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A Prayer & Some Thoughts - November
November 1
Prayer to Deal With Others Lord, there are people around me who attempt to bring strife and discord into my life daily. Give the strength and peace of mind that I may bring your peace to the situation. Let me be your calm in the midst of the storm, a beacon of your light shining upon the situation. Renew my strength and restore my passion. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 for Self Control Lord, Today I ask forgiveness of all the negative and harmful words I have spoken about myself. I do not want to abuse myself in such a way again. Transform my thoughts and let me understand how marvelously you made me. Change my habits so I use my tongue to speak hope and favor upon my life. Amen -- Sarah Coleman ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Before we decide to quit drinking, most of us have come up against a blank wall. We’d seen that we're beaten, that we have to quit. But we don't know which way to turn for help. There seems to be no door in that blank wall. A.A. opens the door that leads to sobriety. By encouraging us to honestly admit that we're alcoholics and to realize that we can't take even one drink, and by showing us which way to turn for help, A.A. opens the door in that blank wall. So ............ Have I gone through that door to sobriety? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Being Honest with Ourselves Our relationship with ourselves is the most important relationship we need to maintain. When we can tell ourselves how we feel, and accept our feelings, we can tell others. When we can accept what we want and need, we will be ready to have our wants and needs met. When we can accept what we think and believe, and accept what's important to us, we can relay this to others. When we learn to take ourselves seriously, others will too. When we learn to chuckle at ourselves, we will be ready to laugh with others. When we have learned to trust ourselves, we will be trustworthy and ready to trust. When we can be grateful for who we are, we will have achieved self-love. When we have achieved self-love and accepting our wants and needs, we will be ready to give and receive love. When we've learned to stand on our own two feet, we're ready to stand next to someone. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tradition One "Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. Unity." "Does this mean," some will anxiously ask, "that in A.A. the individual doesn't count for much? Is he to be dominated by his group and swallowed up in it?" We may certainly answer this question with a loud "No!" We believe there isn't a fellowship on earth which lavishes more devoted care upon its individual members; surely there is none which more jealously guards the individual's right to think, talk, and act as he wishes. No A.A. can compel another to do anything; nobody can be punished or expelled. Our Twelve Steps to recovery are suggestions; the Twelve Traditions which guarantee A.A.'s unity contain not a single "Don't." They repeatedly say "We ought . . ." but never "You must!" Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 129 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Few Quotes "You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength." -- Marcus Aurelius 'If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins' -- Benjamin Franklin |
November 3
Morning Prayer God, thank you for the gift of family and friends. Holding them in my heart is one of the most precious things I can never get tired of. Bless everyone, for they deserve all goodness You have given to me. If I may do something wrong today, please forgive me. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Am I deeply grateful to A.A. for what it has done for me in regaining my sobriety and opening up an entirely new life for me? A.A. has made it possible for me to carry on other interests in business and in various other associations with people. It has made a full life possible for me. It would perhaps be wrong if all my activities were limited to A.A. work. It has made a well-rounded life possible for me in work, in play, and in hobbies of various kinds. But will I desert A.A. because of this? Will I accept a diploma and become a graduate of A.A.? So ............ Do I realize that I could have nothing worthwhile without A.A.? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Letting Go of Chaos Sometimes, unrest, fear, anger, or sadness may motivate us. These feelings are sometimes intended to compel action. But our best work emerges after these feelings have been replaced by peace. We will not accomplish our task any sooner, or any better, by performing it out of a sense of urgency, fear, anger, or sadness. Let go of unrest. Let peace fill the void. We do not have to forfeit our power, our God given personal power - or our peace - to do the work as we are called upon to do today. We will be given all the power we need to do what we are meant to do, when it is time. Let peace come first. Then proceed. The task will get done, naturally and on time. With the lack of stress. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Describing Spiritual Principles Stress the spiritual feature freely. If the man be agnostic or atheist, make it emphatic that he does not have to agree with your conception of God. He can choose any conception he likes, provided it makes sense to him. The main thing is that he be willing to believe in a Power greater than himself and that he live by spiritual principles. When dealing with such a person, you had better use everyday language to describe spiritual principles. There is no use arousing any prejudice he may have against certain theological terms and conceptions about which he may already be confused. Don't raise such issues, no matter what your own convictions are. Alcoholics Anonymous page 93 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “The first principle of life is love. The second principle is kindness. The third principle is compassion. The fourth principle is trust. The firth principle is integrity.” -- Debasish Mridha |
November 4
Prayer For Today Just for today Lord, Please give me strength when I am weak, love when I feel forsaken, courage when I am afraid, wisdom when I feel foolish, comfort when I am alone, hope when I feel rejected, and peace when I am in turmoil. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought How seriously do I take my obligations to A.A.? Have I taken all the good I can get out of it and then let my obligations slide? Or do I constantly feel a deep debt of gratitude and a deep sense of loyalty to the whole A.A. movement? Am I not only grateful but also proud to be a part of such a wonderful fellowship, which is doing such marvelous work among alcoholics? Am I glad to be a part of the great work that A.A. is doing and do I feel a deep obligation to carry on that work at every opportunity? So ............ Do I still feel that I owe A.A. my loyalty and devotion? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Worry Worry is what happens when you are facing a big situation, and you don't know what to expect. Your mind starts to think through every possible outcome that could happen. Worrying has a negative impact on your body from head to toe. Worrying can cause you to suffer from me muscle aches and pain. It can also increase your blood pressure, lower your libido, upset your stomach, and cause extreme fatigue. Your heart and lungs can also be affected by excessive worry. Worrying can leave you with an overall sense of doom, cause panic attacks, and lead to depression. Don't worry about tomorrow. Don't allow your anxiety to control you. When you take action today, you will know that you are being proactive and doing something to control the situation. There is power in this. If you are someone who struggles with being anxious about everything, then it's a good idea to talk to a professional that can help you. There is a much better way to live that will leave you much happier when you learn how to deal with your worry and anxiety. Imagine going day to day without being controlled by that overwhelming fear and worry that you experience. That life is possible. