AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 19, 2025  Questions About LivingFurthermore, how shall we come to terms with seeming failure or success? Can we now accept and adjust to either without despair or pride? Can we accept poverty, sickness, loneliness, and bereavement with courage and serenity? . . . The A.A. answer to these questions about living is "Yes, all of these things are possible."- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Twelve) p. 112  Thought to Ponder . . .Reliance on God ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 18, 2025  Step ThreeMany of us said to our Maker, as we understood Him: "God, I offer myself to Thee—to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always!"- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 63  Thought to Ponder . . .Let Go an ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 17, 2025  Two AlternativesIf 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.- Alcoholics Anon ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 16, 2025  Tomorrow's ChallengesOur inventory enables us to settle with the past. When this is done, we are really able to leave it behind us. When our inventory is carefully taken, and we have made peace with ourselves, the conviction follows that tomorrow's challenges can be met as they come.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Ten) p. 89  Thought to Ponder . . .Don't fear tomorrow. God is already there.  AA-related 'Alconym'A A  =   Ach ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 15, 2025  Path of Spiritual ProgressBoth you and the new man must walk day by day in the path of spiritual progress. If you persist, remarkable things will happen. When we look back, we realize that the things which came to us when we put ourselves in God’s hands were better than anything we could have planned.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Working With Others) p. 100  Thought to Ponder . . .Spiritual progress isn't what gets us sober, it's what keeps us sober. &nbs ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 14, 2025  Unreasonable DemandsWe can try to stop making unreasonable demands upon those we love. We can show kindness where we had shown none. With those we dislike we can begin to practice justice and courtesy, perhaps going out of our way to understand and help them.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Ten) p. 93  Thought to Ponder . . .Love and tolerance of others is our code.  AA-related 'Alconym'A A  =   Attitude Adjustment.  To ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 13, 2025  Simple RequestWe ask simply that throughout the day God place in us the best understanding of His will that we can have for that day, and that we be given the grace by which we may carry it out. As the day goes on, we can pause where situations must be met and decisions made, and renew the simple request: "Thy will, not mine, be done."- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Eleven) pp. 102 - 103  Thought to Ponder . . .I can't do God's ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 12, 2025  More and More EvidentFinally, we begin to see that all people, including ourselves, are to some extent emotionally ill as well as frequently wrong, and then we approach true tolerance and see what real love for our fellows actually means. It will become more and more evident as we go forward that it is pointless to become angry, or to get hurt by people who, like us, are suffering from the pains of growing up.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Te ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 11, 2025  Tradition One - UnityEventually, of course, we cooperate because we really wish to; we see that without substantial unity there can be no A.A., and that without A.A. there can be little lasting recovery for anyone. We gladly set aside personal ambitions whenever these might harm A.A. We humbly confess that we are but "a small part of a great whole."- The A.A. Grapevine, (December 1947)  Thought to Ponder . . .Together we can do what we coul ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 10, 2025  An Extreme ExampleSo our troubles, we think, are basically of our own making. They arise out of ourselves, and the alcoholic is an extreme example of self-will run riot, though he usually doesn't think so. Above everything, we alcoholics must be rid of this selfishness. We must, or it kills us! God makes that possible.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 62  Thought to Ponder . . .Let go and let God.  AA-related 'Alconym'I S M  =   ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)March 9, 2025~ Scroll Down for Share ~  Attitude and OutlookThat feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 84  Thought to PonderNew ideals and new attitudes bring a new life.  AA-related 'Alconym'A A  =  Attitude Adjustment.  A Member Shares: ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 8, 2025  A Greater ChallengeLike most people, we have found that we can take our big lumps as they come. But also like others, we often discover a greater challenge in the lesser and more continuous problems of life. Our answer is in still more spiritual development. Only by this means can we improve our chances for really happy and useful living.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Twelve) p. 114  Thought to Ponder . . .The solution is simple. The solu ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 7, 2025  Our DefectsThe 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.