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A Prayer & Some Thoughts - November
November 1
Stress Prayer Lord, Come into my heart and ease me of the stress that I feel within. I have been so up and down lately, and I am not acting like myself. In addition, I often take my problems out on innocent people. Please, forgive me, Lord ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought A.A. work is one hundred percent voluntary. It depends on each and every one of our members to volunteer to do his or her share. Newcomers can sit on the sidelines until they have got over their nervousness and confusion. They have a right to be helped by all, until they can stand on their own feet. But the time inevitably comes when they have to speak up and volunteer to do their share in meetings and in twelfth-step work. Until that time comes, they are only in the process of being assimilated. So ............ Has my time come to volunteer? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Live & Let Go We cannot control everything that happens to us. But we can control our response to those things. We cannot control the feelings of others– their fear, their power trips, their issues. All that we can choose is how we want to respond. Maybe you have been wronged. Maybe you have had a dream taken from you due to the actions of another. What are you going to do about it? You can give up and give in, or you can make the best of the situation, move on if you can, or make a life where you are. Learn to live and let live. You can start over, again and again, if necessary. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dependence We discovered the best possible source of emotional stability to be God Himself. We found that dependence upon His perfect justice, forgiveness, and love was healthy, and that it would work where nothing else would. If we really depended upon God, we couldn't very well play God to our fellows, nor would we feel the urge to rely wholly on human protection and care. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 116 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Few Quotes “The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.” ~ Steve Maraboli “Forget what hurt you but never forget what it taught you.” ~ Shannon L. Alder |
November 2
Prayer of Surrender Lord, Take my life I pray, and use it as You will. I choose today to surrender my all to You. You know the thoughts of my heart, and I have not come to this decision lightly, but know that this must be the path that I take from now on. I ask that You do whatever it takes for me to live entirely in Your will and to be able to say in every circumstance of my life, “Your will be done and not mine” Search out my heart and change me into the person that You desire me to be. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought In A.A., we often hear the slogan "Easy Does It." Alcoholics always do everything to excess. They drink too much. They worry too much. They have too many resentments. They hurt themselves physically and mentally by too much of everything. So, when they come into A.A., they have to learn to take it easy. None of us knows how much longer we have to live. It's probable that we wouldn't have lived very long if we had continued to drink the way we used to. By stopping drinking, we have increased our chances of living for a while longer. So ............ Have I learned to take it easy? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Happiness Most of us want to be happy. We just don't know how. We aren't sure what happiness is. We've learned the hard way that some things we wanted didn't make us happy. We're learning that happiness comes when we live the way our Higher Power wants us to live. That's when we’re honest. When we do our best work. When we are true friends. We make happiness; we don't find it. Sometimes we don't even know we're happy. We're too busy with our work, our recovery program, our friends and family. We need to slow down and know that when we do what we need to, happiness comes. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Greater Strength It is now well established that willpower all by itself is about as effective a cure for alcohol addiction as it is for cancer....Most of us tried going it alone, hoping either to control our drinking or to stop, and we had no lasting success in either endeavor. But we finally asked ourselves: Wouldn't it be more intelligent to seek out and tap a strength greater than our own than to persist in our futile solo efforts...? Living Sober Page 73 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "Failure isn't fatal, but failure to change might be" ~ John Wooden |
November 3
A Short Morning Prayer Lord, I am so sorry for the way I complain about my circumstances. Please forgive me for my bad attitude when things don’t go my way. Help me learn how to face every storm with confidence, knowing that you really are in control even though I cannot hear Your voice or see Your hand at work. Amen. ~ Mary Southerland ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Once we have fully accepted the program, we become humble about our achievement. We do not take too much credit for our sobriety. When we see another suffering alcoholic in the throes of alcoholism, we say to ourselves: "But for the grace of God, there go I." We do not forget the kind of people we were. We remember those we left behind us. And we are very grateful to the grace of God, which has given us another chance. So ............ Am I truly grateful for the grace of God? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Change We are often so busy trying to control the outcome of the happenings in our daily lives, so intent on projecting our tomorrows that we let life slip by. Life is today. Life is a series of things to let go of - our friends and loved ones, our children as they grow, our dreams, or our youth. Only we ourselves, our inner selves, are a constant to be found and learned about every day, in the present moment. How well can I enjoy each moment today? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spiritual Angle How often do we sit in AA meetings and hear the speaker declare, "But I haven't yet got the spiritual angle." Prior to this statement, he had described a miracle of transformation which had occurred in him -- not only his release from alcohol, but a complete change in his whole attitude toward life and the living of it. It is apparent to nearly everyone else present that he has received a great gift; " . . . except that he doesn't seem to know it yet!" We well know that this questioning individual will tell us six months or a year hence that he has found faith in God. Language Of The Heart Page 275 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Decision is the spark that ignites action. Until a decision is made, nothing happens.” ~ Wilfred A. Peterson |
November 4
Letting Go Disappointments Prayer Lord, Please help me to let go of all the disappointments of the past and to forgive those that have hurt and disappointed me so deeply. Keep me from all bitterness Lord. I know that I am holding resentment in my heart, and that this is destructive to my own peace. I am finding forgiveness very difficult. Help me I pray; I know in my heart that forgiveness is a choice that I have to make. Help me to make the right choice. Help me to choose to let forgiveness flood my heart, so that I am not nursing grievances within, and so that healing of my own heart can start to take place. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought I can be free of my old enslaving self. After a while I recognize, and believe in, the good within myself. I see that I have been loved back to recovery by my Higher Power, who envelops me. My Higher Power becomes that source of love and strength that is performing a continuing miracle in me. So ............ I am sober . . . . and I am grateful? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Perspective We do not always know why things are happening the way they are. We do not always know how a particular relationship will work out. We do not always understand the source of our feelings, why we've been led down a particular path. Today, I will let things happen without trying to figure everything out. If clarity is not available to me today, I will trust it to come later, in retrospect. I will put simple trust in the truth that all is well, events are unfolding as they should, and all will work out for good in my life - better than I can imagine. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Amends to Others The people most affected by our disease were undoubtedly the members of our own family. Then came our closest friends, if we had any left. These people were directly affected by our negative moods and by our withdrawal. Making amends is sometimes embarrassing and often difficult. It involves much pride swallowing. A simple, sincere apology may be all that is necessary. There may be concrete acts, which we can perform. As with making amends to ourselves, the best way we can make up for the hurt we have caused to family and friends is by abstaining from alcohol. As we abstain, we reach out to those around us instead of withdrawing. Our own sanity is the best gift we can give to others. ~~ From the writings of Cristina Ferrare ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Few Quotes “One small positive thought can change your whole day.” ~ Zig Ziglar “You cannot have a positive life and a negative mind.” ~ Joyce Meyer |
November 5
Recovery Prayer Lord, You say that I should ask you for whatever I need. To those who ask, it will be given. To those who seek, it will be found. To those who knock, the door will be opened. I ask you for healing and recovery today. You are the God of all hope and so I look to you in my time of need. You are the healing God, please bring healing. You are the Comforter, please bring comfort. You are the spring of living water, help me find life in all its fullness. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Can I get well? If I mean: "Can I ever drink normally again," the answer is no. But if I mean, "Can I stay sober?" The answer is definitely yes. I can get well by turning my drink problem over to a Power greater than myself, that Divine Principle in the universe which we call God, and by asking that Power each morning to give me the strength to stay sober for the next twenty-four hours. I know from the experience of thousands of people that if I honestly want to get well, I can get well. So ............ Am I faithfully following the A.A. program? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Forgiveness We need to forgive so we can heal. Forgiveness means not wanting to get even. Forgiveness means letting go of self-will. Anger and hate are forms of self-will take up room in our heart. Yet, a still, small voice inside of us wants to forgive. Just as others have forgiven us, we need to forgive them. When we forgive, we give our will to our Higher Power. When we forgive, we make room in our heart for our Higher Power. By giving up our anger and our hate, we let that still, small voice come through a little louder. This is how we heal. This is why forgiving is so powerful for us. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Walls Of Ego People who are driven by pride of self unconsciously blind themselves to their liabilities. Newcomers of this sort scarcely need comforting. The problem is to help them discover a chink in the walls their ego has built, through which the light of reason can shine. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 46 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Our ego can build a WALL around our soul so thick & formidable that we can't experience the love & warmth of others." ~ Jay S. |
Love is the key that destroys all hate. So forgiveness is the Gateway To Love.