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Recapture Old Pleasures For most normal folks, drinking means conviviality, companionship and colorful imagination. It means release from care, boredom and worry. It is joyous intimacy with friends and a feeling that life is good. But not so with us in those last days of heavy drinking. The old pleasures were gone. They were but memories. Never could we recapture the great moments of the past. There was an insistent yearning to enjoy life as we once did and a heartbreaking obsession that some new miracle of control would enable us to do it. There was always one more attempt - and one more failure. The less people tolerated us, the more we withdrew from society, from life itself. As we became subjects of King Alcohol, shivering denizens of his mad realm, the chilling vapor that is loneliness settled down. It thickened, ever becoming blacker. Some of us sought out sordid places, hoping to find understanding companionship and approval. Momentarily we did - then would come oblivion and the awful awakening to face the hideous Four Horsemen - Terror, Bewilderment, Frustration, Despair. Unhappy drinkers who read this page will understand! Alcoholics Anonymous Page 151 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Few Quotes “Our fatigue is often caused not by work, but by worry, frustration and resentment.” -- Dale Carnegie “The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.” -- Elbert Hubbard |
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 Hope & Life Many of us think, "Life seems to be going so well; I wonder what's wrong?" Are we more accustomed to remorse and crisis than to joy and serenity? What lies before us today is an unpainted picture. There are many possibilities for events to take a good turn. This, too, is part of the package, but we must believe and affirm the good things in order to accept them. When our only expectations are pain and trouble, they probably will be our only experiences. However, when we have faith that a better life is possible, we open ourselves to receive it. Today, I will live with hope for the possibilities and accept the good things that come my way. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. |
November 6
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 Acceptance We are asked to accept many things: ourselves, as we are; our feelings, needs, desires, choices, and current status of being. Other people, as they are. The status of our relationships with them. Problems. Blessings. Financial status. Where we live. Our work, our tasks, our level of performance at these tasks Resistance will not move us forward, nor will it eliminate the undesirable things in our lives. Acceptance is the magic that makes our present circumstances good plus brings peace and contentment. It opens the door to growth, change, and moving forward. Acceptance empowers the positive and tells God we have surrendered plus we have mastered today's lesson, and are ready to move on.I will accept, I will cultivate contentment and gratitude. I will move forward in joy by accepting where I am today. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 7
Serenity Prayer (Full Version) God, grant me the Serenity To accept the things I cannot change... Courage to change the things I can, And Wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time, Enjoying one moment at a time, Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace. Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, Not as I would have it. Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will. That I may be reasonably happy in this life, And supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen. -- Reinhold Niebuhr (Research suggests that Niebuhr wrote the prayer as part of a sermon he was giving) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought What am I going to do today for A.A.? Is there someone I should call up on the telephone or someone I should go to see? Is there a letter I should write? Is there an opportunity somewhere to advance the work of A.A., which I have been putting off, or neglecting? If so, will I do it today? Will I be done with procrastination and do what I have to do today? Tomorrow may be too late. How do I know there will be a tomorrow for me? How about getting out of my easy chair and getting going? So ............ Do I feel that A.A. depends partly on me today? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Feelings and Surrender Surrender is not something we can do in our heads. It is not something we can force or control by willpower. It is a highly personal and spiritual experience. Acceptance, or surrender, is not a tidy package. Often, it is full of hard feelings - anger, rage, and sadness, followed by release and relief. As we surrender, we experience our frustration and anger at God, at other people, at ourselves, and at life. Then we come to the core of the pain and sadness, the heavy emotional burden inside that must come out before we can feel good. Often, these emotions are connected to healing and release at a deep level. Our fear and anxiety about the future are released when we surrender. Surrender is the process that allows us to move forward. It is how our Higher Power moves us forward. Trust in the rightness of timing, and the freedom at the other end, as you struggle humanly through this spiritual experience. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A New Attitude And we have ceased fighting anything or anyone - even alcohol. For by this time sanity will have returned. We will seldom be interested in liquor. If tempted, we recoil from it as from a hot flame. We react sanely and normally, and we will find that this has happened automatically. We will see that our new attitude toward liquor has been given us without any thought or effort on our part. It just comes! That is the miracle of it. We are not fighting it, neither are we avoiding temptation. We feel as though we had been placed in a position of neutrality - safe and protected. We have not even sworn off. Instead, the problem has been removed. It does not exist for us. We are neither cocky nor are we afraid. That is our experience. That is how we react so long as we keep in fit spiritual condition. Alcoholics Anonymous Pages 84-85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote 'The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power for good. Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom.” -- James Allen |
November 8
Prayer for Serenity & Peace Give me the patience to be compassionate and helpful toward others and myself, and to know when it is best to remain quiet. Give me the clarity to be grateful for all that I have, and to realize when I have something to give to others. Give me the capacity to love and forgive others, especially the ones who have wronged me. Give me the serenity to find happiness and peace in each day. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought The way of faith is of course not confined to A.A. It is the way for everybody who wants to really live. But many people can go through life without much of it. Many are doing so, to their own sorrow. The world is full of lack of faith. Many people have lost confidence in any meaning in the universe. Many are wondering if it has any meaning at all. Many are at loose ends. Life has no goal for many. They are strangers in the land. They are not at home. But for us in A.A. the way of faith is the way of life. We have proved by our past lives that we could not live without it. So ............ Do I think I could live happily without faith? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Wisdom & Stress Wisdom begins in seeing how much we do not know. Sometimes it's a painful blow to our egos to face what we still have to learn. Many of us have believed we know how to live. When our lives seem full of crises - perhaps then it is time to open ourselves to some new learning. We can talk to friends and get ideas from family members. Perhaps they have noticed our blind spots and will tell us if asked. Expressing our problems in specific ways may point us to new learning. We may need to learn new ways to ask for & accept support. We can also as God to guide us. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Growth & Change Change is the characteristic of all growth. From drinking to sobriety, from dishonesty to honesty, from conflict to serenity, from hate to love, from childish independence to adult responsibility--all this and infinitely more represent change for the better. Such changes are accomplished by a belief in and a practice of sound principles. Here we must needs discard bad or ineffective principles in favor of good ones that work. Even good principles can sometimes be displaced by the discovery of still better ones. Only God is unchanging; only He has all the truth there is. As Bill Sees It Page 76 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "Where there is peace and meditation, there is neither anxiety nor doubt." -- St. Francis of Assisi |