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Seven) p. 76  Thought to Ponder . . .Things I fear are rarely as bad as the fear itself.  AA-related 'Alconym'F E A R & ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 6, 2025  A Long TalkWhen we decide who is to hear our story, we waste no time. We have a written inventory and we are prepared for a long talk. We explain to our partner what we are about to do and why we have to do it. He should realize that we are engaged upon a life-and-death errand. Most people approached in this way will be glad to help; they will be honored by our confidence.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 75  Thought to Ponder . . .We're only a ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 5, 2025  Attitude and OutlookNo matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 84  Thought to Ponder . . .Being of service to others is what brings true happines ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 4, 2025  ChangedIn working the Twelve Steps, my life and my old way of thinking have changed. I have no control over some of the things that happen in my life, but with the help of God I can now choose how I will respond. Today I choose to be happy, and when I’m not, I have the tools of this program to put me back on track.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Winner Takes All) p. 381  Thought to Ponder . . .Change is the heartbeat of growth.  AA-related 'Alconym'A B ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 3, 2025  The Only ConditionBurn the idea into the consciousness of every man that he can get well regardless of anyone. The only condition is that he trust in God and clean house.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Working With Others) p. 98  Thought to Ponder . . .We need trust to combat fear.  AA-related 'Alconym'T R U S T  =   Try Really Using Step Three.  To Unsubscribe - Click Here_Subscription Info_   You're Subscribed to:  & ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)March 2, 2025~ Scroll Down for Share ~  What They OfferIf we belong to a religious denomination which requires a definite morning devotion, we attend to that also. If not members of religious bodies, we sometimes select and memorize a few set prayers which emphasize the principles we have been discussing. There are many helpful books also. Suggestions about these may be obtained from one's priest, minister, or rabbi. Be quick to see where religious people are right. Make ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 1, 2025  Stage CharacterMore than most people, the alcoholic leads a double life. He is very much the actor. To the outer world he presents his stage character. This is the one he likes his fellows to see. He wants to enjoy a certain reputation, but knows in his heart he doesn't deserve it.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 73  Thought to Ponder . . .Character is what I am; reputation is what people think I am.  AA-related 'Alconym'F E A R  = & ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 28, 2025  Blessings 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. 95  Thought to Ponder . . .All events are blessings given to us to learn from.  AA-related 'Alconym'A S A P  =   Always Say A Prayer. &nbs ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 27, 2025  Emerging From IsolationThis feeling of being at one with God and man, this emerging from isolation through the open and honest sharing of our terrible burden of guilt, brings us to a resting place where we may prepare ourselves for the following Steps toward a full and meaningful sobriety.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Five) p. 62  Thought to Ponder . . .From darkness comes light.  AA-related 'Alconym'A A  =   Amazing A ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 26, 2025  Step TenWe vigorously commenced this way of living as we cleaned up the past. We have entered the world of the Spirit. Our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness. This is not an overnight matter. It should continue for our lifetime.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 84  Thought to Ponder . . .I can't think my way into right acting, but I can act my way into right thinking.  AA-related 'Alconym'A A  =   Alw ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 25, 2025  New MeaningLife will take on new meaning. To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you, to have a host of friends—this is an experience you must not miss. We know you will not want to miss it. Frequent contact with newcomers and with each other is the bright spot of our lives.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Working With Others) p. 89  Thought to Ponder . . .Together we can do what we ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 24, 2025  In the GripAll 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. 30  Thought to Ponder . . .When we ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)February 23, 2025~ Scroll Down for Share ~  Spiritual AwakeningWhen a man or a woman has a spiritual awakening, the most important meaning of it is that he has now become able to do, feel, and believe that which he could not do before on his unaided strength and resources alone. He has been granted a gift which amounts to a new state of consciousness and being.