AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) May 19, 2021 Keynotes Courtesy, kindness, justice, and love are the keynotes by which we may come into harmony with practically anybody. When in doubt we can always pause, saying, "Not my will, but Thine, be done." And we can often ask ourselves, "Am I doing to others as I would have them do to me—today?" - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Ten) p. 93 Thought to Ponder The Three "C's" -- Concern, Compassion, Consideration. AA-relat ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) May 18, 2021 Forgiveness This vital Step was also the means by which we began to get the feeling that we could be forgiven, no matter what we had thought or done. Often it was while working on this Step with our sponsors or spiritual advisers that we first felt truly able to forgive others, no matter how deeply we felt they had wronged us. - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Five) pp. 57 - 58 Thought to Ponder The number one way to relieve pain is to forgive. A ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) May 17, 2021 Twelfth Step Work We 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 Only in giving do we receive in full measure. AA-related 'Alconym' A L ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) May 16, 2021 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ The List We turned back to the list, for it held the key to the future. We were prepared to look at it from an entirely different angle. We began to see that the world and its people really dominated us. In that state, the wrong-doing of others, fancied or real, had power to actually kill. How could we escape? We saw that these resentments must be mastered, but how?  - Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 66  Thought ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) May 15, 2021 Pass It On Outline the program of action, explaining how you made a self-appraisal, how you straightened out your past and why you are now endeavoring to be helpful to him. It is important for him to realize that your attempt to pass this on to him plays a vital part in your own recovery. Actually, he may be helping you more than you are helping him. - Alcoholics Anonymous, (Working With Others) p. 94 Thought to Ponder In AA we carry the message ... not the ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) May 14, 2021 Willing to Believe Circumstances made him willing to believe. He humbly offered himself to his Maker—then he knew. Even so has God restored us all to our right minds. To this man, the revelation was sudden. Some of us grow into it more slowly. But He has come to all who have honestly sought Him. When we drew near to Him He disclosed Himself to us! - Alcoholics Anonymous, (We Agnostics) p. 57 Thought to Ponder Hold your face up to the Light, even though for ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) May 13, 2021 Gaining Humility To 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 Humility begins with 'ple ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) May 12, 2021 Absolutely Insist We have been speaking to you of serious, sometimes tragic things. We have been dealing with alcohol in its worst aspect. But we aren't a glum lot. If newcomers could see no joy or fun in our existence, they wouldn't want it. We absolutely insist on enjoying life. - Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Family Afterward) p. 132 Thought to Ponder The joy is in the journey, so enjoy the ride. AA-related 'Alconym' A L O H A  =  A Lot Of Happy ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) May 11, 2021 Truth Demonstrated We 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 Times change, alcoholism doesn't. ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) May 10, 2021 Accurate Self-Appraisal The emphasis on inventory is heavy only because a great many of us have never really acquired the habit of accurate self-appraisal. Once this healthy practice has become grooved, it will be so interesting and profitable that the time it takes won't be missed. For these minutes and sometimes hours spent in self-examination are bound to make all the other hours of our day better and ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) May 9, 2021 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Reborn More and more we became interested in seeing what we could contribute to life. As we felt new power flow in, as we enjoyed peace of mind, as we discovered we could face life successfully, as we became conscious of His presence, we began to lose our fear of today, tomorrow or the hereafter. We were reborn.  - Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 63  Thought to Ponder The Power behind us is much greater than any f ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) May 8, 2021 To Do Anything Under the lash of alcoholism, we are driven to A.A., and there we discover the fatal nature of our situation. Then, and only then, do we become as open-minded to conviction and as willing to listen as the dying can be. We stand ready to do anything which will lift the merciless obsession from us. - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step One) p. 24 Thought to Ponder Am I willing to go to any length? AA-related 'Alconym' H O P E  =  ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) May 7, 2021 Rationalization But in other instances only the closest scrutiny will reveal what our true motives were. There are cases where our ancient enemy, rationalization, has stepped in and has justified conduct which was really wrong. The temptation here is to imagine that we had good motives and reasons when we really didn't. - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Ten) p. 94 Thought to Ponder Don't believe everything you think. AA-related 'Alconym' J A D E&n ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) May 6, 2021 Resolution and Willingness How can we possibly summon the resolution and the willingness to get rid of such overwhelming compulsions and desires? But again we are driven on by the inescapable conclusion which we draw from A.A. experience, that we surely must try with a will, or else fall by the wayside. At this stage of our progress we are under heavy pressure to do the right thing. We are obliged to choose between the pains of trying and the certain penaltie ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) May 5, 2021 Happy, Joyous and Free We 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. 133 Thoug ...Continue Reading