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A Prayer & Some Thoughts - March
March 1
A Prayer Today Lord, Forgive me where I have been resentful, selfish, dishonest or afraid. Help me to not keep anything to myself but to discuss it all openly with another person – show me where I owe an apology and help me make it. Help me to be kind and loving to all people. Lord, Use me in the mainstream of life. Free me of worry, remorse or morbid reflections that I may be of usefulness to others. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought I have real friends where I had none before. My drinking companions could hardly be called my real friends, though when drunk we seemed to have the closest kind of friendship. My idea of friendship has changed. Friends are no longer people whom I can use for my own pleasure or profit. Friends are now people who understand me and I them, whom I can help and who can help me to live a better life. I have learned not to hold back and wait for friends to come to me, but to go halfway and to be met halfway, openly and freely. So ............ Does friendship have a new meaning for me? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Accent on the Present We are/were often obsessed with the past. We would rehash old hurts and resentments, old fears and desires. Our dreams, along with our waking hours, may have been filled with people from our past. Such preoccupation with the past prevented us from focusing on the present. If we are to be alive in the present, we need to let go of the past. What is over is over and cannot be replayed except in our minds. What we can do is turn our memories over to our Higher Power for healing. The creative Spirit, which is not bound by time, can take away old hurts and resentments. Then we are free to deal with the present and concentrate on doing God's will for us now, today. Living in the present keeps us in touch with God, who restores us to sanity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Past Showing others who suffer how we were given help is the very thing which makes life seem so worthwhile 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 Page 124 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Renew, release, let go. Yesterday’s gone. There’s nothing you can do to bring it back. You can’t “should’ve” done something. You can only DO something. Renew yourself. Release that attachment. Today is a new day!” ~ Steve Maraboli |
March 2
A Fellowship Prayer God, I pray for the hurting; for those still living in their misery. I pray for those whose lives have been impacted by the disastrous touch of addiction; for the families torn apart and especially for the children left to wonder and grieve. God, give them your peace and guide them gently through this next twenty-four hours. Amen ~ C.L.Murphy 2014 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought What a load wasting money puts on your shoulders! It's been said that members of A.A. have paid the highest initiation fee of any club members in the world, because we've wasted so much money on liquor. We'll never be able to figure out how much it was. We not only wasted our own money, but also the money we should have spent on our families. When you come into A.A., that terrible load of wasted money falls off your shoulders. We alcoholics were getting round-shouldered from carrying all those loads that drinking put on our shoulders. But when we come into A.A., we get a wonderful feeling of release and freedom. So ............ Can I throw back my shoulders and look the whole world in the face again? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Irresponsibility Irresponsible behavior is not unfamiliar to us. Passivity is equally familiar. In the past, excusing ourselves of all responsibility prevented us from being blamed. We have learned that it also prevented us from feeling worthy, from fulfilling our potential, from feeling the excitement that comes with achievement. Our fear of failure helped us to be irresponsible. We may still fear failure, but the program offers us an antidote. We can't fail if we have turned our lives over to our higher power. We will be shown the way to proceed. Our fellow travelers have messages for us that will smooth our path. I will celebrate that I am taking responsibility for my life today. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ More than Comfort When I am feeling depressed, I repeat to myself statements such as these: "Pain is the touchstone of progress." . . . "Fear no evil." . . . "This, too, will pass." . . . "This experience can be turned to benefit." These fragments of prayer bring far more than mere comfort. They keep me on the track of right acceptance; they break up my compulsive themes of guilt, depression, rebellion, and pride; and sometimes they endow me with the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. As Bill Sees It Page 148 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "I use my own greatest defeat and failure and sickness as a weapon to help others." ~ Richmond Walker |
March 3
