AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 20, 2023Progressive IllnessAll 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. We are convinced to a man that alcoholics of our type are in the grip of a progressive illness. Over any considerable period we get worse, never better.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (More About Alcoholism) p. 30Thought to Ponder . . .Within our wonde ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 19, 2023Not Running the ShowWe constantly remind ourselves we are no longer running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many times each day "Thy will be done." We are then in much less danger of excitement, fear, anger, worry, self-pity, or foolish decisions. We become much more efficient. We do not tire so easily, for we are not burning up energy foolishly as we did when we were trying to arrange life to suit ourselves.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 18, 2023Complete AbandonSome of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely. Remember that we deal with alcohol—cunning, baffling, powerful! Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all power—that One is God. May you find Him now! Half measures availed us nothing. We stood at the turning point. We asked His protection and care with complete abandon.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) pp. 58 - 59Thoug ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 17, 2023AcceptanceUntil 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 in my attitudes.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Acceptance Was The Answer) p. 417Thought to Ponder . . .The 3 A’s -- Awareness, Acceptance, Action.AA-related 'Alconym'S T E P S  =   Solutions Through Each Powe ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)April 16, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~Our TroublesThese mistaken attitudes, powered by alcohol, guaranteed our destruction, unless they were altered. Then came A.A. Here we learned that trouble was really a fact of life for everybody -- a fact that had to be understood and dealt with. Surprisingly, we found that our troubles could, under God's grace, be converted into unimagined blessings. Indeed, that was the essence of A.A. itself: trouble accepted, trouble squarely faced ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 15, 2023Our Next StepWe usually conclude the period of meditation with a prayer that we be shown all through the day what our next step is to be, that we be given whatever we need to take care of such problems.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 87Thought to Ponder . . .Life is fragile, handle with prayer.AA-related 'Alconym'F R O G  =   Fully Rely On God.Thank you for sharing so generously of your experience, strength and hope in carrying the AA mes ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 14, 2023Self-deceivedIn no deep or meaningful sense had we ever taken stock of ourselves, made amends to those we had harmed, or freely given to any other human being without any demand for reward. We had not even prayed rightly. We had always said, "Grant me my wishes" instead of "Thy will be done." The love of God and man we understood not at all. Therefore we remained self-deceived, and so incapable of receiving enough grace to restore us to sanit ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 13, 2023Carry This MessageWhen he sees you know all about the drinking game, commence to describe yourself as an alcoholic. Tell him how baffled you were, how you finally learned that you were sick. Give him an account of the struggles you made to stop. Show him the mental twist which leads to the first drink of a spree. We suggest you do this as we have done it in the chapter on alcoholism. If he is alcoholic, he will understand you at once. He will match your mental i ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 12, 2023The Great FactOur book is meant to be suggestive only. We realize we know only a little. God will constantly disclose more to you and to us. Ask Him in your morning meditation what you can do each day for the man who is still sick. The answers will come, if your own house is in order. But obviously you cannot transmit something you haven’t got. See to it that your relationship with Him is right, and great events will come to pass for you and countless others. Th ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 11, 2023Tremendous FactThe tremendous fact for every one of us is that we have discovered a common solution. We have a way out on which we can absolutely agree, and upon which we can join in brotherly and harmonious action. This is the great news this book carries to those who suffer from alcoholism.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) p. 17Thought to Ponder . . .Together we can do what we could never do alone.AA-related 'Alconym'S T E P S  =   Soluti ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 10, 2023The AllergyThese allergic types can never safely use alcohol in any form at all; and once having formed the habit and found they cannot break it, once having lost their self-confidence, their reliance upon things human, their problems pile up on them and become astonishingly difficult to solve.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Doctor's Opinion) p. xxviiiThought to Ponder . . .It isn't the load that weighs us down .... it's the way we carry it.AA-related 'Alconym'A A ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)April 9, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~Step ThreeThis is the how and why of it. First of all, we had to quit playing God. It didn’t work. Next, we decided that hereafter in this drama of life, God was going to be our Director. He is the Principal; we are His agents. He is the Father, and we are His children. Most good ideas are simple, and this concept was the keystone of the new and triumphant arch through which we passed to freedom.