AA Thoughts For Today - January

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

January 1

A Higher Power

In Step Eleven we saw that if a Higher Power had restored us
to sanity and had enabled us to live with some peace of mind
in a sorely troubled world, then such a Higher Power was worth
knowing better, by as direct contact as possible.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Twelve) pp. 108 - 109

Thought to Ponder . . .
Relationships are built with communication; so we pray.

AA-related 'Alconym'
A S A P = Always Say A Prayer.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Promises
We are going to know a new freedom
and a new happiness.
We will not regret the past
nor wish to shut the door on it.
We will comprehend the word serenity
and we will know peace.
No matter how far down the scale we have gone,
we will see how our experience can benefit others.
That feeling of uselessness and self-pity
will disappear.
Self-seeking will slip away.
Fear of people and of economic insecurity
will leave us.
We will intuitively know how to handle
situations which used to baffle us.
We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us
what we could not do for ourselves.
Are these extravagant promises?
We think not.
They are being fulfilled among us --
sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.
They will always materialize if we work for them.
c. 1976, 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 83-4

Thought to Consider . . .
It works -- it really does.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
G R A C E = Gently Releasing All Conscious Expectations.

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Seed
Step One: We admitted we were powerless over alcohol--- that our lives had become unmanageable.
"It was then discovered that when one alcoholic had planted in the mind of another the true nature of his malady, that person could never be the same again. Following every spree, he would say to himself, 'Maybe those A.A.'s were right. . . .' After a few such experiences, often years before the onset of extreme difficulties, he would return to us convinced. He had hit bottom as truly as any of us. John Barleycorn himself had become our best advocate."
1952, AAWS, Inc.; Printed 2005; Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pgs. 23-24

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"The first thing my sponsor told me was, 'I don't have time to help you stay sick ... but if you want to get better I'd be glad to help."
Temple, TX, October 1990
"The Man I've Always Wanted to Be,"
Emotional Sobriety

~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"We have three little mottoes which are apropos.
Here they are:
First Things First
Live and Let Live
Easy Does It."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 135~

"Remember that we deal with alcohol, cunning, baffling, powerful!
Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all
power that One is God. May you find Him now!"
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, Page 58~

In Step Eleven we saw that if a Higher Power had restored us to sanity and had enabled us to live with some peace of mind in a sorely troubled world, then such a Higher Power was worth knowing better, by as direct contact as possible.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.109

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

It has often been said of A.A. that we are interested only in alcoholism. This is not true. We have to get over drinking in order to stay alive. But anyone who knows the alcoholic personality by firsthand contact knows that no true alky ever stops drinking permanently without undergoing a profound personality change.
We thought conditions drove us to drink, and when we tried to correct these conditions and found that we couldn't do so to our entire satisfaction, our drinking went out of hand and we became alcoholics. It never occurred to us that we needed to change ourselves to meet conditions, whatever they were.

Prayer for the Day: God, I offer myself to Thee To build with me & to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy love & Thy way of life. May I do Thy will always.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

January 2

A.A.'s Message

This brought a rush of 800 frantic inquiries into the little New York office
which meanwhile had been established. Each inquiry was painstakingly
answered; pamphlets and books were sent out. Businessmen, traveling
out of existing groups, were referred to these prospective newcomers. New
groups started up and it was found, to the astonishment of everyone, that
A.A.’s message could be transmitted in the mail as well as by word of mouth.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Foreward to Second Edition) p. xviii

Thought to Ponder . . .
In AA we carry the message ... not the mess.

AA-related 'Alconym'
P R O G R A M = People Relying On God Relaying A Message.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Faith
When I was driven to my knees by alcohol,
I was made ready to ask for the gift of faith.
And all was changed.
Never again, my pains and problems notwithstanding,
would I experience my former desolation.
I saw the universe to be lighted by God's love;
I was alone no more.
Bill W., Letter, 1966
c. 1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 51

Thought to Consider . . .
Sorrow looks back, worry looks around,
and faith looks up.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
F A I T H = Finding Answers In The Heart.

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Allergy
From "It Might Have Been Worse":
"The explanation that alcoholism was a disease of a two-fold nature, an allergy of the body and an obsession of the mind, cleared up a number of puzzling questions for me. The allergy we could do nothing about. Somehow our bodies had reached the point where we could no longer absorb alcohol in our systems. The why is not important; the fact is that one drink will set up a reaction in our system that requires more, that one drink is too much and a hundred drinks are not enough."
2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 355

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Let it never be said that the spiritual way is a cowardly or escapist approach to life. On the contrary, it requires maximum diligence and persistence to seek divine guidance when all the evidence of our eyes and ears tries to tell us that life is largely physical, intellectual and emotional."
Jackson, Mississippi, November 1964
"Let Go and Let God,"
AA Grapevine