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November 6
Recovery from Alcoholism Prayer God, We thank you for the gift of new life after the fear of addiction. With Your help, we have walked from darkness into light, from alcoholism into recovery. Thank you to everyone who has supported and loved me during this difficult journey. May You continue to bless us on the road of recovery, and always. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought When we were drinking, we used to be ashamed of the past. Remorse is terrible mental punishment: ashamed of ourselves for the things we've said and done, afraid to face people because of what they might think of us, afraid of the consequences of what we did when we were drunk. In A.A. we forget about the past. So ............ Do I believe that God has forgiven me for everything I've done in the past, no matter how black it was, provided I'm honestly trying to do the right thing today? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Self-approval Most of us want to be liked. We want other people to think of us as nice, friendly, kind, and loving. Most of us want the approval of others. We may look for approval from people who have none to give. We may not know that we're lovable now and can learn to approve of ourselves. The unmet needs for approval and love from our past give others control over us today. These needs can prevent us from acting in our best interest and being true to ourselves. I will try to let go of my need for approval and my need to be liked. I will replace them with a need to like and approve of myself. I will enjoy the surprise I find when I do this. The people who count, including myself, will respect me when I am true to myself. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Life's Promises Life doesn't promise us anything, except a chance. We have a chance to live any way we like. No matter how we choose to live, we'll have pain and we'll have joy. And we can learn from both. Because of our recovery program, we can have life's biggest wonder---love. We share it in a smile, a touch, a phone call, or a note. We share it with our friends, our partners, our family. Life didn't promise to be wonderful, but it sure is full of little wonders! And we only have to open up and see them, feel them, and let them happen. ~ Simon Tyler ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "All of us, at certain moments of our lives, need to take advice and to receive help from other people." ~ Alexis Carrel |
To thy own self be true. That's what I got out of reading today.
Glory be to God now and forever. Amen. |
November 7
Prayer for Calm Lord, My mind prowls around, looking for someone to blame, hunting for a way to release the anger I feel. I am trapped, enraged by these feelings. Resentment weighs me down and revenge follows me. It overtakes my life. Guide my thoughts and calm my fears, steady my emotions. Guide my feelings, so I may not be overcome by upset. Show me an encouraging vision for the future, and hope for tomorrow. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Paradoxes Our program contains some surprising paradoxes. When we admit that we are powerless, we can receive Power. When we accept what we do not like, then a change can begin. Until we admit defeat, we will not succeed with the AA program. The biggest defeat is the one that is dealt to our illusions of self-reliance and self-sufficiency. As long as we insist on trying to control our lives by ourselves, we will be confused. It is by relinquishing control that we gain strength and are freed from our compulsion and obsession. We save our lives by giving them away. The key to these paradoxes is our willingness to believe in a Higher Power. By ourselves, we are weak, ineffectual, and sick. When operating in accordance with the will of the Power greater than ourselves, our potential is limitless. So ............ Can I accept the paradoxes that I do not understand ? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Secrets Secrets help keep us sick. In our drinking and using days, we did things we weren't proud of. We lived in a secret world we were ashamed of. This part of the power of addiction. Our behavior and our secrets kept us trapped. Recovery offers us a way out of this secret world. In our groups, we share our secrets, and they lose their power over us. There may be things we're too ashamed to talk about in our groups. When we share these things in our Fifth Step, they lose their power over us. We have a new life that we're not ashamed to talk about. When shame leaves, pride enters our hearts. We know we're good people! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Neither Dependence nor Self-Sufficiency When we insisted, like infants, that people protect and take care of us or that the world owed us a living, then the result was unfortunate. The people we most loved often pushed us aside or perhaps deserted us entirely. Our disillusionment was hard to bear. We failed to see that, though adult in years, we were still behaving childishly, trying to turn everybody--friends, wives, husbands, even the world itself--into protective parents. We refused to learn that overdependence upon people is unsuccessful because all people are fallible, and even the best of them will sometimes let us down, especially when our demands for attention become unreasonable. "As Bill See It" Page 265 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start." ~ Nido Qubein |
November 8
Prayer To Be Me Dear God, Give me the courage to be myself. I’m always trying to be what others expect of me. I’m wasting time and energy pleasing everyone but myself. I’m not even very good at it. Help me appreciate the best parts of being me. Show me how to love myself so I can say with confidence: I am very happy to be me. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Before I met A.A. I was very dishonest. I lied to my wife constantly about where I had been and what I'd been doing. I took time off from the office and pretended I'd been sick or gave some other dishonest excuse. I was dishonest with myself, as well as with other people. I would never face myself as I really was or admit when I was wrong. I pretended to myself that I was as good as the next fellow, although I suspected I wasn't. So ............ Am I now really honest? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Truth Recovery teaches us to tell the truth. We must be honest if we want to save our lives. We must learn to speak with care---care for ourselves and for others. To be honest means to speak in a fair and truthful way. To be honest and loving means learning when to speak, and how to speak, in a caring way. We can help others by honestly telling them what we think and feel and see---but only when we do this with love. We must be careful when we speak. Speaking the truth is like using a sharp knife---it can be used for good, or it can be used to hurt others. We should never handle it carelessly or use it to hurt someone. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Moral Code If a mere code of morals or a better philosophy of life were to overcome alcoholism, many of us would have recovered long ago. But we found that such codes and philosophies did not save us, no matter how much we tried. We could wish to be moral, we could wish to be philosophically comforted, in fact, we could will these things with all our might, but the needed power wasn't there. Our human resources, as marshaled by the will, were not sufficient; they failed utterly. Alcoholics Anonymous Pages 44-45 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.” ~ Douglas Adams |
November 9