Prayer in Time of Trouble Lord, In all my doubts, perplexities, and temptations, Lord, help me. In hours of loneliness, weariness, and trials, Lord, help me. In the failure of my plans and hopes; in disappointments, troubles, and sorrows, Lord, help me. When others fail me and Your grace alone can assist me, help me. When my heart is cast down by failure at seeing no good come from my efforts, Lord, help me. When I feel impatient and irritable, Lord, help me. When I am ill and my head and hands cannot work and I am lonely, Lord, help me. Always, always, in spite of weakness, falls, and shortcomings of every kind, Lord, help me. Lord, in every need let me come to You with humble trust saying, "Lord, help me." Amen. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Getting sober was a long and painful journey, but we can truthfully say it was worth it. We know now that all we've been through led us to A.A. and was part of our spiritual journey. We found it in A.A. what we had been vainly seeking in the bottle. We've learned that our journey goes on as we continue to deal with our shortcomings and the human problems everybody must face. And when we reach a crossroads or a roadblock, we know that our Higher Power will come to our aid in making the right choices and surmounting all obstacles. So ............ Do I turn to my Higher Power to sustain me as I continue the spiritual journey that brought me to A.A.? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Understanding Life Why do bad things happen? No one has been able to explain why pain and misfortune must be part of the human condition. Bad things can and do happen to everybody, and sometimes there's no way to explain it. Even in sobriety, AA members have misfortunes---times when it appears that God is hiding. We even hear members share such experiences at meetings. Many of us have found ways to use misfortunes constructively, however, by seeing how the program helps us deal with it. In some cases---but not all---we even learn that a misfortune was a disguised blessing. Most importantly, by using the program, we are eliminating the drinking that has been the cause of many misfortunes in our lives. That alone makes our immediate world a much better place for everyone. My life today can be both easy and hard. It gives me great comfort to know that I am not making conditions worse for myself and others. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spiritual Experience A "spiritual experience" to me meant attending meetings, seeing a group of people, all there for the purpose of helping each other; hearing the Twelve Steps and the Twelve Traditions read at a meeting, and hearing the Lord's Prayer, which in an AA meeting has such great meaning -- "Thy will be done, not mine." A spiritual awakening soon came to mean trying each day to be a little more thoughtful, more considerate, a little more courteous to those with whom I came in contact. Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition Page 356 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Few Quotes “Who do you spend time with? Criticizers or encouragers? Surround yourself with those who believe in you. Your life is too important for anything less.” ~ Steve Goodier “Why worry? If you’ve done the very best you can, worrying won’t make it any better.” ~ Walt Disney |
March 4
Guidance Prayer Lord, You have guided me this far and have watched out for me in tough times and dark places. Lord you blessed me with an intelligent mind, great spirit and a strong body, help me to use these attributes to do well for others and make a positive influence in this life that you have given me. Grant me success and confidence in all I do. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Drinking cuts you off from God and other people. No matter how you were brought up, no matter what your religion is, no matter if you say you believe in God, nevertheless you build up a wall between you and God by your drinking. You know you're not living the way God wants you to. As a result, you have that terrible remorse. When you come into A.A., you begin to get right with other people and with God. A sober life is a happy life, because by giving up drinking, we've got rid of our loneliness and remorse. So ............ Do I have real fellowship with other people and with God? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Going with the Flow Going with the flow doesn’t mean that we don’t know where we’re going; it means that we are open to multiple ways of getting there. We are also open to changing our destination, clinging more to the essence of our goal than to the particulars. We acknowledge that letting go and modifying our plans is part of the process. Going with the flow means that we are aware of an energy that is larger than our small selves and we are open to working with it, not against it. Many of us are afraid of going with the flow because we don’t trust that we will get where we want to go if we do. This causes us to cling to plans that aren’t working, stick to routes that are obstructed, and obsess over relationships that aren’t fulfilling. When you find yourself stuck in these kinds of patterns, do yourself a favor and open to the flow of what is rather than resisting it. Trust that the big river of your life has a plan for you and let it carry you onward. Throw overboard those things that are weighing you down. Be open to revising your maps. Take a deep breath and move into the current. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sponsorship Dr. Bob led me through all of these Steps. At the moral inventory, he brought up some of my bad personality traits or character defects, such as selfishness, conceit, jealousy, carelessness, intolerance, ill-temper, sarcasm and resentments. We went over these at great length and then he finally asked me if I wanted these defects of character taken away. When I said yes, we both knelt at his desk and prayed . . . If I live to be a hundred, this will always stand out in my mind. I wish that every AA could have the benefit of this type of sponsorship today. Alcoholics Anonymous, Page 292 (3rd Edition) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Opportunities to find deeper powers within ourselves come when life seems most challenging.” ~ Joseph Campbell |
March 5
