*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *February 21, 2016* *Results* *I had to admit that AA showed results, prodigious results. I saw that my attitude regarding these had been anything but scientific.  It wasn't AA that had the closed mind, it was me. The minute I stopped arguing, I could begin to see and feel. . . I can't say upon occasion or upon what day I came to believe in a Power greater than myself, but I certainly have that belief now. To acquire it, I had only to stop fighting and practice t ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *February 20, 2016* *Traditions* *The Twelve Traditions point straight at many of our individual defects. By implication they ask each of us to lay aside pride and resentment.  They ask for personal as well as group sacrifice. They ask us never to use the AA name in any quest for personal power or distinction or money. The Traditions guarantee the equality of all members and independence of all groups. They show how we may best relate ourselves to each other and ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *February 19, 2016* *Renewal* *I have a new outlook on life. I look forward to each day with happiness because of the real enjoyment it is to me to be sane, sober, and respectable. I was existing really from one drink until the next, with no perception about circumstances, conditions, or even nature's elements. My acquaintance with God -- lost and forgotten when I was a young man -- is renewed. God is all-loving and all-forgiving. The memories of my past are being dim ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *February 18, 2016* *Emotional Sobriety* *If we examine every disturbance we have, great or small, we will find at the root of it some unhealthy dependency and its consequent unhealthy demand. Let us, with God's help, continually surrender these hobbling demands. Then we can be set free to live and love; we may be able to Twelfth Step ourselves and others into emotional sobriety.* /- The Language of the Heart,/ p. 238 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Sobriety is not a dest ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *February 17, 2016* *Responsibilities* *Remember, AA is not going to preserve itself automatically. What are we, each one of us, doing with the gift of sobriety, so freely and lovingly given? Will we squander our magnificent inheritance?  Perhaps each one of us should hold on to these thoughts: "Keep me mindful of the responsibilities that accompany the blessings of freedom. The only time that wrong can prevail is when good people do nothing."* /- The H ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *February 16, 2016* *The Mirror* *One looks in the mirror to powder, shave, or admire.  But the good AA is apt to look deeper. Every morning he gives thanks for a sober countenance, he asks forgiveness for lingering resentment, he hopes for grace to live the coming day well.  At nightfall he takes another look, saying, "Well, my friend, how did we do today?  Thanks be to thee for the privilege of living." Thus the AA's mirror reflects not roug ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *February 15, 2016* *Decision* *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. At some of these we balked.  We thought we could find an easier, softer way.  But we could not. With all the earnestness at our command, we beg of you to be fearless and thorough from the very start. Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolute ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *February 14, 2016 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Step Six /"Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character."/ It is nowhere evident, at least in this life, that our Creator expects us fully to eliminate our instinctual drives. So far as we know, it is nowhere on the record that God has completely removed from any human being all his natural drives.* /- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,/ p. 65 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *I want the gift ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *February 13, 2016* *Values* *In spite of my original bias, AA /was/ teaching me spiritual values -- love and kindness and consideration and humility, attitudes opposite to the resentments, pride, self-centeredness and fear that had previously all but consumed my mind. And it was not until AA had taught me these values, to some extent at least, that my mind was ready for faith to enter.* /- The Best of the Grapevine/ [Vol. 2], pp. 176-177 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *H ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *February 12, 2016* *Humility for Today* *We scarcely need be reminded that excessive guilt or rebellion leads to spiritual poverty. But it was a very long time before we knew we could go even more broke on spiritual pride. When we early AAs got our first glimmer of how spiritually prideful we could be, we coined this expression: "Don't get too damned good by Thursday!" That old-time admonition may look like another of those handy alibis that can excuse us f ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *February 11, 2016* *Awakening* *As this power began to unfold new selves within me, a greater understanding of my fellowmen began. With a new awakening each day -- new strengths, new truths, new acceptance of AA people and people not in AA -- a whole new world opened up.  And every day it still does.* /- Came To Believe . . .,/ p. 45 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *A new world came into view.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *A A* = **A**lways **A**live. Thanks to al ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *February 10, 2016 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Dealing With Defects If 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 that we try as best we know how to make progress in the building of character.* /- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,/ p. 65 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *If I want God ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *February 9, 2016* *Believe* *Some of us come to believe almost instantly; others take weeks or months; still others take years. There is no set timetable, and there is no reason to feel guilty over inability to accept the Second Step immediately, with all its ramifications.  On the other hand, though. . . if we ignore it or kick it under the rug and hope it goes away, we cut the spiritual heart out of the program.* /- The Best of the Grapevine/ [Vol. 2], p. 138 ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *February 8, 2016* *Action* *My AA way of life now demands constant action -- an active self-honesty and recognition of the necessity for living in day-tight compartments. Patience must be practiced.  In gratitude, I must humbly come to believe every moment of every day. Each day, I must surrender and rededicate my life, or I shall lose all that I have gained.  I have always believed in God, but I must never forget how easy it is to lose contact and to becom ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *February 7, 2016 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ The Solution The tremendous fact for every one of us is that we have discovered a common solution. We have a way out on which we can absolutely agree, and upon which we can join in brotherly and harmonious action. This is the great news this book carries to those who suffer from alcoholism.* /- Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 17 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Walk softly and carry a Big Book. AA-related 'Alconym' . . . *S O L U T I ...Continue Reading