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Twelve) pp. 106 - 107  Thought to PonderA spiritual awakening i ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 22, 2025  What Do I Have to Do?Doubtless you are curious to discover how and why, in the face of expert opinion to the contrary, we have recovered from a hopeless condition of mind and body. If you are an alcoholic who wants to get over it, you may already be asking—"What do I have to do?" It is the purpose of this book to answer such questions specifically. We shall tell you what we have done.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) p. 20  T ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 21, 2025  Diagnose 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. 31 ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 20, 2025  Learning DailyLearning daily to spot, admit, and correct these flaws is the essence of character-building and good living. An honest regret for harms done, a genuine gratitude for blessings received, and a willingness to try for better things tomorrow will be the permanent assets we shall seek.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Ten) p. 95  Thought to Ponder . . .The Three A's .. Awareness, Acceptance, Action.  AA-related 'Alconym'A A ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 19, 2025  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 the First Edition) p.xiii  Thought to Ponder . . . ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 18, 2025  A Priceless GiftWe enjoy moments in which there is something like real peace of mind. To those of us who have hitherto known only excitement, depression, or anxiety—in other words, to all of us—this newfound peace is a priceless gift.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Seven) p. 74  Thought to Ponder . . .Happiness and peace of mind are always here, open and free to anyone.  AA-related 'Alconym'G I F T S  =   Getting It From ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 17, 2025  True PerspectiveThe moral inventory is a cool examination of the damages that occurred to us during life and a sincere effort to look at them in a true perspective. This has the effect of taking the ground glass out of us, the emotional substance that still cuts and inhibits.- As Bill Sees It, (Defects and Repairs) No. 140  Thought to Ponder . . .The gritty pain of alcoholism is the traction of recovery.  AA-related 'Alconym'A C T I O N   ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)February 16, 2025~ Scroll Down for Share ~  ComplacencyIn the first days of A.A., I wasn't much bothered about the areas of life in which I was standing still. There was always the alibi: "After all," I said to myself, "I'm far too busy with much more important matters." That was my near perfect prescription for comfort and complacency.- As Bill Sees It, (We Cannot Stand Still) No. 25  Thought to PonderWe grow or we go.  AA-related 'Alconym' ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 15, 2025  Exceptions are FewIt boils right down to this: No man should be fired just because he is alcoholic. If he wants to stop, he should be afforded a real chance. If he cannot or does not want to stop, he should be discharged. The exceptions are few.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (To Employers) p. 148  Thought to Ponder . . .You can't think yourself into good living. You must live yourself into good thinking.  AA-related 'Alconym'A A  =   Accou ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 14, 2025  Immunity From DrinkingPractical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics. It works when other activities fail. This is our twelfth suggestion: Carry this message to other alcoholics! You can help when no one else can. You can secure their confidence when others fail. Remember they are very ill.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Working With Others) p. 89  Thought to Ponder . . .Get it - ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 13, 2025  A Single PurposeIt has also been learned that there is no possible way to make nonalcoholics into A.A. members. We have to confine our membership to alcoholics, and we have to confine our A.A. groups to a single purpose. If we don’t stick to these principles, we shall almost surely collapse. And if we collapse, we cannot help anyone.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (P-35 Problems Other Than Alcohol) p. 4  Thought to Ponder . . .If you want to drink, that's ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 12, 2025  We Ask GodIn thinking about our day we may face indecision. We may not be able to determine which course to take. Here we ask God for inspiration, an intuitive thought or a decision. We relax and take it easy. We don’t struggle. We are often surprised how the right answers come after we have tried this for a while.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 86  Thought to Ponder . . .The Three "P's" -- Pause, Pray, Proceed.  AA-related ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 11, 2025  Believe in the PowerThe unselfishness of these men as we have come to know them, the entire absence of profit motive, and their community spirit, is indeed inspiring to one who has labored long and wearily in this alcoholic field. They believe in themselves, and still more in the Power which pulls chronic alcoholics back from the gates of death.