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. Lord, 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 sensitiveness, 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 Rule Book Many of us feel like we need a rulebook, a microscope, and a warranty to get through life. We feel uncertain, frightened. We don't trust life or ourselves. We want to be in control.Many of us, had made terrible choices, mistakes that nearly destroyed us.It is understandable that we fear being crushed again. We have now arrived at the understanding that we needed our experiences - even our mistakes - to get to where we are today. We can let go of our past and trust ourselves now. We do not have to punish ourselves with our past. We don't need a rulebook, a microscope, a warranty. Today, I will stop clinging to the painful lessons of the past. I will open myself to the positive lessons today and tomorrow hold for me. I trust that I can and will take care of myself now. I trust that the Plan is good, even when I don't know what it is. We have found our Higher Power, and this new way of life. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Strange Paradox The A.A. member has to conform to the principles of recovery. His life actually depends upon obedience to spiritual principles. If he deviates too far, the penalty is sure and swift; he sickens and dies. At first he goes along because he must, but later he discovers a way of life he really wants to live. Moreover, he finds he cannot keep this priceless gift unless he gives it away. Neither he nor anybody else can survive unless he carries the A.A. message. The moment this Twelfth Step work forms a group, another discovery is made - that most individuals cannot recover unless there is a group. Realization dawns that he is but a small part of a great whole; that no personal sacrifice is too great for preservation of the Fellowship. He learns that the clamor of desires and ambitions within him must be silenced whenever these could damage the group. It becomes plain that the group must survive or the individual will not. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 130 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "When I loved myself enough, I began leaving whatever wasn't healthy. This meant people, jobs, my own beliefs and habits anything that kept me small. My judgment called it disloyal. Now I see it as self-loving." -- Kim McMilllen |
December 10
For Courage to Do Justice Lord, open my eyes that I may see the needs of others Open my ears that I may hear their cries; Open my heart so that they need not be without succor**; Let me not be afraid to defend the weak because of the anger of the strong, Nor afraid to defend the poor because of the anger of the rich. Show me where love and hope and faith are needed, And use me to bring them to those places. And so open my eyes and my ears That I may this coming day be able to do some work of peace for thee. -- Alan Paton **succor --- give assistance or aid to ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Do I realize that I do not know how much time I have left? It may be later than I think. Am I going to do the things that I know I should do before my time runs out? By the way, what is my purpose for the rest of my life? Do I realize all I have to make up for in my past wasted life? Do I know that I am living on borrowed time and that I would not have even this much time left without A.A. and the grace of God? So ............ Am I going to make what time I have left count for A.A.? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Living In The Present How easily our minds jump from the present to the failings of the past or our fears about the future. We need to practice, with diligence, returning our minds to whatever the experience is at hand. A truly creative response to any situation can only be made when we are giving it our undivided attention. All we have of life, all that it can offer us is here, now. If we close our mind to the present, this present, we'll only continue to do so when the tomorrow we dream of now becomes the present. I need to let go of the past and the future. My only reality is here, now. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spiritual Beliefs We, who have traveled this dubious path, beg you to lay aside prejudice, even against organized religion. We have learned that whatever the human frailties of various faiths may be, those faiths have given purpose and direction to millions. People of faith have a logical idea of what life is all about. Actually, we used to have no reasonable conception whatever. We used to amuse ourselves by cynically dissecting spiritual beliefs and practices when we might have observed that many spiritually-minded persons of all races, colors, and creeds were demonstrating a degree of stability, happiness and usefulness which we should have sought ourselves. -- Author Unknown ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which can not fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance-that principle is contempt prior to investigation." -- Herbert Spencer |
November 11
Prayer for Emotional Pain Lord, I come to You today with distress and sadness in my soul.I feel darkness today like an oppressing cloud. I am exhausted and weary beyond belief Lord, I feel like You’re a thousand miles away! I feel helpless and my mind is in turmoil. I feel like I’m falling beneath the weight of everything. Lord, I come to You for refuge, please keep me safe. When I am troubled by anxiety and fear, help me remember that You will guard me. Bend down and listen to my plea for comfort and free me from this pain. I cry out to You in my distress.Lord, I trust in You for protection from these fiery darts of pain and grief and hurt. Lord, I know You hear my weeping. I thank You that You have heard my plea and that You will answer my prayer. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Strength comes from honestly telling your own experiences with drinking. In religion, they call it confession. We call it witnessing or sharing. You give a personal witness, you share your past experiences, the troubles you got into, the hospitals, the jails, the break-up of your home, the money wasted, the debts, and all the foolish things you did when you were drinking. This personal witness lets out the things you had kept hidden, brings them out into the open, and you find release and strength. So............ Am I receiving strength from my personal witnessing? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Change & Security The specter of change builds dread in most of us. We fear the effects on our personal lives. We lack faith that the impending change will benefit us. We long for permanence, believing it guarantees security, not realizing the only real security available to us come with our trust in God, from whom all change comes as a blessing on the growth we've attained. If we were to experience total lack of change, we'd find death. Life is challenge, continued change, always endurable and growth enhancing. We can reflect on what's gone before, and trust that which faces us now. Changes are gifts. Change means I am progressing. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Boss or Chairman Tradition Two - "For our group purpose, there is but one ultimate authority - a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience." Being the founder, he is at first the boss. Who else could be? Very soon, though, his assumed authority to run everything begins to be shared with the first alcoholics he has helped. At this moment, the benign dictator becomes the chairman of a committee composed of his friends. These are the growing group's hierarchy of service - self-appointed, of course, because there is no other way. In a matter of months, A.A. booms in Middletown. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 133 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” -- William James |
November 12