Grace For Today Prayer Lord, give me the grace for today. Before me, the day looms with great possibilities and even greater challenges. I put it all in your hands. Help me to embrace every challenge, to be open to all you have to give and to see all as an opportunity. One moment at a time. One person at a time. One gift at a time. Help me to breathe in your Spirit and to exhale any fear that may cause me to question and to worry. The world causes stress. You offer peace. I choose you! Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Getting a real kick out of life. We got a kick out of the first few drinks, before we got stupefied by alcohol. For a while, the world seemed to look brighter. But how about the letdown, the terrible depression that comes the morning after? In A.A., we get a real kick: not a false feeling of exhilaration, but a real feeling of satisfaction with ourselves, self respect, and a feeling of friendliness toward the world. We got a sort of pleasure from drinking. For a while we thought we were happy. But it's only an illusion. The hang over the next day is the opposite of pleasure. So ............ In A.A., am I getting real pleasure and serenity and peace? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Fear & Faith We all experience fear. Sometimes we fear small things that only seem large at the time, like a test in school, or meeting a new boss, or going to the dentist. Sometimes we fear big things like serious illness or death, or that someone we love will come to harm. Fear is healthy, and we all feel it. It keeps us from doing foolish things sometimes, but too much fear can also keep us from doing what we need for our growth. If we have faith in God and in ourselves, we can turn and face whatever frightens us, believing we can, with help, do what seems impossible. And we will, and the fear will vanish. The important first step in dealing with fear is to take action--either by tackling what we fear ourselves, or by asking for help. Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage, and confidence in the doing. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Happiness I feel myself a useful member of the human race at last. I have something to contribute to humanity, since I am peculiarly qualified, as a fellow-sufferer, to give aid and comfort to those who have stumbled and fallen over this business of meeting life. I get my greatest thrill of accomplishment from the knowledge that I have played a part in the new happiness achieved by countless others like myself. Alcoholics Anonymous Page 229 (3rd Edition) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "Don’t let fear or insecurity stop you from trying new things. Believe in yourself. Do what you love. And most importantly, be kind to others, even if you don’t like them." ~ Stacy London |
March 6
Prayer For Right Choice Dear God, I know that You can open doors that no man can ever shut. It’s not always easy for me to see and sense the direction I need to take. So today, I trust and ask You to lead me to open doors of opportunity that you have prepared for me. Help me make sense of the options that lay before me and help me see and make the right choices today. Amen. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Since I've been in A.A., have I made a start toward becoming more loving to my family and friends? Do I visit my parents? Am I more appreciative of my spouse than I was before? Am I grateful to my family for having put up with me? Have I found real understanding with my children? Do I feel that the friends I've found in A.A. are real friends? Do I believe that they are always ready to help me and do I want to help them if I can? So ............ Do I really care now about other people? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Fear of Giving It is often the fear of rejection, which makes us afraid to give of ourselves. If our self-image is too grand and inflated, we cannot possibly live up to it in reality. Expecting ourselves to be perfect sets us up for frustration and fear, since we know deep down that we do not measure up to our image of perfection. By focusing more on the needs of others and less on the imaginary concept of ourselves, which is our ego, we learn to overcome our fear of giving. With humility comes the willingness to give of what we have and what we are right now, without waiting until we are more eloquent or more accomplished. I should not be afraid to give of myself to others. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Willingness All we need is a key, and the decision to swing the door open. There is only one key, and it is called willingness. Once unlocked by willingness, the door opens almost of itself, and looking through it, we shall see an inscription. It reads: "This is the way to a faith that works." Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 34 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "We cannot lead a choice less life. Every day, every moment, every second, there is a choice. If it were not so, we would not be an individuals." ~ Ernest Holmes |
March 7
Just for Today Prayer Just for today, help me, God, to remember that my life is a gift, that my health is a blessing, that this new day is filled with awesome potential, that I have the capacity to bring something wholly new and unique and good into this world. Just for today, help me, God, to remember to be kind and patient to the people who love me, and to those who work with me too. Teach me to see all the beauty that I so often ignore, and to listen to the silent longing of my own soul. Let this be a good day, God, full of joy and love. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought By drinking, we escaped from boredom for a while and almost forgot our troubles. But when we sobered up, our troubles were twice as bad. Drinking had only made them worse. In A.A., we really escape boredom. Nobody's bored at an A.A. meeting. We stick around after it's over and we hate to leave. Drinking gave us a temporary feeling of importance. When we're drinking, we kid ourselves into thinking we are somebody. We tell tall stories to build ourselves up. In A.A., we don't want that kind of self-importance. We have real self-respect and honesty and humility. So ............ Have I found something much better and more satisfactory than drinking? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Fear Fear is a killer. It is a killer because it drains us of life, energy and creativity. Fear petrifies the human spirit. I spent a lot of yesterdays afraid. Afraid of people finding out. Afraid of the telephone. Afraid of where it would all end. Afraid of me! I did not realize that I was feeding the fear with my behavior. I drank myself into fear. The day I stopped drinking alcohol was the day I stopped giving energy to my fear. Today I live my life without abnormal or unrealistic fears. Today I enjoy my life. I work through my problems. I am not afraid of my shadow. Today I love me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Consistency What right do I have to expect perfection and efficiency in my spiritual growth when the rest of my life is so full of ups and downs, ins and outs, and backs and forths? Throughout this whole adventure, the only consistency I have maintained is an absolute and total faith in AA, come what may. The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 1], Page 187 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “When you make a mistake, there are only three things you should ever do about it: admit it, learn from it, and don’t repeat it.” ~ Paul Bear Bryant |
March 8
Prayer for Strength Lord, I’m struggling with Life. My heart is weighed down with anxiety, frustration, anger and fear. Please help me turn this over to you. I can’t fix it. I want to trust you to handle it. Give me the strength to let go and accept the outcome, whatever it may be. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought One thing we learn in A.A. is to take a long view of drinking instead of a short view. When we were drinking we thought more about the pleasure or release that a drink would give us than we did about the consequences that would result from our taking that drink. Liquor looks good from the short view. When we look in a package store window, we see liquor dressed up in its best wrappings, with fancy labels and decorations. They looked splendid. So ............ Have I learned that what's inside those beautiful bottles is just plain poison to me? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Lies I lied to impress. I lied to hide my guilt and shame. I lied to cover my mistakes. I lied to bridge the silence. I lied to fantasize. I lied to hurt and destroy. I lied to hide the real me. Then I lied to cover the lies. Then I lied to cover the lies I told to cover the original lies! So it went on. Endless. Exhausting. Meaningless. A part of me always loathed the lies I told. Then I grew to hate myself. Today, because I understand spirituality to be based on truth, I try not to tell lies. When I do lie, I make an effort to correct myself and apologize. Today lying is painful for me. Today I try to use my mind, imagination and memory for better things. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Magic When I couldn't find an easier, softer way, I looked for the person with the magic wand, the one person in AA who could make me all better, right now. This was a frustrating task, and I finally realized that if I wanted this life, I was going to have to do what the others had done. No one made me drink, and no one was going to make me sober. This program is for people who want it, not people who need it. Alcoholics Anonymous Page 315 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Few Quotes “When in doubt, tell the truth. It will confound your enemies and astound your friends.”~ Mark Twain “Lying to ourselves is more deeply ingrained than lying to others.”~ Fyodor Dostoyevsky |
March 9
Prayer for Peace God of mercy and compassion, of grace and reconciliation, pour your power upon all your children: Jews, Muslims and Christians. Let hatred be turned into love, fear to trust, despair to hope, oppression to freedom, occupation to liberation, that violent encounters may be replaced by loving embraces, and peace and justice could be experienced by all. ~ Reverend Said Ailabouni ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Before alcoholics come into A.A., they are "flying blind." But A.A. gives them a directed beam in the A.A. program. As long as they keep on this beam, the signal of sobriety keeps coming through. If they have a slip, the signal is broken. If they swing off course into drunkenness, the signal stops. Unless they regain the A.A. directed beam, they are in danger of crashing against the mountain peak of despair. So ............ Am I on the beam? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Listening We hate being told what to think. We like to make up our own minds. It helps to talk things out with another person who listens to us. Someone who cares what we think. We can give this respect to others. We can listen to their point of view. We can try to understand them and care about what they think. When we do this, others start to care what we think too. We share ideas. The ideas get a little clearer. They change a little. We get a little closer to agreement. We both feel good. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Acceptance And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation -- some fact of my life -- unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in God's world by mistake. Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless I accept life on life's terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and my attitude. Alcoholics Anonymous Page 417 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “One of the best ways to persuade others is with your ears---by listening to them.” ~ Dean Rusk |
March 10