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Doctor's Opinion) p. xxvii  Thought to Ponder . . .Trust God, Clean House, ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 10, 2025  Common SymptomsThe most common symptoms of emotional insecurity are worry, anger self-pity, and depression. These stem from causes which sometimes seem to be within us, and at other times to come from without. To take inventory in this respect we ought to consider carefully all personal relationships which bring continuous or recurring trouble. It should be remembered that this kind of insecurity may arise in any area where instincts are threatened.- T ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)February 9, 2025~ Scroll Down for Share ~  Self-reliance Failed UsWasn’t it because self-reliance failed us? Self-reliance was good as far as it went, but it didn’t go far enough. Some of us once had great self-confidence, but it didn’t fully solve the fear problem, or any other. When it made us cocky, it was worse. Perhaps there is a better way—we think so. For we are now on a different basis; the basis of trusting and relying upon God.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Wo ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 8, 2025  A Spiritual Awakening"It was only when I came fully to believe I was powerless over alcohol, only when I appealed to a God who just might exist, that I experienced a spiritual awakening. This freedom-giving experience came first, and then faith followed afterward -- a gift indeed!"- As Bill Sees It, No. 152  Thought to Ponder . . .Avoidance is not the key; surrender opens the door.  AA-related 'Alconym'A A  =   Amazing Awak ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 7, 2025  FaithIn this book you read again and again that faith did for us what we could not do for ourselves. We hope you are convinced now that God can remove whatever self-will has blocked you off from Him. If you have already made a decision, and an inventory of your grosser handicaps, you have made a good beginning.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) pp. 70 - 71  Thought to Ponder . . .Faith is like a muscle, the more we use it, the more it grow ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 6, 2025  Director, Principal, FatherFirst 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. 62  Thought to Ponder . ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 5, 2025  Faith Which Really WorksBy 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. 43  Thought to Ponder . . .In order t ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 4, 2025  More Useful to OthersMost 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 Ponder . . .What if I were caring rather than judgmental?  AA-related ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 3, 2025  Major Human FailingsLet's take a universally recognized list of major human failings—the Seven Deadly Sins of pride, greed, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth. It is not by accident that pride heads the procession. For pride, leading to self-justification, and always spurred by conscious or unconscious fears, is the basic breeder of most human difficulties, the chief block to true progress.- - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Four) p. 48 &n ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 2, 2025  FearThis short word somehow touches 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 not we, ourselves, set the ball rolling? Sometimes we think fear ought to be classed with stealing. It seems to cause more trouble.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) pp. 67 - 68  Thoug ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 1, 2025  Higher PowerIn our personal stories you will find a wide variation in the way each teller approaches and conceives of the Power which is greater than himself. Whether we agree with a particular approach or conception seems to make little difference. Experience has taught us that these are matters about which, for our purpose, we need not be worried. They are questions for each individual to settle for himself.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (We Agnostics) p. 50 ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 31, 2025  Unwilling to AdmitThey are always "going on the wagon for keeps." They are over- remorseful and make many resolutions, but never a decision. There is the type of man who is unwilling to admit that he cannot take a drink. He plans various ways of drinking. He changes his brand or his environment. There is the type who always believes that after being entirely free from alcohol for a period of time he can take a drink without danger.- Alcoholics ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 30, 2025  Continuous 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 - 40  Thou ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 29, 2025  Test My ThinkingI was to test my thinking by the new God-consciousness within. Common sense would thus become uncommon sense. I was to sit quietly when in doubt, asking only for direction and strength to meet my problems as He would have me.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Bill's Story) p. 13  Thought to Ponder . . .Thy Will, not mine be done.  AA-related 'Alconym'F A I T H  =   Found Always In Trusting Him.  To Unsubscribe - Click Here ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 28, 2025  Twelfth Step WorkWe sit in A.A. meetings and listen, not only to receive something ourselves, but to give the reassurance and support which our presence can bring. If our turn comes to speak at a meeting, we again try to carry A.A.’s message. Whether our audience is one or many, it is still Twelfth Step work.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Twelve) p. 110  Thought to Ponder . . .Service is spirituality in action.  