AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) July 28, 2020 Clearly See To those who have made progress in A.A., it amounts to a clear recognition of what and who we really are, followed by a sincere attempt to become what we could be. Therefore, our first practical move toward humility must consist of recognizing our deficiencies. No defect can be corrected unless we clearly see what it is. - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Five) p. 58 Thought to Ponder Humility is not thinking less of myself, but thinki ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) July 27, 2020 Our Fears This dream world has been replaced by a great sense of purpose, accompanied by a growing consciousness of the power of God in our lives.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. 130 Thought to Ponder Faith is our greatest ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) July 26, 2020 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ The Actor Most 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, (H ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) July 25, 2020 Our Fears Sometimes we think fear ought to be classed with stealing. It seems to cause more trouble. We reviewed our fears thoroughly. We put them on paper, even though we had no resentment in connection with them. We asked ourselves why we had them. Wasn’t it because self-reliance failed us? Self-reliance was good as far as it went, but it didn’t go far enough. - Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) pp. 67 - 68 Thought to Ponder Breathe in faith, breathe ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) July 24, 2020 Thoroughness If we have been thorough about our personal inventory, we have written down a lot.  We have listed and analyzed our resentments. We have begun to comprehend their futility and their fatality. We have commenced to see their terrible destructiveness.  We have begun to learn tolerance, patience and good will toward all men, even our enemies, for we look on them as sick people. We have listed the people we have hu ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) July 23, 2020 Our Families We 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. - Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 83 Thought to Ponder The Three "C ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) July 22, 2020 No Such Thing We have tried every imaginable remedy. In some instances there has been brief recovery, followed always by a still worse relapse. Physicians who are familiar with alcoholism agree there is no such thing as making a normal drinker out of an alcoholic. - Alcoholics Anonymous, (More About Alcoholism) pp. 30 - 31 Thought to Ponder When we try to control our drinking, we have already lost control. AA-related 'Alconym' I S M  =  I Sabota ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *July 21, 2020* *Enjoying Life* 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 Laughter is the sound of recovery. AA-related 'Alconym' *H J F*  =  *H*appy, *J*oyous, *F*ree ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *July 20, 2020* *Guidance* We 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" -- Pause ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) July 19, 2020 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ *Third Step Prayer* Many 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 Work ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *July 18, 2020* *Depth and Weight* Frothy 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 Doctors Opinion) p. xxviii Thought to Ponder Hope leads to faith if you let it. AA-related 'Alconym' *A B C*  =  *A*cceptance, *B*elief, *C* ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *July 17, 2020* *Careful Review* Returning 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. - Alcoholics Anonymous, ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *July 16, 2020* *Wider Meaning* But when we have taken a square look at some of these defects, have discussed them with another, and have become willing to have them removed, our thinking about humility commences to have a wider meaning. By this time in all probability we have gained some measure of release from our more devastating handicaps. We enjoy moments in which there is something like real peace of mind. - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Seven) p. 74 ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *July 15, 2020* *Unreasonable Fears* When a job still looked like a mere means of getting money rather than an opportunity for service, when the acquisition of money for financial independence looked more important than a right dependence upon God, we were still the victims of unreasonable fears. And these were fears which would make a serene and useful existence, at any financial level, quite impossible. - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Twelve) p. 121 Thou ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *July 14, 2020* *Why?* 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. They sound like the philosophy of the man who, having a headache, beats himself on the head with a hammer so that he can’t feel the ache.  If you draw this fallacious reasoning t ...Continue Reading