March 14


Prayer for Happiness and Peace

Lord,
I pray that you bless me with true happiness and peace in life. Lead me away from hate and anger toward love. From a restless mind and anxiety, give me peace. Lead me from fear of death to eternal life.

When I suffer despair and lack of confidence, lead me to hope, faith, and trust. Lead me away from dishonesty and deceit toward eternal truth. Allow eternal peace and tranquility to fill my heart, my mind, my life, and my world.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

None of us like to think that we are bodily and mentally different from others.

Our drinking careers have been characterized by countless vain attempts to prove that we could drink like other people. This delusion that we are like other people has to be smashed. It has been definitely proved that no real alcoholic has ever recovered control. Over any considerable period we get worse, never better. There is no such thing as making a normal drinker out of an alcoholic.


So ............

Am I convinced that I can never drink again normally?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Completion

Truth

For too many years I tried to avoid and deny my alcoholism. I wanted to recover by osmosis! I did not want to get my hands dirty with the reality of my suffering but rather I wanted a "miracle" --- really magic --- to make everything different from what it had been for years. I did not want to face my pain! But it does not work that way. If I am to get well, I need to confront my disease, smell my disease, hold my disease, pull and tug at the disease in my life. Why? Because it is mine. I need to be in touch with my disease if I am ever going to make the necessary changes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Good Idea

The first step toward feeling better, and getting over our sickness is quite simply not drinking.
Try the idea on for size.
Wouldn't you rather have a health condition which can be successfully treated, than spend a lot of time miserably wondering what's wrong with you?

Living Sober Page 10

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a few Quotes

"If you want to be happy, do not dwell in the past, do not worry about the future, focus on living fully in the present." ~ Roy T. Bennett

"The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer someone else up." ~ Mark Twain

March 15


Prayer for Happiness
Lord,
Make my lips smile longer as I think of moving to an amazing sunlit place. Let me awaken each morning with hope for everything that the world has to offer.

Help me so that I can discover peace, prosperity, and happiness in life. Guide me to find joy in each day and appreciate the beauty of your creation. Teach me how to touch each soul I meet and be thankful for every person in my life.

Teach me how to see a happy life in all of its infinite varieties. Help me to find happiness in every moment as I go through each day.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.

Commencing to drink after a period of sobriety, we are in a short time as bad as ever. If we have admitted we are alcoholics, we must have no reservations of any kind, nor any lurking notion that some day we will be immune to alcohol. What sort of thinking dominates an alcoholic who repeats time after time the desperate experiment of the first drink? Parallel with sound reasoning, there inevitably runs some insanely trivial excuse for taking the first drink. There is little thought of what the terrific consequences may be.

So ............

Have I given up all excuses for drinking?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

"Miracle"

We have chosen life. Well maybe we had a little push, maybe a big push from our family, police, or the pain of our disease. But still, we’ve chosen recovery. We choose daily to let our Higher Power run our lives. We have trust! We have faith!

We work hard at recovery. We meditate. We look for ways to serve others. Each one of us is building a miracle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Key to Sobriety

The unique ability of each A.A. to identify himself with, and bring recovery to, the newcomer in no way depends upon his learning, his eloquence, or any special individual skills. The only thing that matters is that he is an alcoholic who has found a key to sobriety.

As Bill Sees It Page 257

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

“Often the test of courage is not to die but to live.” ~ Vittorio Alfiert

March 16


Prayer to St. Brigid of Ireland

Saint Brigid,
You were a woman of peace.
You brought harmony where there was conflict.
You brought light to the darkness.
You brought hope to the downcast.
May the mantle of your peace cover those who are troubled and anxious, and may peace be firmly rooted in our hearts and in our world.
Inspire us to act justly and to reverence all God has made.
Brigid you were a voice for the wounded and the weary.
Strengthen what is weak within us.
Calm us into a quietness that heals and listens.
May we grow each day into greater wholeness in mind, body and spirit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Just a Thought

As we look back on all those troubles we used to have when we were drinking:

The hospitals, the jails, we wonder why we could have wanted that kind of a life. As we look back on it now, we see our drinking life as it really was and we're glad we're out of it. So after a few months in A.A., we find that we can honestly say that we want something else more than drinking. We've learned by experience that a sober life is really enjoyable and we wouldn't go back to the old drunken way of living for anything in the world.

