AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 21, 2023The Elder StatesmanThe elder statesman is the one who sees the wisdom of the group’s decision, who holds no resentment over his reduced status, whose judgment, fortified by considerable experience, is sound, and who is willing to sit quietly on the sidelines patiently awaiting developments.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Tradition Two) p. 135Thought to Ponder . . ."Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern."AA-related 'Alconym' ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 20, 2023Meditation and PrayerWhen we refuse air, light, or food, the body suffers. And when we turn away from meditation and prayer, we likewise deprive our minds, our emotions, and our intuitions of vitally needed support. As the body can fail its purpose for lack of nourishment, so can the soul. We all need the light of God's reality, the nourishment of His strength, and the atmosphere of His grace.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Eleven) pp. 97 - 98Thou ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)February 19, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~Tradition TwoFor our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Appendix I, The A.A. Tradition) p. 562  Thought to PonderGod grant that AA may ever stay simple.  AA-related 'Alconym'T R U S T  =  Try Relying Upon Steps and Traditions.A Member Shares:Hi, I'm Ira and ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 18, 2023Three Pertinent IdeasOur description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventures before and after make clear three pertinent ideas: (a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives. (b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism. (c) That God could and would if He were sought.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 60Thought to Ponder . . .I can't, God can, I'll ask Him to.AA-related 'Alconym'I ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 17, 2023Under All Conditions"Belief meant reliance, not defiance. In A.A. we saw the fruits of this belief: men and women spared from alcohol's final catastrophe. We saw them meet and transcend their other pains and trials. We saw them calmly accept impossible situations, seeking neither to run nor to recriminate. This was not only faith; it was faith that worked under all conditions."- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Two) p. 31Thought to Ponder . ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 16, 2023I'm sorry for the mess up on the 'alconym' yesterday. The word should have been PRAYER not CHAOS. I will say this, when things are chaotic, prayer is the answer.Thoroughness and HonestyWe went back through our lives. Nothing counted but thoroughness and honesty. When we were finished we considered it carefully. The first thing apparent was that this world and its people were often quite wrong. To conclude that others were wrong was as far as mo ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 15, 2023We Ask GodOn awakening let us think about the twenty-four hours ahead. We consider our plans for the day. Before we begin, we ask God to direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 86Thought to Ponder . . .Prayer asks the question. Meditation listens for the answer.AA-related 'Alconym'P R A Y E R  =   Praying Regularly Allows Your Ever-growing R ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 14, 2023Willful DesiresWhen we habitually try to manipulate others to our own willful desires, they revolt, and resist us heavily. Then we develop hurt feelings, a sense of persecution, and a desire to retaliate. As we redouble our efforts at control, and continue to fail, our suffering becomes acute and constant. We have not once sought to be one in a family, to be a friend among friends, to be a worker among workers, to be a useful member of society.- Twelve Steps ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 13, 2023Spiritual LifeThe spiritual life is not a theory. We have to live it. Unless one’s family expresses a desire to live upon spiritual principles we think we ought not to urge them. We should not talk incessantly to them about spiritual matters. They will change in time. Our behavior will convince them more than our words. We must remember that ten or twenty years of drunkenness would make a skeptic out of anyone.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 83Though ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)February 12, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~Quantity or Quality"About this slip business -- I would not be too discouraged. I think you are suffering a great deal from a needless guilt. For some reason or other, the Lord has laid out tougher paths for some of us, and I guess you are treading one of them. God is not asking us to be successful. He is only asking us to try to be. That, you surely are doing, and have been doing. So I would not stay away from A.A. through any f ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 11, 2023MotivesBut in other instances only the closest scrutiny will reveal what our true motives were. There are cases where our ancient enemy, rationalization, has stepped in and has justified conduct which was really wrong. The temptation here is to imagine that we had good motives and reasons when we really didn't.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Ten) p. 94Thought to Ponder . . .Don't believe everything you think.AA-related 'Alconym'J A D E  = &nb ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 10, 2023Problems of LifeLike most people, we have found that we can take our big lumps as they come. But also like others, we often discover a greater challenge in the lesser and more continuous problems of life. Our answer is in still more spiritual development. Only by this means can we improve our chances for really happy and useful living.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Twelve) p. 114Thought to Ponder . . .Life is a steady drizzle of small things -- c ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 9, 2023Lessons for LivingAlmost any experienced A.A. will tell how his affairs have taken remarkable and unexpected turns for the better as he tried to improve his conscious contact with God. He will also report that out of every season of grief or suffering, when the hand of God seemed heavy or even unjust, new lessons for living were learned, new resources of courage were uncovered, and that finally, inescapably, the conviction came that God does "move in a my ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 8, 2023Step ThreeMany of us said to our Maker, as we understood Him: "God, I offer myself to Thee—to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always!"- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 63Thought to Ponder . . .Let Go and Let God.AA ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 7, 2023Old IdeasWe 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. Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 58Thought to Ponder . . .Sobriety without action is fantasy.AA-related 'Alconym'S T E P S  =   Solutions Through Each Powerful Step.T ...Continue Reading