AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 30, 2023ForgivenessWe've repeatedly strained the patience of our best friends to a snapping point, and have brought out the very worst in those who didn't think much of us to begin with. In many instances we are really dealing with fellow sufferers, people whose woes we have increased. If we are now about to ask forgiveness for ourselves, why shouldn't we start out by forgiving them, one and all?- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Eight) p. 78Thought to Ponder . . ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 29, 2023Fear and CourageThe verdict of the ages is that faith means courage. All men of faith have courage. They trust their God. We never apologize for God. Instead we let Him demonstrate, through us, what He can do. We ask Him to remove our fear and direct our attention to what He would have us be. At once, we commence to outgrow fear.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 68Thought to Ponder . . .Fear is not an admission of weakness; fear is an opportunity for coura ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)May 28, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~Time After TimeWe will be more reconciled to discussing ourselves with another person when we see good reasons why we should do so. The best reason first: If we skip this vital step, we may not overcome drinking. Time after time newcomers have tried to keep to themselves certain facts about their lives. Trying to avoid this humbling experience, they have turned to easier methods. Almost invariably they got drunk.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (In ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 27, 2023A Sick ManThough we did not like their symptoms and the way these disturbed us, they, like ourselves, were sick too. We asked God to help us show them the same tolerance, pity, and patience that we would cheerfully grant a sick friend. When a person offended we said to ourselves, "This is a sick man. How can I be helpful to him? God save me from being angry. Thy will be done."- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 67Thought to Ponder . . .The Three &q ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 26, 2023Moments of TriumphTo conclude that others were wrong was as far as most of us ever got. The usual outcome was that people continued to wrong us and we stayed sore. Sometimes it was remorse and then we were sore at ourselves. But the more we fought and tried to have our own way, the worse matters got. As in war, the victor onlyseemed to win. Our moments of triumph were short-lived.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 66Thought to Ponder . . .Without change I a ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 25, 2023Recovery BeginsIn spite of the great increase in the size and the span of this Fellowship, at its core it remains simple and personal. Each day, somewhere in the world, recovery begins when one alcoholic talks with another alcoholic, sharing experience, strength, and hope.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Foreword to Third Edition,) p.xxiiThought to Ponder . . .Every recovery from alcoholism began with one sober hour.AA-related 'Alconym'H O P E  =   Hold On, Pain ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 24, 2023What Is This Power?What is this power that A.A. possesses? This curative power? I don’t know what it is. I suppose the doctor might say, "This is psychosomatic medicine." I suppose the psychiatrist might say, "This is benevolent interpersonal relations." I suppose others would say, "This is group psychotherapy." To me it is God.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Physician, Heal Thyself!) p. 308Thought to Ponder . . .We will suddenly realize tha ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 23, 2023Quick InventoryIn all these situations we need self-restraint, honest analysis of what is involved, a willingness to admit when the fault is ours, and an equal willingness to forgive when the fault is elsewhere. We need not be discouraged when we fall into the error of our old ways, for these disciplines are not easy. We shall look for progress, not for perfection.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Ten) p. 91Thought to Ponder . . .Forgiveness is another w ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 22, 2023Experience a Change...But A.A. has taught me I am the result of the way I reacted to what happened to me as a child. What is much more important to me, A.A. has taught me that through this simple program I may experience a change in this reaction pattern that will indeed allow me to "match calamity with serenity."- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Freedom From Bondage) p. 554Thought to Ponder . . .My serenity is directly proportional to my level of acceptance ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)May 21, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~PrayerOn awakening let us think about the twenty-four hours ahead. We consider our plans for the day. Before we begin, we ask God to direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 86Thought to PonderPrayer asks the question. Meditation listens for the answer.AA-related 'Alconym'F A I T H  =  For All I Trust Him.A Member Shares:M ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 20, 2023DisciplineIt works—it really does. We alcoholics are undisciplined. So we let God discipline us in the simple way we have just outlined. But this is not all. There is action and more action. "Faith without works is dead."- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 88Thought to Ponder . . .Motivation may get you going, but discipline keeps you growing.AA-related 'Alconym'T R U S T  =   Try Relying Upon Steps and Traditions.Thank you for sharin ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 19, 2023Remarkable and UnexpectedAlmost any experienced A.A. will tell how his affairs have taken remarkable and unexpected turns for the better as he tried to improve his conscious contact with God. He will also report that 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 ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 18, 2023Self-centered FearThe chief activator of our defects has been self-centered fear—primarily fear that we would lose something we already possessed or would fail to get something we demanded. Living upon a basis of unsatisfied demands, we were in a state of continual disturbance and frustration. Therefore, no peace was to be had unless we could find a means of reducing these demands. The difference between a demand and a simple request is plain to anyone.