So ............

Do I want to stay sober a lot more than I want to get drunk?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Acceptance Today

Many of us made a mess of trying to run our own lives. We are amazed at how much better things go when we acknowledge that the Power greater than ourselves is in control.

Every experience, the bad one as well as the good one, becomes an opportunity to learn and to serve. We may not like what it is that we are given to do or to feel on a particular day, but we learn to accept it as necessary for our growth. We can look back and see that we have learned even more from our failures than from our successes.

Positive change and growth become possible when we accept our lives and ourselves as part of God's creation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Release and Joy

We think cheerfulness and laughter make for usefulness. Outsiders are sometimes shocked when we burst into merriment over a seemingly tragic experience out of the past. But why shouldn't we laugh? We have recovered, and have helped others to recover. What greater cause could there be for rejoicing than this?

Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 132

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

"The power behind me is greater than the problem in front of me." ~ Rose Hardman

March 17


Old Irish Blessing for St. Patrick’s Day

May your days be many and your troubles be few.
May all God’s blessings descend upon you.
May peace be within you, may your heart be strong.
May you find what you’re seeking wherever you roam.
May the strength of God pilot us, may the wisdom of God instruct us.
May the hand of God protect us, may the word of God direct us.
May thy Salvation, O Lord, be always ours this day and for evermore.
Amen.

Written by St. Patrick

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

Sometimes we can't help thinking: Why can't we ever drink again?

We know it's because we're alcoholics, but why did we have to get that way? The answer is that at some time in our drinking careers, we passed what is called our "tolerance point." When we passed this point, we passed from a condition in which we could tolerate alcohol to a condition in which we could not tolerate it at all. After that, if we took one drink, we would sooner or later end up drunk.

So ............

When I think of alcohol now, do I think of it as something that I can never tolerate again?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Action

What we do can be much more important than what we say. We tend to talk about things we want to do. We need to also be people who do things we talk about. We are not spiritual people unless our actions are spiritual.

Many of us used to be "all or nothing" people. That made us afraid to take on big projects. But now we can get things done, if we take one step at a time. We're not "all or nothing" people anymore. We're people who are changing and growing a little every day. And each day our deeds match our words a little better.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New Direction

Where my life had been full of mental turmoil there is now an ever-increasing depth of calmness. Where there was a hit or miss attitude toward living there is now new direction and force.

Experience, Strength and Hope Page 134

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

“Somebody once asked me how I define sobriety, and my response was ‘liberation from dependence’.” ~ Leslie Jamison

March 18


Cast Out Fear Prayer

Lord,
I know that worrying gets me nowhere. Yet, I still allow worry and anxiety to consume me.

In times such as these, Lord, I ask you to grant me an enormous amount of strength, faith, and courage to fight off the doubt and fear within my mind. Faith casts out fear while fear casts out faith.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

After that first drink, we had a single-track mind.

It was like a railroad train.
The first drink started it off and it kept going on the single track until it got to the end of the line, drunkenness. We alcoholics knew this was the inevitable result when we took the first drink, but still we couldn't keep away from liquor. Our willpower was gone. We had become helpless and hopeless before the power of alcohol. It's not the second drink or the tenth drink that does the damage. It's the first drink.

So ............

Will I ever take that first drink again?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Showing Love

Receiving a loving hug from a parent or perhaps a smile from a friend or even a stranger gives us a special feeling inside. We know we are important to others when they show us their love through attention. And we sometimes forget that we matter to others. Family members and friends feel good in the same way when we show them our love. Everyone needs to be loved.