AA-related 'Alcony ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 27, 2025  A Mysterious WayAlmost 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 ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)January 26, 2025~ Scroll Down for Share ~  No Effective Mental DefenseOnce more: The alcoholic at certain times has no effective mental defense against the first drink. Except in a few rare cases, neither he nor any other human being can provide such a defense. His defense must come from a Higher Power.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) pp. 60 - 61  Thought to PonderI can't. He can. I'll ask Him to.  AA-related 'Alconym'F R O G  =  Fully Rely On G ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 25, 2025  A Faith That WorksPracticing Step Three is like the opening of a door which to all appearances is still closed and locked. All we need is a key, and the decision to swing the door open. There is only one key, and it is called willingness. Once unlocked by willingness, the door opens almost of itself, and looking through it, we shall see a pathway beside which is an inscription. It reads: "This is the way to a faith that works."- Twelve Steps a ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 24, 2025  This MovementIf any feel that as psychiatrists directing a hospital for alcoholics we appear somewhat sentimental, let them stand with us a while on the firing line, see the tragedies, the despairing wives, the little children; let the solving of these problems become a part of their daily work, and even of their sleeping moments, and the most cynical will not wonder that we have accepted and encouraged this movement.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Doctor' ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 23, 2025  ElusiveMen and women drink essentially because they like the effect produced by alcohol. The sensation is so elusive that, while they admit it is injurious, they cannot after a time differentiate the true from the false. To them, their alcoholic life seems the only normal one.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Doctor's Opinion) p. xxviii  Thought to Ponder . . .Don't believe everything you think.  AA-related 'Alconym'D E N I A L  =   Don't ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 22, 2025  To Make ProgressIf we ask, God will certainly forgive our derelictions. But in no case does He render us white as snow and keep us that way without our cooperation. That is something we are supposed to be willing to work toward ourselves. He asks only that we try as best we know how to make progress in the building of character.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Six) p. 65  Thought to Ponder . . .When I let go of what I am, I become what I ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 21, 2025  Fear, Faith, 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. 68  Thought to Ponder . . .Courage is fear in action.  AA-related 'Alc ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 20, 2025  A.A.'s MessageTo watch the eyes of men and women open with wonder as they move from darkness into light, to see their lives quickly fill with new purpose and meaning, to see whole families reassembled, to see the alcoholic outcast received back into his community in full citizenship, and above all to watch these people awaken to the presence of a loving God in their lives—these things are the substance of what we receive as we carry A.A.'s message to th ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 19, 2025  Change ProfoundlyAfter we come into A.A., if we go on growing, our attitudes and actions toward security—emotional security and financial security—commence to change profoundly. Our demand for emotional security, for our own way, had constantly thrown us into unworkable relations with other people. Though we were sometimes quite unconscious of this, the result always had been the same. Either we had tried to play God and dominate those about us, or we h ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 18, 2025  Unable to StopBut the actual or potential alcoholic, with hardly an exception, will be absolutely unable to stop drinking on the basis of self-knowledge. This is a point we wish to emphasize and re-emphasize, to smash home upon our alcoholic readers as it has been revealed to us out of bitter experience.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (More About Alcoholism) p. 39  Thought to Ponder . . .Pride in my intelligence blinded me to how much I did not know.   ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 17, 2025  Group of PrinciplesA.A.’s Twelve Steps are a group of principles, spiritual in their nature, which, if practiced as a way of life, can expel the obsession to drink and enable the sufferer to become happily and usefully whole.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Foreward) p. 15  Thought to Ponder . . .A.A. is not something we join; it's a way of life.  AA-related 'Alconym'S T E P S  =   Solutions Through Each Powerful Step.  To ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 16, 2025  Step ThreeLike all the remaining Steps, Step Three calls for affirmative action, for it is only by action that we can cut away the self-will which has always blocked the entry of God—or, if you like, a Higher Power—into our lives. Faith, to be sure, is necessary, but faith alone can avail nothing. We can have faith, yet keep God out of our lives.