Today Lord Lord, I come to You today asking that you open the way for a deepening of my trust in You. I give You my worries, my burdens and fears, confident that You will make something useful of them. I give You all my hopes and dreams. Thank You for showing me what to do to make them come true. 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. 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? So ............ Am I ready to move on?? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Control & Change Trying to control and change the people around us creates great problems in our relationships. When people we love are expressing themselves, we're thinking about what we wish they would say, and it blocks us from hearing clearly. We seem to be more trapped in these self-centered behaviors with the ones we are closest to. We can change ourselves by slowly releasing our security grip on others. We can focus more on understanding what others are saying to us than on changing how they think and feel. Intimacy is clearly seeing each other and knowing the differences as well as the similarities. It requires that both people be allowed to walk on separate paths. I need to release my grip on my loved ones and turn to my Higher Power for security and serenity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spirit of the Universe I had always believed in a Power greater than myself. I had often pondered these things. I was not an atheist. Few people really are, for that means blind faith in the strange proposition that this universe originated in a cipher and aimlessly rushes nowhere. My intellectual heroes, the chemists, the astronomers, even the evolutionists, suggested vast laws and forces at work. Despite contrary indications, I had little doubt that a mighty purpose and rhythm underlay all. How could there be so much of precise and immutable law, and no intelligence? I simply had to believe in a Spirit of the Universe, who knew neither time nor limitation. But that was as far as I had gone. Alcoholics Anonymous Page 10 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.” -- Leonardo DaVinci (1452 - 1519) |
November 13
Prayer for Good Health and Strength Dear God, 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. Lord, please guide us to find peace, happiness, and joy in our lives and within ourselves.” Amen. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought We have been asking ourselves some searching questions. We have not been able to answer them all as we would like. But on the right answers to these questions will depend the usefulness and effectiveness of our lives and to some extent the usefulness and effectiveness of the whole A.A. movement. It all boils down to this: I owe a deep debt to A.A. and to the grace of God. Am I going to do all I can to repay this debt? Let us search our souls, make our own decisions, and act accordingly. Any real success we have in life will depend on that. Now is the time to put our conclusions into effect. So ............ What am I going to do about it? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Tranquility We could probably feel more tranquil if the world were a simpler place and always gave us simple answers. But we are faced with many ambiguous and uncertain situations. Even within ourselves we have contradictory feelings, and it's difficult to come up with clear answers. Since we cannot force simplicity upon the world, we must turn to ourselves for a new response. We can become more tolerant of our unsettled predicaments. We can learn to have faith that good comes from change. Things have a way of settling out and clarifying with time. As we develop patience with the questions and the unclear issues in our lives, we gain a deeper serenity. I will recall the predicaments in my past life that, in time, became clearer, and I will have patience with what seems unsettled. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 "When the winds of change blow, some people build walls, others build windmills" -- Chinese Proverb. |
November 14
Prayer for Good Health Lord, I request you to please take away all my miseries and worries, so that my mind may be free from anxieties. Heal me spiritually, physically, and emotionally. Lord. I pray for healing of emotions, please strengthen me mentally and make my heart whole again. Take away the pain and anguish in my heart. Please fill my heart with faith in your love, and I gracefully accept your healing so that I can live in peace and joy Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought When we were drinking, we used to worry about the future. Worry is terrible mental punishment. What's going to become of me? Where will I end up? In the gutter or the sanitarium? We can see ourselves slipping, getting worse and worse, and we wonder what the finish will be. Sometimes we get so discouraged in thinking about the future that we toy with the idea of suicide. So ............ In A.A. have I stopped worrying about the future? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Detaching with Love Sometimes people we love do things we don't like or approve of. We react. They react. Before long, we're all reacting to each other, and the problem escalates. When do we detach? When we're hooked into a reaction of anger, fear, guilt, or shame. When we get hooked into a power play - an attempt to control or force others to do something they don't want to do. When the way we're reacting isn't helping the other person or solving the problem. When the way we're reacting is hurting us It's time to detach when detachment appears to be the least likely, or possible, thing to do. The first step toward detachment is understanding that reacting and controlling don't help. The next step is getting peaceful - getting centered and restoring our balance. Take a walk. Leave the room. Take a long, hot bath. Call a friend. Call on God. Breathe deeply. Find peace. From that place of peace and centering will emerge an answer, a solution. I will surrender and trust that the answer is near. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pain-Healer In every A.A. story, pain has been the price of admission into a new life. But this admission price purchased more than we expected. It led us to a measure of humility, which we soon discovered to be a healer of pain. We began to fear pain less, and desire humility more than ever. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 75 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.” -- Groucho Marx |
November 15
Prayer Against Frustration Lord, although I am frustrated with things in my life right now, I am trying to surrender it to You. Your Word states that if I lack wisdom, I should ask. Lord at this moment, I need wisdom from You. In the situation that I am in, help me to respond to things calmly. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Some of the rewards that come to us as a result of our new way of living: I understand myself more than I ever did before. I have learned what was the matter with me and I know now a lot of what makes me tick. I will never be alone again. I am just one of many who have the illness of alcoholism and one of many who have learned what to do about it. I am not an odd fish or a square peg in a round hole. I seem to have found my right place in the world. So ............ Am I beginning to understand myself? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Know How to Play As days of childhood give way to adulthood, we sometimes forfeit too much of the child. We become what we think is mature — serious and busy. Quite unintentionally we might become caught up in the importance of being married, working hard at our jobs, raising children, or paying off the mortgage. Even at home we might be rushing here and there – mowing the lawn, getting a haircut, buying clothes or groceries, and performing all the small household chores which need doing regularly. Where is the time we need for ourselves, to spend with friends, or just to play? We can find time, right now, if we want to. We can momentarily shrug off the demands of home or career and lend ourselves to carefree play. Sometimes it’s easy to be too serious. Today, I will let myself participate in play. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Way of Strength We never apologize to anyone for depending upon our Creator. We can laugh at those who think spirituality the way of weakness. Paradoxically, it is the way of strength. The verdict of the ages is that faith means courage. All men of faith have courage. They trust their God. We never apologize for God. Instead we let Him demonstrate, through us, what He can do. We ask Him to remove our fear and direct our attention to what He would have us be. At once, we commence to outgrow fear. Alcoholics Anonymous Page 68 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “You have control over you and that is the only person you can change. When you realize this you will save yourself a lot of frustration.” -- Catherine Pulsifer |