How can we show our love? Must it be through a hug? Doing a favor for someone is loving. Helping around the house or the yard is loving, particularly when we've volunteered our help. Giving an unexpected gift to a friend is a way of showing love. Showing others we care, even when they are angry, is perhaps the nicest of all expressions of love.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Twelfth-Stepping "Success"

We now see that in twelfth-stepping the immediate results are not so important. Some people start out working with others and have immediate success. They are likely to get cocky. Those of us who are not so successful at first get depressed.

As a matter of fact, the successful worker differs from the unsuccessful only in being lucky about his prospects. He simply hits newcomers who are ready and able to stop at once. Given the same prospects, the seemingly unsuccessful person would have produced almost the same results. You have to work on a lot of newcomers before the law of averages commences to assert itself.

As Bill See It Page 165

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

“Where there is charity and wisdom there is neither fear nor ignorance. Where there is patience and humility there is neither anger nor worry.” ~ Francis of Assisi

March 19


Surrender Prayer

Lord,
I place myself entirely in your hands. I surrender to you my whole self, my heart, my mind, my memory, my imagination, my will, my emotions, my passions, my body, my sexuality, my desire for human approval, my weaknesses, my desires.

I surrender all anxiety and worry I have to you. I surrender all that deceives me in my heart to you. I trust you to care for me and others in a perfectly loving way
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

If alcoholism were just a physical allergy!!

Like asthma or hay fever, it would be easy for us, by taking a skin test with alcohol, to find out whether or not we're alcoholics. But alcoholism is not just a physical allergy. It's also a mental allergy or obsession. After we've become alcoholics, we can still tolerate alcohol physically for quite a while, although we suffer a little more after each binge and each time it takes a little longer to get over the hangovers.

So ............

Do I realize that since I have become an alcoholic, I cannot tolerate alcohol mentally at all?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Faults

It is easy to look outward and find faults with the world and people around us. We criticize family members or complain about our friends. We always notice disease in the trees around us.

But if we take time to be quiet, to sit alone in a tree or by a lake, we become more aware of how connected we are to the life around us. We are part of the beauty and the imperfection. When we notice our own tree is not perfect, it becomes easier to forgive the blights of those around us. It is also important to forgive ourselves our faults. Though all the trees are beautiful, they each have their scars. Being human means we are, like all humanity, both beautiful and imperfect.

I will see through the flaws to another's beauty!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fear No Evil

Though we of A.A. find ourselves living in a world characterized by destructive fears as never before in history, we see great areas of faith, and tremendous aspirations toward justice and brotherhood. Yet no prophet can presume to say whether the world outcome will be blazing destruction or the beginning, under God's intention, of the brightest era yet known to mankind.

I am sure we A.A.'s will comprehend this scene. In microcosm, we have experienced this identical state of terrifying uncertainty, each in his own life. In no sense pridefully, we can say that we do not fear the world outcome, whichever course it may take. This is because we have been established to deeply feel and say, "We shall fear no evil--Thy will, not ours, be done.

As Bill Sees It Page 166

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Few Quotes

“Bravery is not the absence of fear but the forging ahead despite being afraid.” ~ Robert Liparulo


"The key to change... is to let go of fear." ~ Roseanne Cash

March 20

Prayer For Change

Lord,
Change me from the inside out, so that I do not fret and worry about things that may never happen, but help me to focus my mind on what is good and lovely. Enable me to give others the support and encouragement that they need, and not always expect others to address the needs and concerns that I have. Lord I know without You, I cannot change.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

One drink started a train of thought that became an obsession.

From then on, we couldn't stop drinking.
We developed a mental compulsion to keep drinking until we got good and drunk. People generally make two mistakes about alcoholism. One mistake is that it can be cured by physical treatment only. The other mistake is that it can be cured by willpower only. Most alcoholics have tried both of these ways and have found that they don't work. But we members of A.A. have found a way to arrest alcoholism.

So .............