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Three) p. 34  Thought to Ponder . . .Willpower ... our will- ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 15, 2025  Instincts In CollisionWe might next ask ourselves what we mean when we say that we have "harmed" other people. What kinds of "harm" do people do one another, anyway? To define the word "harm" in a practical way, we might call it the result of instincts in collision, which cause physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual damage to people.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Eight) p. 80  Thought to Ponder . . .The ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 14, 2025  FaithFaith 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. Each day my friend’s simple talk in our kitchen multiplies itself in a widening circle of peace on earth and good will to men.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Bill's Story) p. 16  Thought to Ponder . . .It is when you act on faith that you actually have it.  AA-related 'Alconym'F A I ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 13, 2025  Safe GuidanceThe persistent use of meditation and prayer, we found, did open the channel so that where there had been a trickle, there now was a river which led to sure power and safe guidance from God as we were increasingly better able to understand Him.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Twelve) p. 109  Thought to Ponder . . .Praying is asking God for help, meditating is listening for God's answer.  AA-related 'Alconym'A S A P   ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 12, 2025  HumilityWhere humility had formerly stood for a forced feeding on humble pie, it now begins to mean the nourishing ingredient which can give us serenity. This improved perception of humility starts another revolutionary change in our outlook. Our eyes begin to open to the immense values which have come straight out of painful ego-puncturing.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Seven) p. 74  Thought to Ponder . . .The difference between pride ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 11, 2025  Attitudes and ActionsWhy all this insistence that every A.A. must hit bottom first? The answer is that few people will sincerely try to practice the A.A. program unless they have hit bottom. For practicing A.A.'s remaining eleven Steps means the adoption of attitudes and actions that almost no alcoholic who is still drinking can dream of taking.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step One) p. 24  Thought to Ponder . . .Sobriety without action is ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 10, 2025  Our Real 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. 77  Thought to Ponder . . .Service puts feet on my prayers.  AA-related 'Alconym'B E S T  =   Been Enjoying Sobriety Today?  To Unsubscribe - Click Here_Subscription Reminder_   You'r ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 9, 2025  Not a TheoryWe ought to sit down with the family and frankly analyze the past as we now see it, being very careful not to criticize them. Their defects may be glaring, but the chances are that our own actions are partly responsible. So we clean house with the family, asking each morning in meditation that our Creator show us the way of patience, tolerance, kindliness and love. The spiritual life is not a theory. We have to live it.- Alcoholics Anonymous, ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 8, 2025  GuidanceWe discover that we do receive guidance for our lives to just about the extent that we stop making demands upon God to give it to us on order and on our terms. Almost 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.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Eleven) pp. 104 - 105  Thought to Ponder . . .The Three "P's" -- ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 7, 2025  Controlled DrinkingWe 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. 31 ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 6, 2025  Spiritual ConditionIt is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels. We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a subtle foe. We are not cured of alcoholism. What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition. Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God’s will into all of our activities. "How can I best serve Thee—Thy will (not mine) be done."- Alco ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)January 5, 2025~ Scroll Down for Share ~  To Run the ShowMost people try to live by self-propulsion. Each person is like an actor who wants to run the whole show; is forever trying to arrange the lights, the ballet, the scenery and the rest of the players in his own way. If his arrangements would only stay put, if only people would do as he wished, the show would be great. Everybody, including himself, would be pleased. Life would be wonderful.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Ho ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 4, 2025  Again and AgainWe have seen the truth demonstrated again and again: “Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.’’ Commencing to drink after a period of sobriety, we are in a short time as bad as ever. If we are planning to stop drinking, there must be no reservation of any kind, nor any lurking notion that someday we will be immune to alcohol.