*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

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 11, 2015* *Forgiveness* *I must forgive injuries, not just in words, or as a matter of form, but in my heart. I do this not for the other persons' sake, but for my own sake. Resentment, anger, or a desire to see someone punished, are things that rot my soul. Such things fasten my troubles to me with chains.* /~ Daily Reflections,/ p. 88 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Forgiveness is the final form of love.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *T G I F* = **T**hank * ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 10, 2015* *Gratitude* *Sometimes, I've lacked the discernment to be grateful, and I see this now. . . Often in the past, my prayers for help have been answered in ways that I have not recognized as answers. Indeed, I have cursed my fate instead of thanking God. I have prayed and prayed, sometimes in desperation, but I haven't thanked Him as much as I've implored Him.* ~ The AA Grapevine, September 1979 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Gratitude /has/ to be prac ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 9, 2015 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Listening In shame and despair, I went to my first AA meeting. By some minor miracle, I was able to suspend opinion, analysis, judgment. and criticism, and instead to listen and hear. I heard someone say that AA works for those who put /action/ into the program. . . I heard that I should forget about yesterday and instead concentrating on today and staying away from the first drink -- now. I tried it, and it worked.* /- Ca ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 8, 2015* *Change* *The essence of all growth is a willingness to change for the better and then an unremitting willingness to shoulder whatever responsibility this entails.* /~ As Bill Sees It/ p. 115 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *In order to change the way I feel, I need to change the way I act.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *F E E L* = **F**eel, **E**xperience, **E**xpress, **L**et go. Thanks to all of you for sharing so generously of your experience, str ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 7, 2015* *Infallible Heartbeat* *We need each other's experience, strength, and hope, regardless of age or length of sobriety. The saving grace of God doesn't come like a bolt out of the blue. It comes through, in, and from other suffering, as well as rescued, souls like you and me. I am happy to be part of a living and growing fellowship with an infallible heartbeat. Divine power is the pulse of AA, and it doesn't change, no matter how errant and foolish w ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 6, 2015 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Carrying the Message For us, if we neglect those who are still sick, there is an unremitting danger to our own lives and sanity. Under these compulsions of self-preservation, duty, and love it is not strange that our Society has concluded that it has but one high mission -- to carry the AA message to those who don't know there's a way out.* /- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,/ p. 151 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Service ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 5, 2015* *Acceptance* *And acceptance is the answer to /all/ my problems today.  When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation -- some fact of my life -- unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in God's world by mistake. Until I could accept my alcoholism, I ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 5, 2015* *Acceptance* *And acceptance is the answer to /all/ my problems today.  When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation -- some fact of my life -- unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in God's world by mistake. Until I could accept my alcoholism, I ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 4, 2015* *Amends* *In making amends, we should be sensible, tactful, considerate, and humble without being servile or scraping. As God's people, we stand on our feet; we don't crawl before anyone.* /- As Bill Sees It,/ p. 277 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *It is the highest form of self-respect to admit mistakes and to make amends for them.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *H O W* = **H**onesty, **O**pen-mindedness, **W**illingness. Thanks to all of you for sha ...Continue Reading