*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *December 5, 2014* *Courage* *Before we could recognize the illness in ourselves, we had to unload this tired old myth: It would be a sign of shameful weakness to admit we couldn't handle the sauce any more (if we ever could). Weakness?  Actually, it takes considerable courage to stare unblinkingly at the hard truth, sparing nothing, without glossing over anything, without excuses, and without kidding ourselves.* /- Living Sober,/ p. 72 *Thought to Ponder . . .* ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *December 4, 2014* *Hope* *Hope is the priceless ingredient for recovery.  This, AA gives most frequently not in mere words. Upon the alcoholic's first contact with AA, as he looks across the room and sees men and women respectably clothed and in their right minds, enjoying themselves, that flicker of hope begins to burn. And he says to himself, "If those jokers can do it, I can." The first need, beyond any other, is hope.  Without it, there is not ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *December 3, 2014 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Helpfulness Now you are getting back into the social life of this world.  Don't start to withdraw again just because your friends drink liquor. Your job now is to be at the place where you may be of maximum helpfulness to others, so never hesitate to go anywhere if you can be helpful.* /- Alcoholics Anonymous,/p. 102 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Trust God.  Clean house.  Help others.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *December 2, 2014* *Instincts* *We have learned that the satisfaction of instincts cannot be the sole end of our lives. If we place instincts first, we have got the cart before the horse; we shall be pulled backward into disillusionment. But when we are willing to place spiritual growth first -- then and only then do we have a real chance.* /- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,/ p. 114 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *A spiritual awakening is our greatest gift.* *AA-rela ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *December 1, 2014* *Carry The Message* *Carry this message to other alcoholics!  You can help when no one else can. You can secure their confidence when others fail.  Remember they are very ill. Life will take on new meaning. . . . -- this is an experience you must not miss.  We know you will not want to miss it. Frequent contact with newcomers and with each other is the bright spot of our lives.* /- Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 89 *Thought to Ponder . . ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *November 30, 2014 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Meditation and Prayer Perhaps one of the greatest rewards of meditation and prayer is the sense of /belonging/ that comes to us. We no longer live in a completely hostile world.  We are no longer lost and frightened and purposeless.* /- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,/p. 105 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Trying to pray is praying.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* **P U S H** = **P**ray **U**ntil **S**omething **H**app ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *November 29, 2014* *Rebellion* *Rebellion dogs our every step at first. When we have finally admitted we are powerless over alcohol, we are apt to breathe a great sigh of relief, saying, "Well, thank God that's over!  I'll never have to go through /that/ again!" Then we learn, often to our consternation, that this is only the first milestone on the new road we are walking.* /- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,/ p. 73 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *May t ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *November 28, 2014* *The Lesson* *This, then, became the opening to the spiritual world. With the guidance of the program and the encouragement and example within the Fellowship, I could begin to find out about myself and be prepared to accept what I found. I learned in the Fellowship that if others could accept me and love me as I was, then I should love myself as I was -- not for what I was, but for what I could become. So I have learned a little about my mind and a ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *November 27, 2014* *Gratitude* *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, and the opportunity to serve others -- in our Fellowship, my family and my community. For all of this, I have a "full and thankful heart."* /- Daily Reflections,/ p. 93 *Thought to Ponder . ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *November 26, 2014 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ 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 the alcoholic these things are poison.* /- Alcoholics Anonymous,/p. 71 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Anger rules nothing except itself.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* **A A** = **A**void **A**nger. ** *A Member Shares: I'm Joy, an alcoholic.  Fear is about the f ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *November 25, 2014* *Humility* *Perpetual quietness of heart.  It is to have no trouble.  It is never to be fretted or vexed, irritable or sore; to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised, it is to have a blessed home in myself where I can go in and kneel to my Father in secret and be at peace, as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and about is ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *November 24, 2014* *He Was Listening* *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.* /- Came To ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *November 23, 2014 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Perspective Until I could honesty look at myself and see that I was the problem in many situations and react appropriately inside and out; until I could discard my expectations and understand that my serenity was directionally proportional to them, I could not experience serenity and sound sobriety.* /- Daily Reflections,/p. 71 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *My perspective will change my perception.  My perception will c ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *November 22, 2014* *"If"* *Alcoholism respects no ifs.  It does not go away, not even 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.* ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *November 21, 2014* *Step Eleven* /"Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out."/ *Faith is a matter of degree.  I am grateful for whatever faith I have now -- far, so very far, from the kind of faith that moves mountains. There is so much more to know, and no limit to the growth of faith.  So I shall continue try ...Continue Reading