*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 3, 2015* *Control* *We alcoholics are men and women who have lost the ability to control our drinking. We know that no real alcoholic /ever/ recovers control. All of us felt at times that we were regaining control, but such intervals -- usually brief -- were inevitably followed by still less control, which led in time to pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization.* /- Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 30 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *When we try to control our drink ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 2, 2015 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Spirituality We never apologize to anyone for depending upon our Creator. We can laugh at those who think spirituality the way of weakness. Paradoxically, it is the way of strength. . . We never apologize for God.  Instead we let Him demonstrate, through us, what He can do.* - /Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 68 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Hold your face up to the Light, even though for the moment you do not see. *AA-relat ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *September 1, 2015* *Self-searching* *The wise have always known that no one can make much of his life until self-searching becomes a regular habit, until he is able to admit and accept what he finds, and until he patiently and persistently tries to correct what is wrong.* /- As Bill Sees It,/ p. 216 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *There is only one corner of the universe I can be certain of improving, and that's my own self.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *N O W* = **N** ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 31, 2015* *Trading* *I was ready to admit I was just another drunk whose life was unmanageable. Now I could lead a sober life.  But how does one do that? I traded dependence on puny self for dependence on God. I traded resentment for understanding, fear for trust, selfishness for love. I traded dissatisfaction for hope, dishonesty for truth.  I traded retaliation for amendment, taking for giving. I traded leaning upon others for serving others.  ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 30, 2015 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Steps Eight and Nine Steps Eight and Nine are concerned with personal relationships. First, we take a look backward and try to discover where we have been at fault; next we make a vigorous attempt to repair the damage we have done; and third, having thus cleaned away the debris of the past, we consider how, with our newfound knowledge of ourselves, we may develop the best possible relations with every human being we know.* - ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 29, 2015* *Fourth Dimension* *Everyone became resigned to the certainty that I would have to be shut up somewhere, or would stumble along to a miserable end. How dark it is before the dawn!  In reality that was the end of my last debauch. I was soon to be transported into what I like to call the fourth dimension of existence. I was to know happiness, peace, and usefulness, in a way that is incredibly more wonderful as time passes.* /- Alcoholics Anonymou ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 28, 2015* *Kindergarten* *We are only operating a spiritual kindergarten in which people are enabled to get over drinking and find the grace to go on living to better effect. Each man's theology has to be his own quest, it is his affair.* /- As Bill Sees It,/ p. 95 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Learn to listen; listen to learn.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* * K I S S* = **K**eeping* *I**t **S**imple, **S**piritually. Thanks to all of you for sharing so generous ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 27, 2015* *Change* *In one form or another, many of my character defects appear daily: self-condemnation, anger, running away, being prideful, wanting to get even, or acting out of grandiosity. Attempting half measures to eliminate these defects merely paralyzes my efforts to change. It is only when I ask God for help, with complete abandon, then I become willing -- and able -- to change.* /Daily Reflections,/ p. 15 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *If nothing chang ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 26, 2015 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Experience, Strength and Hope The AA Preamble: Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.* - © The AA Grapevine, Inc. *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety. *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *E S ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 25, 2015* *The Impossible Dream* *I had to free myself from the impossible dream of a perfect world in order to love and accept the real world. Judged by human standards, life is /not/ perfect; to demand perfection of it is asking the impossible. . . Paradoxically, there would be no perfection without imperfection. . . Thank God, as a result of AA and sobriety, I am liberated from dreaming the impossible dream and free, finally, to start living the possible dr ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 24, 2015* *Adversity* *I learned to be grateful for my alcoholism and the program of recovery it forced me into, for all the things that had happened /to/ me and /for/ me, for a life today that transcends and far exceeds anything I had previously known. I could not have that today if I had not experienced all the yesterdays. . . Adversity truly introduces us to ourselves.* /~ Alcoholics Anonymous,/ pp. 529-530 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *There is no education ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 23, 2015 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Tradition Five Each group has but one primary purpose -- to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.* /- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,/ p. 150 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety. *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* *T R U S T** = **T**eaching **R**ecoveryl **U**sing **S**teps and **T**raditions. ** *A Member Shares: Hi, I'm Dale, and I a ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 22, 2015* *Awakening* *That which had been impossible before -- a trust in something or someone other than myself -- had now become possible. In other words, I had been undergoing a spiritual experience without knowing it. My confused questioning about a Higher Power, my changed mental attitude, and even my physical recovery had all been part of a spiritual awakening.* /~ The Best of the Grapevine/ [Vol. 2], p. 193 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *A spiritual awake ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 21, 2015* *Change* *Before AA it didn't matter how good things got -- I always had a feeling that something was wrong. Since AA, it doesn't matter how bad things get -- I always have a feeling that everything is going to be all right. In working the Twelve Steps, my life and my old way of thinking have changed.* /Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 381 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *When I change the way I look at things, the things I look at change.* *AA-related 'Alconym ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *August 20, 2015* *Anonymity* *If we are to thrive as a Fellowship, we must have a safe place for people to come. Everyone who approaches the doors of AA should know that we will do everything in our power to protect anonymity. That protection includes social media and other forms of digital media. When filming or taking pictures, please be mindful that people may object to appearing in your images.* The AA Grapevine, September 2015 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *We need ...Continue Reading