*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *~~~* Holiday Alkathons! *~~~* Come celebrate with us! http://www.aa-alive.net November 28 Thanksgiving Day Alkathon Meeting Times (Eastern Time) 5:00am, 8:00am,11:00am, 2:00pm, 5:00pm, 8:00pm,11:00pm. *~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~* *November 5, 2013* *The First One* *If we do not take the first drink, we never get drunk. Therefore, instead of planning never to get drunk, or trying to limit the number of drinks or the amount of alcohol, we have learned to conce ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *November 4, 2013* *Prayer* *In AA, we have found that the actual good results of prayer are beyond question. They are matters of knowledge and experience. All those who have persisted have found strength not ordinarily their own. They have found wisdom beyond their usual capability. And they increasingly found a peace of mind which can stand firm in the face of difficult circumstances.* /- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,/ p. 105 *Thought to Ponder ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *November 3, 2013 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Acceptance Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless I accept life completely on life's terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and my attitudes.* /- Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 417 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Ask yourself, "What would an adult do in this situation?"* *AA-rel ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *November 2, 2013* *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 around the room and sees men and women respectively clothed and in their right minds, enjoying themselves, that flicker of hope begins to burn.  And he says to himself, "If these jokers can do it, I can." The first need, beyond any other, is hope.  Without i ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *November 1, 2013* *Crosstalk* *There are no qualified advisers in an AA meeting. Any member may share his or her own experience with a particular circumstance or topic. Telling another member what to do puts him on the spot, puts personality before principles, and artificially bolsters the alcoholic ego of the self-appointed adviser. Even if you are an AA who holds a therapist’s or a doctor’s license or degree, you are just another drunk at the meeting.* ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *October 31, 2013* *Fear* *Fear has caused suffering when I could have had more faith. There are times when fear suddenly tears me apart, just when I'm experiencing feelings of joy, happiness and a lightness of heart. Faith -- and a feeling of self-worth toward a Higher Power -- helps me endure tragedy and ecstasy. When I choose to give all my fears over to my Higher Power, I will be free.* /- Daily Reflections,/ p. 181 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Situ ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *October 30, 2013 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Suggestions 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.* /- Alcoholics Anonymous,/ p. 58 *Thought to Ponder . . . ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *October 29, 2013* *Self-restraint* *This carries a top priority rating.  When we act hastily or rashly, the ability to be fair-minded and tolerant evaporates on the spot. One unkind tirade or one willful snap judgment can ruin our relation with another person for a whole day, or maybe a whole year. Nothing pays off like restraint of tongue and pen.* /- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,/ p. 91 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Anger is the wind that bl ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *October 28, 2013* *Forgiveness* *When I forgive someone I guess what I really mean to say is that I admit I judge others. Forgiving and condemning are God's business, not mine. Only He has the mercy to judge and to accept at the same time. My job is to achieve enough humility to see myself in others and to accept both myself and others, by identifying. The willingness to make amends will grow from this act of love.* /- The Best of the Grapevine/ [Vol. 2 ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *October 27, 2013 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Came to Believe I can't say upon what occasion or upon what day I came to believe in a Power greater than myself, but I certainly have that belief now.  To acquire it, I had only to stop fighting and practice the rest of AA's program as enthusiastically as I could.* /- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,/ p. 27 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *I saw, I felt, I believed.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* ** ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *October 26, 2013* *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 a ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *October 25, 2013* *Spiritual Awakening* *So, then, what is this "spiritual awakening," this "transforming experience"? How do we receive it and what does it do? To begin with, a spiritual awakening is our means of finding sobriety. And to us of AA sobriety means life itself. We know that a spiritual experience is the key to survival from alcoholism and that for most of us it is the only key. We must awake or we die.* /- The Language ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *October 24, 2013* *Silent Revolution* *Almost imperceptibly my whole life underwent a silent revolution. I lost many worries and gained confidence. I found myself saying and thinking things that a short time ago I would have condemned as platitudes! A belief in the basic spirituality of life has grown and with it belief in a supreme and guiding power for good.* /- Experience, Strength and Hope,/ p. 107 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *What are you coming t ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *October 23, 2013 ~ Scroll Down for Share ~ Step Twelve "Having had a spiritual experience as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs."* /- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,/ p. 106 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *A spiritual awakening is our greatest gift.* *AA-related 'Alconym' . . .* **K I S S** = **K**eeping **I**t **S**imple, **S**piritually. ** *A ...Continue Reading

*AA Thought for the Day* (courtesy AA-Alive.net) *October 22, 2013* *Discipline* *Unless each AA member follows to the best of his ability our suggested Twelve Steps to recovery, he almost certainly signs his own death warrant. His drunkenness and dissolution are not penalties inflicted by people in authority; they result from his personal disobedience to spiritual principles.* /- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,/ p. 174 *Thought to Ponder . . .* *Great suffering and great love are AA's disciplina ...Continue Reading