Self-Acceptance Prayer Lord, Help me to accept the person that you made me to be, blessings, difficulties, and all. Help me to recognize the plans and purpose for my life and to know there is no purpose too big or too small in this world, as you are the one who gave it to me. Help me to walk the path of a purpose-filled life. Open my eyes, my ears and my heart to what you are calling me to do in this world. Encourage and guide me, strengthen my commitment and resolve to go forth each day and live the life you created and set out for me. In doing so, I know that I will be abundantly blessed. May my works and faith encourage others to live their lives in beautiful acceptance of who they were created to be and what they were created to do. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Have I got over most of my sensitivity, my feelings which are too easily hurt, and my just plain laziness and self-satisfaction? Am I willing to go all out for A.A. at no matter what cost to my precious self? Is my own comfort more important to me than doing the things that need to be done? Have I got to the point where what happens to me is not so important? Can I face up to things that are embarrassing or uncomfortable if they are the right things to do for the good of A.A.? Have I given A.A. just a small piece of myself? So ............ Am I willing to give all of myself whenever necessary? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Loving Life For many of us, life was a burden while using alcohol. As our illness went on, life was uglier. We grew further from our friends, family, and Higher Power. In recovery, our eyes and hearts open a little more each day. We see the beauty that life holds. We now see the beauty that life holds. We now see that before recovery, we weren’t living---we were dying. In recovery, we again feel happy when we hold a baby. We again may feel joy when we see a sunset. This happens mainly because we've chosen to be with people who love life, people who've been given a second chance. Once we've almost lost something important, it becomes more precious. We almost lost our lives. Now our lives are special. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Anonymity We have denied ourselves personal government, professionalism, and the right to say who our members shall be. We have abandoned do-goodism, reform, and paternalism. We refuse charitable money and prefer to pay our own way. We will cooperate with practically everybody, yet we decline to marry our Society to anyone. We abstain from public controversy and will not quarrel among ourselves about those things that so rip society asunder-- religion, politics, and reform. We have but one purpose; to carry the AA message to the sick alcoholic who wants it. The Language of the Heart, p. 211 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "Let go of your attachment to being right, and suddenly your mind is more open. You're able to benefit from the unique viewpoints of others, without being crippled by your own judgment." ~ Ralph Marston |
November 10
A Morning Resolve I will try this day to live a simple, sincere and serene life, repelling promptly every thought of discontent, anxiety, discouragement, impurity, and self-seeking; cultivating cheerfulness, magnanimity, charity, and the habit of holy silence; exercising economy in expenditure, generosity in giving, carefulness in conversation, diligence in appointed service, fidelity to every trust, and a childlike faith in God. And as I cannot in my own strength do this, nor even with a hope of success attempt it, I look to you, Lord, to help fulfill my resolve. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought One thing that keeps me sober is a feeling of loyalty to the other members of the group. I know I'd be letting them down if I ever took a drink. When I was drinking, I wasn't loyal to anybody. I should have been loyal to my family, but I wasn't. I let them down by drinking. When I came into A.A., I found a group of people who were not only helping each other to stay sober, but who were loyal to each other by staying sober themselves. So ............ Am I loyal to my group? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Friendship A good friendship is like a flower garden. It needs attention and care. Like a garden, friendships need care and love in order to thrive. We nourish friendships with visits, thoughtful favors, and trust. When we are feeling down or in need of help, a friendship can offer us more than just beauty. When we work at our friendships, they are not seasonal but bloom in any weather, and they surround us with comfort and the knowledge that we have, and deserve, love. How can I nurture a friendship today? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ How Much Anonymity As a rule, the average newcomer wanted his family to know immediately what he was trying to do. He also wanted to tell others who had tried to help him--his doctor, his minister, and close friends. As he gained confidence, he felt it right to explain his new way of life to his employer and business associates. When opportunities to be helpful came along, he found he could talk easily about A.A. to almost anyone. These quiet disclosures helped him to lose his fear of the alcoholic stigma, and spread the news of A.A.'s existence in his community. Many men and women came to A.A. because of such conversations. Since it is only at the top public level that anonymity is expected, such communications were well within its spirit. As Bill See It Page 43 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Hard things are put in our way, not to stop us, but to call out our courage and strength.” ~Anonymous |
November 11
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. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought What draws newcomers to A.A. and gives them hope? They hear the stories of men and women whose experiences tally with their own. The very practical approach to their problems, the absence of intolerance of any kind, the informality, the genuine democracy, the uncanny understanding which these people in A.A. have is irresistible. So ............ Have I found a real haven in A.A.? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Disagreements A good relationship includes some disagreement. Anger and disagreement, when we express them respectfully, are important ways of renewing communication and breaking through the walls that sometimes built up. In any relationship we care about, there will be differences. When we avoid all confrontations, our relationships go stale because all emotional issues are avoided. Carefulness and over control undermine love because they don't give it room to breathe, but disagreement and anger expressed in honest and respectful ways will help love grow. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Carrying the Message We do not keep our program unless we give it away. Our participation in meetings is a means of sharing with others what AA has given us. We are genuinely interested in newcomers, because they remind us of where we came from and because they give us an opportunity to strengthen our own program by sharing what we have received. Practicing the AA principles in all areas of our life is carrying the message. Abstinence and the AA program now occupy the central place in our lives. Following the will of our Higher Power means that we carry the message as He directs us. We are willing to be used in whatever way God moves us to give away our program. ~ Arianna T. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “In some ways, we will always be different. In other ways, we will always be the same. There is always room to disagree and blame, just as there is always room to take a new perspective and empathize. Understanding is a choice.” ~ Vironika Tugaleva ------------ Off Topic ------------ Prayer For Veterans Dear Lord, Today we honor our veterans, worthy men and women who gave their best when they were called upon to serve and protect their country. We pray that you will bless them for their unselfish service in the continual struggle to preserve our freedoms, our safety, and our country’s heritage, for all of us. Bless them abundantly for the hardships they faced, for the sacrifices they made for their many different contributions to America’s victories over tyranny and oppression. We respect them, we thank them, we honor them, we are proud of them. We pray that you will watch over these special people and bless them with peace and happiness. By Joanna Fuchs |
November 12
Prayer for Self-Control Lord, I’m asking you to help me think before I speak and to think before I act. Infuse me with the self-discipline I need to walk in your ways, not my own. Help me Lord to control my thoughts, my words and my actions. Let me honor the pause, before I choose to respond. Strengthen me to resist temptation and choose your best for me. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought No one is too discredited, nor has sunk too low, to be welcomed cordially into A.A. Social distinctions, petty rivalries and jealousies are laughed out of countenance. Being wrecked in the same vessel, being restored and united, with hearts and minds attuned to the welfare of others, the things which matter so much to some people no longer signify much to us. In A.A., we have true democracy and true brotherhood. So ............ Has A.A. taught me to be truly democratic? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Remember Do you remember what it was like to not have sobriety? Remember the shame? Remember loneliness? Remember lying and wishing you could stop? Remember the powerlessness? Do you remember, also, how it felt when you began to believe you had an illness? Your shame was lifted. Remember what it was like to look around at your meeting and know you belonged? Your loneliness was lifted. Remember when your family started to trust you again? Your dishonesty has been lifted. Sobriety gives us many roses. Our memory will help to keep them fresh. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That First Drink 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 knew this would happen when we sat down at a bar to have the first drink, but still we couldn't keep away from liquor. Our will-power 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. Will I ever take that first drink again? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "Changing is what people do when they have no options left." ~ Holly Black |