For Today Prayer God, Give me strength to live another day; Let me not turn coward before its difficulties or prove recreant to its duties; Let me not lose faith in other people; Keep me sweet and sound of heart, in spite of ingratitude, treachery, or meanness; Preserve me from minding little stings or giving them; Help me to keep my heart clean, and to live so honestly and fearlessly that no outward failure can dishearten me or take away the joy of conscious integrity; Open wide the eyes of my soul that I may see good in all things; Grant me this day some new vision of thy truth; Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought The A.A. program is one of charity. Because the real meaning of the word charity is to care enough about other people to really want to help them. To get the full benefit of the program, we must try to help other alcoholics. We may try to help somebody and think we have failed, but the seed we have planted may bear fruit some time. We never know the results even a word of ours might have. But the main thing is to have charity for others, a real desire to help them, whether we succeed or not. So ............ Do I have real charity? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Feeling Offended Were we offended by someone today? Do we harbor resentment for remarks, oversights, or unpleasant mannerisms? Do we feel tense or uneasy about how someone else has treated us? We can probably make a good case to justify our reactions. Perhaps we are in the right and they are in the wrong. Yet, even if we are justified, it doesn't matter. We may be puffing ourselves up and wasting energy. When we are oversensitive, we take a self-righteous position, which leads us far from our path of spiritual awakening. Our strength is diminished. How much better it is to let go of the lightness, let go of our grandiosity, and accept the imperfections in others. We need to accept our own imperfections too. When we do, we are better men, and our strength and energy can be focused on richer goals. I will accept others' imperfections; I do not need to always be right. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ An Allergy We believe, and so suggested a few years ago, that the action of alcohol on these chronic alcoholics is a manifestation of an allergy; that the phenomenon of craving is limited to this class and never occurs in the average temperate drinker. These 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 Page xxviii ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. It is far better to take things as they come along with patience and equanimity.” ~ Carl Jung |
March 11
Prayer for Strength and Faith Lord, See me through these hard times. In these troubling times, I am filled with unspeakable fears. I reach out my hand to you now, And ask you to walk besides me. I cannot carry all my burdens, But I know you can, and will. Please walk beside me. Please guide me. Please help me hold on strong, Through the trials and storms. Help me hold on to my faith, In even the darkest hour. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Today, I have more peace and contentment. Life has fallen into place. The pieces of the jigsaw puzzle have found their correct position. Life is whole, all of one piece. I am not cast hither and yon on every wind of circumstance or fancy. I am no longer a dry leaf cast up and away by the breeze. I have found my place of rest, my place where I belong. I am content. I do not vainly wish for things I cannot have. I have "the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference. " So ............ Have I found contentment in A.A.? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Instant Satisfaction As we have reached for instant cures, one-minute answers, and quick highs, we have developed lifestyles that foreclosed deeper possibilities. Today, our greatest temptation may be to grab for the fast solutions rather than allowing time for small but important steps to occur. When we are frustrated, it will help to remember the difficulty may lie in our insistence on a quick answer. Sometimes simply being true to ourselves and standing as a witness while the answer develops are all that is asked of us. This day, I will have faith that time is on my side and it will teach me valuable things. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Belief One of the oldtimers used the electricity metaphor, which I later found in the Big Book. 'A person walking into a dark room does not worry about understanding electricity,' he said. 'He just finds the switch and turns on the light.' He explained that we can turn on the switch of spirituality by simply asking God each morning for another day of sobriety and thanking Him at night for another beautiful sober day. He said, 'Do it mechanically if you really don't believe in it. But do it every day. There is probably no one who really understands the wonderful ways of the Higher Power, and we don't need to. He understands us.' Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 30 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Few Quotes “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 “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson |
March 12
Prayer to Release Fear Lord, Sometimes I feel afraid in the tough trials of life. Sometimes the darkness overwhelms me, and I grow discouraged as I face the uncertainties of life. Help me remember I am not alone in my battles. I can count on your presence wherever I go, and rely on the power and provision of your presence in my times of deepest need. Thank you for being near, for walking with me every day. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought. What a change our lives are today. When the morning sun comes up on a nice bright day and we jump out of bed, we're thankful to God that we feel well and happy instead of sick and disgusted. Serenity and happiness have become much more important to us than the excitement of drinking, which lifts us up for a short while, but lets us go down in the end. Of course, all of us alcoholics had a lot of fun with drinking. We might as well admit it. We can look back on a lot of good times, before we became alcoholics. But the time comes for all of us alcoholics when drinking ceases to be fun and becomes trouble. So ............ Have I learned that drinking can never again be anything but trouble for me? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Anger Sometimes we just want to yell. Maybe a family member or a friend messed up, and we want to “set them straight.” Start counting. Maybe we got chewed out at work and we want “to get even.” Start counting. We get drunk on anger. We may feel powerful when we “set someone straight.” But like an alcohol high, an anger high lasts only a short time and can hurt others. We must control our anger. This is why we count. Cool down. Think out what you need or want to say. Use words that you’ll not be ashamed of later. Learning how to respect others when we’re angry is a sign of recovery. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Release From Fear The practice of AA's Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions in our personal lives also brought incredible releases from fear of every description, despite the wide prevalence of formidable personal problems. When fear did persist, we knew it for what it was, and under God's grace we became able to handle it. The Language of the Heart Page 268 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering." ~ George Lucas asYoda |
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March 13
Powerless Prayer Dear God, I am powerless and my life is unmanageable without Your help and guidance. I come to you today because I believe that You can restore and renew me to meet my needs today. Since I cannot manage my life or affairs, I have decided to give them to You. I put my life, my will, my thoughts, my desires and ambitions in Your hands. I cannot control or change my friends or loved ones, so I release them into Your care for Your loving hands to do with as You will. Just keep me loving and free from judging them. If they need changing, God, You’ll have to do it; I can’t. Just make me willing and ready to be of service to You, to have my shortcomings removed, and to do my best. ~ Anonymous ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought In the past, we kept right on drinking in spite of all the trouble we got into. We were foolish enough to believe that drinking could still be fun in spite of everything that happened to us. When we came into A.A., we found a lot of people who, like ourselves, had had fun with drinking, but who now admitted that alcohol had become nothing but trouble for them. And when we found that this thing had happened to a lot of other people beside ourselves, we realized that perhaps we weren't hopeless after all. So ............ Have I learned to admit that for me drinking has ceased to be fun and has become nothing but trouble? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation New Way If we had to get well by ourselves, we’d be in trouble. We’ve already tried this route. We need to learn a new way to live, not the old way we already know. That’s why we have sponsors in Twelve Step programs. Sponsors are one of the best things about our recovery. We pick people who are happy and doing well in recovery. Then we copy them. We copy them because sponsors are special people who have what we want. They have sobriety. They have happiness. They have common sense. They have peace and serenity. And they will help us get those things too. We learn a new way to live from them. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wants or Needs We are taught to differentiate between our wants (which are never satisfied) and our needs (which are always provided for). We cast off the burdens of the past and the anxieties of the future, as we begin to live in the present, one day at a time. We are granted 'the serenity to accept the things we cannot change' - and thus lose our quickness to anger and our sensitivity to criticism. Alcoholics Anonymous Page 560, 3rd Edition ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “People seldom improve when they have no model but themselves to copy.” ~ Oliver Goldsmith |
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 |
March 29
Open My Eyes Prayer Lord, Sometimes life gets me down and I find it hard to see things to be thankful for. Open my eyes to see the gifts you’ve given me in my life. Thank you, Lord, for all your blessings to me and my family; for the strength you give me each day and for all the people around me who make life more meaningful. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought There are no leaders in A.A., except as they volunteer to accept responsibility. The work of carrying on A.A.--leading group meetings, serving on committees, speaking before other groups, doing twelfth-step work, spreading A.A. among the alcoholics of the community--all these things are done on a volunteer basis. If I don't volunteer to do something concrete for A.A., the movement is that much less effective. I must do my fair share to carry the load. A.A. depends on all its members to keep it alive and to keep it growing. So ............ Am I doing my share for A.A.? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Following If we follow the Twelve Steps, we’ll leave failure behind. We may have tried and tried to be sober, good people, but failed if we were doing it our way. Now is the time to stop listening to ourselves and start listening to pros, those who have gone before us. When we follow their lead, exciting changes happen. First we stay sober. We regain self-respect. We meet people we respect and become friends. Our families start to trust us again. And why? Because we gave up doing it our way and listened. We listened to the “experts.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tolerance in Practice We found that the principles of tolerance and love had to be emphasized in actual practice. We can never say (or insinuate) to anyone that he must agree to our formula or be excommunicated. The atheist may stand up in an A.A. meeting still denying the Deity, yet reporting how vastly he has been changed in attitude and outlook. Much experience tells us he will presently change his mind about God, but nobody tells him he must do so. In order to carry the principles of inclusiveness and tolerance still further, we make no religious requirement of anyone. All people having an alcoholic problem who wish to get rid of it and so make a happy adjustment with the circumstances of their lives, become A.A. members by simply associating with us. Nothing but sincerity is needed. But we do not demand even this. In such an atmosphere the orthodox, the unorthodox, and the believer mix happily and usefully together. An opportunity for spiritual growth is open to all. As Bill Sees It Page 158 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a few Quotes "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength." ~ Corrieten Boom "There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy." ~Ralph H. Blum |
