*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *June 20, 2020* *Way of Life* A.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 The Twelve Steps -- a manuscript for rational living. AA-related 'Alconym' *S T E P S*  =  *S*olutions *T*hrough *E*ach *P*owerful *S*tep. Thanks to a ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *June 19, 2020* *Acceptance* Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in God’s world by mistake. Until 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. 417 Thought to Ponder My serenity is directly proportional to ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *June 18, 2020* *Three Pertinent Ideas* Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventures before and after make clear three pertinent ideas: (a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives. (b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism. (c) That God could and would if He were sought. - Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 85 Thought to Ponder I can't, God can, I'll ask Him to. AA-related ' ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *June 17, 2020* *Grace* The fact was we really hadn't cleaned house so that the grace of God could enter us and expel the obsession. In 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." - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, ( ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *June 16, 2020* *Amends* The question of how to approach the man we hated will arise. It may be he has done us more harm than we have done him and, though we may have acquired a better attitude toward him, we are still not too keen about admitting our faults. Nevertheless, with a person we dislike, we take the bit in our teeth. It is harder to go to an enemy than to a friend, but we find it much more beneficial to us. - Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 77 Though ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *June 15, 2020* *Step Three* We were now at Step Three. 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 Works) p. 63 Thou ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) June 14, 2020 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ *Step Twelve* Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.  - Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 60  Thought to Ponder In AA we carry the message ... not the mess.  AA-related 'Alconym' *H E A L*  =  *H*elping *E*very *A*lcoholic *L*ive.  A Member Shares: I'm Charlie J and I sti ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *June 13, 2020* *Self-Will* So 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. And there often seems no way of entirely getting rid of self without His aid. - Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 62 Thought to Ponder ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *June 12, 2020* *Stand Together* Therefore, Step Two is the rallying point for all of us. Whether agnostic, atheist, or former believer, we can stand together on this Step. True humility and an open mind can lead us to faith, and every A.A. meeting is an assurance that God will restore us to sanity if we rightly relate ourselves to Him. - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Two) p. 33 Thought to Ponder Let go and let God. AA-related 'Alconym' *F A I T H*  ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *June 11, 2020* *Gratitude* Such is the paradox of AA regeneration: strength arising out of complete defeat and weakness, the loss of one's old life as a condition for finding a new one. But we of AA do not have to understand this paradox, we have only to be grateful for it. - Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, p. 46 Thought to Ponder I have learned how a heart full of gratitude feels. AA-related 'Alconym' *A A*  =  *A*mazing *A*dventure. Thanks to all of ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *June 10, 2020* *Ghosts of Yesterday* If we have swept the searchlight of Step Four back and forth over our careers, and it has revealed in stark relief those experiences we'd rather not remember, if we have come to know how wrong thinking and action have hurt us and others, then the need to quit living by ourselves with those tormenting ghosts of yesterday gets more urgent than ever. We have to talk to somebody about them. - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step F ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *June 9, 2020* *Stormy Emotions* Anger, that occasional luxury of more balanced people, could keep us on an emotional jag indefinitely. These emotional "dry benders" often led straight to the bottle. Other kinds of disturbances—jealousy, envy, self-pity, or hurt pride—did the same thing. A spot-check inventory taken in the midst of such disturbances can be of very great help in quieting stormy emotions. - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Ten) p. 90 ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *June 8, 2020* *King Alcohol* As we became subjects of King Alcohol, shivering denizens of his mad realm, the chilling vapor that is loneliness settled down. It thickened, ever becoming blacker. Some of us sought out sordid places, hoping to find understanding companionship and approval. Momentarily we did—then would come oblivion and the awful awakening to face the hideous Four Horsemen—Terror, Bewilderment, Frustration, Despair. Unhappy drinkers who read this page wi ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net) June 7, 2020 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ *The Delusion* We 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. 30  Thought ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *June 6, 2020* *Ready* Our stories disclose in a general way what we used to be like, what happened, and what we are like now. If you have decided you want what we have and are willing to go to any length to get it—then you are ready to take certain steps. - Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 58 Thought to Ponder Sobriety without action is fantasy. AA-related 'Alconym' *S T E P S*  =  *S*olutions *T*hrough *E*ach *P*owerful *S*tep. Thanks to all of yo ...Continue Reading