November 16
Prayer for Peace and Tolerance If you believe that a smile is stronger than a weapon If you believe in the power of a helping hand If you believe that what unites people is more important than what divides If you believe that being different is an asset and not a danger If you look at the other with a little love If you prefer hope to suspicion If you estimate that it’s up to you to take the first step, rather than the other If you share your bread and include a piece of your heart If you think forgiving goes further than vengeance if you sing other people’s happiness and dance their joy If you listen to the unfortunate who makes you waste your time and still keep on smiling If you accept and adopt an opinion different from yours If the other is primarily a brother or a sister for you If, for you, anger is weakness, not a sign of strength If you believe that Love is the only power of dissuasion If you believe that Peace is possible …then, Peace will come. -- Pierre Guilbert ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought When I found A.A., I thought I was in for a struggle, and that A.A. just might provide the strength I needed to beat alcohol. Victorious in that fight, on a daily basis, who knows what other battles I could win. Today I do not have to struggle or exert my will. If I take those Twelve Steps and let my Higher Power do the real work, my alcohol problem disappears all by itself. My living problems also cease to be struggles. I just have to ask whether acceptance -- or change -- is required. It is not my will, but His, that needs doing. So ............ Am I trying to live the Twelve Steps on a daily basis?? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Reflecting Rainy days let us slow down. We are busy people, driving ourselves to go places and get things done. But rain seems to slow life down. The pressures of the world can drop away for a time while we reflect. As the rain soaks into the ground, its serenity enters our hearts. Leaves on trees begin to look more green. Plants and flowers are no longer thirsty. When we slow down, we can be comforted by what we have in our hearts, knowing everything is going to be all right. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Self Reliance We reviewed our fears thoroughly. We put them on paper, even though we had no resentment in connection with them. We asked ourselves why we had them. Wasn't it because self-reliance failed us? Self-reliance was good as far as it went, but it didn't go far enough. Some of us once had great self-confidence, but it didn't fully solve the fear problem, or any other. When it made us cocky, it was worse. Perhaps there is a better way - we think so. For we are now on a different basis; the basis of trusting and relying upon God. We trust infinite God rather than our finite selves. We are in the world to play the role He assigns. Just to the extent that we do as we think He would have us, and humbly rely on Him, does He enable us to match calamity with serenity. Alcoholics Anonymous Page 68 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” -- John Wesley |
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, 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 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 II 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
Prayer For Tough Times Dear Lord, Teach me to be content when I’m facing a bad day. How easy it is to be happy when everything goes my well. How tough it is to remember my joy when one thing after another appears to defeat me. Turn my frown into a smile. Tears into laughter. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought I am content to face the rest of my life without alcohol. I have surrendered as gracefully as possible to the inevitable. I have made the great decision once and for all. I have no more reservations. Nothing can happen to me now that would justify my taking a drink. No death of a dear one. No great calamity in any area of my life should justify me in drinking. Even if I were on some desert isle, far from the rest of the world, but not far from God, should I ever feel it right to drink. For me, alcohol is out - period. So ............ I will always be safe unless I take that first drink. Am I fully resigned to this fact? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Holding Your Own Sometimes, it is hard to stand in our own truth and trust what we know, especially when others would try to convince us otherwise. Others may be dealing with issues of guilt and shame. They may have their own agenda. They may be immersed in denial. Believing lies is dangerous. When we stop trusting our truth, when we repress our instincts, when we tell ourselves there must be something wrong with us for feeling what we feel or believing what we believe, we deal a deadly blow to our self and our health. We discount that important part of ourselves that knows what is the truth. This does not mean that we are never wrong. But we are not always wrong. Today, I will trust my truth, my instincts, and my ability to ground myself in reality. I will not allow myself to be swayed by bullying, manipulating, games, dishonesty, or people with peculiar agendas. Trust yourself. Trust what you know. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ultimate Authority Tradition Two - "For our group purpose, there is but one ultimate authority - a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience." Where does A.A. get its direction? Who runs it? This, too, is a puzzler for every friend and newcomer. When told that our Society has no president having authority to govern it, no treasurer who can compel the payment of any dues, no board of directors who can cast an erring member into outer darkness, when indeed no A.A. can give another a directive and enforce obedience, our friends gasp and exclaim, "This simply can't be. There must be an angle somewhere." These practical folk then read Tradition Two, and learn that the sole authority in A.A. is a loving God as He may express Himself in the group conscience. They dubiously ask an experienced A.A. member if this really works. The member, sane to all appearances, immediately answers, "Yes! It definitely does." The friends mutter that this looks vague, nebulous, pretty naive to them. Then they commence to watch us with speculative eyes, pick up a fragment of A.A. history, and soon have the solid facts. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 13 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote ”Self-righteousness is a loud din raised to drown the voice of guilt within us.” -- Eric Hoffer |
November 19
Prayer for Tolerance Spiritual Practice by Voltaire O Thou God of all beings, of all worlds, and of all times, We pray, that the little differences in our clothes, In our inadequate languages, In our ridiculous customs, In our imperfect laws, In our illogical opinions, In our ranks and conditions which are so disproportionately important to us And so meaningless to you, That these small variations That distinguish those atoms that we call men, one from another, May not be signals of hatred and persecution! -- Voltaire (1964-1778) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Strength comes from the fellowship of A.A. Just being with men and women who have found the way out gives you a feeling of security. You listen to the speakers, you talk with other members, and you absorb the atmosphere of confidence and hope that you find in the place. So ............ Am I receiving strength from the fellowship with other A.A. members? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Tomorrow Is Another Day Trying to do everything today is just another example of self will run riot. We are not super people and we cannot perform miracles. It is our Higher Power who makes possible our accomplishments, and His work is done slowly and gradually. God never expects more of us than we are able to deliver. It is our own pride that entices us to tackle the impossible. As long as we are alive, our work will not be finished. Each day we are given new tasks to do and new experiences to enjoy. What we do not complete today can be continued tomorrow, according to the will of our God. I can leave tomorrow's tasks for tomorrow. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Release Who can render an account of all the miseries that have once been ours, and who can estimate the release and joy that the later years have brought to us? Who could possibly tell the vast consequences of what God's work through AA had already set in motion? As Bill Sees It Page 163 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Alcoholism is above all a disease of denial.” -- David Stafford |