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 6 ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 8, 2023HonestySomehow, being alone with God doesn't seem as embarrassing as facing up to another person. Until we actually sit down and talk aloud about what we have so long hidden, our willingness to clean house is still largely theoretical. When we are honest with another person, it confirms that we have been honest with ourselves and with God.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Five) p. 60Thought to Ponder . . .Honesty is the absence of the intent to deceive. ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 7, 2023ControlWe learned that we had to fully concede to our innermost selves that we were alcoholics. This is the first step in recovery. The delusion that we are like other people, or presently may be, has to be smashed. We alcoholics are men and women who have lost the ability to control our drinking. We know that no real alcoholic ever recovers control.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (More About Alcoholism) p. 30Thought to Ponder . . .When we try to control our drinking, we ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 6, 2023A Genuine RelianceWe could actually have earnest religious beliefs which remained barren because we were still trying to play God ourselves. As long as we placed self-reliance first, a genuine reliance upon a Higher Power was out of the question. That basic ingredient of all humility, a desire to seek and do God's will, was missing.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Seven) p. 72Thought to Ponder . . .I can't do His will my way.AA-related 'Alconym'E G O & ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 5, 2023Sense of PurposeThis dream world has been replaced by a great sense of purpose, accompanied by a growing consciousness of the power of God in our lives. We have come to believe He would like us to keep our heads in the clouds with Him, but that our feet ought to be firmly planted on earth. That is where our fellow travelers are, and that is where our work must be done.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Family Afterward) p. 130Thought to Ponder . . .Faith is our greates ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 4, 2023RarelyRarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 58Thought to Ponder . . .The Three A's .. Awareness, Acceptance, Action.AA-related 'Alconym'A A  =   Action Always.Thank you for shar ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 3, 2023Off the BeamWithout necessarily taking that first drink, we often get quite far off the beam. Our troubles sometimes begin with indifference. We are sober and happy in our A.A. work. Things go well at home and office. We naturally congratulate ourselves on what later proves to be a far too easy and superficial point of view. We temporarily cease to grow because we feel satisfied that there is no need for all of A.A.’s Twelve Steps for us. We are doing fine on a f ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)April 2, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~Tolerance and RespectMost of us sense that real tolerance of other people’s shortcomings and viewpoints and a respect for their opinions are attitudes which make us more useful to others. Our very lives, as ex-problem drinkers, depend upon our constant thought of others and how we may help meet their needs.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) pp. 19 - 20  Thought to PonderLove and tolerance of others is our code.  AA-re ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)April 1, 2023Step TenThis is not an overnight matter. It should continue for our lifetime. Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear. When these crop up, we ask God at once to remove them. We discuss them with someone immediately and make amends quickly if we have harmed anyone. Then we resolutely turn our thoughts to someone we can help. Love and tolerance of others is our code.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 84Thought to Ponder . . .Sobrie ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 31, 2023Vital Sixth SenseMuch has already been said about receiving strength, inspiration, and direction from Him who has all knowledge and power. If we have carefully followed directions, we have begun to sense the flow of His Spirit into us. To some extent we have become God-conscious. We have begun to develop this vital sixth sense. But we must go further and that means more action.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 85Thought to Ponder . . .Faith is mighty. Act ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 30, 2023Number One OffenderResentment is the "number one" offender. It destroys more alcoholics than anything else. From it stem all forms of spiritual disease, for we have been not only mentally and physically ill, we have been spiritually sick. When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 64Thought to Ponder . . .Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 29, 2023ThoroughnessWhatever the defects, they have finally ambushed us into alcoholism and misery. Therefore, thoroughness ought to be the watchword when taking inventory. In this connection, it is wise to write out our questions and answers. It will be an aid to clear thinking and honest appraisal. It will be the first tangible evidence of our complete willingness to move forward.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Four) p. 54Thought to Ponder . . .In order to ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 28, 2023Without DefenseThe fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost the power of choice in drink. Our so-called will power 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 first d ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 27, 2023One More FailureThe old pleasures were gone. They were but memories. Never could we recapture the great moments of the past. There was an insistent yearning to enjoy life as we once did and a heartbreaking obsession that some new miracle of control would enable us to do it. There was always one more attempt—and one more failure.