November 13
Prayer for Good Health and Strength Lord, Bless me and my family with good health and physical strength. Give me inner strength to battle the evil effects of depression, loneliness, unworthiness, and hopelessness. Please guide us to find peace, happiness, and joy in our lives and within ourselves.” Amen. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought In A.A. we find fellowship and release and strength. After having found these things, the real reasons for our drinking are taken away. Then drinking has no more justification in our minds. We no longer need to fight against drinking alcoholically. The need to drink just naturally leaves us. At first, we are sorry that we can't drink, but we get so that we are glad that we don't have to drink. So ............ Am I glad that I don't have to drink? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Hate Hate is like an illness. It steals our hope, our love, our relationships. Hate puts distance between people. Hate can give us a false sense of power. Do I use hate to make myself feel important? Our program tells us to let go of hate. Hate and sobriety don't mix. Hate doesn't let us connect with our Higher Power. Ours is a program of love and respect. We're taught that if someone treats us wrong, we still should be respectful in our response. Why? Because we're changed by our actions. If we act with hate, we become hateful. If we act in a respectful way, we become respectable. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pain-Killer I believe that when we were active alcoholics, we drank mostly to kill pain of one kind or another--physical or emotional or psychic. Of course, everybody has a cracking point, and I suppose you reached yours--hence, the resort once more to the bottle. If I were you, I wouldn't heap devastating blame on myself for this; on the other hand, the experience should redouble your conviction that alcohol has no permanent value as a pain-killer. As Bill Sees It Page 291 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "The hardest thing in life is to forgive. But hate is self-destructive. If you hate somebody, you're not hurting the person you hate, you're hurting yourself. Forgiveness is healing." ~ Louis Zamperini |
November 14
Turbulent Times Prayer God, Look with compassion, we pray, on your world in distress. Comfort those who suffer, strengthen those who are weary, grant your peace to those whose thoughts are troubled, and embolden your people to be a light of hope throughout the world. Amen ~ Dr. John Cook ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought The A.A. program is a way of life. It's a way of living and we have to learn to live the program if we're going to stay sober. The twelve steps in the book are like guide-posts. They point the direction in which we have to go. But all members of the group have to find their own best way to live the program. We don't all do it exactly alike. Whether by quiet times in the morning, meetings, working with others, or spreading the word, we have to learn to live the program. So ............ Has the A.A. way become my regular, natural way of living? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Choices Life is full of dangers and risks and challenges. We can choose to meet them fearfully or in a spirit of welcome. To choose fear, to say, "I won't take that risk because I might lose," is to prevent ourselves from ever winning. If we welcome the danger, the risk, or the challenge, we acknowledge that life is made up of losses as well as victories, of gains as well as pain. Life holds the dangers as well as the rewards. We choose how we will act. Sometimes we may feel trapped in a cycle of fearfulness. If we examine our own part, will we find that we are neglecting to take a balanced view? Perhaps, through a fear of losing, we are missing many chances for satisfaction. Yes, I have the power to choose what my attitude will be toward this day's offerings. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ An Open Mind Reluctantly, I opened my mind to the fact that maybe, just maybe, there was something to this spiritual lifestyle. Slowly, but surely, I realized there was indeed a Power greater than myself, and I soon found myself with a full-time God in my life and following a spiritual path that didn't conflict with my personal religious convictions. Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 287 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "One of the biggest things I've learned is that I don't always have to be right." ~ Jeffrey B. Swartz |
November 15
Loneliness Prayer Lord, it’s hard to stay motivated when I feel lonely. There are so many things I should be doing, but I cannot bring myself to get started. Help me, Lord, to find ways to stay productive and moving forward during this time. I ask that you, please bring people into my life who will be there for me. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought An alcoholic carries an awful load around with them. What a load lying puts on your shoulders! Drinking makes liars out of all of us alcoholics. In order to get all the alcohol we wanted, we have to lie all the time. We have to lie about where we've been and what we've been doing. When you are lying you are only half alive, because of the fear of being found out. When you come into A.A., and get honest with yourself and with other people, that terrible load of lying falls off your shoulders. So ............ Have I got rid of that load of lying? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Freedom & Choices Freedom is a funny thing, in a way, it can make life harder. We are free to do what we want, but every choice makes a difference in our lives. Some choices make us happy and some bring trouble. We can make good choices. We can control our actions. We can start by having control in little ways: follow the law, pay the rent, and make the bed every day. These choices put order in our lives. Eat right, exercise, and get enough sleep. These choices make us strong enough to live each day to the fullest. These kinds of choices set us free. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Grudges & Revenge When we harbored grudges and planned revenge for defeats, we were really beating ourselves with the club of anger we had intended to use on others. We learned that if we were seriously disturbed, our very first need was to quiet that disturbance, regardless of who or what we thought caused it. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 47 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved." ~ Mother Teresa |
November 16
Lead Me Lord Lord, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that, if I do this, You will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore, I will trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone. ~ Thomas Merton (1915-1968) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought After we have found sobriety through the A.A. program, we gradually began to get a peace of mind and serenity which we never thought were possible. This peace of mind is based on a feeling that fundamentally all is well. That does not mean that all is well on the surface of things. Little things can keep going wrong and big things can keep on upsetting us. But deep down in our hearts we know that everything is eventually going to be alright, now that we are living sober lives. So ............ Have I achieved a deep down, inner calm? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Relaxing Relaxing is one of the little joys of life. We can learn to take time from our busy day to chat with a friend, take a hot bath, or spend a few moments sitting alone under a tree. The busier we are, the more we need to take time to relax. When we rest, we stop fussing about the outside world. We find out how we're doing inside. While relaxing, we can best listen to our Higher Power. Our minds calm down. We put busy thoughts aside. Sometimes, we can almost hear our Higher Power say, "Stay quiet and listen! I have something to tell you!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Obsession The idea that somehow, some day, he will control and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal drinker. The persistence of this illusion is astonishing. Many pursue it into the gates of insanity or death. Alcoholics Anonymous Page 30 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "Love is caring for another human being and allowing them to be who they are and make their own choices without any demand that they meet yours." ~ Vickie Dishner |
