*AA Thought for the Day*(courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 26, 2018* *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, p. 60 Thought to PonderI can't, God can, I'll ask Him to. AA-related 'Alconym'*W I ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day*(courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 25, 2018* *Self-appraisal*In actual practice, we usually find a solitary self-appraisal insufficient. Many of us thought it necessary to go much further. We 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. - Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 72 Thought to PonderI cannot mend if I bend the truth. AA-related 'Alconym'*H O W & ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day*(courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 24, 2018* *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. "If the day comes that I do drink again, it will not be because I had no alternative. It will be because I had an alternative, provided by a loving God, but was unwilling to use it." - AA Grapevine, October 1994, "Lock Me Up, Please" Thought to PonderIt's n ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day*(courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 23, 2018* *The First Milestone*When we have finally admitted without reservation that we are powerless over alcohol, we are apt to breathe a great sigh of relief, saying, “Well, thank God that's over! I'll never have to go through /that/ again!” Then we learn, often to our consternation, that this is only the first milestone on the new road we are walking. - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 73 Thought to PonderSobriety is not a destination, but an ever ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day*(courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 22, 2018* *Alcoholic Mind*They had said that though I did raise a defense, it would one day give way before some trivial reason for having a drink. Well, just that did happen and more, for what I had learned of alcoholism did not occur to me at all. I knew from that moment that I had an alcoholic mind. - Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 42 Thought to PonderThe ultimate defense against the first drink is a spiritual one. AA-related 'Alconym'*T H I N K*  =   ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net) January 21, 2018 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ *This Solution*/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, p. 18 Thought to PonderTogether we can do what we could never do alone. AA-related 'Alconym'*A L C O H O L I C S*  =  ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day*(courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 20, 2018* *Laughter*So we think cheerfulness and laughter make for usefulness. Outsiders are sometimes shocked when we bust into merriment over a seemingly tragic experience out of the past. But why shouldn’t we laugh? We have recovered, and have been given the power to help others. - Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 132 Thought to PonderLaughter is the sound of recovery. AA-related 'Alconym'*H J F*  =  *H*appy, *J*oyous, *F*ree. Thanks to all of you for s ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day*(courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 19, 2018* *Consciousness*Leaving aside the drink question, they tell why living was so unsatisfactory. They show how the change came over them. When many hundreds of people are able to say that the consciousness of the Presence of God is today the most important fact of their lives, they present a powerful reason why one should have faith. - Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 51 Thought to PonderHope leads to faith if you let it. AA-related 'Alconym'*F A I T H*   ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day*(courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 18, 2018* *Blind*For a brief moment, I had needed and wanted God. There had been a humble willingness to have Him with me—and He came. But soon the sense of His presence had been blotted out by worldly clamors, mostly those within myself. And so it had been ever since. How blind I had been. - Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 12 - 13 Thought to PonderToday, my brain has cleared with the grace of clarity. AA-related 'Alconym'*H O P E*  =  *H*eart *O*pen; *P ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day*(courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 17, 2018* *No Reservation*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, p. 33 Thought to PonderWhen we try to control our drinking, we have already ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day*(courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 16, 2018* *Possible Existence*As soon as we admitted the possible existence of a Creative Intelligence, a Spirit of the Universe underlying the totality of things, we began to be possessed of a new sense of power and direction, provided we took other simple steps. We found that God does not make too hard terms with those who seek Him. - Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 46 Thought to PonderGod seldom becomes a reality until God becomes a necessity. AA-related 'Alcony ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day*(courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 15, 2018* *Miraculous*The central fact of our lives today is the absolute certainty that our Creator has entered into our hearts and lives in a way which is indeed miraculous. He has commenced to accomplish those things for us which we could never do by ourselves. - Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 25 Thought to PonderDon't give up before the miracle happens. AA-related 'Alconym'*B I G  B O O K*  =  *B*elieving *I*n *G*od *B*eats *O*ur *O*ld *K*nowled ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net) January 14, 2018 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ *Willingness* Once we have placed the key of willingness in the lock and have the door ever so slightly open, we find that we can always open it some more. Though self-will may slam it shut again, as it frequently does, it will always respond the moment we again pick up the key of willingness. - Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions, p. 35 Thought to PonderTake a walk with God. He will meet you at the Steps. AA-related 'Alconym ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day*(courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 13, 2018* *Absolutely Unable*But 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, p. 39 Thought to PonderPride in my intelligence blinded me to how much I did not know. AA-related 'Alconym'*P A I D* &nbs ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day*(courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 12, 2018* *Helpful*We avoid retaliation or argument. We wouldn’t treat sick people that way. If we do, we destroy our chance of being helpful. We cannot be helpful to all people, but at least God will show us how to take a kindly and tolerant view of each and every one. - Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 67 Thought to PonderToday I pray over the things that I used to drink over. AA-related 'Alconym'*P U T*  =  *P*ractice *U*sing *T*olerance. Thanks to a ...Continue Reading