- Twelve St ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 17, 2023InterwovenThere is a direct linkage among self-examination, meditation, and prayer. Taken separately, these practices can bring much relief and benefit. But when they are logically related and interwoven, the result is an unshakable foundation for life.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Eleven) p. 98Thought to Ponder . . .We can't grow without giving ourselves space for silence and the voice within.AA-related 'Alconym'F R E E  =   Fortunately, R ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 16, 2023Choice"As active alcoholics, we lost our ability to choose whether we would drink. We were the victims of a compulsion which seemed to decree that we must go on with our own destruction. Yet we finally did make choices that brought about recovery. We came to believe that alone we were powerless over alcohol. This was surely a choice, and a most difficult one. We came to believe that a Higher Power could restore us to sanity when we became willing to practice ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 15, 2023Step ThreeWe found it very desirable to take this spiritual step with an understanding person, such as our wife, best friend, or spiritual adviser. But it is better to meet God alone than with one who might misunderstand. The wording was, of course, quite optional so long as we expressed the idea, voicing it without reservation. This was only a beginning, though if honestly and humbly made, an effect, sometimes a very great one, was felt at once.- Alcoholics Anony ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)May 14, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~First Five ProposalsReturning home we find a place where we can be quiet for an hour, carefully reviewing what we have done. We thank God from the bottom of our heart that we know Him better. Taking this book down from our shelf we turn to the page which contains the twelve steps. Carefully reading the first five proposals we ask if we have omitted anything, for we are building an arch through which we shall walk a free man at last.- Alcoh ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 13, 2023Continuous ActionMore sobriety brought about by the admission of alcoholism and by attendance at a few meetings is very good indeed, but it is bound to be a far cry from permanent sobriety and a contented, useful life. That is just where the remaining Steps of the A.A. program come in. Nothing short of continuous action upon these as a way of life can bring the much-desired result.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Three) pp. 39 - 40Thought to Ponder . . ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 12, 2023Deprived OurselvesThe notion that we would still live our own lives, God helping a little now and then, began to evaporate. Many of us who had thought ourselves religious awoke to the limitations of this attitude. Refusing to place God first, we had deprived ourselves of His help. But now the words “Of myself I am nothing, the Father doeth the works” began to carry bright promise and meaning.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Seven) p. 75Thought to Ponder ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 11, 2023UnityThus has it been with A.A. By faith and by works we have been able to build upon the lessons of an incredible experience. They live today in the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous, which—God willing—shall sustain us in unity for so long as He may need us.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Tradition One) p. 131Thought to Ponder . . .There is no strength without unity.AA-related 'Alconym'A A's - R - U S  =   Alcoholics Anonymous Recovery Un ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 10, 2023Persistent EffortBy discovering what our emotional deformities are, we can move toward their correction. Without a willing and persistent effort to do this, there can be little sobriety or contentment for us. Without a searching and fearless moral inventory, most of us have found that the faith which really works in daily living is still out of reach.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Four) p. 43Thought to Ponder . . .Uncover. Discover. Discard.AA-related ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 9, 2023New TreasureJoy at our release from a lifetime of frustration knew no bounds. Father feels he has struck something better than gold. For a time he may try to hug the new treasure to himself. He may not see at once that he has barely scratched a limitless lode which will pay dividends only if he mines it for the rest of his life and insists on giving away the entire product.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Family Afterward) pp. 128 - 129Thought to Ponder . . .In A.A., w ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 8, 2023He Talked My LanguageHe gave me information about the subject of alcoholism which was undoubtedly helpful. Of far more importance was the fact that he was the first living human with whom I had ever talked, who knew what he was talking about in regard to alcoholism from actual experience. In other words, he talked my language. He knew all the answers, and certainly not because he had picked them up in his reading.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Doctor Bob's Nightmare) p. ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)May 7, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~Prayer and MeditationStep Eleven suggests prayer and meditation. We shouldn’t be shy on this matter of prayer. Better men than we are using it constantly. It works, if we have the proper attitude and work at it.