November 17
Prayer for Laughter Dear God, As I stumble through this life, help me to create more laughter than tears, dispense more cheer than gloom, spread more cheer than despair. Never let me become so indifferent, that I will fail to see the wonders in the eyes of a child, or the twinkle in the eyes of the aged. Never let me forget that my total effort is to cheer people up, make them happy, and forget momentarily, all the unpleasantness in their lives. And in my final moment, may I hear You whisper: When you made My people smile, you made Me smile. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Fear and worry had me down. My drinking increased them. I worried about what I had done when I was drunk. I was afraid of what the consequences might be. I was afraid to face people because of the fear of being found out. Fear kept me in hot water all the time. I was a nervous wreck from fear and worry. I was a tied-up bundle of nerves. I had a fear of failure, of the future, of growing old, of sickness, of hangovers, of suicide. I had a wrong set of ideas and attitudes. When A.A. told me to surrender these fears and worries to a Higher Power, I did so. I now try to think of faith instead of fear. So ............ Have I put faith in place of fear? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Pain Our pain is often associated with events in the past, which are still troubling us unconsciously. If we are willing to stay with the emotional discomfort and pain, we will eventually gain understanding. When we are able to identify the source of the pain, we can examine it in the light of our present maturity and begin to put it behind us. As long as we avoid feeling the pain, we deny ourselves the healing which our Higher Power can give us. Can & will I accept the pain that is necessary for continued growth? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lessons I find the willingness to give thanks by contemplating the lessons learned from past suffering--lessons which have led to blessings I now enjoy. I can remember how the agonies of alcoholism, the pain of rebellion and thwarted pride, have often led me to God's grace, and so to a new freedom. As Bill See It Page 266 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love." ~ Basil (329-379 A.D.) |
November 18
Resentment Prayer Dear God, Please help me to honestly take stock. Help me to search out the flaws in my make-up which caused my failure. Help me to see where resentment has plagued me and resulted in spiritual malady, but more importantly help me to understand my part in these resentments. Help me to resolutely look for my own mistakes and to understand where I had been selfish, dishonest, self-seeking and frightened. Please help me to be searching and fearless in my endeavor to write my inventory. (aka 4th Step Prayer) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Step One is, "We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable." This step states the membership requirement of A.A. We must admit that our lives are disturbed. We must accept the fact that we are helpless before the power of alcohol. We must admit that we are licked as far as drinking is concerned and that we need help. We must be willing to accept the bitter fact that we cannot drink like normal people. And we must make, as gracefully as possible, surrender to the inevitable fact that we must stop drinking. So ............ Is it difficult for me to admit that I am different from normal drinkers? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Self-love An important part of our lives is simply tending to our basic needs. Paying attention to these things only when they become crises makes our lives unbalanced and crisis oriented. Self-love allows us to be responsible for our care, and it puts us in a stronger position to help others, to be creative. I have to look after the essentials of my personal care and my family's care before I take on other things. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ God Is Here The Power, which restores us to sanity, is not something remote and abstract, which we must search for by reading books and performing great feats. Our Higher Power is with us constantly and is involved in the minute details of every day. We do not have to wait and work to become acceptable to God. He accepts us now, just as we are. To be aware of the presence of God in our lives every day, all we need is the willingness to be open to Him. What we may have spent years searching for or denying turns out to be the ground of our existence and the Power that sustains us every minute. (Not sure who the author is) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "We must positively and definitely extend forgiveness to everyone to whom it is possible that we can owe forgiveness, namely, to anyone who we think can have injured us in any way." ~ Emmet Fox |
November 19
Prayer of Celebration Great Spirit, We join our minds and hearts in prayer and celebration. We celebrate Your essence within each of us. We celebrate the Love which connects us. We celebrate the work that we have before us. Today, we reach out and bless each and every person. We embrace each other like the members of a big family that we really are and we commit ourselves to live from love in all ways. Each of us is Your ambassador and we let Your light shine through our lives into each workplace, town and home that we touch. Together, we proclaim the Truth that You,Great Spirit, are Love, and that You love each person just as they are. Thank You. Thank You. And so it is. Amen. (Based on an Old American Native Prayer) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought A drinking life isn't a happy life. Drinking cuts you off from other people and from God. One of the worst things about drinking is loneliness. And one of the best things about A.A. is the fellowship. Drinking cuts you off from other people, at least from the people who really matter to you, your wife and children, your family and real friends. No matter how much you love them, you build up a wall between you and them by drinking. You're cut off from any real companionship with them. As a result, you're terribly lonely. So ............ Have I got rid of my loneliness? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Outlook We choose the lives we lead. Accepting full responsibility for our actions is one of the requirements of maturity. Not always the easiest thing to do. An unexpected benefit of accepting our responsibility is that it heightens our awareness of personal power. Our attitude about any condition, present or future, is within our power, if we take it. Life is "doing unto us" only what we allow. And it will favor us with whatever we choose. If we look for excitement, we'll find it. We can search out the positive in any experience. All situations present seeds of new understanding, if we are open to them. Our responses to the events around us determine whatever meaning life offers. We are in control of our outlook. And our outlook decides our future. (From the writings of Karen Casey) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Maintenance and Growth It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment leads only to futility and unhappiness. To the precise extent we permit these, do we squander the hours that might have been worthwhile. But with the alcoholic, whose hope is the maintenance and growth of a spiritual experience, this business of harboring resentment is infinitely grave. For then we shut ourselves off from the sunlight of the spirit. The insanity of alcohol returns and we drink again. And with us, to drink is to die. If we were to live, we had to be free of anger. The grouch and the sudden rage were not for us. Anger is the dubious luxury of normal men, but for us alcoholics it is poison. Alcoholics Anonymous, Page 66 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “God doesn’t give you the people you want, he gives you the people you need. To help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you the person you were meant to be.” – Anonymous A.A. |
