AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)January 14, 2024~ Scroll Down for Share ~A Sick FriendThough we did not like their symptoms and the way these disturbed us, they, like ourselves, were sick too. We asked God to help us show them the same tolerance, pity, and patience that we would cheerfully grant a sick friend. When a person offended we said to ourselves, "This is a sick man. How can I be helpful to him? God save me from being angry. Thy will be done."- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 67Tho ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 13, 2024Confiding Our DefectsAnother great dividend we may expect from confiding our defects to another human being is humility—a word often misunderstood. To those who have made progress in A.A., it amounts to a clear recognition of what and who we really are, followed by a sincere attempt to become what we could be.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Five) p. 58Thought to Ponder . . .Learning is the very essence of humility; the two walk hand in hand.AA-rela ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 12, 2024Bright Promise and MeaningThe notion that we would still live our own lives, God helping a little now and then, began to evaporate. Many of us who had thought ourselves religious awoke to the limitations of this attitude. Refusing to place God first, we had deprived ourselves of His help. But now the words “Of myself I am nothing, the Father doeth the works” began to carry bright promise and meaning.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Seven) p. 75Thoug ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 11, 2024ConditionsWe thought “conditions” drove us to drink, and when we tried to correct these conditions and found that we couldn’t to our entire satisfaction, our drinking went out of hand and we became alcoholics. It never occurred to us that we needed to change ourselves to meet conditions, whatever they were. But in A.A. we slowly learned that something had to be done about our vengeful resentments, self-pity, and unwarranted pride.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Trad ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 10, 2024Healer of PainWe heard story after story of how humility had brought strength out of weakness. In every case, pain had been the price of admission into a new life. But this admission price had purchased more than we expected. It brought a measure of humility, which we soon discovered to be a healer of pain. We began to fear pain less, and desire humility more than ever.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Seven) p. 75Thought to Ponder . . .With humility ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 9, 2024Happy and Purposeful LivesBut upon entering A.A. we soon take quite another view of this absolute humiliation. We perceive that only through utter defeat are we able to take our first steps toward liberation and strength. Our admissions of personal powerlessness finally turn out to be firm bedrock upon which happy and purposeful lives may be built.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step One) p. 21Thought to Ponder . . .Avoidance is not the key; surrender op ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 8, 2024PerspectiveWe had lacked the perspective to see that character-building and spiritual values had to come first, and that material satisfactions were not the purpose of living. Quite characteristically, we had gone all out in confusing the ends with the means. Instead of regarding the satisfaction of our material desires as the means by which we could live and function as human beings, we had taken these satisfactions to be the final end and aim of life.- Twelve ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)January 7, 2024~ Scroll Down for Share ~Review Our DayWhen we retire at night, we constructively review our day. Were we resentful, selfish, dishonest or afraid? Do we owe an apology? Have we kept something to ourselves which should be discussed with another person at once? Were we kind and loving toward all? What could we have done better? . . . After making our review we ask God’s forgiveness and inquire what corrective measures should be taken.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 6, 2024UnselfishnessThe unselfishness of these men as we have come to know them, the entire absence of profit motive, and their community spirit, is indeed inspiring to one who has labored long and wearily in this alcoholic field. They believe in themselves, and still more in the Power which pulls chronic alcoholics back from the gates of death.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Doctor's Opinion) p. xxvii (*Fully explained—Appendix II)Thought to Ponder . . .Serving God by s ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 5, 2024The Central Fact of Our LivesThe great fact is just this, and nothing less: That we have had deep and effective spiritual experiences* which have revolutionized our whole attitude toward life, toward our fellows and toward God’s universe. The central fact of our lives today is the absolute certainty that our Creator has entered into our hearts and lives in a way which is indeed miraculous. He has commenced to accomplish those things for us which we could never ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 4, 2024There Is A SolutionThere is a solution. Almost none of us liked the self-searching, the leveling of our pride, the confession of shortcomings which the process requires for its successful consummation. But we saw that it really worked in others, and we had come to believe in the hopelessness and futility of life as we had been living it.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) p. 25Thought to Ponder . . .We need to uncover to recover.AA-related 'Alconym'W ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 3, 2024The Power of ChoiceThe fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost the power of choice in drink. Our so-called willpower becomes practically nonexistent. We are unable, at certain times, to bring into our consciousness with sufficient force the memory of the suffering and humiliation of even a week or a month ago. We are without defense against the first drink.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) p. 24Thought to Ponder . . .The fir ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 2, 2024The Alcoholics MindWe are equally positive that once he takes any alcohol whatever into his system, something happens, both in the bodily and mental sense, which makes it virtually impossible for him to stop. The experience of any alcoholic will abundantly confirm this. These observations would be academic and pointless if our friend never took the first drink, thereby setting the terrible cycle in motion. Therefore, the main problem of the alcoholic centers in ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 1, 2024Abnormally FearfulAt heart we had all been abnormally fearful. It mattered little whether we had sat on the shore of life drinking ourselves into forgetfulness or had plunged in recklessly and willfully beyond our depth and ability. The result was the same—all of us had nearly perished in a sea of alcohol. But today, in well-matured A.A.'s, these distorted drives have been restored to something like their true purpose and direction.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Tra ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)December 31, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~GratitudeOne way to keep the channel open and to improve my conscious contact with God is to maintain a grateful attitude. On the days when I am grateful, good things seem to happen in my life. The instant I start cursing things in my life, however, the flow of good stops. God did not interrupt the flow; my own negativity did.- Daily Reflections, (November 6)Thought to PonderThere is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet jo ...Continue Reading