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) pp. 85 - 86Thought to PonderPrayer asks the question. Meditation listens for the answer.AA-related 'Alconym'P A U S E  =  Pay Attention, Use Step Eleven.A Member Shares:Good morning. My ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 6, 2023Strenuous WorkBut when the broker gave him Dr. Silkworth’s description of alcoholism and its hopelessness, the physician began to pursue the spiritual remedy for his malady with a willingness he had never before been able to muster. He sobered, never to drink again up to the moment of his death in 1950. This seemed to prove that one alcoholic could affect another as no nonalcoholic could. It also indicated that strenuous work, one alcoholic with another, was vital ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 5, 2023A Vale of TearsWe are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous, and free. We cannot subscribe to the belief that this life is a vale of tears, though it once was just that for many of us. But it is clear that we made our own misery. God didn't do it. Avoid then, the deliberate manufacture of misery, but if trouble comes, cheerfully capitalize it as an opportunity to demonstrate His omnipotence.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Family Afterward) p. 133Thought to Ponder . . ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 4, 2023Priceless AssetsUntil now, our lives have been largely devoted to running from pain and problems. We fled from them as from a plague. We never wanted to deal with the fact of suffering. Escape via the bottle was always our solution. Character-building through suffering might be all right for saints, but it certainly didn't appeal to us. Then, in A.A., we looked and listened. Everywhere we saw failure and misery transformed by humility into priceless assets.- Twelve ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 3, 2023Beyond the PointAs we look back, we feel we had gone on drinking many years beyond the point where we could quit on our will power. If anyone questions whether he has entered this dangerous area, let him try leaving liquor alone for one year. If he is a real alcoholic and very far advanced, there is scant chance of success.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (More About Alcoholism) p. 34Thought to Ponder . . .Alcoholism - Cunning, Baffling, Powerful, Patient.AA-related 'Alcony ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 2, 2023Good Results of PrayerIn A.A. we have found that the actual good results of prayer are beyond question. They are matters of knowledge and experience. All those who have persisted have found strength not ordinarily their own. They have found wisdom beyond their usual capability. And they have increasingly found a peace of mind which can stand firm in the face of difficult circumstances.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Eleven) p. 104Thought to Ponder . . . ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)May 1, 2023Spiritual Growth FirstWe have learned that the satisfaction of instincts cannot be the sole end and aim of our lives. If we place instincts first, we have got the cart before the horse; we shall be pulled backward into disillusionment. But when we are willing to place spiritual growth first—then and only then do we have a real chance.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Twelve) p. 114Thought to Ponder . . .A spiritual awakening is our greatest gift.AA-relate ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)April 30, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~Immense ExperienceWe know that little good can come to any alcoholic who joins A.A. unless he has first accepted his devastating weakness and all its consequences. Until he so humbles himself, his sobriety—if any—will be precarious. Of real happiness he will find none at all. Proved beyond doubt by an immense experience, this is one of the facts of A.A. life.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step One) p. 21Thought to PonderIf you wa ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 29, 2023PoisonIf we were to live, we had to be free of anger. The grouch and the brainstorm were not for us. They may be the dubious luxury of normal men, but for alcoholics these things are poison.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 66Thought to Ponder . . ."God save me from being angry. Thy will be done."AA-related 'Alconym'C A L M  =   Cause Anger Left Me.Thank you for sharing so generously of your experience, strength and hope in carry ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 28, 2023The Main ProblemTherefore, the main problem of the alcoholic centers in his mind, rather than in his body. If you ask him why he started on that last bender, the chances are he will offer you any one of a hundred alibis. Sometimes these excuses have a certain plausibility, but none of them really makes sense in the light of the havoc an alcoholic’s drinking bout creates.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) p. 23Thought to Ponder . . .I want the gift of ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 27, 2023Progress"Day by day, we try to move a little toward God's perfection. So we need not be consumed by maudlin guilt for failure to achieve His likeness and image by Thursday next. Progress is our aim, and His perfection is the beacon, light-years away, that draws us on."- As Bill Sees It, No. 15Thought to Ponder . . .Sobriety is not a destination, but an everlasting journey.AA-related 'Alconym'A A W O L  =   A A Way Of Life.Thank you for s ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 26, 2023PrayerThose of us who have come to make regular use of prayer would no more do without it than we would refuse air, food, or sunshine. And for the same reason. When we refuse air, light, or food, the body suffers. And when we turn away from meditation and prayer, we likewise deprive our minds, our emotions, and our intuitions of vitally needed support. As the body can fail its purpose for lack of nourishment, so can the soul.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 25, 2023The Right To Be WrongThe head promoter wrote the Foundation office. He said he wished he'd paid some attention to A.A. experience. Then he did something else that was to become an A.A. classic. It all went on a little card about golf-score size. The cover read: “Middleton Group #1. Rule #62.” Once the card was unfolded, a single pungent sentence leaped to the eye: “Don't take yourself too damn seriously.” Thus it was that under Tradition Four an A.A. group had e ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 24, 2023Our InventoryThough a situation had not been entirely our fault, we tried to disregard the other person involved entirely. Where were we to blame? The inventory was ours, not the other man’s. When we saw our faults we listed them. We placed them before us in black and white. We admitted our wrongs honestly and were willing to set these matters straight.