~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Everybody knows that those in bad health, and those who seldom play,
do not laugh much. So let each family play together or separately as
much as their circumstances warrant. We are sure God wants us to be
happy, joyous, and free."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 132~

"For a brief moment, I had needed and wanted God. There had been a
humble willingness to have Him with me -- and He came.
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Bill's Story, Page 12~

I must quickly assure you that A.A.'s tread innumerable paths in their quest for faith.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.27

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

When we look back, we realize that the things which came to us when we put ourselves in God's hands were better than anything we could have planned.
My depression deepened unbearably, and finally it seemed to me as though I were at the very bottom of the pit. For the moment, the last vestige of my proud obstinacy was crushed. All at once I found myself crying out, 'If there is a God, let Him show Himself! I am ready to do anything, anything!' Suddenly the room lit up with a great white light. It seemed to me, in the mind's eye, that I was on a mountain and that a wind not of air but of spirit was blowing. And then it burst upon me that I was a free man. Slowly the ecstasy subsided. I lay on the bed, but now for a time I was in another world, a new world of consciousness. All about me and through me there was a wonderful feeling of Presence , and I thought to myself, 'So this is the God of the preachers!'

Prayer for the Day: For Today - O God: Give me strength to live another day; Let me not turn coward before its difficulties or prove recreant to its duties; Let me not lose faith in other people; Keep me sweet and sound of heart, in spite of ingratitude, treachery, or meanness; Preserve me from minding little stings or giving them; Help me to keep my heart clean, and to live so honestly and fearlessly that no outward failure can dishearten me or take away the joy of conscious integrity; Open wide the eyes of my soul that I may see good in all things; Grant me this day some new vision of thy truth; Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness; and make me the cup of strength to suffering souls; in the name of the strong Deliverer, our only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

January 3

Depth and Weight

Frothy emotional appeal seldom suffices. The message
which can interest and hold these alcoholic people must
have depth and weight. In nearly all cases, their ideals must
be grounded in a power greater than themselves, if they are
to re-create their lives.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (The Doctor's Opinion) p. xxviii

Thought to Ponder . . .
Hope leads to faith if you let it.

AA-related 'Alconym'
A B C = Acceptance, Belief, Change.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Joyous
We have been speaking to you of serious,
sometimes tragic things.
We have been dealing with alcohol in its worst aspects.
But we aren't a glum lot.
If newcomers could see no joy in our existence,
they wouldn't want it.
We absolutely insist on enjoying life.
We try not to indulge in cynicism over the state
of the nations,
nor do we carry the world's troubles on our shoulders.
c. 1976, 2001AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 132

Thought to Consider . . .
Laughter is the sound of recovery.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
H J F = Happy, Joyous, Free

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Prayer
From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":
"A news clipping whose content was to become famous was called to our attention by a New York member, newsman
Jack. It was an obituary notice from a New York paper. Underneath a routine account of the one who had died there
appeared these words: 'God grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, courage to change the things
we can, and wisdom to know the difference.' [Usually attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr]
"Never had we seen so much A.A. in so few words. While Ruth and I were admiring the prayer, and wondering how to
use it, friend Howard walked into the office. Confirming our own ideas, he exclaimed, 'We ought to print this on cards
and drop one into every piece of mail that goes out of here. I'll pay for the first printing.' For several years afterward we
followed his suggestion, and with amazing speed the Serenity Prayer came into general use and took its place
alongside our two other favorites, the Lord's Prayer and the Prayer of St. Francis."
2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pg. 196

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Worrying about a situation won't change it. I do all that I can and then give the rest to God."
Wallkill, N.Y., March 2007
"Step Three: From Sight to Insight,"
Emotional Sobriety II

~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Reminding ourselves that we have decided to go to any lengths to
find a spiritual experience, we ask that we be given strength and
direction to do the right thing, no matter what the personal
consequences may be."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 79~

"...we were approached by those in whom the problem had been solved,
there was nothing left for us but to pick up the simple kit of
spiritual tools laid at our feet."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, Page 25~

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 and Twelve Traditions p.95

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Years ago I used to commiserate with all people who suffered. Now I commiserate only with those who suffer in
ignorance, who do not understand the purpose and ultimate utility of pain.'
Someone once remarked that pain is the touchstone of spiritual progress. How heartily we A.A.'s can agree with him, for
we know that the pains of alcoholism had to come before sobriety, and continued turmoil before serenity.
'Believe more deeply. Hold your face up to the Light, even though the moment you do not see.

Prayer for the Day: Fill our minds with Wisdom, our hearts with thanksgiving, and our lips with praise. In all things, may
we ever be grateful for our redemption and quick to share the Good News; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

January 4

Again and Again

We have seen the truth demonstrated again and again: “Once an
alcoholic, always an alcoholic.’’ Commencing to drink after a period
of sobriety, we are in a short time as bad as ever. If we are planning
to stop drinking, there must be no reservation of any kind, nor any
lurking notion that someday we will be immune to alcohol.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (More About Alcoholism) p. 33

Thought to Ponder . . .
When we try to control our drinking,
we have already lost control.