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (More About Alcoholism) p. 33  Thought to Ponder . . .When we try to control our drinki ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 3, 2025  Depth and WeightFrothy emotional appeal seldom suffices. The message which can interest and hold these alcoholic people must have depth and weight. In nearly all cases, their ideals must be grounded in a power greater than themselves, if they are to re-create their lives.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Doctor's Opinion) p. xxviii  Thought to Ponder . . .Hope leads to faith if you let it.  AA-related 'Alconym'A B C  =   Acceptance, Belief ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 2, 2025  A.A.'s MessageThis brought a rush of 800 frantic inquiries into the little New York office which meanwhile had been established. Each inquiry was painstakingly answered; pamphlets and books were sent out. Businessmen, traveling out of existing groups, were referred to these prospective newcomers. New groups started up and it was found, to the astonishment of everyone, that A.A.’s message could be transmitted in the mail as well as by word of mouth.- Alco ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 1, 2025  A Higher PowerIn Step Eleven we saw that if a Higher Power had restored us to sanity and had enabled us to live with some peace of mind in a sorely troubled world, then such a Higher Power was worth knowing better, by as direct contact as possible.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Twelve) pp. 108 - 109  Thought to Ponder . . .Relationships are built with communication; so we pray.  AA-related 'Alconym'A S A P  =   Always Say ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)December 31, 2024  Tradition One - UnityThe unity of Alcoholics Anonymous is the most cherished quality our Society has. Our lives, the lives of all to come, depend squarely upon it. We stay whole, or A.A. dies. Without unity, the heart of A.A. would cease to beat; our world arteries would no longer carry the life-giving grace of God; His gift to us would be spent aimlessly. Back again in their caves, alcoholics would reproach us and say, “What a great thing A.A. might h ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)December 30, 2024  Problems Pile UpThese 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. xxviii  Thought to Ponder . . .The gritty pain of alcoholism is the traction of recovery.  AA-re ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)December 29, 2024~ Scroll Down for Share ~  Old, Insidious InsanityUnless he took some drinks, he might not have the courage to scrape an acquaintance and would have a lonely week-end. Of course he couldn't drink, but why not sit hopefully at a table, a bottle of ginger ale before him? After all, had he not been sober six months now? Perhaps he could handle, say, three drinks—no more! Fear gripped him. He was on thin ice. Again it was the old, insidious insanity—that fir ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)December 28, 2024  ResentmentsFew people have been more victimized by resentments than have we alcoholics. It mattered little whether our resentments were justified or not. A burst of temper could spoil a day, and a well-nursed grudge could make us miserably ineffective. Nor were we ever skillful in separating justified from unjustified anger. As we saw it, our wrath was always justified.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Ten) p. 90  Thought to Ponder . . . ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)December 27, 2024  No FightShortly afterward I came home drunk. There had been no fight. Where had been my high resolve? I simply didn’t know. It hadn't even come to mind. Someone had pushed a drink my way, and I had taken it. Was I crazy? I began to wonder, for such an appalling lack of perspective seemed near being just that.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Bill's Story) p. 5  Thought to Ponder . . .We are without defense against the first drink.  AA-related 'Alconym ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)December 26, 2024  InvestigationWhile the purpose of making restitution to others is paramount, it is equally necessary that we extricate from an examination of our personal relations every bit of information about ourselves and our fundamental difficulties that we can. Since defective relations with other human beings have nearly always been the immediate cause of our woes, including our alcoholism, no field of investigation could yield more satisfying and valuable rewa ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)December 25, 2024  Radiance of This PrayerWe 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 power drive that can only push up obstacles before us faster than the ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)December 24, 2024  Act of Will"Personally, I take the attitude that I intend never to drink again. This is somewhat different from saying, 'I will never drink again.' The latter attitude sometimes gets people in trouble because it is undertaking on a personal basis to do what we alcoholics never could do. It is too much an act of will and leaves us too little room for the idea that God will release us from the drink obsession provided we follow the A.A. program.&quo ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)December 23, 2024  Reliance"Belief meant reliance, not defiance. In A.A. we saw the fruits of this belief: men and women spared from alcohol's final catastrophe. We saw them meet and transcend their other pains and trials. We saw them calmly accept impossible situations, seeking neither to run nor to recriminate. This was not only faith; it was faith that worked under all conditions."- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Two) p. 31  Thought to Ponder ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)December 22, 2024~ Scroll Down for Share ~  All PowerWithout 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) p. 59  Thought to PonderWe will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.  AA-related 'Alconym'F A I T H&nb ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)December 21, 2024  Over and OverAfter they have succumbed to the desire again, as so many do, and the phenomenon of craving develops, they pass through the well-known stages of a spree, emerging remorseful, with a firm resolution not to drink again. This is repeated over and over, and unless this person can experience an entire psychic change there is very little hope of his recovery.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Doctors Opinion,) p. xxix  Thought to Ponder . . .Insa ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)December 20, 2024  My DisturbanceDid these perplexities beset me because of selfishness or unreasonable demands? Or, if my disturbance was seemingly caused by the behavior of others, why do I lack the ability to accept conditions I cannot change? These are the sort of fundamental inquiries that can disclose the source of my discomfort and indicate whether I may be able to alter my own conduct and so adjust myself serenely to self-discipline.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Trad ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)December 19, 2024  Admission and CorrectionBut 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 a ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)December 18, 2024  Solid Spiritual GroundSo our rule is not to avoid a place where there is drinking,if we have a legitimate reason for being there. . . Go or stay away, whichever seems best. But be sure you are on solid spiritual ground before you start and that your motive in going is thoroughly good. Do not think of what you will get out of the occasion. Think of what you can bring to it. But if you are shaky, you had better work with another alcoholic instead!- Alcoh ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)December 17, 2024  Any ConceptionTell him exactly what happened to you. Stress the spiritual feature freely. If the man be agnostic or atheist, make it emphatic that he does not have to agree with your conception of God. He can choose any conception he likes, provided it makes sense to him. The main thing is that he be willing to believe in a Power greater than himself and that he live by spiritual principles.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Working With Others) p. 93  Thou ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)December 16, 2024  AmendsWe should be sensible, tactful, considerate and humble without being servile or scraping. As God’s people we stand on our feet; we don’t crawl before anyone.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 83  Thought to Ponder . . .It is the highest form of self-respect to admit mistakes and to make amends for them.  AA-related 'Alconym'A A  =   Accountable Actions.  To Unsubscribe - Click Here_Subscription Reminder_   ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)December 15, 2024~ Scroll Down for Share ~  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 - 41  Thought to PonderThe stillness of God speaks louder than a choir of ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)December 14, 2024  Painful PastThis painful past may be of infinite value to other families still struggling with their problem. We think each family which has been relieved owes something to those who have not, and when the occasion requires, each member of it should be only too willing to bring former mistakes, no matter how grievous, out of their hiding places.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Family Afterward) p. 124  Thought to Ponder . . .Showing others who suffer ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)December 13, 2024  A Vision of HumilityTo get completely away from our aversion to the idea of being humble, to gain a vision of humility as the avenue to true freedom of the human spirit, to be willing to work for humility as something to be desired for itself, takes most of us a long, long time. A whole lifetime geared to self-centeredness cannot be set in reverse all at once.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Seven) p. 73  Thought to Ponder . . .Rebellio ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)December 12, 2024  Progress is Our Aim"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. 15  Thought to Ponder . . .Sobriety is not a destination, but an everlasting journey.  AA-related 'Alconym'A B C  =   Accep ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)December 11, 2024  First AcceptedWe 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. 21  Thought to Ponder . . .The Three A's . ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)December 10, 2024  An UnderstandingStrangely enough, wives, parents and intimate friends usually find us even more unapproachable than do the psychiatrist and the doctor.But the ex-problem drinker who has found this solution, who is properly armed with facts about himself, can generally win the entire confidence of another alcoholic in a few hours. Until such an understanding is reached, little or nothing can be accomplished.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) ...Continue Reading