November 20
Prayer to Release Anger, Resentment and Bitterness God, You know I am troubled by thoughts and feelings of anger, resentment and bitterness. You also know why. And You know how deep the hurt goes and how long I have lived with it. But I don’t want to live with it any longer. I don’t want to be an angry, resentful and bitter person. With Your help, I release my anger into Your hands. I surrender my resentment. I let go of my bitterness. Help me to keep letting go and release these toxic emotions as often as they try to return. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought I have turned to a Power greater than myself. I am no longer at the center of the universe. The entire world does not revolve around me any longer. I am only one among many. I have a Father in heaven and I am only one of His children and a small one at that. But I can depend on Him to show me what to do and to give me the strength to do it. I am on the Way and the whole power of the universe is behind me when I do the right thing. I do not have to depend entirely on myself any longer. With God, I can face anything. So ............ Is my life in the hands of God? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Accepting God's Will Disappointments and hurts can send us into an orgy of self-pity if we are not willing to accept them as part of our Higher Power's plan. We do not understand why we must suffer disappointments and frustrations, but trusting God means that we accept our share of this world's pain. When we look back on former disappointments, we are often able to see that what we so desperately wanted at the time would not have been the best thing for us. Our vision and judgment are limited. Faith in God's purposes can relieve us of unnecessary hurt and frustration. To accept God's will is not to passively absorb all that happens to us like an inert sponge. It is to actively seek knowledge of His plan for our lives and to purposefully work according to the knowledge we receive. Acceptance is positive and cooperative. God's will is what I seek to accept. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Choices We cannot wholly rely on friends to solve all our difficulties. A good adviser will never do all our thinking for us. He knows that each final choice must be ours. He will therefore help to eliminate fear, expediency, and self-deception, enabling us to make choices which are loving, wise, and honest. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 55 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Change happens in an instant. It happens the moment you DECIDE to change.” -- Allyson Lewis |
November 21
Humility Prayer God, I am far too often influenced by what others think of me. I am always pretending to be either richer or smarter or nicer than I really am. Please prevent me from trying to attract attention. Don't let me gloat over praise on one hand or be discouraged by criticism on the other. Nor let me waste time weaving imaginary situations in which the most heroic, charming, witty person present is myself. Show me how to be humble of heart. Amen -- Author Unknown ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought I have learned to live one day at a time. I have finally realized the great fact that all I have is now. This sweeps away all vain regret and it makes my thoughts of the future free of fear. Now is mine. I can do what I want with it. I own it, for better or worse. What I do now, in this present moment, is what makes up my life. My whole life is only a succession of nows. I will take this moment, which has been given to me by the grace of God, and I will do something with it. What I do with each now will make me or break me. So ............ Am I living in the now? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Spiritual Development Spiritual development is achieved by daily persistence in living the way you believe God wants you to live. Like the wearing away of a stone by steady drops of water, so will your daily persistence wear away all the difficulties and gain spiritual success for you. Never falter in this daily, steady persistence. Go forward boldly and unafraid. God will help and strengthen you, as long as you are trying to do His will. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Beneficial Responsibility Happily, A.A.'s per capita expenses are very low. For us to fail to meet them would be to evade a responsibility beneficial for us. Most alcoholics have said they had no troubles that money would not cure. We are a group that, when drinking, always held out a hand for funds. So when we commence to pay our own service bills, this is a healthy change. “As Bill See It” Page 84 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same.” -- Francesca Reigler |
November 22
Sarum Primer Prayer God be in my head and in my understanding; God be in my eyes and in my looking; God be in my mouth and in my speaking; God be in my heart and in my thinking; God be in my end and at my departing. -- Author Unknown, c. 1514 (the Sarum Primer of 1514, which was a book of prayers that was collected by the clergy at Salisbury Cathedral in the south central part of England) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Strength comes from coming to believe in a Higher Power that can help you. You might not be able to define this Higher Power, but you can see how it helps other alcoholics. You hear them talk about it and you begin to get the idea yourself. You try praying in a quiet time each morning and you begin to feel stronger, as though your prayers were heard. So you gradually come to believe there must be a Power in the world outside of yourself, which is stronger than you and which you can turn to for help. So ............ Am I receiving strength from my faith in a Higher Power? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Selfish Desires We should work at overcoming our selfish desires and our self-centeredness. This can never be fully accomplished. We can never become entirely unselfish. But we can come to realize that we are not at the center of the universe and that everything does not revolve around us at the center. I can at least make the effort to conquer the self-life and seek daily to obtain more and more of this self-conquest.** "He that overcomes himself is greater than he who conquers a city." **(Self conquest is a value which makes us strive for perfection in every aspect of our lives, overcoming handicaps and striving to achieve what we have intended.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Shared Gift Faith is more than our greatest gift; its sharing with others is our greatest responsibility. May we of A.A. continually seek the wisdom and the willingness by which we may well fulfill that immense trust which the Giver of all perfect gifts has placed in our hands. "As Bill Sees It" Page 13 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive good things and good people will be drawn to you.” -- Mary Lou Retton |
November 23