AA-related 'Alconym'
A A = Alcoholic's Answer.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Coping
God willing, we members of AA may never again
have to deal with drinking,
but we have to deal with sobriety every day.
How do we do it?
By learning -- through practicing the Twelve Steps
and through sharing at meetings -- how to cope with
the problems that we looked to booze to solve,
back in our drinking days. . .
We learn how to level out the emotional swings
that got us into trouble
both when we were up and when we were down.
c. 1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 160
c. 2001AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 558-9

Thought to Consider . . .
The peaks and valleys of my life
have become gentle rolling hills.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
C A R D S =
Call your sponsor,
Ask for help from your Higher Power,
Read the Big Book,
Do the Twelve Steps,
Stay active in your group.

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Duty
From "Reason or Conscience":
"When, in all humility, I try to pass our message on to other less fortunate alcoholics, I know that the plan of the Higher Power comes to us through the medium of people. To us alcoholics, this does not mean common or garden people, but special people, such as other alcoholics. And I am guided to include among the people from whom I might receive guidance, and to whom I must demonstrate the life of my conscience or Higher Power, those who married me, loved me, befriended me, and stuck by me, as others stuck by other alcoholics. Bulawayo, Rhodesia [now Zimbabwe]"
1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 82

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"As I trudge the Road of Happy Destiny, AA holds my left hand, God holds my right, and I have no hands left to pick up a drink."
Albuquerque, N.M., January 2002
"Can She Bake a Cherry Pie?"
AA Grapevine

~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"God will constantly disclose more to you and to us. Ask Him in your
morning meditation what you can do each day for the man who is still
sick. The answers will come, if your own house is in order. But
obviously you cannot transmit something you haven't got. See to it
that your relationship with Him is right, and great events will come
to pass for you and countless others. This is the Great Fact for us."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, pg. 164~

And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation -- some fact of my life -- unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.
Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in God's world by mistake. Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless I accept life completely on life's terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes.
Alcoholics Anonymous page 417

Even when we have tried hard and failed, we may chalk that up as one of the greatest credits of all.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.93

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

'We must never be blinded by the futile philosophy that we are just the hapless victims of our inheritance, of our life experience, and of our surroundings - that these are the sole forces that make our decisions for us. This is not the road to freedom. We have to believe that we can really choose.
'As active alcoholics, we lost our ability to choose whether we would drink. We were the victims of a compulsion which seemed to decree that we must go on with our own destruction.
'Yet we finally did make choices that brought about our recovery. We came to believe that alone we were powerless over alcohol. This was surely a choice, and a most difficult one. We came to believe that a Higher Power could restore us to sanity when we became willing to practice A.A.'s Twelve Steps.
In short, we chose to become willing, and no better choice did we ever make.

Prayer for the Day: God of Promise, you have fulfilled the prophets' words and taught us to long for your coming again: stir in us a desire to build your kingdom in our time; God of Hope, you sent your son, Jesus Christ, into a world of fear to bring glad tidings of your love: turn our hearts from fear to hope and inspire us to share the Good News; God of Light, creation sang Christ's glory at his birth: kindle in us the light of your love, that we might be bearers of your truth and life in our land; In a world of chaos, may we find time and silence to hear your still, small voice. Bless us with your presence. Come, Lord Jesus, quickly come. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

January 5

To Run the Show

Most people try to live by self-propulsion. Each person is like
an actor who wants to run the whole show; is forever trying to
arrange the lights, the ballet, the scenery and the rest of the
players in his own way. If his arrangements would only stay
put, if only people would do as he wished, the show would
be great. Everybody, including himself, would be pleased.
Life would be wonderful.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) pp. 60 - 61

Thought to Ponder
First of all, we had to quit playing God. It didn’t work.

AA-related 'Alconym'
L E T G O = Leave Everything To God, Okay?

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Resentments
Few people have been more victimized by resentments
than have we alcoholics.
It mattered little whether our resentments
were justified or not.
A burst of temper could spoil a day,
and a well-nursed grudge could make us
miserably ineffective.
Nor were we ever skillful in separating
justified from unjustified anger.
As we saw it, our wrath was always justified.
Anger, that occasional luxury of more balanced people,
could keep us on an emotional jag indefinitely.
These emotional "dry benders" often led
straight to the bottle.
Other kinds of disturbance -- jealousy, envy,
sef-pity, or hurt pride -- did the same thing.
c. 1952AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 90

Thought to Consider . . .
Anger is the hot wind that extinguishes the light of reason.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
C A L M = Can Anger Leave Me.