Have I got over my obsession by following the A.A. program?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Feeling Worthless

Nobody is rotten to the core. Whenever we start to believe we are bad all the way through, we can picture good things we have done, days when someone else was happy to be with us, and see for ourselves that we have many good points that outweigh the bad.

If we have done something wrong, we must apologize and make amends. Making a mistake is not the same as being worthless. Mistakes are a natural part of living, not something to be ashamed of. Our freedom to make mistakes is one of our greatest assets, for this is the way we learn humility, persistence, courage to take risks, and better ways of doing things. All of us are valuable and lovable. How could we be otherwise? Since mistakes are natural aspects of growth, we can salute them in others and ourselves as signs of life and celebrate our ability to learn and to forgive.

I now see that mistakes have helped me grow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Solitude

In solitude, we take our inventories.
In solitude, we admit to ourselves the exact nature of our wrongs.
In solitude, our spirits seek that Power greater than we are;
In solitude, we seek through prayer and meditation to be aware of God's will for us. . .
We are alone, but not lonely.

Came To Believe Page 109

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

“Hatred is never anything but fear - if you feared no one, you would hate no one.” ~ Hugh Downs

March 21


Prayer For Today’s Tasks

Lord, I stand before You today in Your presence to ask that You grant me strength.
I ask You to give me the strength to power through all of the tasks today — whether little or big.
It is by Your will that I live oh Lord. And I know it is also by Your will I will not go weak today.
Lord, thank you for giving me the opportunity everyday to learn a little more of how to let go and let God.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

When I was drinking, I was absolutely selfish, I thought of myself first, last, and always.

The universe revolves around me at the center. When I woke up in the morning with a hangover, my only thought was how terrible I felt and about what I could do to make myself feel better. And the only thing I could think of was more liquor. To quit was impossible. I couldn't see beyond myself and my own need for another drink.

So ............

Can I now look out and beyond my own selfishness?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Moderation

Moderation is the process of eliminating or lessening extremes. It is used to ensure normality throughout the medium on which it is being conducted. ... A way of life emphasizing perfect amounts of everything, not indulging in too much of one thing, hence moderation.

When there's moderation in everything, from food and drinks to sleeping and working, a person is more likely to feel as if they are in control of their life, and all the decisions they're making are more likely to bring them joy than make them feel miserable, as is often the case with going to either of the extremes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New Design

We, 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 Page 28

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

“Recovery is something that you have to work on every single day, and it’s something that doesn't get a day off.” ~ Demi Lovato

March 22


Accepting Others Prayer

Lord,
It's sometimes hard for me to understand or accept or love those who are different from me.
I find myself wanting to change them so that they fit my accepted patterns.
I know that the difference between us need not separate us, but my lack of understanding makes me want to stay within the safety of my own perceptions rather than embrace what seems foreign.
Give me curiosity of mind so that I am open to the perspectives that others can offer me.
Help me see the similarities that bind us together.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

I became an alcoholic and alcohol poisoned my life.

Alcohol poisoned my love for my family and friends, it poisoned my ambition, it poisoned my self-respect. It poisoned my whole life, until I met A.A. My life is happier now than it has been for a long time. I don't want to commit suicide. So with the help of God and A.A., I'm not going to take any more of that alcoholic poison into my system. And I'm going to keep training my mind never even to think of liquor again in any way except as a poison.

So ............

Do I believe that liquor will poison my life if I ever touch it again?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Love

Before recovery, anger, self-pity, and sadness often filled our hearts. The world went on. We came to hate the ride.

In recovery, love fills our hearts. We begin to love life. Love is really caring about what happens to other people. Love is what makes the ride worth it

We find much love in our program. People really mater to us. We really matter to others. For many of us, we learn how to love in our meetings. The program teaches love because the program is love.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Changing Beliefs

When I arrived, trembling and terrified, at my first meeting, I thought I no longer believed in anything. What a miracle that, after one talk with my sponsor and one meeting, I could have hope in A.A.! This hope kept me coming to meetings and gradually grew into a true belief that A.A. had all the answers for me, that, if I would be willing and try, I could stay sober—one day at a time. However, I found that this involved the effort to practice the program.

