*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 27, 2016 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Tolerance Learning how to live in the greatest peace, partnership, and brotherhood with all men and women of whatever description, is a moving and fascinating adventure.* /- As Bill Sees It,/ p. 145 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Love and tolerance of others is our code. AA-related 'Alconym' . . . *P U T** = **P**atience, **U**nderstanding,**T**olerance. ** *A Member Shares: Lance here, an alcoholic.  Someone once said the ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 26, 2016* *Spirituality* *I finally began to separate the religious aspects of my life from AA's spiritual program. Now the big difference to me is that religion is the ritual, and we all differ there, and spirituality is the way we feel about what we do. It's about my personal contact with my personal Higher Power, as I understand Him.* /- Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 406 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Spirituality is the essence of being.  It can shape reality ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 25, 2016* *Willpower* *It is when we try to make our will conform with God's that we begin to use it rightly. . . /Our whole trouble had been the misuse of willpower.  We had tried to bombard our problems with it instead of attempting to bring it into agreement with God's intention for us./* /- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,/ p. 40 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *I can't do His will my way.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *W H O* = **W**illingness, **H**on ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 24, 2016* *Depressions* *My depressions are mostly brought on by frustration, fear of the future, self-pity, rage at my lot in life, but above all /fear./ AA has taught me that I will not be asked to bear more than I can, regardless of what I think, but that I am responsible for reporting for duty and making the effort to overcome the adversity, and in so doing to overcome myself, which is my first responsibility.* /- The Best of the Grapevine/ [Vol. 1], p. 56 ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 23, 2016 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Tradition Two /"For our group purpose there is one ultimate authority -- a loving God as He may express Himself in our Group Conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern."/ We A.A.'s have learned this principle the hard way. Few obstacles have been tougher to remove than those which blocked the way to realization that A.A.'s group conscience can be the only ultimate authority in our affairs. ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 22, 2016* *Changing Attitudes* *I realize that blaming myself for all the trouble in my life can be an ego trip back into powerlessness. Asking for help and listening deeply to the messages inherent in the Steps and Traditions of the program make it possible to change those attitudes which delay my recovery.* /- Daily Reflections,/ p. 35 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Attitudes are contagious.  Is yours worth catching? * *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *A A* = ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 21, 2016* *Foundation* *In my own case, the foundation stone of freedom from fear is that of faith: a faith that, despite all worldly appearances to the contrary, causes me to believe that I can live in a universe that makes sense.* /- As Bill Sees It,/ p. 51 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Breathe in faith, breathe out fear.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *F A I T H* = **F**acing **A**n **I**nner **T**ruth **H**eals. Thanks to all of you for sharing so generously ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 20, 2016 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Drinking Occasions Many of us have had the guts, if pressure to drink really got unpleasantly strong, simply to make an excuse and leave, no matter what other people may think. After all, our life is at stake. We simply have to take whatever steps are necessary to preserve our own health. Other people's reactions are /their/ problem, not ours.* /- Living Sober,/ p. 70 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Keep your sobriety first to ma ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 19, 2016* *Meditation* *Meditation belongs and grows with daily life and daily growth, for it is in daily life that analytical thought binds us into the dilemma of opposites and consequently into sorrow, pleasure-seeking and loss of freedom. In a life that may often seem onerous, boring and senseless, meditation can free us to its beauty, its joy beyond pleasure, its passion beyond sorrow.* /- The Best of the Grapevine/ [Vol. 1], p. 172 *Thought to Ponder . . ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 18, 2016* *Think* *AA has changed my thinking entirely, about everything I do. I can't afford resentments against anyone, because they are the build-up of another drunk. I must live and let live. And "think" -- that one important word means so much to me.  My life was always act and react. I never stopped to think.  I just didn't give a whoop about myself or anyone else.* /- Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 293 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *The Seven ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 17, 2016* *Fellowship* *The fellowship in AA is unique.  Ties are made overnight that it would take years to develop elsewhere. No one needs a false front.  All barriers are down. Some who have felt outcasts all their lives now know they really belong. From feeling as if they were dragging anchor through life, they suddenly sail free before the wind. For now they can be of tremendous and peculiar use to others having a dire need like their own.* /- Th ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 16, 2016* *Contrast* *The simple contrast between active alcoholism and active sobriety has helped me to seek, listen and to apply the good principles of living, and I am rewarded with much more excitement and joy than was mine before AA sobriety.* /- Came To Believe . . .,/ p. 4 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *I saw, I felt, I believed.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *A B C* = **A**cceptance, **B**elief, **C**hange. Thanks to all of you for sharing so generously ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 15, 2016* *Let Go* *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 absolutely.* ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 14, 2016* *The Language of the Heart* *From the beginning, communication in AA has been no ordinary transmission of helpful ideas and attitudes. It has been unusual and sometimes unique.  Because of our suffering, and because our common means of deliverance are effective for ourselves only when constantly carried to others, our channels of contact have always been charged with /the language of the heart./* /- The Language of the Heart,/ p. 243 *Thought to ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *March 13, 2016 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Self-pity "Self-pity is one of the most unhappy and consuming defects that we know. It is a bar to all spiritual progress and can cut off all effective communication with our fellows because of its inordinate demands for attention and sympathy. It is a maudlin form of martyrdom, which we can ill afford."* /- As Bill Sees It,/ p. 238 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Self-pity is followed by isolation is followed by a drin ...Continue Reading