*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 26, 2015* *Anger* *If we were to live, we had to be free of anger.  The grouch and the brainstorm were not for us. They may be the dubious luxury of normal men, but for alcoholics these things are poison.* /- Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 66 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *A A* = **A**void **A**nger. Thanks to all of you for sharing so generous ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 25, 2015* *A Thankful Heart* *I am grateful not only for sobriety, but for the quality of life my sobriety has brought. God has been gracious enough to give me sober days /and/ a life blessed with peace and contentment, as well as the ability to give and receive love . . .  For all of this, I have "a full and thankful heart."* /- Daily Reflections,/ p. 93 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *A full and thankful heart cannot entertain great conceits.* ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 24, 2015* *The Opportunity* *It finally became obvious to me that the God I thought had judged and damned me had done nothing of the sort. He had been listening, and in His own good time His answer came.  His answer was threefold: the opportunity for a life of sobriety; Twelve Steps to practice, in order to attain and maintain that life of sobriety; fellowship within the program, ever ready to sustain and help me each twenty-four-hour day. . . In the u ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 23, 2015* *Cunning, Baffling, Powerful* *Alcoholism is deadly, ugly, and rough.  It is also cunning, baffling, and powerful. It wants me to consider perfection attainable. . . It wants me to believe that self-indulgence is fine, as long as I call it self-forgiveness. . . It wants me to forget that it is a snake in the brain, hoping to catch my eye, watching, waiting. The gritty pain of alcoholism is the traction of recovery. I cannot afford to sell off ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 22, 2015* *A New Family* *In the first few months, I didn't say much, but I listened.  I listened to my sponsors, to some guests from abroad who were old-timers, and to newcomers. I learned mostly from the newcomers, with whom I could easily identify.  It wasn't easy.  I was in my late forties. I had to reconstruct a life out of the ruins.  It took time and it was extremely difficult and complicated. It is a road that nobody can travel a ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 21, 2015* *Warning Bells* *We have learned now not to panic when the thought of a drink comes to mind. . . But the /thought/ of a drink is not necessarily the same thing as the /desire/ for one, and neither need plunge us into gloom or fear. Both can be viewed simply as warning bells to remind us of the perils of alcoholism. The perils are forever, even when we feel so fine that we wonder whether it's really all right for anyone to feel as good as we do, no ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 20, 2015 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Dependence Some of us have taken very hard knocks to learn this truth: Job or no job -- wife or no wife -- we simply do not stop drinking so long as we place dependence upon other people ahead of dependence on God.* /- Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 98 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *I cannot mend if I bend the truth. AA-related 'Alconym' . . . *G I F T** = **G**od **I**s **F**orever **T**here. ** *A Member Shares: Hi AA Family, ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 19, 2015* *Making Amends* *Above all, we should try to be absolutely sure that we are not delaying because we are afraid. For the readiness to take the full consequences of our past acts, and to take responsibility for the well-being of others at the same time, is the very spirit of Step Nine.* /- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,/ p. 87 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Don't mess up an amend with an excuse.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *H O W* = **H**onest, ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 18, 2015* *Right Action* *One of the most important things AA has given me, in addition to freedom from booze, is the ability to take "right action." It says the promises will /always/ materialize if I /work/ for them. Fantasizing about them, debating them, preaching about them, and faking them just won't work. I'll remain a miserable, rationalizing dry drunk. By taking action and working the Twelve Steps in all my affairs, I'll have a life beyond ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 17, 2015* *Awakening* *Very few of us experience a sudden, startling spiritual experience of any kind.  Usually, the change is gradual. Yet it is no less a spiritual awakening. Whether we awaken with a bound or after much stretching, we awaken. When there is a spiritual awakening, self-centeredness, fear, and frustration are supplanted by helpful friendliness, happiness (perhaps even a touch of serenity), and fulfillment.* /- The Best of the Grapevine/ ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 16, 2015 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Rationalization Maybe I can postpone dealing with some of my problems indefinitely.  Of course, this will not do. Such a bluffing of oneself will have to go the way of many another pleasant rationalization. At the very least, we shall have to come to grips with some of our worst character defects and take action toward their removal as quickly as we can.* /- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,/ p. 69 *Thought to Pon ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 15, 2015* *Fellowship* *To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you, to have a host of friends -- this is an experience you must not miss. We know you will not want to miss it.* /~ Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 89 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Life will take on new meaning.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *H E A R T* = **H**ealing, **E**njoying, **A**nd **R**ecovering **T**ogether. Thanks to ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 14, 2015* *Willingness* *We found that as soon as we were able to lay aside prejudice and express even a willingness to believe in a power greater than ourselves, we commenced to get results, even though it was impossible for any of us to define or comprehend that Power, which is God.* /~ Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 46 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Minds are like parachutes ... they won't work unless they're open. * *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *W H O* = **W* ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 13, 2015 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ A New Perspective As long as we placed self-reliance first, a genuine reliance upon a Higher Power was out of the question. . . For us, the process of gaining a new perspective was unbelievably painful. It was only by repeated humiliations that we were forced to learn something about humility.* /- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,/ p. 72 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *My perspective will change my perception.* *AA-related ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 12, 2015* *Surrender* *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 . . .* *Avoidance is not the key; surrender opens the door.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *S W A T* = **S**urrender, **W**illingness, **A**ction, **T**rust. Thanks to all of you for sharing so generously of your experience, strength ...Continue Reading