Come To Believe Page 103

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

"I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence." ~ Frederick Douglass

March 23


Loving Difficult People Prayer

Lord,
I have to thank You for looking beyond my faults and for loving me unconditionally.
Forgive me when I fail to love others in the same way.
Give me eyes to see the needs of the difficult people in my life, and show me how to meet those needs in a way that pleases You.
Amen

~ Mary Southerland

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

Alcoholics who are living in a blind alley refuse to be really honest with themselves or with other people.

They're running away from life and won't face things as they are. They won't give up their resentments. They're too sensitive and too easily hurt. They refuse to try to be unselfish. They still want everything for themselves. And no matter how many disastrous experiences they have had with drinking, they still do it over and over again. There's only one way to get out of that blind alley way of living and that's to change your thinking.

So ............

Have I changed my thinking?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Patience

Family life requires patience
The Greek origin of the word patience is pathos, which means "suffering." In our lives together, we often suffer. Life is full of bumps and scrapes, both physical and emotional. In our search for greater family unity and harmony we need to realize that we will not be able to escape all suffering. This is why we need patience. It is a form of love. When we suffer the bumps and scrapes and still have faith something good will come of it, we are living out our love.

By practicing our patience, we will surely find a reward.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Compulsion

It helped me a great deal to become convinced that alcoholism was a disease, not a moral issue; that I had been drinking as a result of a compulsion, even though I had not been aware of the compulsion at the time; and that sobriety was not a matter of willpower. I was afraid to let go of what I had in order to try something new; there was a certain sense of security in the familiar. At last, acceptance proved to be the key to my drinking problem. When I stopped living in the problem and began living in the answer, the problem went away."

Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Page 417

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

"There is no limit to what you can accomplish in helping others." ~ Richmond Walker

March 24


Your Will Lord


Lord,
Grant me to greet the coming day in peace, help me in all things to rely upon your will.
In every hour of the day reveal your will to me.
Teach me to treat all that comes to throughout the day with peace of soul and with firm conviction that your will governs all.
In all my deeds and words, guide my thoughts and feelings.
In unforeseen events, let me not forget that all are sent by you.
Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others.
Give me strength to bear the fatigue of the coming day with all that it shall bring.
Direct my will, teach me to pray.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Just a Thought

Alcohol used to be my friend.

I used to have a lot of fun drinking. Practically all the fun I had was connected with drinking. But the time came when alcohol became my enemy. I don't know just when it turned against me and became my enemy; but I know it happened, because I began to get into trouble. And since I realize that alcohol is now my enemy, my main business is keeping sober. Making a living or keeping house is no longer my main business. It's secondary to the business of keeping sober.

So ............

Do I realize that my main business is keeping sober?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Deception

Think of the trouble of excuses and lies that have caused us. When we invent a long line of lies, we have to memorize each one. It's easiest just to be trustful, using plain and simple words. So when accusers spear us with their stares, we can disarm them by looking them right in the eye.

Not only do lies deceive others, they keep us hidden from ourselves, and make our real reasons for the choices we've made seem unworthy, if we feel we can't express ourselves truthfully. Better that we be truthful, even if a little pain results. Truth keeps communication lines open. Then, when someone really wants to know what's on our minds, we can simply open our hearts. There should not be anything that we cannot tell a real friend.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dividends

The A.A. preoccupation with sobriety is sometimes misunderstood. To some, this single virtue appears to be the sole dividend of our Fellowship. We are thought to be dried-up drunks who otherwise have changed little, or not at all, for the better. Such a surmise widely misses the truth. We know that permanent sobriety can be attained only by a most revolutionary change in the life and outlook of the individual--by a spiritual awakening that can banish the desire to drink.