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (A Vision For You) p. 151Thought to Ponder . . .When we try to control our drinking, we have already lost contro ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)March 26, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~SurrenderBut upon entering AA 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. 21  Thought to PonderWe surrender to win.  AA-re ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 25, 2023Real PurposeAt the moment we are trying to put our lives in order. But this is not an end in itself. Our real purpose is to fit ourselves to be of maximum service to God and the people about us.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 77Thought to Ponder . . .Trust God. Clean house. Help others.AA-related 'Alconym'A A  =   Alcoholic's Answer.Thank you for sharing so generously of your experience, strength and hope in carrying the AA message. Grate ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 24, 2023We Can PauseIn all times of emotional disturbance or indecision, we can pause, ask for quiet, and in the stillness simply say: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference. Thy will, not mine, be done."- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Three) pp. 40 - 41Thought to Ponder . . .Reliance on God enables me to match calamity with serenity.AA-related 'Alconym' ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 23, 2023A GiftHe finds himself in possession of a degree of honesty, tolerance, unselfishness, peace of mind, and love of which he had thought himself quite incapable. What he has received is a free gift, and yet usually, at least in some small part, he has made himself ready to receive it. A.A.’s manner of making ready to receive this gift lies in the practice of the Twelve Steps in our program.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Twelve) p. 107Thought to Ponder ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 22, 2023FaithThere is, however, a vast amount of fun about it all. I suppose some would be shocked at our seeming worldliness and levity. But just underneath there is deadly earnestness. Faith has to work twenty-four hours a day in and through us, or we perish. Most of us feel we need look no further for Utopia. We have it with us right here and now.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Bill's Story) p. 16Thought to Ponder . . .It is when you act on faith that you actually have it.A ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 21, 2023The Faulty FoundationBy now the newcomer has probably arrived at the following conclusions: that his character defects, representing instincts gone astray, have been the primary cause of his drinking and his failure at life; that unless he is now willing to work hard at the elimination of the worst of these defects, both sobriety and peace of mind will still elude him; that all the faulty foundation of his life will have to be torn out and built anew on bedrock. ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 20, 2023ResentmentsWe saw that these resentments must be mastered, but how? We could not wish them away any more than alcohol. This was our course: We realized that the people who wronged us were perhaps spiritually sick. Though we did not like their symptoms and the way these disturbed us, they, like ourselves, were sick too.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) pp. 66 - 67Thought to Ponder . . .What if I were caring rather than judgmental?AA-related 'Alconym'A A &nbs ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)March 19, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~DependenceAnd the facts seem to be these: The more we become willing to depend upon a Higher Power, the more independent we actually are. Therefore dependence, as A.A. practices it, is really a means of gaining true independence of the spirit.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Three) p. 36  Thought to PonderAvoidance is not the key; surrender opens the door.  AA-related 'Alconym'F A I T H  =  For All I Trust ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 18, 2023Lack of PowerOur human resources, as marshalled by the will, were not sufficient; they failed utterly. Lack of power, that was our dilemma. We had to find a power by which we could live, and it had to be a Power greater than ourselves. Obviously. But where and how were we to find this Power? Well, that’s exactly what this book is about. Its main object is to enable you to find a Power greater than yourself which will solve your problem.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (W ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 17, 2023Value of ExperienceHenry Ford once made a wise remark to the effect that experience is the thing of supreme value in life. That is true only if one is willing to turn the past to good account. We grow by our willingness to face and rectify errors and convert them into assets.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Family Afterward) p. 124Thought to Ponder . . .If you want to change who you are, change what you do.AA-related 'Alconym'A C T  =   Action Changes Thin ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 16, 2023Acquire FaithWe have no desire to convince anyone that there is only one way by which faith can be acquired. If what we have learned and felt and seen means anything at all, it means that all of us, whatever our race, creed, or color are the children of a living Creator with whom we may form a relationship upon simple and understandable terms as soon as we are willing and honest enough to try.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) p. 28Thought to Ponder . ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 15, 2023Baffling FeatureMany of us felt that we had plenty of character. There was a tremendous urge to cease forever. Yet we found it impossible. This is the baffling feature of alcoholism as we know it—this utter inability to leave it alone, no matter how great the necessity or the wish.