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 67Thought to Ponder . . .The first step in overcoming mistakes is to ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)April 23, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~ToleranceMost of us sense that real tolerance of other people’s shortcomings and viewpoints and a respect for their opinions are attitudes which make us more useful to others. Our very lives, as ex-problem drinkers, depend upon our constant thought of others and how we may help meet their needs.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There is a Solution) pp. 19 - 20  Thought to PonderLove and tolerance of others is our code.  AA-related 'Alco ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 22, 2023Spiritual Progress FirstThe head of the house ought to remember that he is mainly to blame for what befell his home. He can scarcely square the account in his lifetime. But he must see the danger of over-concentration on financial success. Although financial recovery is on the way for many of us, we found we could not place money first. For us, material well-being always followed spiritual progress; it never preceded.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Family Afterward) p ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 21, 2023Unselfishness and LoveSince the home has suffered more than anything else, it is well that a man exert himself there. He is not likely to get far in any direction if he fails to show unselfishness and love under his own roof. We know there are difficult wives and families, but the man who is getting over alcoholism must remember he did much to make them so.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Family Afterward) p. 127Thought to Ponder . . .Right actions for the future ar ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 20, 2023Progressive IllnessAll of us felt at times that we were regaining control, but such intervals—usually brief—were inevitably followed by still less control, which led in time to pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization. We are convinced to a man that alcoholics of our type are in the grip of a progressive illness. Over any considerable period we get worse, never better.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (More About Alcoholism) p. 30Thought to Ponder . . .Within our wonde ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 19, 2023Not Running the ShowWe constantly remind ourselves we are no longer running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many times each day "Thy will be done." We are then in much less danger of excitement, fear, anger, worry, self-pity, or foolish decisions. We become much more efficient. We do not tire so easily, for we are not burning up energy foolishly as we did when we were trying to arrange life to suit ourselves.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 18, 2023Complete AbandonSome of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely. Remember that we deal with alcohol—cunning, baffling, powerful! Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all power—that One is God. May you find Him now! Half measures availed us nothing. We stood at the turning point. We asked His protection and care with complete abandon.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) pp. 58 - 59Thoug ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 17, 2023AcceptanceUntil I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless I accept life completely on life’s terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Acceptance Was The Answer) p. 417Thought to Ponder . . .The 3 A’s -- Awareness, Acceptance, Action.AA-related 'Alconym'S T E P S  =   Solutions Through Each Powe ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)April 16, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~Our TroublesThese mistaken attitudes, powered by alcohol, guaranteed our destruction, unless they were altered. Then came A.A. Here we learned that trouble was really a fact of life for everybody -- a fact that had to be understood and dealt with. Surprisingly, we found that our troubles could, under God's grace, be converted into unimagined blessings. Indeed, that was the essence of A.A. itself: trouble accepted, trouble squarely faced ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 15, 2023Our Next StepWe usually conclude the period of meditation with a prayer that we be shown all through the day what our next step is to be, that we be given whatever we need to take care of such problems.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 87Thought to Ponder . . .Life is fragile, handle with prayer.AA-related 'Alconym'F R O G  =   Fully Rely On God.Thank you for sharing so generously of your experience, strength and hope in carrying the AA mes ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 14, 2023Self-deceivedIn no deep or meaningful sense had we ever taken stock of ourselves, made amends to those we had harmed, or freely given to any other human being without any demand for reward. We had not even prayed rightly. We had always said, "Grant me my wishes" instead of "Thy will be done." The love of God and man we understood not at all. Therefore we remained self-deceived, and so incapable of receiving enough grace to restore us to sanit ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 13, 2023Carry This MessageWhen he sees you know all about the drinking game, commence to describe yourself as an alcoholic. Tell him how baffled you were, how you finally learned that you were sick. Give him an account of the struggles you made to stop. Show him the mental twist which leads to the first drink of a spree. We suggest you do this as we have done it in the chapter on alcoholism. If he is alcoholic, he will understand you at once. He will match your mental i ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 12, 2023The Great FactOur book is meant to be suggestive only. We realize we know only a little. God will constantly disclose more to you and to us. Ask Him in your morning meditation what you can do each day for the man who is still sick. The answers will come, if your own house is in order. But obviously you cannot transmit something you haven’t got. See to it that your relationship with Him is right, and great events will come to pass for you and countless others. Th ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 11, 2023Tremendous FactThe 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, (There Is A Solution) p. 17Thought to Ponder . . .Together we can do what we could never do alone.AA-related 'Alconym'S T E P S  =   Soluti ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 10, 2023The AllergyThese allergic types can never safely use alcohol in any form at all; and once having formed the habit and found they cannot break it, once having lost their self-confidence, their reliance upon things human, their problems pile up on them and become astonishingly difficult to solve.