Prayer Against Debilitating Storm Lord, as I battle these enemies of fear, stress, and irrational thoughts that are intense and debilitating, make me strong. When these fierce assaults come against me, and my heart is racing and I find it hard to breathe, help me persevere in resisting these attacks. Thank You that You’re with me, and I’m not alone in my struggle. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Thank God, that I have A.A. meetings to go to. Where would I go without them? Where would I be without them? Where would I find the sympathy, the understanding, the fellowship, and the companionship? Nowhere else in the world. I have come home. I have found the place where I belong. I no longer wander alone over the face of the earth. I am at peace and at rest. What a great gift has been given me by A.A.! I do not deserve it. But it is nevertheless mine. I have a home at last. I am content. So ............ Do I thank God every day for the A.A. fellowship? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Gift of Life When we are ill, we are forced to face our own mortality. A close brush with death is enough to put the fear of dying into us, but with this fear a sense of spiritually may flow through our lives. Problems, which once seemed overwhelming diminish in size. The trees are greener, the sky is bluer. People are kinder and more sharing than ever before. We often don’t miss what we’ve taken for granted until it’s nearly yanked away from us. All of a sudden, every day is a gift. Every day is precious chance to live. I am continuing the struggle to make each day the best one because I rejoice in the gift of life. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Getting Active I know today that getting active means trying to live the suggested Steps of The Program to the best of my ability. It means striving for some degree of honesty, first with myself, then with others. It means activity directed inward,m to enable me to see myself and my relationship with my Higher Power more clearly. As I get active, outside and inside myself, so shall I grow in The Program. Do I let others do all the work at meetings? Do I carry my share? May I realize that “letting go and letting God” does not mean that I do not have to put any effort into The Program. It is up to me to work the Twelve Steps, to learn what may be an entirely new thing with me — honesty. May I differentiate between activity for activity’s sake — busy-work to keep me from thinking – - and the thoughtful activity which helps me to grow. --- Danielle S., San Francisco, CA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.” -- Eleanor Roosevelt |
November 24
Obsessive Thoughts Prayer Lord, You know how much I want to cling to these concerns and rehearse them over and over again in my head. Rid me of these obsessive thoughts. I give all my worries and cares to You, for I know You care about each minor detail. Forgive me for failing to fully trust in Your providence for me, and help me develop a greater faith. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Strength comes also from working with other alcoholics. When you are trying to help a new prospect with the program, you are building up your own strength at the same time. You see the other person in the condition you might be in yourself and it makes your resolve to stay sober stronger than ever. Often, you help yourself more than the other person, but if you do succeed in helping the prospect to get sober, you are stronger from the experience of having helped another person. So ............ Am I still receiving strength from helping others? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Contributing Our lives have been enriched by the contributions of those who lived before us. Many men and women gave more than they ever took from society, and now we enjoy the rewards. They gave so much because they knew they were a part of their community and the world. Most of us cannot make the great contributions that will make us famous, but we enrich our lives when we contribute freely to improving our community and the world. We do that when we simply say hello to our neighbor, or when we serve on volunteer committees to beautify and enrich our neighborhoods. This allows us to contribute to the world, and that gives us a feeling of peace and self-respect. Today, I will appreciate all that comes freely to me from others, and I will give what I can to make the world a better place. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Self Will The philosophy of self-sufficiency doesn't pay off. Plainly enough, it is a bone-crushing juggernaut whose final achievement is ruin. Therefore, we can consider ourselves fortunate indeed. Each of us has had his own near-fatal encounter with the juggernaut of self-will, and has suffered enough under its weight to look for something better. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Pages 37-38 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.” -- Lao Tzu, ancient Chinese philosopher |
November 25
Early Version of the Seventh Step Prayer Dear God, I am coming to You on my knees in all humility to humbly ask You to forgive all my past wrongs and to remove all my defects of character. I want to start a new life today, and I ask You to help me do so and to keep helping if I keep asking. In Step Three, I turned my will and my life over to Your care. Thank You for taking complete control of my life, and thank You for this opportunity to wipe my slate clean and start my life anew. In Steps Four, Five and Six I have completed my moral inventory and admitted to myself and another person the exact nature of my wrongs. I now admit these wrongs to You, God. I am entirely ready to ask and pray now that You please remove from me every single defect of character. Specifically, I ask You to remove the following shortcomings listed in my Fourth Step moral inventory: (Read aloud here those defects from your list.) Thank You, God, for this opportunity for a new beginning in my life and a chance to be a part of the solutions in life instead of the problems. Please grant me wisdom, knowledge and strength as I go out from here to do Your work and live the Victorious Life You designed for me. Thank You, God, for the steps which will make Your plan for my life clear to me. Thank You and praise Your name. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought I can help other alcoholics. I am of some use in the world. I have a purpose in life. I am worth something at last. My life has a direction and a meaning. All that feeling of futility is gone. I can do something worthwhile. God has given me a new lease on life so that I can help other alcoholics. He has let me live through all the hazards of my alcoholic life to bring me at last to a place of real usefulness in the world. He has let me live for this. This is my opportunity and my destiny. So ............ I am worth something! Will I give as much of my life as I can to A.A.? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Guiding Principle All of us have our own battles to win, the battle between the material view of life and the spiritual view. Something must guide our lives. Will it be wealth, pride, selfishness, and greed or will it be faith, honesty, purity, unselfishness, love, and service? Each one has a choice. We can choose good or evil. We cannot choose both. Are we going to keep striving until we win the battle? If we win the victory, we can believe that even God in His heaven will rejoice. Today, I seek to choose the good and resist the evil. Also, I pray that I will not be a loser in the battle for righteousness. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Room for Improvement We have come to believe that A.A.'s recovery Steps and Traditions represent the approximate truths which we need for our particular purpose. The more we practice them, the more we like them. So there is little doubt that A.A. principles will continue to be advocated in the form they stand now. If our basics are so firmly fixed as all this, then what is there left to change or to improve? The answer will immediately occur to us. While we need not alter our truths, we can surely improve their application to ourselves, to A.A. as a whole, and to our relation with the world around us. We can constantly step up the practice of 'these principles in all our affairs.' From: Grapevine February, 1961 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come." -- Joseph Campbell |
November 26