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (More About Alcoholism) p. 34Thought to Ponder . . .Alcohol—cunning, baffling, powerful!AA-related 'Alconym'H O P E  =   Hearing Other People's Experi ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 14, 2023PowerlessnessWho cares to admit complete defeat? Practically no one, of course. Every natural instinct cries out against the idea of personal powerlessness. It is truly awful to admit that, glass in hand, we have warped our minds into such an obsession for destructive drinking that only an act of Providence can remove it from us.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step One) p. 21Thought to Ponder . . .When I share my story and remember the last days of my dri ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 13, 2023Tradition Three - The Long FormOur membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism. Hence we may refuse none who wish to recover. Nor ought A.A. membership ever depend upon money or conformity. Any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an A.A. group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Appendix One, The A.A. Tradition) p. 563Thought to Ponder . . ."You're an A.A. ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)March 12, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~Precisely How We Have RecoveredWe, of Alcoholics Anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book. For them, we hope these pages will prove so convincing that no further authentication will be necessary.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Foreward To First Edition) p. xiii  Thought to ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 11, 2023HumilityIt was only by repeated humiliations that we were forced to learn something about humility. It was only at the end of a long road, marked by successive defeats and humiliations, and the final crushing of our self-sufficiency, that we began to feel humility as something more than a condition of groveling despair.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Seven) p. 72Thought to Ponder . . .Humility is telling the truth about yourself. Humiliation is when ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 10, 2023We Pause and AskAs we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action. We constantly remind ourselves we are no longer running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many times each day "Thy will be done." We are then in much less danger of excitement, fear, anger, worry, self-pity, or foolish decisions.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) pp. 87 - 88Thought to Ponder . . .I can't do His will my way.AA-rel ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 9, 2023EgoAll of A.A.'s Twelve Steps ask us to go contrary to our natural desires . . . they all deflate our egos. When it comes to ego deflation, few Steps are harder to take than Five. But scarcely any Step is more necessary to longtime sobriety and peace of mind than this one.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Five) p. 55Thought to Ponder . . .The difference between pride and humility: Pride is who is right. Humility is what is right.AA-related 'Alconym'A A ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 8, 2023Maximum HelpfulnessYour 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. You should not hesitate to visit the most sordid spot on earth on such an errand. Keep on the firing line of life with these motives and God will keep you unharmed.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Working With Others) p.102Thought to Ponder . . .We're not living just to be sober; we are living to learn, to s ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 7, 2023The Emotional HangoverBut there is another kind of hangover which we all experience whether we are drinking or not. That is the emotional hangover, the direct result of yesterday's and sometimes today's excesses of negative emotion—anger, fear, jealousy, and the like. If we would live serenely today and tomorrow, we certainly need to eliminate these hangovers. This doesn't mean we need to wander morbidly around in the past. It requires an admission and correction ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 6, 2023TemptationIn our belief any scheme of combating alcoholism which proposes to shield the sick man from temptation is doomed to failure. If the alcoholic tries to shield himself he may succeed for a time, but he usually winds up with a bigger explosion than ever. We have tried these methods. These attempts to do the impossible have always failed.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Working With Others) p. 101Thought to Ponder . . .Sobriety without action is fantasy.AA-related ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)March 5, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~Humility and FaithIndeed, the attainment of greater humility is the foundation principle of each of A.A.'s Twelve Steps. For without some degree of humility, no alcoholic can stay sober at all. Nearly all A.A.'s have found, too, that unless they develop much more of this precious quality than may be required just for sobriety, they still haven't much chance of becoming truly happy. Without it, they cannot live to much useful purpose, or, ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 4, 2023Greatest PossessionShowing others who suffer how we were given help is the very thing which makes life seem so worth while to us now. Cling to the thought that, in God's hands, the dark past is the greatest possession you have—the key to life and happiness for others. With it you can avert death and misery for them.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Family Afterward) p. 124Thought to Ponder . . .We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.AA-related 'Al ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 3, 2023Blessings ReceivedHaving so considered our day, not omitting to take due note of things well done, and having searched our hearts with neither fear nor favor, we can truly thank God for the blessings we have received and sleep in good conscience.