As Bill Sees It Page 171

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

“To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; credible we must be truthful.” ~ Edward R. Murrow

March 25


Need of a Miracle Prayer

Lord,
The days ahead may be a little scary at times, but I understand now that the path to a miracle is through uncomfortable territory. I understand now that the source of a miracle will be unexpected, so I shouldn’t try to figure it out. I should just trust you. When you tell me what to do, and it doesn’t always make sense, I will still do what you want me to do. Help me to remember that you’re all I need and that where you guide, you’ll provide. I want to learn to trust you one day at a time. I want to go your way, not my way. I want to follow you, and I ask you to save me and come into my life. I claim your promise that if I trust you, you’ll meet my needs.
Amen.

~ Rick Warren

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

If we're going to stay sober, we've got to learn to want something else more than we want to drink.

When we first came into A.A., we couldn't imagine wanting anything else so much or more than drinking. So we had to stop drinking on faith, on faith that someday we really would want something else more than drinking. But after we've been in A.A. for a while, we learn that a sober life can really be enjoyed. We learn how nice it is to get along well with our family, how nice it is to do our work well whether at home or outside, and how nice it is to try to help others.

So ............

Have I found that when I keep sober, everything goes well for me?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Disagreements

Many of us haven't learned there is room for disagreement in a relationship. Many learned to be always pleasing and agreeable, no matter how they felt. Others took it as a personal insult when someone disagreed with them.

We choke the vitality and excitement in our relationships if we are too intent on avoiding conflict. Nothing can be resolved if we smooth everything over. Differences between people don't just go away. If we don't bring them out, they fester and create silent tension or boredom. If we willingly express our thoughts and feelings, we can learn how to resolve our disagreements and to appreciate each other for our differences as well as our similarities. If two people in a relationship were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.

I will try to be more open about my differences with people, not as a way of fighting, but as a way of letting them know me better.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let’s Keep It Simple

We need to distinguish sharply between spiritual simplicity and functional simplicity.

When we say that A.A. advocates no theological proposition except God as we understand Him, we greatly simplify A.A. life by avoiding conflict and exclusiveness.

But when we get into questions of action by groups, by areas, and by A.A. as a whole, we find that we must to some extent organize to carry the message--or else face chaos. And chaos is not simplicity.

As Bill Sees It Page 162

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Few Quotes

"Seeing a miracle will inspire you, but knowing you are a miracle will change you." ~ Deborah Brodie

"A miracle is a shift in perception from fear to love." ~ Marianne Williamson

March 26


Prayer for Self-Acceptance

I accept myself completely.
I accept my strengths and my weaknesses, my gifts and my shortcomings.
I accept myself as a human being.
I accept that I am here to learn and grow, and

I accept that within my mind are both fear and love, and
I accept my power to choose which I will experience as real.
I accept mistakes as a part of growth.
I am willing to forgive myself and give myself another chance.

I accept my own life as a blessing and a gift.
My heart is open to receive, and I am deeply grateful.
May I always share the gifts that I receive fully, freely, and joyfully.

I accept all that I was, all that I am, and all that I choose to become.

~ Lise Storgaard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

Now we can take an inventory of the good things.

To begin with, we're sober today. That's the biggest asset on any alcoholic's books. Sobriety to us is like goodwill in business. Everything else depends on that. Most of us have jobs, which we owe to our sobriety. We know we couldn't hold these jobs if we were drinking, so our jobs depend on our sobriety. Most of us have wives or husbands and children, which we either would have lost or might have lost, if we hadn't stopped drinking. We have friends in A.A., real friends who are always ready to help us.

So ............

Do I realize that my life today is dependent upon my sobriety?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Our Path

During our alcoholism, we were on a path leading to death---death of our spirit, mind, and body.

On that path, we tried not to think about where it would lead. We didn’t want to get there. We just followed the path toward death, with one drink at a time.

Now we’ve chosen a new path for our lives. Making that choice was hard. We knew only the old path. We were afraid to change. But we did it. That was the hardest part.

We are excited to follow our new path. We know it leads to good things.
We can follow the map---the Twelve Steps---and enjoy the trip. It will last as long as we live, and the map will guide us.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Realization

“The number of times that you win or lose is not important. The only thing that matters is the number of times that you try.”

