drinking through the fellowship of other alcoholics who came before you.

You get that power by honestly sharing your past experience. You get that power by coming to believe in a Higher Power, the Divine Principle in the universe which can help you. You get that power by working with other alcoholics. In these four ways, thousands of alcoholics have found all the power they needed to overcome drinking.

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

Am I ready and willing to accept this power and work for it?

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Just a Contemplation

Greatest Power

The power of God's spirit is the greatest power in the universe. Our conquest of each other, the great kings and conquerors, the conquest of wealth, the leaders of the money society, all amount to very little in the end. But one that conquers oneself is greater than one who conquers a city. Material things have no permanence. But God's spirit is eternal. Everything really worthwhile in the world is the result of the power of God's spirit.

Today, I seek to open myself to the power of God's spirit. Also, I pray that my relationships with others may be improved by this spirit.

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There Is A Solution

If you are as seriously alcoholic as we were, we believe there is no middle-of-the-road solution. We were in a position where life was becoming impossible, and if we had passed into the region from which there is no return through human aid, we had but two alternatives: One was to go on to the bitter end, blotting out the consciousness of our intolerable situation as best we could; and the other, to accept spiritual help. This we did because we honestly wanted to, and were willing to make the effort.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 25

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Just a Quote

“When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.” -- Tecumseh (1768 1812)

************ Off Topic ************

Thanksgiving Is

Thanksgiving is
a time of gratitude to God, our Creator and Provider,
whose guidance and care go before us...
and whose love is with us forever.

Thanksgiving is
a time to reflect on the changes,
to remember that we, too, grow and change
from one season of life to another.

Thanksgiving is
a time of changing seasons, when leaves turn golden
in Autumn's wake and apples are crisp
in the first chill breezes of fall.

Let us remember the true meaning of Thanksgiving.
As we see the beauty of Autumn,
let us acknowledge the many blessings which are ours...
let us think of our families and friends..
and let us give thanks in our hearts.

~ Unknown Author

[bluidkiti]

November 26


Prayer for the Day After Thanksgiving

May we remember that thanks-giving isn’t a day or a celebration. May we remember that the act of giving thanks is a daily commitment, an intentional act of love, a spiritual practice of sorts, and an understanding that we are all a little broken, that we are all desperately in need of grace. The act of giving thanks is gritty and clumsy, awkward and vulnerable, constant and filled with kind truth.

May we remember that gratitude is a peaceful appreciation for the absolute privilege of life, with its inherent flaws, messiness, and organized chaos. May we remember that gratitude isn’t just obligatory thank-you’s for gifts and favors or bold professions of our blessings. Gratitude is a deeply felt inner truth, a delicate art form to be practiced, and refined over the course of a lifetime.

As we move further into the holiday season, may we remember that it is a season of gratitude, abundantly full of the connective fibers of life and the very essence of what it means to be alive.

~ Unknown Author

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Just a Thought

When you come into an A.A. meeting, you're not just coming into a meeting, you're coming into a new life.

I'm always impressed by the change I see in people after they've been in A.A. for a while. I sometimes take an inventory of myself, to see whether I have changed and if so, in what way. Before I met A.A., I was very selfish. I wanted my own way in everything. I don't believe I ever grew up. When things went wrong, I sulked like a spoiled child and often went out and got drunk.

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

Am I still all get and no give?

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Just a Contemplation

Respect

We owe each other respect. We cannot expect to be respected if we don't respect others around us. When we respect others, we respect their property and personal belongings as well as their self-esteem and their right to voice an opinion. Respect is a way of cooperating with each other.

In a family we live in close quarters. Respect for each other is one of the things, which keeps chaos from breaking out. When we grow in respect for each other's property, abilities, and self-esteem, we soon see how valuable each member of our family really is.

I will try and show respect to those around me today.

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Pickles

We are also convinced, after the countless attempts we made to prove otherwise, that alcoholism is incurable -- just like some other illnesses. It cannot be "cured" in this sense: We cannot change our body chemistry and go back to being the normal, moderate social drinkers lots of us seemed to be in our youth. . . we can no more make that change than a pickle can change itself back into a cucumber.

Living Sober Page 8

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Just a Quote

"You Won’t Feel Happy If You Have Never Experienced What Makes You Unhappy." ~ Lifehack Quotes

[bluidkiti]

November 27


Tolerance Prayer

Lord, give me tolerance towards those whose thoughts and ways conflict with mine. For though I would, I cannot always know what constitutes the Absolute Truth. The other person may be right, while I may be all wrong, yet unaware.

Lord, make my motives right, for only this can ease my conscience when I sometimes err.

Lord, give me tolerance, for who am I to stand in judgment on another person's mistakes? No one knows better than my inward self how many little blunders I have and can make.

Life is full of stones that somehow trip us, and meaning not, we stumble now and then.

Lord, give me tolerance, for only you are rightly fit to judge my fellow travelers.

(From: Global Steps, Bristol, CT)

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Just a Thought

"Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs."

The basis of our effectiveness in carrying the message to others is the reality of our own spiritual awakening. If we have not changed, we cannot be used to change others. To keep this program, we must pass it on to others. We cannot hoard it for ourselves. We may lose it unless we give it away. It cannot flow into us and stop; it must continue to flow into us as it flows out to others.

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

Am I always ready to give away what I have learned in A.A.?

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Just a Contemplation

Tolerance

Tolerate our quirks, our feelings, our reactions, our peculiarities, and our humanness. Tolerate our ups and downs, our resistance to change, and our struggling and sometimes awkward nature.

