A Prayer & Some Thoughts - April

[bluidkiti]

April 1

Simple Prayer

God,
Please guide me as I walk through this life.
Help me not to act on my own wisdom,
but to seek Your will in every situation I am in.
Thank you, Lord.
Amen

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Just a Thought

A better way than judging people is to look for all the good in them.

If you look hard enough and long enough, you ought to be able to find some good in every person. In A.A., I learned that my job was to try to bring out the good, not criticize the bad. Every alcoholic is used to being judged and criticized. That has never helped anyone to get sober. In A.A. we tell people they can change. We try to bring out the best in them. We encourage their good points and ignore their bad points. People are not converted by criticism.

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

Do I look for the good in people?

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Just a Contemplation

Communication

Communication is much more than words. Words are merely fingers pointing the direction to understanding - they are not understanding itself. To really communicate with someone, we have to allow ourselves, just for a moment, to become that other person. When we do this, we begin to be able to see beyond the masks that hide what another person is really feeling.

When we take the time to really see others, we may discover they are frightened, timid people longing for understanding. When we get beyond reacting to their outward behavior and move toward viewing their inner selves, it is much easier to extend a hand of friendship, to say we care, and truly mean it.

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Responsibility

In the last analysis, as a recovering alcoholic I need only have two concerns. The first is to maintain my sobriety on a daily basis and to practice the program of AA one day at a time. The second is to ensure that what was here yesterday will be here tomorrow for the next alcoholic who walks through the doors of the Fellowship. And for that I am responsible.

"Thank You For Sharing" Page 181
(Thank You For Sharing: Sixty Years of Letters to AA Grapevine)

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A Hug

It's wondrous what a hug can do
A hug can cheer you when you're blue
A hug can say "I love you so"
Or "Gee, I hate to see you go."
A hug is "Welcome back again"
And "Great to see you, where've you been?"
A hug can smooth a small child's pain
And bring a rainbow after rain.
The hug: There's just no doubt about it
We scarcely could survive without it
A hug delights and warms and charms
It must be why God gave us arms
Hugs are great for fathers and mothers
Sweet for sisters, swell for brothers
And chances are your favorite aunts
Love them more than potted plants
Kittens crave them, puppies love them
Heads of state are not above them
A hug can break the language barrier
And make your travels so much merrier.
No need to fret about your store of 'em
So stretch those arms without delay
And give someone a hug today!

~ Dean Walley

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Just a Quote

"The place to start a positive attitude is with the little things. If you can learn to appreciate them and be grateful for them, you'll appreciate the big things as well as everything in between." ~ John Maxwell