For several years I had tried to get someone else to solve my problem for me, but I had not realized I was doing so until that moment of insight. '... That you try.' I was exhilarated. Now I knew that I was an alcoholic and that I had the only qualification for membership in A.A., a desire to stop drinking.

Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, Page 50

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

“I now see how owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we will ever do.” ~ Brené Brown

March 27


Prayer For Self Confidence

Lord,
Let a ray of Your wisdom
Penetrate my understanding
Grant me a retentive memory
And the ability to grasp things
Correctly and completely.
Let me be convincing in my explanations
Steadfast and unwavering in my presentations
Give me Your confidence
To trust my God-given capabilities.
Help me with each task at hand
Guide me through its completion.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

Most of us have found faith through A.A.

That's faith in a Power greater than ourselves to which we can turn for help; faith in that Divine Principle in the universe which we call God and which is on our side as long as we do the right thing. There have been many days in the past when, if we had taken an inventory, we'd have found ourselves very much in the red, without sobriety, and therefore without jobs, families, friends, or faith in God. We now have these things because we're sober.

So ............

Do I make one resolution every day of my life to stay sober?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Strength

We don't always have to be strong. Sometimes, our strength is expressed in being vulnerable. Sometimes, we need to fall apart to regroup and stay on track. We all have days when we cannot push any harder, cannot hold back self-doubt, cannot stop focusing on fear, cannot be strong.

There are days when we cannot focus on being responsible. Occasionally we don't want to get out of our pajamas. Sometimes, we cry in front of people. We expose our tiredness, irritability, or anger. Those days are okay. They are just okay.

Part of taking care of ourselves means we give ourselves permission to "fall apart" when we need to. We do not have to be perpetual towers of strength. We are strong. We have proven that. Our strength will continue if we allow ourselves the courage to feel scared, weak, and vulnerable when we need to experience those feelings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inner Resource

I promise to watch for every opportunity to turn toward my Higher Power for guidance. I know where this power is: it resides within me, as clear as a mountain brook, hidden in the hills -- it is the unsuspected Inner Resource. . . I trust it today and hope it trusts me to make all effort to find the right thought or action today.

Daily Reflections Page 28

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

“Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong.” ~ Peter T. Mcin

March 28


Helping Others Prayer

Lord,
There are so many people in this world who are in need.
Please show us how we can help.
Use us Lord, to be a blessing to others.
I pray You will show us how to use our resources to help others.
Give us eyes to see those who are in need.
I pray that our lives are used for a great purpose of service to others.
Amen

~ Jeanne Lucas

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

It is essential that the A.A. program become part of us.

We must have its essentials at our fingertips. We cannot study the big book too much or too often. The more we read it and study it, the better equipped we are to think A.A., act A.A., and live A.A. We cannot know too much about the program. The chances are that we will never know enough. But we can make as much of it our own as possible.

So ............

How much of the Big Book have I thoroughly mastered?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Honesty

Honesty is the backbone of our recovery program. Honesty opens us up. It breaks down the walls we had built around our secret world. Those walls made a prison for us. But all of that is now changed. We are free.

Honesty has made us wise. We aren’t sneaking drinks anymore. We don’t have a stash to protect. People who didn’t trust us now depend on our honesty. People who worked hard to avoid us, now seek us out. Self-honesty is the greatest gift we can give ourselves.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

24-hour Plan

Getting away from the pull of the first drink is like putting a space vehicle in orbit. It takes a lot of thrust to overcome the pull of gravity and get the vehicle off the ground. But once it gets in orbit, all that's required is a small correction from time to time.
That's how the 24-hour plan works -- a small daily checkup and correction to keep us away from the pull of that first drink. The 24-hour plan is a discipline whose yield is freedom.

The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 1], Page 152

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Few Quotes

“Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day.” ~ Sally Koch

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” ~ Dr. Seuss