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Doctor's Opinion) p. xxviiiThought to Ponder . . .It isn't the load that weighs us down .... it's the way we carry it.AA-related 'Alconym'A A ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)April 9, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~Step ThreeThis is the how and why of it. First of all, we had to quit playing God. It didn’t work. Next, we decided that hereafter in this drama of life, God was going to be our Director. He is the Principal; we are His agents. He is the Father, and we are His children. Most good ideas are simple, and this concept was the keystone of the new and triumphant arch through which we passed to freedom.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 6 ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 8, 2023HonestySomehow, being alone with God doesn't seem as embarrassing as facing up to another person. Until we actually sit down and talk aloud about what we have so long hidden, our willingness to clean house is still largely theoretical. When we are honest with another person, it confirms that we have been honest with ourselves and with God.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Five) p. 60Thought to Ponder . . .Honesty is the absence of the intent to deceive. ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 7, 2023ControlWe learned that we had to fully concede to our innermost selves that we were alcoholics. This is the first step in recovery. The delusion that we are like other people, or presently may be, has to be smashed. We alcoholics are men and women who have lost the ability to control our drinking. We know that no real alcoholic ever recovers control.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (More About Alcoholism) p. 30Thought to Ponder . . .When we try to control our drinking, we ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 6, 2023A Genuine RelianceWe could actually have earnest religious beliefs which remained barren because we were still trying to play God ourselves. As long as we placed self-reliance first, a genuine reliance upon a Higher Power was out of the question. That basic ingredient of all humility, a desire to seek and do God's will, was missing.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Seven) p. 72Thought to Ponder . . .I can't do His will my way.AA-related 'Alconym'E G O & ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 5, 2023Sense of PurposeThis dream world has been replaced by a great sense of purpose, accompanied by a growing consciousness of the power of God in our lives. We have come to believe He would like us to keep our heads in the clouds with Him, but that our feet ought to be firmly planted on earth. That is where our fellow travelers are, and that is where our work must be done.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Family Afterward) p. 130Thought to Ponder . . .Faith is our greates ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 4, 2023RarelyRarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 58Thought to Ponder . . .The Three A's .. Awareness, Acceptance, Action.AA-related 'Alconym'A A  =   Action Always.Thank you for shar ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 3, 2023Off the BeamWithout necessarily taking that first drink, we often get quite far off the beam. Our troubles sometimes begin with indifference. We are sober and happy in our A.A. work. Things go well at home and office. We naturally congratulate ourselves on what later proves to be a far too easy and superficial point of view. We temporarily cease to grow because we feel satisfied that there is no need for all of A.A.’s Twelve Steps for us. We are doing fine on a f ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)April 2, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~Tolerance and RespectMost of us sense that real tolerance of other people’s shortcomings and viewpoints and a respect for their opinions are attitudes which make us more useful to others. Our very lives, as ex-problem drinkers, depend upon our constant thought of others and how we may help meet their needs.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) pp. 19 - 20  Thought to PonderLove and tolerance of others is our code.  AA-re ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 1, 2023Step TenThis is not an overnight matter. It should continue for our lifetime. Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear. When these crop up, we ask God at once to remove them. We discuss them with someone immediately and make amends quickly if we have harmed anyone. Then we resolutely turn our thoughts to someone we can help. Love and tolerance of others is our code.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 84Thought to Ponder . . .Sobrie ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 31, 2023Vital Sixth SenseMuch has already been said about receiving strength, inspiration, and direction from Him who has all knowledge and power. If we have carefully followed directions, we have begun to sense the flow of His Spirit into us. To some extent we have become God-conscious. We have begun to develop this vital sixth sense. But we must go further and that means more action.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 85Thought to Ponder . . .Faith is mighty. Act ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 30, 2023Number One OffenderResentment is the "number one" offender. It destroys more alcoholics than anything else. From it stem all forms of spiritual disease, for we have been not only mentally and physically ill, we have been spiritually sick. When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 64Thought to Ponder . . .Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 29, 2023ThoroughnessWhatever the defects, they have finally ambushed us into alcoholism and misery. Therefore, thoroughness ought to be the watchword when taking inventory. In this connection, it is wise to write out our questions and answers. It will be an aid to clear thinking and honest appraisal. It will be the first tangible evidence of our complete willingness to move forward.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Four) p. 54Thought to Ponder . . .In order to ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 28, 2023Without DefenseThe fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost the power of choice in drink. Our so-called will power becomes practically nonexistent. We are unable, at certain times, to bring into our consciousness with sufficient force the memory of the suffering and humiliation of even a week or a month ago. We are without defense against the first drink.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) p. 24Thought to Ponder . . .The first d ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 27, 2023One More FailureThe old pleasures were gone. They were but memories. Never could we recapture the great moments of the past. There was an insistent yearning to enjoy life as we once did and a heartbreaking obsession that some new miracle of control would enable us to do it. There was always one more attempt—and one more failure.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (A Vision For You) p. 151Thought to Ponder . . .When we try to control our drinking, we have already lost contro ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)March 26, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~SurrenderBut upon entering AA we soon take quite another view of this absolute humiliation. We perceive that only through utter defeat are we able to take our first steps toward liberation and strength. Our admissions of personal powerlessness finally turn out to be firm bedrock upon which happy and purposeful lives may be built.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step One) p. 21  Thought to PonderWe surrender to win.  AA-re ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 25, 2023Real PurposeAt the moment we are trying to put our lives in order. But this is not an end in itself. Our real purpose is to fit ourselves to be of maximum service to God and the people about us.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 77Thought to Ponder . . .Trust God. Clean house. Help others.AA-related 'Alconym'A A  =   Alcoholic's Answer.Thank you for sharing so generously of your experience, strength and hope in carrying the AA message. Grate ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 24, 2023We Can PauseIn all times of emotional disturbance or indecision, we can pause, ask for quiet, and in the stillness simply say: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference. Thy will, not mine, be done."- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Three) pp. 40 - 41Thought to Ponder . . .Reliance on God enables me to match calamity with serenity.AA-related 'Alconym' ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 23, 2023A GiftHe finds himself in possession of a degree of honesty, tolerance, unselfishness, peace of mind, and love of which he had thought himself quite incapable. What he has received is a free gift, and yet usually, at least in some small part, he has made himself ready to receive it. A.A.’s manner of making ready to receive this gift lies in the practice of the Twelve Steps in our program.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Twelve) p. 107Thought to Ponder ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 22, 2023FaithThere is, however, a vast amount of fun about it all. I suppose some would be shocked at our seeming worldliness and levity. But just underneath there is deadly earnestness. Faith has to work twenty-four hours a day in and through us, or we perish. Most of us feel we need look no further for Utopia. We have it with us right here and now.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Bill's Story) p. 16Thought to Ponder . . .It is when you act on faith that you actually have it.A ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 21, 2023The Faulty FoundationBy now the newcomer has probably arrived at the following conclusions: that his character defects, representing instincts gone astray, have been the primary cause of his drinking and his failure at life; that unless he is now willing to work hard at the elimination of the worst of these defects, both sobriety and peace of mind will still elude him; that all the faulty foundation of his life will have to be torn out and built anew on bedrock. ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 20, 2023ResentmentsWe saw that these resentments must be mastered, but how? We could not wish them away any more than alcohol. This was our course: We realized that the people who wronged us were perhaps spiritually sick. Though we did not like their symptoms and the way these disturbed us, they, like ourselves, were sick too.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) pp. 66 - 67Thought to Ponder . . .What if I were caring rather than judgmental?AA-related 'Alconym'A A &nbs ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)March 19, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~DependenceAnd the facts seem to be these: The more we become willing to depend upon a Higher Power, the more independent we actually are. Therefore dependence, as A.A. practices it, is really a means of gaining true independence of the spirit.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Three) p. 36  Thought to PonderAvoidance is not the key; surrender opens the door.  AA-related 'Alconym'F A I T H  =  For All I Trust ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 18, 2023Lack of PowerOur human resources, as marshalled by the will, were not sufficient; they failed utterly. Lack of power, that was our dilemma. We had to find a power by which we could live, and it had to be a Power greater than ourselves. Obviously. But where and how were we to find this Power? Well, that’s exactly what this book is about. Its main object is to enable you to find a Power greater than yourself which will solve your problem.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (W ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 17, 2023Value of ExperienceHenry Ford once made a wise remark to the effect that experience is the thing of supreme value in life. That is true only if one is willing to turn the past to good account. We grow by our willingness to face and rectify errors and convert them into assets.