March 30
Selfishness Prayer Lord, Please forgive me. I am still such a selfish person. I don’t know why I struggle so much with this. Every day my flesh is confronted with a decision and I want so badly, and oftentimes do, justify my reasoning for what I choose to do. I do what benefits me. If it is inconvenient or outside of my desire, I don’t want to do it. The worst part is when my family are the ones asking and I deny them. Please help me not to be so selfish. If my family or friends need help with anything, please help me to do it with a joyful heart. Change me, Lord. Remove my selfish ways. Give me a heart and mind that is focused on serving others. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Today, I have real friends, where I had none before. My drinking companions could hardly be called my real friends, though when drunk we seemed to have the closest kind of friendship. My idea of friendship has changed. Friends are no longer people whom I can use for my own pleasure or profit. Friends are now people who understand me and I them, whom I can help and who can help me to live a better life. I have learned not to hold back and wait for friends to come to me, but to go half way and to be met halfway, openly and freely. So ............ Does friendship have new meaning for me? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Love & Service Service is how we give love away. It’s the “self” of self-help. Service is not a duty; a gift that’s been given to us. We help ourselves by helping others. It’s how we make sure the program will be here tomorrow. We “carry the message.” It’s just one way we see how important we are to others. The world needs us. The world needs our love. Love is something if you give it away, you end up having more. ~ Malvina Reynolds ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Surrender We surrender to win. On the face of it, surrendering certainly does not seem like winning. But it is in AA. Only after we have come to the end of our rope, hit a stone wall in some aspect of our lives beyond which we can go no further; only when we hit "bottom" in despair and surrender, can we accomplish sobriety which we could never accomplish before. We must, and we do, surrender in order to win." Alcoholics Anonymous, 2nd Edition, Page 341 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "Selfishness - self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles." ~ Alcoholics Anonymous. Page 62 |
March 31
Let Go Of My Fears And Worries Lord, I pray that You would help me to simply let go of all the fears and worries, problems and doubts, guilt and disappointments that seem to be filling my heart and mind so often, during the course of a day. Fill my hurting soul with love and peace I pray. Fill the emptiness and pain that is tearing my life asunder. Lord, You know what is in my heart and why I am going through this time of fear and worry. Help me Lord, to hand them over to You. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Since I've been in A.A., have I made a start toward becoming more honest? Do I no longer have to lie to my loved ones? Do I try to have meals on time, and do I try to earn what I make at work? Am I trying to be honest? Have I faced myself as I really am and have I admitted to myself that I'm no good by myself, but have to rely on God to help me do the right thing? So ............ Am I beginning to find out what it means to be alive and to face the world honestly and without fear? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Traders There is an old saying that there are just two kinds of people in the world: givers and takers. Those of us who are givers delight in it. We have a buck to lend when someone is broke, a kind word when they're down, a helping hand when they need it. But sometimes we givers are uncomfortable when we're on the receiving end. We brush off thanks and gifts and help, even when they're needed or deserved. Those of us who are takers, on the other hand, know how to receive graciously what others have to give; we know how to ask for what we need. Often, however, we don't know how to give. We may be afraid our gifts will be wrong or rejected or laughed at. We can all strive to become traders, people who have learned how to both give and receive. We each have the capacity to give what we have freely and to ask, gratefully, for what we don't have. That is the greatest gift of all. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ More Than But life among Alcoholics Anonymous is more than attending gatherings and visiting hospitals. Cleaning up old scrapes, helping to settle family differences, explaining the disinherited son to his irate parents, lending money and securing jobs for each other, when justified these are everyday occurrences. No one is too discredited or has sunk too low to be welcomed cordially if he means business. Alcoholics Anonymous Page 161 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “We must be willing to let go of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” ~ Joseph Campbell |
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