November 20
Today's Prayer Lord, Shape me this day in ways that are in keeping with your will and purposes. When I am weary, please lift me up. When I am drawing inward, show me the way to community and serving. When I am confused, grant a clarity that cuts through the many things that masquerade as truth. When I am feeling alone, keep me company. I ask you for this gift of hope to sustain and strengthen me. 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 Struggles The struggles of life teach us a lot. They challenge our beliefs. As we struggle, we come to believe that our friends, family, and Higher Power will be there for us in hard times. But we must do our part. We need to call and honestly let people know how we are doing. We need to pray and ask our Higher Power for help. If we do these things, we'll come to respect and learn from hard times. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Antidote For Fear When our failings generate fear, we then have soul-sickness. This sickness, in turn, generates still more character defects. Unreasonable fear that our instincts will not be satisfied drives us to covet the possessions of others, to lust for sex and power, to become angry when our instinctive demands are threatened, to be envious when the ambitions of others seem to be realized while ours are not. We eat, drink, and grab for more of everything than we need, fearing we shall never have enough. And, with genuine alarm at the prospect of work, we stay lazy. We loaf and procrastinate, or at best work grudgingly and under half steam. These fears are the termites that ceaselessly devour the foundations of whatever sort of life we try to build. As Bill Sees It Page 196 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “The heart of human excellence often begins to beat when you discover a pursuit that absorbs you, frees you, challenges you, or gives you a sense of meaning, joy, or passion.” ~ Terry Orlick |
November 21
Give Us Hope When evil darkens our world, give us light. When despair numbs our souls, give us hope. When we stumble and fall, lift us up. When doubts assail us, give us faith. When nothing seems sure, give us trust. When ideals fade, give us vision. When we lose our way, be our guide! That we may find serenity in Your presence, and purpose in doing Your will. ~ John D. Rayner ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought One of the finest things about A.A. is the sharing. Sharing is a wonderful thing because the more you share the more you have. in our old drinking days, we didn't do much sharing. We used to keep things to ourselves, partly because we were ashamed, but mostly because we were selfish. And we were very lonely because we didn't share. When we came into A.A., the first thing we found was sharing. We heard other alcoholics frankly sharing their experiences with hospitals, jails, and all the usual mess that goes with drinking. So ............ Am I sharing? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Growth All of us are a little afraid of growth. We wonder how growth will change our lives. Who will we be? Will our friend still love us? Can't we grow up and get over with it? Why does it take so long? All of us have a need to keep growing. There is no age when we're "all grown up" and all done learning. But we don't need to rush our growth. Like a child on a too-big bicycle, at times we'll find ourselves out of control. We'll tip over. We can grow at our own pace, but we must grow. We must make changes. Or else, like an athlete on a too-small bicycle, we won't get far. We'll tip over too! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Resolving Fear Fear somehow touched about every aspect of our lives. It was an evil and corroding thread; the fabric of our existence was shot through with it. It set in motion trains of circumstances which brought us misfortune we felt we didn't deserve. But did we not often set the ball rolling ourselves? Alcoholics Anonymous, pages 67-68 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “You have the power to change your thoughts and your thoughts have the power to change your life.” ~ Ron Willingham |
November 22
Worry Prayer Lord, it’s so easy to fall into worry. When my fears are reverberating in my mind, help me stop trying to fix everything myself. Teach me to turn to You in prayer, trust You to be in charge and let Your peace reign over me. Amen. ~ Francine Rivers ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought In Alcoholics Anonymous there is no thought of individual profit. No greed or gain. No membership fees, no dues. Only voluntary contributions of our money and ourselves. All that we hope for is sobriety and regeneration, so that we can live normal, respectable lives and can be recognized by others as men and women willing to do unto others as we would be done by. These things we accomplish by the help of each other, by following the twelve steps and by the grace of God. So ............ Am I willing to work for A.A. without material gain to myself? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Progress One guiding factor in 12 Step groups is the sharing of experience and knowledge. The fact that a few people seem especially gifted as speakers and workers doesn't relieve us of the need for every person's participation. Such group efforts are important to all human progress. For every outstanding person, there are hundreds who contribute to the success of any venture. What we bring to the group is our experience as well as a strong commitment to the group's purpose. This makes our meetings warm, interesting, and helpful. The group can always be such a center if its members really are part of it. I'll remind myself today that I can draw strength from the group and also make it stronger with my participation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gratitude I try to hold fast to the truth that a full and thankful heart cannot entertain great conceits. When brimming with gratitude, one's heartbeat must surely result in outgoing love, the finest emotion we can ever know. As Bill Sees It Page 37 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Remember the five simple rules to be happy: 1. Free your heart from hatred. 2. Free your mind from worries. 3. Live simply. 4. Give more. 5. Expect less. ~ Unknown Author |
November 23
A Simple Prayer of Gratitude Thank you, Lord, for the blessings you have bestowed on my life. You have provided me with more than I could ever have imagined. You have surrounded me with people who always look out for me. You have given me family and friends who bless me every day with kind words and actions. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) describes obtaining serenity and gratitude as two of the most characteristic markers of success in the AA program. AA, describes gratitude as “an emotion-virtue {that} disposes us morally to act right and emotionally to feel right, to do good as regards others and to do well as regards our {own} mental condition.” So ............ Do I have an attitude of gratitude?? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Gratitude With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives. In the process, people usually recognize that the source of that goodness lies at least partially outside themselves. As a result, being grateful also helps people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals — whether to other people, nature, or a higher power. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Assets An honest regret for harms done, a genuine gratitude for blessings received, and a willingness to try for better things tomorrow will be the permanent assets we shall seek. Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions Page 95 ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.”~ John F. Kennedy |
November 24