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Family Afterward) p. 124Thought to Ponder . . .If you want to change who you are, change what you do.AA-related 'Alconym'A C T  =   Action Changes Thin ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 16, 2023Acquire FaithWe have no desire to convince anyone that there is only one way by which faith can be acquired. If what we have learned and felt and seen means anything at all, it means that all of us, whatever our race, creed, or color are the children of a living Creator with whom we may form a relationship upon simple and understandable terms as soon as we are willing and honest enough to try.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) p. 28Thought to Ponder . ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 15, 2023Baffling FeatureMany 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, (More About Alcoholism) p. 34Thought to Ponder . . .Alcohol—cunning, baffling, powerful!AA-related 'Alconym'H O P E  =   Hearing Other People's Experi ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 14, 2023PowerlessnessWho cares to admit complete defeat? Practically no one, of course. Every natural instinct cries out against the idea of personal powerlessness. It is truly awful to admit that, glass in hand, we have warped our minds into such an obsession for destructive drinking that only an act of Providence can remove it from us.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step One) p. 21Thought to Ponder . . .When I share my story and remember the last days of my dri ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 13, 2023Tradition Three - The Long FormOur membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism. Hence we may refuse none who wish to recover. Nor ought A.A. membership ever depend upon money or conformity. Any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an A.A. group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Appendix One, The A.A. Tradition) p. 563Thought to Ponder . . ."You're an A.A. ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)March 12, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~Precisely How We Have RecoveredWe, of Alcoholics Anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book. For them, we hope these pages will prove so convincing that no further authentication will be necessary.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Foreward To First Edition) p. xiii  Thought to ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 11, 2023HumilityIt was only by repeated humiliations that we were forced to learn something about humility. It was only at the end of a long road, marked by successive defeats and humiliations, and the final crushing of our self-sufficiency, that we began to feel humility as something more than a condition of groveling despair.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Seven) p. 72Thought to Ponder . . .Humility is telling the truth about yourself. Humiliation is when ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 10, 2023We Pause and AskAs we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action. We constantly remind ourselves we are no longer running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many times each day "Thy will be done." We are then in much less danger of excitement, fear, anger, worry, self-pity, or foolish decisions.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) pp. 87 - 88Thought to Ponder . . .I can't do His will my way.AA-rel ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 9, 2023EgoAll of A.A.'s Twelve Steps ask us to go contrary to our natural desires . . . they all deflate our egos. When it comes to ego deflation, few Steps are harder to take than Five. But scarcely any Step is more necessary to longtime sobriety and peace of mind than this one.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Five) p. 55Thought to Ponder . . .The difference between pride and humility: Pride is who is right. Humility is what is right.AA-related 'Alconym'A A ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 8, 2023Maximum HelpfulnessYour job now is to be at the place where you may be of maximum helpfulness to others, so never hesitate to go anywhere if you can be helpful. You should not hesitate to visit the most sordid spot on earth on such an errand. Keep on the firing line of life with these motives and God will keep you unharmed.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Working With Others) p.102Thought to Ponder . . .We're not living just to be sober; we are living to learn, to s ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 7, 2023The Emotional HangoverBut there is another kind of hangover which we all experience whether we are drinking or not. That is the emotional hangover, the direct result of yesterday's and sometimes today's excesses of negative emotion—anger, fear, jealousy, and the like. If we would live serenely today and tomorrow, we certainly need to eliminate these hangovers. This doesn't mean we need to wander morbidly around in the past. It requires an admission and correction ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 6, 2023TemptationIn our belief any scheme of combating alcoholism which proposes to shield the sick man from temptation is doomed to failure. If the alcoholic tries to shield himself he may succeed for a time, but he usually winds up with a bigger explosion than ever. We have tried these methods. These attempts to do the impossible have always failed.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Working With Others) p. 101Thought to Ponder . . .Sobriety without action is fantasy.AA-related ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)March 5, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~Humility and FaithIndeed, the attainment of greater humility is the foundation principle of each of A.A.'s Twelve Steps. For without some degree of humility, no alcoholic can stay sober at all. Nearly all A.A.'s have found, too, that unless they develop much more of this precious quality than may be required just for sobriety, they still haven't much chance of becoming truly happy. Without it, they cannot live to much useful purpose, or, ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 4, 2023Greatest PossessionShowing others who suffer how we were given help is the very thing which makes life seem so worth while to us now. Cling to the thought that, in God's hands, the dark past is the greatest possession you have—the key to life and happiness for others. With it you can avert death and misery for them.