AA Thoughts For Today - August

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AA Thought for the Day

August 1

The Paradox

Such is the paradox of AA regeneration: strength arising out
of complete defeat and weakness, the loss of one's old life
as a condition for finding a new one. But we of AA do not have
to understand this paradox, we have only to be grateful for it.
- Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, p. 46

Thought to Ponder . . .
Paradox: We surrender to win; we give away
to keep; we suffer to get well; we die to live.

AA-related 'Alconym'
T H I N K = Thank Heavens, I Now Know.

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

Wonders
"Out of every season of grief or suffering,
when the hand of God seemed heavy or even unjust,
new lessons for living were learned,
new resources of courage were uncovered,
and that finally, inescapably,
the conviction came that God does
'move in a mysterious way His wonders to perform.' "
1953AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 105

Thought to Consider . . .
Joy is the infallible presence of God.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
G O D = Good Orderly Direction

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

School Vacation
From: "Building a New Life"
The next summer I began working construction during school vacation. I was working with the older men, and at the end of the day, I went to the bar with them. The bartender would put the beer in front of the man next to me, but it was intended for me. I loved Fridays - payday - when we went out and got loaded. I started getting liquor on weekends so I could go to dances. I was hanging around with guys who drank like me. We'd put our money together to get enough booze for the night, and because I looked older, I bought the liquor. I could talk to the girls. I was a big shot with the guys because I had the booze and the girls.

2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, page 477

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

"Are you willing to be amazed?"
Minneapolis, Minnesota, May 2014
"Big Sur-prise,"
AA Grapevine

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

"Yes, there is a substitute and it is vastly more than that. It is a
fellowship in Alcoholics Anonymous. There you will find release from
care, boredom and worry. Your imagination will be fired. Life will
mean something at last. The most satisfactory years of your
existence lie ahead."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, pg. 152

"The tremendous fact for every one of us is that we have discovered
a common solution. We have a way out on which we can absolutely agree,
and upon which we can join in brotherly and harmonious action. This
is the great news this book carries to those who suffer from alcoholism."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 17

"These were revolutionary and drastic proposals, but the moment I fully accepted them, the effect was electric."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 14 (Bill's Story)

"So in a very complete and literal way, all A.A.'s have "become entirely ready" to have God remove the mania for alcohol from their lives."
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 64 (Step Six)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Time after time, newcomers have tried to keep to themselves shoddy facts about their lives. Trying to avoid the humbling experience of the Fifth Step, they have turned to easier methods. Almost invariably they got drunk. Having persevered with the rest of the program, they wondered why they fell.
We think the reason is that they never completed their housecleaning. They took inventory all right, but hung on to some of the worst items in stock. They only thought they had lost their egoism and fear; they only thought they had humbled themselves. But they had not learned enough of humility, fearlessness, and honesty, in the sense we find it necessary, until they told someone else their entire life story.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, allow me to fully surrender my life today and accept what must be done.