Simple Prayer of Gratitude Lord, Thank you for caring for us in our daily journeys. Thank you for guiding us in our decisions, thank you for giving us wisdom when we stumble, and thank you for leading us to support one another. Thank you for caring for us in our daily journeys. Thank you for guiding us in our decisions, thank you for giving us wisdom when we stumble, and thank you for leading us to support one another. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Some of the rewards that have come to us as a result of our new way of living: We have found that we have got rid of many of our fears, resentments, inferiority complexes, negative points of view, self-centeredness, inner conflicts, the habits of procrastination, undisciplined sex, wasting money, boredom, false perfectionism, and jealousy and envy of others. We are glad to be rid of our drinking, and we are also very glad to be rid of these other things. We can now go forward in the new way of life, as shown us by A.A. So ............ Am I ready to go forward in my new life? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Blessings Every day we take so much for granted. But we can count certain blessings: a roof over our head, food, clothing, family, and friends, freedom, a Higher Power we trust. These things are special. Thinking about them wakes up our happiness. Our recovery program shows us how happy we are. We just have to remember to do what it tells us! Each evening, as we think about our day, we can give thanks for the things we love: our recovery, our health, and the special people in our lives. If we spend part of our day thinking about these important areas, we won't lose them. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There Is A Solution If you are as seriously alcoholic as we were, we believe there is no middle-of-the-road solution. We were in a position where life was becoming impossible, and if we had passed into the region from which there is no return through human aid, we had but two alternatives: One was to go on to the bitter end, blotting out the consciousness of our intolerable situation as best we could; and the other, to accept spiritual help. This we did because we honestly wanted to, and were willing to make the effort. Alcoholics Anonymous Page 25 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.” -- Tecumseh (1768 1812) ************ Off Topic ************ Thanksgiving Is Thanksgiving is a time of gratitude to God, our Creator and Provider, whose guidance and care go before us... and whose love is with us forever. Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the changes, to remember that we, too, grow and change from one season of life to another. Thanksgiving is a time of changing seasons, when leaves turn golden in Autumn's wake and apples are crisp in the first chill breezes of fall. Let us remember the true meaning of Thanksgiving. As we see the beauty of Autumn, let us acknowledge the many blessings which are ours... let us think of our families and friends.. and let us give thanks in our hearts. ~ Unknown Author |
November 25
Day After Thanksgiving Prayer May we remember that thanks-giving isn’t a day or a celebration. May we remember that the act of giving thanks is a daily commitment, an intentional act of love, a spiritual practice of sorts, and an understanding that we are all a little broken, that we are all desperately in need of grace. The act of giving thanks is gritty and clumsy, awkward and vulnerable, constant and filled with kind truth. May we remember that gratitude is a peaceful appreciation for the absolute privilege of life, with its inherent flaws, messiness, and organized chaos. May we remember that gratitude isn’t just obligatory thank-you’s for gifts and favors or bold professions of our blessings. Gratitude is a deeply felt inner truth, a delicate art form to be practiced, and refined over the course of a lifetime. ~ Unknown Author ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Prospects must be convinced that they honestly want to stop drinking. They must see and admit that their life is unmanageable. They must face the fact that they must do something about their drinking. They must be absolutely honest with themselves and face themselves as they really are. They must be convinced that they must give up drinking and they must see that their whole life depends on this conviction. So ............ Do I care enough about other alcoholics to help them reach this conviction? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Respect We owe each other respect. We cannot expect to be respected if we don't respect others around us. When we respect others, we respect their property and personal belongings as well as their self-esteem and their right to voice an opinion. Respect is a way of cooperating with each other. In a family we live in close quarters. Respect for each other is one of the things, which keeps chaos from breaking out. When we grow in respect for each other's property, abilities, and self-esteem, we soon see how valuable each member of our family really is. I will try and show respect to those around me today. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pickles We are also convinced, after the countless attempts we made to prove otherwise, that alcoholism is incurable -- just like some other illnesses. It cannot be "cured" in this sense: We cannot change our body chemistry and go back to being the normal, moderate social drinkers lots of us seemed to be in our youth. . . we can no more make that change than a pickle can change itself back into a cucumber. Living Sober Page 8 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "You Won’t Feel Happy If You Have Never Experienced What Makes You Unhappy." ~ Lifehack Quotes |
November 26
Prayer for Guidance God, Help me trust you with my decisions and future. Let me lean on you with all my heart instead of relying on my own imperfect understanding. Give me clear guidance in my life. I ask for your help to direct my path. Give me confidence that your direction is always the best way to go. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Making amends and restitution for the wrongs we have done is often very difficult. It hurts our pride. But the rewards are great. When we go to a person and say we are sorry, the reaction we get is almost invariably good. It takes courage to make the plunge, but the results more than justify it. A load is off your chest and often an enemy has been turned into a friend. So ............ Have I done my best to make all the amends and restitution possible? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Being Human Being human means, we'll have hard times along with pleasant ones. Whether with friends, at school, or at home, we'll find reasons for sadness or anger as easily as for laughter. In every part of our lives, we're offered just what we need for growth. Being the best, we know how to be doesn't mean we'll escape confusion or pain. Through the troubling times we learn to trust in a Higher Power; we learn patience; we learn to let go and let God decide outcomes. The troubling times offer us growth and serenity, our keys to happiness. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Loners"--but Not Alone What can be said of many A.A. members who, for a variety of reasons, cannot have a family life? At first many of these feel lonely, hurt, and left out as they witness so much domestic happiness about them. If they cannot have this kind of happiness, can A.A. offer them satisfactions of similar worth and durability? Yes-- whenever they try hard to seek out these satisfactions. Surrounded by so many A.A. friends, the so-called loners tell us they no longer feel alone. In partnership with others--women and men--they can devote themselves to any number of ideas, people, and constructive projects. They can participate in enterprises which would be denied to family men and women. We daily see such members render prodigies of service, and receive great joys in return. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 120 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “It’s amazing what we can do if we will trust God enough to step out of our comfort zones!” ~ Brett Harris |
November 27