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Family Afterward) p. 124Thought to Ponder . . .We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.AA-related 'Al ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 3, 2023Blessings ReceivedHaving so considered our day, not omitting to take due note of things well done, and having searched our hearts with neither fear nor favor, we can truly thank God for the blessings we have received and sleep in good conscience.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Ten) p. 95Thought to Ponder . . .Gratitude is a most effective painkiller for the alcoholic.AA-related 'Alconym'B E S T  =   Been Enjoying Sobriety Today?Thank yo ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 2, 2023ProgressMany of us exclaimed, "What an order! I can’t go through with it." Do not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles. We are not saints. The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines. The principles we have set down are guides to progress. We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 60Thought to Ponder . ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 1, 2023Self-willThe first requirement is that we be convinced that any life run on self-will can hardly be a success. On that basis we are almost always in collision with something or somebody, even though our motives are good.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 60Thought to Ponder . . .If I don't change, my sobriety date will.AA-related 'Alconym'C H A N G E  =   Choosing Humility Allows New Gifts and Energy.Thank you for sharing so generously of yo ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 28, 2023Self JustificationFirst off, they can be told that the majority of A.A. members have suffered severely from self-justification during their drinking days. For most of us, self-justification was the maker of excuses; excuses, of course, for drinking, and for all kinds of crazy and damaging conduct. We had made the invention of alibis a fine art.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Four) p. 46Thought to Ponder . . .The first step in overcoming mistakes i ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 27, 2023Diagnose YourselfWe do not like to pronounce any individual as alcoholic, but you can quickly diagnose yourself. Step over to the nearest barroom and try some controlled drinking. Try to drink and stop abruptly. Try it more than once. It will not take long for you to decide, if you are honest with yourself about it. It may be worth a bad case of jitters if you get a full knowledge of your condition. - Alcoholics Anonymous, (More About Alcoholism) pp ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)February 26, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~A Design For LivingWe, in our turn, sought the same escape with all the desperation of drowning men. What seemed at first a flimsy reed, has proved to be the loving and powerful hand of God. A new life has been given us or, if you prefer, "a design for living" that really works.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) p. 28  Thought to PonderThe Twelve Steps -- a manuscript for rational living.  AA-related 'Al ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 25, 2023LiabilitiesNearly every serious emotional problem can be seen as a case of misdirected instinct. When that happens, our great natural assets, the instincts, have turned into physical and mental liabilities. Step Four is our vigorous and painstaking effort to discover what these liabilities in each of us have been, and are.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Four) p. 42Thought to Ponder . . .The Three A's .. Awareness, Acceptance, Action.AA-related 'Al ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 24, 2023ConditionsWe thought “conditions” drove us to drink, and when we tried to correct these conditions and found that we couldn’t to our entire satisfaction, our drinking went out of hand and we became alcoholics. It never occurred to us that we needed to change ourselves to meet conditions, whatever they were.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Four) p. 47Thought to Ponder . . .If you want to change who you are, change what you do.AA-related 'Alconym'A C ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 23, 2023The Old Game AgainNow and then a serious drinker, being dry at the moment says, “I don’t miss it at all. Feel better. Work better. Having a better time.” As ex-problem drinkers, we smile at such a sally. We know our friend is like a boy whistling in the dark to keep up his spirits. He fools himself. Inwardly he would give anything to take half a dozen drinks and get away with them. He will presently try the old game again, for he isn’t happy about his sobriet ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 22, 2023The Insanity ReturnsBut with the alcoholic, whose hope is the maintenance and growth of a spiritual experience, this business of resentment is infinitely grave. We found that it is fatal. For when harboring such feelings 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.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 66Thought to Ponder . . .Resentment is like taking poison and ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 21, 2023The Elder StatesmanThe elder statesman is the one who sees the wisdom of the group’s decision, who holds no resentment over his reduced status, whose judgment, fortified by considerable experience, is sound, and who is willing to sit quietly on the sidelines patiently awaiting developments.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Tradition Two) p. 135Thought to Ponder . . ."Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern."AA-related 'Alconym' ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 20, 2023Meditation and PrayerWhen we refuse air, light, or food, the body suffers. And when we turn away from meditation and prayer, we likewise deprive our minds, our emotions, and our intuitions of vitally needed support. As the body can fail its purpose for lack of nourishment, so can the soul. We all need the light of God's reality, the nourishment of His strength, and the atmosphere of His grace.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Eleven) pp. 97 - 98Thou ...Continue Reading