Tolerate our fears, our mistakes, our natural tendency to duck from problems, and pain. Tolerate our hesitancy to get close, expose ourselves, and be vulnerable.

Tolerate our need to occasionally feel superior, to sometimes feel ashamed, and to occasionally share love as an equal. Tolerate the way we progress - a few steps forward, and a couple back.

Tolerate our instinctive desire to control and how we reluctantly learn to practice detachment. Tolerate the way we say we want love, and then sometimes push others away. Tolerate our tendency to get obsessive, forget to trust God, and occasionally get stuck.

Some things we do not tolerate. Do not tolerate abusive or destructive behaviors toward others or ourselves.

Practice healthy, loving tolerance of ourselves, said one man. When we do, we'll learn tolerance for others. Then, take it one step further; learn that all the humanness we're tolerating is what makes ourselves and others beautiful.

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Tolerance & Acceptance

Tolerance is a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one's own; freedom from bigotry.

Tolerance is a virtue. It is a version of the golden rule in that, insofar as we want others to treat us decently, we need to treat them decently as well.

Acceptance in human psychology is a person's assent to the reality of a situation, recognizing a process or condition (often a negative or uncomfortable situation) without attempting to change it, protest, or exit.

Acceptance goes a step beyond tolerance. If a sign of tolerance is a feeling of “I can live with X (behavior, religion, race, culture, etc.),” then acceptance moves beyond that in the direction of “X is OK.” You can tolerate something without accepting it, but you cannot accept something without tolerating it.

~ Jefferson M Fish

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Just a Few Quotes

"Tolerance is the positive and cordial effort to understand another's beliefs, practices, and habits without necessarily sharing or accepting them." ~ Joshua Liebman

"Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others." ~ John F. Kennedy

[bluidkiti]

November 28


Prayer to Start This Day

Lord,
Please keep me safe From all danger, hurt, and harm.
Help me to start this day and every day With a new attitude and plenty of gratitude.
Let me make the best of each and every day, To clear my mind so that I can follow your will.
Amen

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Just a Thought

Everyone who comes into A.A. knows from bitter experience that he or she can't drink.


I know that drinking has been the cause of all my major troubles or has made them worse. Now that I have found a way out, I will hang on to A.A. with both hands. Saint Paul once said that nothing in the world, neither powers nor principles, life nor death, could separate him from the love of God.

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

Once I have given my drink problem to God, should anything in the world separate me from my sobriety?

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Just a Contemplation

Problems With Others

Do our problems with other people really start within ourselves? If we have trouble getting along with another person, for example, is it because we are projecting mixed signals of fear and suspicion toward that person? We tend to reap what we sow----- we get back the attitudes we project.

However, we can't take total responsibility for the way others treat us or behave toward us. We cannot reform or control impossible people. When dealing with impossible people, we have control over our own feelings and responses. This helps us avoid potential trouble and enables us to deal with difficult situations.

A simple change of attitude on our part can bring startling changes for the better, in our responses to others. With practice, the principle also applies to the broad area of human relations in many ways. So, I will take care today to see that my thoughts and feelings toward others reflect what I want in my own life.

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A New Life

Regardless of worldly success or failure, regardless of pain or joy, regardless of sickness or health or even of death itself, a new life of endless possibilities can be lived if we are willing to continue our awakening, through the practice of A.A.'s Twelve Steps.

As Bill Sees It Page 8

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Just a Quote

"There were times my immaturity kept me from being all I wanted to be." ~ Len Elmore

[bluidkiti]

November 29


A Prayer for Sanity

Lord,
Grant us sanity during these very challenging times.
We live in a time that brings many of us the unexpected and the unexplainable.
Help us think with clarity, and guide us to behave with courage when the opportunity comes to change our difficulties.
Amen

~ Celeste M. Pérez Chadha

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Just a Thought

Alcoholics recover their faith in a Power greater than themselves.

They admit that they're helpless by themselves and they call on that Higher Power for help. They surrender their lives to God, as they understand Him. They put their drink problem in God's hands and leave it there. They recover their faith in a Higher Power that can help them.

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

Have I recovered my faith?

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Just a Contemplation

Understanding

For years I learned things without understanding what the words, or the meaning behind the words, really meant. An example was alcoholism. Then a man said, "My name is Bill, and I am an alcoholic and a recovering human being!" Then it struck me; recovery from a drug --- alcohol --- was not simply about putting down the glass but about changing and developing a positive lifestyle as a human being.

The same is true with spirituality. It is not about being religious, going to church or accepting dogma. It is about finding God in my life, discovering God in the decisions and actions I take and seeing Him in the world around me. Today I understand spirituality to be the link that unites all peoples and is centered on what is true and real.

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Anger - Personal and Group Enemy

"As the book 'Alcoholics Anonymous' puts it, 'Resentment is the Number One offender.' It is a primary cause of relapses into drinking. How well we of A.A. know that for us 'To drink is eventually to go mad or die.'

Much the same penalty overhangs every A.A. group. Given enough anger, both unity and purpose are lost. Given still more 'righteous' indignation, the group can disintegrate; it can actually die. This is why we avoid controversy. This is why we prescribe no punishments for any misbehavior, no matter how grievous. Indeed, no alcoholic can be deprived of his membership for any reason whatever.

Punishment never heals. Only love can heal.

As Bill Sees It Page 98

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Just a Quote

"It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed." ~ Napolean Hill