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Ten) p. 95Thought to Ponder . . .Gratitude is a most effective painkiller for the alcoholic.AA-related 'Alconym'B E S T  =   Been Enjoying Sobriety Today?Thank yo ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 2, 2023ProgressMany of us exclaimed, "What an order! I can’t go through with it." Do not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles. We are not saints. The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines. The principles we have set down are guides to progress. We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 60Thought to Ponder . ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)March 1, 2023Self-willThe first requirement is that we be convinced that any life run on self-will can hardly be a success. On that basis we are almost always in collision with something or somebody, even though our motives are good.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 60Thought to Ponder . . .If I don't change, my sobriety date will.AA-related 'Alconym'C H A N G E  =   Choosing Humility Allows New Gifts and Energy.Thank you for sharing so generously of yo ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 28, 2023Self JustificationFirst off, they can be told that the majority of A.A. members have suffered severely from self-justification during their drinking days. For most of us, self-justification was the maker of excuses; excuses, of course, for drinking, and for all kinds of crazy and damaging conduct. We had made the invention of alibis a fine art.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Four) p. 46Thought to Ponder . . .The first step in overcoming mistakes i ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 27, 2023Diagnose YourselfWe do not like to pronounce any individual as alcoholic, but you can quickly diagnose yourself. Step over to the nearest barroom and try some controlled drinking. Try to drink and stop abruptly. Try it more than once. It will not take long for you to decide, if you are honest with yourself about it. It may be worth a bad case of jitters if you get a full knowledge of your condition. - Alcoholics Anonymous, (More About Alcoholism) pp ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)February 26, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~A Design For LivingWe, in our turn, sought the same escape with all the desperation of drowning men. What seemed at first a flimsy reed, has proved to be the loving and powerful hand of God. A new life has been given us or, if you prefer, "a design for living" that really works.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) p. 28  Thought to PonderThe Twelve Steps -- a manuscript for rational living.  AA-related 'Al ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 25, 2023LiabilitiesNearly every serious emotional problem can be seen as a case of misdirected instinct. When that happens, our great natural assets, the instincts, have turned into physical and mental liabilities. Step Four is our vigorous and painstaking effort to discover what these liabilities in each of us have been, and are.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Four) p. 42Thought to Ponder . . .The Three A's .. Awareness, Acceptance, Action.AA-related 'Al ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 24, 2023ConditionsWe 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.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Four) p. 47Thought to Ponder . . .If you want to change who you are, change what you do.AA-related 'Alconym'A C ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 23, 2023The Old Game AgainNow and then a serious drinker, being dry at the moment says, “I don’t miss it at all. Feel better. Work better. Having a better time.” As ex-problem drinkers, we smile at such a sally. We know our friend is like a boy whistling in the dark to keep up his spirits. He fools himself. Inwardly he would give anything to take half a dozen drinks and get away with them. He will presently try the old game again, for he isn’t happy about his sobriet ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 22, 2023The Insanity ReturnsBut with the alcoholic, whose hope is the maintenance and growth of a spiritual experience, this business of resentment is infinitely grave. We found that it is fatal. For when harboring such feelings we shut ourselves off from the sunlight of the Spirit. The insanity of alcohol returns and we drink again. And with us, to drink is to die.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 66Thought to Ponder . . .Resentment is like taking poison and ...Continue Reading

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

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 6, 2023ContinueWe have entered the world of the Spirit. Our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness. This is not an overnight matter. It should continue for our lifetime. Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear. When these crop up, we ask God at once to remove them. We discuss them with someone immediately and make amends quickly if we have harmed anyone.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 84Thought to Ponder . . . ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)February 5, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~Daily ReprieveIt is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels. We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a subtle foe. We are not cured of alcoholism. What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition. Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God’s will into all of our activities. "How can I best serve Thee—Thy will (not mine) be don ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 4, 2023IndispensableWe have emphasized willingness as being indispensable. Are we now ready to let God remove from us all the things which we have admitted are objectionable? Can He now take them all—every one? If we still cling to something we will not let go, we ask God to help us be willing.