Prayer of Thanksgiving God, In this Thanksgiving year of 2020, when we are separated from family and friends, when it’s hard to travel and gather together, and celebrate Thanksgiving as we’ve done in the past, help us to embrace what is. Help us to give thanks within the uncertainty. Help us to give thanks within our sorrow, within our fears. In all things, may we open our hearts and give You thanks. Amen. -- Sandra Lucas ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought You get the power to overcome drinking through the fellowship of other alcoholics who came before you. You get that power by honestly sharing your past experience. You get that power by coming to believe in a Higher Power, the Divine Principle in the universe which can help you. You get that power by working with other alcoholics. In these four ways, thousands of alcoholics have found all the power they needed to overcome drinking. So ............ Am I ready and willing to accept this power and work for it? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Greatest Power The power of God's spirit is the greatest power in the universe. Our conquest of each other, the great kings and conquerors, the conquest of wealth, the leaders of the money society, all amount to very little in the end. But one that conquers oneself is greater than one who conquers a city. Material things have no permanence. But God's spirit is eternal. Everything really worth while in the world is the result of the power of God's spirit. Today, I seek to open myself to the power of God's spirit. Also, I pray that my relationships with others may be improved by this spirit. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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) |
November 27
A Prayer for the Day After Thanksgiving 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. As we move further into the holiday season, may we remember that it is a season of gratitude, abundantly full of the connective fibers of life and the very essence of what it means to be alive. -- Unknown Author ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought When you come into an A.A. meeting, you're not just coming into a meeting, you're coming into a new life. I'm always impressed by the change I see in people after they've been in A.A. for a while. I sometimes take an inventory of myself, to see whether I have changed and if so, in what way. Before I met A.A., I was very selfish. I wanted my own way in everything. I don't believe I ever grew up. When things went wrong, I sulked like a spoiled child and often went out and got drunk. So ............ Am I still all get and no give? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 keep 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 28
Prayer to Reduce Fear Dear Lord, You know that we live in a crazy and chaotic world. You also know my struggles in my daily life. When life gets to be too much, please help me come to you. Calm my thoughts and emotions and open my heart to your peace, comfort, and wisdom. Help me not to live in fear. Please reduce the feelings of fear and anxiety that plague me. Help me rest in You and trust You as I navigate through this broken world.. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought What other rewards have come to me as a result of my new way of living? Each one of us can answer this question in many ways. My relationship with my husband or my wife is on an entirely new plane. The total selfishness is gone and more cooperation has taken its place. My home is a home again. Understanding has taken the place of misunderstanding, recriminations, bickering, and resentment. A new companionship has developed which bodes well for the future. "There are homes where fires burn and there is bread, lamps are lit and prayers are said. Though people falter through the dark and nations grope, with God Himself back of these little homes, we still can hope." So ............ Have I come home? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Fear of Pain The pain we anticipate — whether it be a flu shot, a lengthy dental procedure, or surgery — is usually worse than the actual pain. Perhaps this is because the anticipation of pain includes fear or dread. As we deal with pain, we may find healthier ways to cope with it. Once, even the sense of headache coming might have caused us to tense our muscles and prepare for the onslaught. Now, we’re more likely to settle down to begin thinking of positive imagery or relaxation therapy. We are giving ourselves the moments we need to be alone, to breathe deeply, to think of a beautiful and calming sight. We’re learning to relax and be less fearful. I need to remind myself of my personal power. I can exercise control over my body and strive to minimize the effect of fear. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gratitude Gratitude is the measure of our appreciation for what we've been given. We in Program have SO much for which we should be thankful. We stand on the shoulders of giants - we are indebted to those members who've proceeded us in Program and handed down the tools, wisdom and resources - the bedrock upon which our recovery is based. We are indebted to our HP, our sponsors, to those who do service in innumerable ways at the Recovery Group and - to each other - for mutual love and support - and for our precious gift of recovery. Be grateful for each day - each moment. "One Day at a Time . . . I will continue to practice the attitude of gratitude and learn to forgive others." --- Rob R. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “The talent for being happy is appreciating and liking what you have, instead of what you don’t have.” -- Woody Allen |
November 29
Self Respect Prayer Dear Lord, Thank You for giving me the richest gift of all: You taught me to respect myself. I have the ability to say “no” to the toxic people in my life. I am now able to surround myself with only those who share authentic love through word and deed. I can grow to my full potential. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought I have lost much of my inferiority complex. I was always trying to escape from life. I did not want to face reality. I was full of self-pity. I was constantly sorry for myself. I tried to avoid all responsibilities. I did not feel that I would handle the responsibilities of my family or my work. Owing to my inferiority complex, I was eager to be free of all responsibilities. I wanted to drift; I wanted to be "on the beach." A.A. showed me how to get over my feeling of inferiority. It made me want to accept responsibility again. So ............ Have I lost my inferiority complex? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Our Imaginations We use our imaginations to plan how we're going to build a model car or plane, rearrange the furniture in our rooms, even dress for a special party. The imagination is like a big piece of drawing paper on which we sketch the way we want something to look. When we don't know just how to begin a task, the imagination gets us started. It's like having the directions for playing a new game. Dreams about the future, where we want to go, the jobs we want to have, are made more real when we "draw" them in our minds. The imagination gives us courage, too. Yes, I do have the courage today, to imagine a better me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If Alcoholism respects no ifs. It does not go away, not for a week, for a day, or even for an hour, leaving us nonalcoholic and able to drink again on some special occasion or for some extraordinary reason -- not even if it is a once-in-a-lifetime celebration, or if a big sorrow hits us, or if it rains in Spain or the stars fall on Alabama. Alcoholism is for us unconditional, with no dispensation available at any price. Living Sober Page 63 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” -- John Andrew Holme |
November 30
Let Go of the Past Prayer At times Lord God I know the things in life will only get better. My heart is yours and yours alone. I no longer want to hurt myself because of how someone once treated me. I punish those who may actually be here just to help me get through hard times. Lord, I ask that you give me strength to carry on. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Before I met A.A., I was very unloving. From the time I went away to school, I paid very little attention to my mother and father, I was on my own and didn't even bother to keep in touch with them. After I got married, I was very unappreciative of my spouse. Many a time I would go out all by myself to have a good time. I paid too little attention to our children and didn't try to understand them or show them affection. My few friends were only drinking companions, not real friends. So............ Have I gotten over loving nobody but my self? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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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