Tolerance Prayer Lord, give me tolerance towards those whose thoughts and ways conflict with mine. For though I would, I cannot always know what constitutes the Absolute Truth. The other person may be right, while I may be all wrong, yet unaware. Lord, make my motives right, for only this can ease my conscience when I sometimes err. Lord, give me tolerance, for who am I to stand in judgment on another person's mistakes? No one knows better than my inward self how many little blunders I have and can make. Life is full of stones that somehow trip us, and meaning not, we stumble now and then. Lord, give me tolerance, for only you are rightly fit to judge my fellow travelers. (From: Global Steps, Bristol, CT) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought By submitting to God, we're released from the power of alcoholism. It has no more hold on us. We're also released from the things that were holding us down: pride, selfishness, and fear. And we're free to grow into a new life, which is so much better than the old life that there's no comparison. This release gives us serenity and peace with the world. So ............ Have I been released from the power of alcohol? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Self-will The biggest danger we face as recovering people is self-will. Do we try to control others? Do we always put ourselves before others? Are we full of self-pity? These are all ways that bind us to our self-will. In recovery, we put our lives in the hands of a loving God. Here, we find a new home. Our goal is to lose as much of our self-will as we can. We then put love in place of self-will. Recovery is truly about love. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tolerance During nine years in AA, I have observed that those who follow the Alcoholics Anonymous program with the greatest earnestness and zeal not only maintain sobriety but often acquire finer characteristics and attitudes as well. One of these is tolerance. Tolerance expresses itself in a variety of ways: in kindness and consideration toward the man or woman who is just beginning the march along the spiritual path; in the understanding of those who perhaps have been less fortunate in education advantages; and in sympathy toward those whose religious ideas may seem to be at great variance with our own. ~ Dr. Bob S., July, 1944 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Few Quotes "Tolerance is the positive and cordial effort to understand another's beliefs, practices, and habits without necessarily sharing or accepting them." ~ Joshua Liebman "Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others." ~ John F. Kennedy |
November 28
Prayer to Start This Day Lord, Please keep me safe From all danger, hurt, and harm. Help me to start this day and every day With a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day, To clear my mind so that I can follow your will. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought In A.A. we learn that since we are alcoholics, we can be uniquely useful people. That is, we can help other alcoholics when perhaps somebody who has not had our experience with alcoholism could not help them. That makes us uniquely useful. The A.A.s are a unique group of people because they have taken their own greatest defeat and failure and sickness and used it as a means of helping others. We who have been through the same thing are the ones who can best help other alcoholics. So ............ Do I believe that I can be uniquely useful? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Courage As we grow in recovery, we'll need to change our behaviors, values, and beliefs to stay sane. This takes courage. Courage is doing what is needed in spite of fear. Courage means facing what we can't change. We can't change the fact that we have hurt people. We can't change the fact we have an illness. And we can't change the fact that we need help from others. Courage also means facing those things we can change. We need courage to be honest, to have faith, and to be humble. And we need courage to let people know how important they are. Courage is more than being tough. Courage means being human. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A New Life Regardless of worldly success or failure, regardless of pain or joy, regardless of sickness or health or even of death itself, a new life of endless possibilities can be lived if we are willing to continue our awakening, through the practice of A.A.'s Twelve Steps. As Bill Sees It Page 8 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Few Quotes "The key to developing the courage to change is to first accept that change is inevitable." ~ Wallace Nesbitt "Change your thoughts and you change your world." ~ Norman Vincent Peale |
November 29
A Prayer for Sanity Lord, Grant us sanity during these very challenging times. We live in a time that brings many of us the unexpected and the unexplainable. Help us think with clarity, and guide us to behave with courage when the opportunity comes to change our difficulties. Amen ~ Celeste M. Pérez Chadha ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Alcoholics recover their faith in a Power greater than themselves. They admit that they're helpless by themselves and they call on that Higher Power for help. They surrender their lives to God, as they understand Him. They put their drink problem in God's hands and leave it there. They recover their faith in a Higher Power that can help them. So ............ Have I recovered my faith? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Understanding For years I learned things without understanding what the words, or the meaning behind the words, really meant. An example was alcoholism. Then a man said, "My name is Bill, and I am an alcoholic and a recovering human being!" Then it struck me; recovery from alcohol --- was not simply about putting down the glass but about changing and developing a positive lifestyle as a human being. The same is true with spirituality. It is not about being religious, going to church or accepting dogma. It is about finding God in my life, discovering God in the decisions and actions I take and seeing Him in the world around me. Today I understand spirituality to be the link that unites all peoples and is centered on what is true and real. ~ Author Unknown ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Anger - Personal and Group Enemy "As the book 'Alcoholics Anonymous' puts it, 'Resentment is the Number One offender.' It is a primary cause of relapses into drinking. How well we of A.A. know that for us 'To drink is eventually to go mad or die.' Much the same penalty overhangs every A.A. group. Given enough anger, both unity and purpose are lost. Given still more 'righteous' indignation, the group can disintegrate; it can actually die. This is why we avoid controversy. This is why we prescribe no punishments for any misbehavior, no matter how grievous. Indeed, no alcoholic can be deprived of his membership for any reason whatever. Punishment never heals. Only love can heal. As Bill Sees It Page 98 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed." ~ Napoleon Hill |
November 30
Letting Go Prayer Lord, Please hear my prayer. I go along each day, trying to run my life my own way. I forget to let go and give you control. I wonder why things aren't going the way I want them to go. I forget to stop and ask what you want, Lord. Please help me to give you control. Help me to realize that when you close one door, you open the one you want me to walk through. Help me also to realize that what I desire may not be what is meant for me, or what is best for me. Maybe it will lead me away from what your great plan is for me. Lord, let me accept each day as a gift. Let me follow the path you choose for me. Help me to be thankful for what you give me and not to worry about my needs. I trust you will take care of all my needs. Remind me that my role is to care for those around me and focus on those who need my help. Amen From Mary Fairchild ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought I have hope. That magic thing that I had lost or misplaced. The future looks dark no more. I do not even look at it, except when necessary to make plans. I try to let the future take care of itself. The future will be made up of todays and todays, stretching out as short as now and as long as eternity. Hope is justified by many right nows, by the rightness of the present. Nothing can happen to me that God does not will for me. I can hope for the best, as long as I have what I have and it is good. So ............ Do I have hope? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Self-Value Yes, we do have a real life of our own. Those empty feelings, which sense that everyone except us has a life - an important life, a valuable life, a better life - is a remnant from the past. It is also a self-defeating belief that is inaccurate. Yes, we are real. So is our life. Jump into it, and see. The more you engage with meaningful life, not only does it grow with time, it also provides you with a happy, fulfilling life. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Gift To those of us who have hitherto known only excitement, depression, or anxiety -- in other words, to all of us -- this newfound peace is a priceless gift. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 74 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Let go of the past, but keep the lessons it taught you.” ~ Chiara Gizzi |
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