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 76Thought to Ponder . . .What have I been given today? Am I willing to reach out and grasp it?AA-related 'Alconym'K I S S  =   ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 3, 2023ThoroughnessBecause our surface record hasn’t looked too bad, we have frequently been abashed to find that this is so simply because we have buried these selfsame defects deep down in us under thick layers of self-justification. Whatever the defects, they have finally ambushed us into alcoholism and misery. Therefore, thoroughness ought to be the watchword when taking inventory.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Four) pp. 53 - 54Thought to Ponder . . ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 2, 2023Something HappensWe know that while the alcoholic keeps away from drink, as he may do for months or years, he reacts much like other men. We 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.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There is a Solution) pp. 22 - 23Thought to Ponder ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)February 1, 2023FearSometimes we think fear ought to be classed with stealing. It seems to cause more trouble. We reviewed our fears thoroughly. We put them on paper, even though we had no resentment in connection with them. We asked ourselves why we had them. Wasn’t it because self-reliance failed us? Self-reliance was good as far as it went, but it didn’t go far enough.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) pp. 67 - 68Thought to Ponder . . .What I fear I create.AA-related ' ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 31, 2023A.A. LiteratureLiterature has played a major role in A.A.’s growth, and a striking phenomenon of the past quarter-century has been the explosion of translations of our basic literature into many languages and dialects. In country after country where the A.A. seed was planted, it has taken root, slowly at first, then growing by leaps and bounds when literature has become available. Currently, "Alcoholics Anonymous" has been translated into forty-three ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 30, 2023Mental Blank SpotsThey had said that though I did raise a defense, it would one day give way before some trivial reason for having a drink. Well, just that did happen and more, for what I had learned of alcoholism did not occur to me at all. I knew from that moment that I had an alcoholic mind. I saw that will power and self-knowledge would not help in those strange mental blank spots. I had never been able to understand people who said that a problem had them ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)January 29, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~Spiritual AwakeningWhen a man or a woman has a spiritual awakening, the most important meaning of it is that he has now become able to do, feel, and believe that which he could not do before on his unaided strength and resources alone.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Twelve) pp. 106 - 107  Thought to PonderA spiritual awakening is our greatest gift.  AA-related 'Alconym'S O B E R  =  Spiritually On Beam; ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 28, 2023FaithOur basic troubles are the same as everyone else's, but when an honest effort is made "to practice these principles in all our affairs," well-grounded A.A.'s seem to have the ability, by God's grace, to take these troubles in stride and turn them into demonstrations of faith.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Twelve) p. 114Thought to Ponder . . .Breathe in faith, breathe out fear.AA-related 'Alconym'F A I T H  =   Found Always ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 27, 2023Soundness of Mind"Sanity" is defined as "soundness of mind." Yet no alcoholic, soberly analyzing his destructive behavior, whether the destruction fell on the dining-room furniture or his own moral fiber, can claim "soundness of mind" for himself. Therefore, Step Two is the rallying point for all of us.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Two) p. 33Thought to Ponder . . .Today, my brain has cleared with the grace of clarity ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 26, 2023We Stand ReadyUnder the lash of alcoholism, we are driven to A.A., and there we discover the fatal nature of our situation. Then, and only then, do we become as open-minded to conviction and as willing to listen as the dying can be. We stand ready to do anything which will lift the merciless obsession from us.- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step One) p. 24Thought to Ponder . . .Learn to listen; listen to learn.AA-related 'Alconym'H O W  =   Ho ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 25, 2023We Ask GodIn thinking about our day we may face indecision. We may not be able to determine which course to take. Here we ask God for inspiration, an intuitive thought or a decision. We relax and take it easy. We don’t struggle. We are often surprised how the right answers come after we have tried this for a while.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 86Thought to Ponder . . .The Three "P's" -- Pause, Pray, Proceed.AA-related 'Alconym'A S A P &nbs ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 24, 2023We Trust GodPerhaps there is a better way—we think so. For we are now on a different basis; the basis of trusting and relying upon God. We trust infinite God rather than our finite selves. We are in the world to play the role He assigns. Just to the extent that we do as we think He would have us, and humbly rely on Him, does He enable us to match calamity with serenity.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 68Thought to Ponder . . .Serenity isn't freedom fr ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 23, 2023Justified and ReasonableWe also clutch at another wonderful excuse for avoiding an inventory. Our present anxieties and troubles, we cry, are caused by the behavior of other people—people who really need a moral inventory. We firmly believe that if only they'd treat us better, we'd be all right. Therefore we think our indignation is justified and reasonable—that our resentments are the "right kind." We aren't the guilty ones. They are!