*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 7, 2016* *The Ladder* *No one who drank as I did wakes up on the edge of the abyss one morning and says: Things look pretty scary; I think I'd better stop drinking before I fall in. I was convinced I could go as far as I wanted, and then climb back out when it wasn't fun anymore. What happened was, I found myself at the bottom of the canyon thinking I'd never see the sun again. AA didn't pull me out of the hole.  It did give me the tools to construct a l ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 6, 2016 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Let Go, Let God When we look back, we realize that the things which came to us when we put ourselves in God's hands were better than anything we could have planned.* /- Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 100 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. AA-related 'Alconym' . . . *L E T  G O** = **L**eave **E**verything **T**o **G**od, **O**kay? ** *A Member Shares: Hello everyone.  I'm ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 5, 2016* *Self-protection* *Now is the time, the only time there is.  And if we are not kind to ourselves right now, we certainly cannot rightfully expect respect or consideration from others. We have found we can enjoy, sober, every good thing we enjoyed while drinking -- and many, many more. It takes a little practice, but the rewards more than make up for the effort. To do so is not selfish, but self-protective.* /- Living Sober,/ p. 42 *Thought to P ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 4, 2016* *Action* *When we first come around AA, we're urged to do just what we are told. We might not like it, we might not even agree with it: just do it. When the action gets the predicted result, we're astonished and sometimes a little annoyed. But almost against our will, we come to understand and believe. We've never been able to achieve these ends by just thinking, but our action and its results can open the door to understanding and belief.* /- The Be ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 4, 2016* *Action* *When we first come around AA, we're urged to do just what we are told. We might not like it, we might not even agree with it: just do it. When the action gets the predicted result, we're astonished and sometimes a little annoyed. But almost against our will, we come to understand and believe. We've never been able to achieve these ends by just thinking, but our action and its results can open the door to understanding and belief.* /- The Be ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 3, 2016 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Miracles Since these things have happened among us, they can happen with you.  Should you wish them above all else, and be willing to make use of our experience, we are sure they will come. The age of miracles is still with us.  Our own recovery proves that!* /- Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 153 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Life is an ongoing miracle. AA-related 'Alconym' . . . *W E** = **W**alls **E**vaporate. ** *A M ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 2, 2016* *Our Solution* *If you are as seriously alcoholic as we were, we believe there is no middle-of-the-road solution. We were in a position where life was becoming impossible, and if we had passed into the region from which there is no return through human aid, we had but two alternatives: One was to go on to the bitter end, blotting out the consciousness of our intolerable situation as best we could; and the other, to accept spiritual help. This we did ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *January 1, 2016* *Today* *Today is the day.  Doing our best, living each day to the fullest is the art of living. Yesterday is gone, and we don't know whether we will be here tomorrow. If we do a good job of living today, and if tomorrow comes for us, then the chances are we will do a good job when it arrives -- so why worry about it?* /- Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 357 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Live each day with a little less fear and a little more faith.* *A ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *December 31, 2015* *Isolation* *Isolation sneaks up on us.  We can mask it with familiar props that are not in themselves bad. We can isolate ourselves in an attempt to clean up our apartments (and then not do the cleaning); we can isolate ourselves in churches or in sleep; we can use family, sweethearts, compulsive working, television. The list is long.  The nicest way to end it is the way you and I do: together.   Reach out -- people can't read your ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *December 30, 2015 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Review the Day When we retire at night, we constructively review our day.  Were we resentful, selfish, dishonest or afraid? . . . What could we have done better? . . . After making our review, we ask God's forgiveness and inquire what corrective measures should be taken.* /- As Bill Sees It,/ p. 89 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Every day is a gift.  That is why we call it the present. AA-related 'Alconym' . . . *F ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *December 29, 2015* *Progression* *The progression of this disease catapulted me into outer space. An excess of chemical propellant overworked my sensory mechanism; like the crippled Apollo 13 spacecraft, I was almost stranded on the dark side of the moon.  I could not manage the added power; I was not able to control this by myself. I needed a helping Hand, the spiritual reserve of a Higher Power. I felt like a man in a tunnel with no opening at the other end, o ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *December 28, 2015* *Red Flags* *Many years later, although alcohol is not part of my life and I no longer have the compulsion to drink, it can still occur to me what a good drink tastes like and what it can do for me, from my stand-at-attention alcoholic taste buds right down to my stretched out tingling toes. As my sponsor used to point out, such thoughts are like red flags, telling me that something is not right, that I am stretched beyond my sober limit.  It' ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *December 27, 2015* *Good News* *I'm an alcoholic, sober today, thanks to my Higher Power and the fellowship and support of AA. That's my good news for you.  It's not a very fancy statement.  There's a lot more that needs to be said -- words about my Higher Power, about the incredible love AA people have for one another, about struggling with the Steps, about black battles with our own private demons.  Yes, it's a whole new way of life we're talking abo ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *December 26, 2015* *"If"* *Alcoholism respects no ifs.  It does not go away, not for a week, for a day, or even for an hour, leaving us nonalcoholic and able to drink again on some special occasion or for some extraordinary reason -- not even if it is a once-in-a-lifetime celebration, or if a big sorrow hits us, or if it rains in Spain, or the stars fall on Alabama. Alcoholism is for us unconditional, with no dispensations available at any price.* /- L ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *December 25, 2015* *Peace* *Most of us feel we need look no further for Utopia.  We have it with us right here and now. Each day my friend's simple talk in our kitchen multiplies itself in a widening circle of peace on earth and good will to men.* (Bill W., co-founder of AA) /- Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 16 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Joy is in knowing there is an answer.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *A A* = **A**lways **A**live. Thanks to all of you for shari ...Continue Reading