- Twelve Steps ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)January 22, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~Absolute CertaintyThe 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 do by ourselves.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) p. 25  Thought to PonderI can't, God can, I'll ask Him to.  AA-related 'Alconym'W I L L I N G  =  When I Live Li ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 21, 2023SelfishnessSo our troubles, we think, are basically of our own making. They arise out of ourselves, and the alcoholic is an extreme example of self-will run riot, though he usually doesn't think so. Above everything, we alcoholics must be rid of this selfishness. We must, or it kills us! God makes that possible. And there often seems no way of entirely getting rid of self without His aid.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 62Thought to Ponder . . .Avoida ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 20, 2023FaithLeaving aside the drink question, they tell why living was so unsatisfactory. They show how the change came over them. When many hundreds of people are able to say that the consciousness of the Presence of God is today the most important fact of their lives, they present a powerful reason why one should have faith.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (We Agnostics) p. 51Thought to Ponder . . .Faith dares the soul to go beyond what the eyes can see.AA-related 'Alconym' ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 19, 2023Our TroublesSelfishness—self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles. Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity, we step on the toes of our fellows and they retaliate. Sometimes they hurt us, seemingly without provocation, but we invariably find that at some time in the past we have made decisions based on self which later placed us in a position to be hurt. So our troubles, we think, are basically of our o ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 18, 2023The Entire FamilyCessation of drinking is but the first step away from a highly strained, abnormal condition. A doctor said to us, "Years of living with an alcoholic is almost sure to make any wife or child neurotic. The entire family is, to some extent, ill." Let families realize, as they start their journey, that all will not be fair weather. Each in his turn may be footsore and may straggle.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Family Afterward) p. 122Thou ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)My apologies for the error in yesterday's reading.  It should have read: "Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us."January 17, 2023Meditation and PrayerWe liked A.A. all right, and were quick to say that it had done miracles. But we recoiled from meditation and prayer as obstinately as the scientist who refused to perform a certain experiment lest it prove his pet theory wrong. Of course we finally did experiment, and when unexpected result ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 16, 2023Attitude and OutlookThat feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.- Alcoholics An ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy AA-Alive.net)January 15, 2023~ Scroll Down for Share ~Your Own ConceptionWhen, therefore, we speak to you of God, we mean your own conception of God. This applies, too, to other spiritual expressions which you find in this book. Do not let any prejudice you may have against spiritual terms deter you from honestly asking yourself what they mean to you.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (We Agnostics) p. 47  Thought to PonderHold your face up to the Light, even though for the moment you do not se ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 14, 2023New and Wonderful WorldBoth you and the new man must walk day by day in the path of spiritual progress. If you persist, remarkable things will happen. When we look back, we realize that the things which came to us when we put ourselves in God’s hands were better than anything we could have planned. Follow the dictates of a Higher Power and you will presently live in a new and wonderful world, no matter what your present circumstances!- Alcoholics Anonymous, (W ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 13, 2023Change in AttitudeDuring this process of learning more about humility, the most profound result of all was the change in our attitude toward God. And this was true whether we had been believers or unbelievers. We began to get over the idea that the Higher Power was a sort of bush-league pinch hitter, to be called upon only in an emergency. The notion that we would still live our own lives, God helping a little now and then, began to evaporate.- Twelve Steps an ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 12, 2023A TornadoThe alcoholic is like a tornado roaring his way through the lives of others. Hearts are broken. Sweet relationships are dead. Affections have been uprooted. Selfish and inconsiderate habits have kept the home in turmoil. We feel a man is unthinking when he says that sobriety is enough. He is like the farmer who came up out of his cyclone cellar to find his home ruined. To his wife, he remarked, "Don’t see anything the matter here, Ma. Ain’t it gr ...Continue Reading

AA Thought for the Day(courtesy aa-alive.net)January 11, 2023WillingOur stories disclose in a general way what we used to be like, what happened, and what we are like now. 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.- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 58 Thought to Ponder . . .Willingness is doing the next right thing whether I want to or not.AA-related 'Alconym'H O W  =   Honesty, Open-mindedness, Willingness.Thank ...Continue Reading