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Essentials
From "'Let's Keep It Simple'":
"After years of sobriety I occasionally ask myself: 'Can it be this simple?' Then, at meetings, I see former cynics and skeptics who have walked the A.A. path out of hell by packaging their lives, without alcohol, into twenty-four hour segments, during which they practice a few principles to the best of their individual abilities. And then I know again that, while it isn't always easy, if I keep it simple, it works."
1990 AAWS, Inc.; Daily Reflections, pg. 30

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"My desire to drink became a desire not to."
Nipawin, Saskatchewan, November 2003
"Nobody's Fault But Mine,"
Happy, Joyous & Free

~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Next, we decided that hereafter in this drama of life, God was going
to be our Director. He is the Principal; we are His agents. He is
the Father, and we are His children. Most good ideas are simple, and
this concept was the keystone of the new and triumphant arch through
which we passed to freedom."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 62~

"To be doomed to an alcoholic death or to live on a spiritual basis
are not always easy alternatives to face."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, Page 44~

Next came the expression of an aspiration and a hope for himself.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.101

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment leads only to futility and unhappiness. To the precise extent that 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.

Prayer for the Day: My Design - God, my purpose is to help others. Give me this work, till my life shall end and life till my work is done.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

January 6

Spiritual Condition

It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels.
We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a subtle foe. We are not
cured of alcoholism. What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on
the maintenance of our spiritual condition. Every day is a day when we
must carry the vision of God’s will into all of our activities.
"How can I best serve Thee—Thy will (not mine) be done."
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 85

Thought to Ponder . . .
I cannot stay sober today on yesterday's actions.

AA-related 'Alconym'
S O B E R = Spiritually On Beam; Everything's Right.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Insecurity
The achievement of freedom from fear
is a lifetime undertaking,
one that can never be wholly completed.
When under heavy attack, acute illness,
or in other conditions of serious insecurity,
we shall all react, well or badly, as the case may be.
Only the vainglorious claim perfect freedom from fear,
though their very grandiosity is really rooted
in the fears they have temporarily forgotten.
Bill W., January 1962
c. 1988 AA Grapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 265

Thought to Consider . . .
Once we clear a hurdle, it doesn't seem so high.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
T R U S T = Try Relying Upon Steps and Traditions

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Action
From "The Shared Gift:"
"A.A. is more than a set of principles;
it is a society of alcoholics in action.
We must carry the message, else we
ourselves can wither and those who
haven't been given the truth may die."
c. 1967, As Bill Sees It, page 13

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Beaten into complete defeat by alcohol, confronted by the living proof of release, and surrounded by those who can speak to us from the heart, we have finally surrendered. And then, paradoxically, we have found ourselves in a new dimension, the real world of spirit and of faith. Enough willingness, enough open-mindedness -- and there it is!"
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., June 1960
The Language of the Heart

~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"If we are planning to stop drinking, there must be no reservation
of any kind, nor any lurking notion that someday we will be immune to
alcohol."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 33~

"We represent no particular faith or denomination. We are dealing only
with general principles common to most denominations."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, Page 93~

Having so considered our day, not omitting to take due note of things well done, and having searched our hearts with

neither fear nor favor, we can truly thank God for the blessings we have received and sleep in good conscience.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.95

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Acceptance and faith are capable of producing 100 per cent sobriety. In fact, they usually do; and they must, else we
could have no life at all. But the moment we carry these attitudes into our emotional problems, we find that only relative
results are possible. Nobody can, for example, become completely free from fear, anger, and pride.
Hence, in this life we shall attain nothing like perfect humility and love. So we shall have to settle, respecting most of our
problems, for a very gradual progress, punctuated sometimes by very heavy setbacks. Our oldtime attitude of 'all or
nothing' will have to be abandoned. GRAPEVINE, MARCH 1962

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father. We ask in the name of Jesus Christ for your blessing on this meeting of those
who are here to overcome their life-controlling problems such as alcoholism, addictions, and other dependencies. We
ask that your wisdom and guidance show us your will for our lives, your way to victory, and how we may glorify you in all
that we do here.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

January 7

Controlled Drinking
We do not like to pronounce any individual as alcoholic, but you
can quickly diagnose yourself. Step over to the nearest barroom
and try some controlled drinking. Try to drink and stop abruptly.
Try it more than once. It will not take long for you to decide, if you
are honest with yourself about it. It may be worth a bad case of
jitters if you get a full knowledge of your condition.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (More About Alcoholism) pp. 31 - 32

Thought to Ponder . . .
I would rather go through life sober, believing I am an alcoholic,
than go through life drunk, trying to convince myself that I am not.

AA-related 'Alconym'
D E N I A L = Don't Even Notice It's A Lie.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Sponsors
Every sponsor is necessarily a leader.
The stakes are huge.
A human life, and usually the happiness of a whole family,
hangs in the balance.
What the sponsor does and says,
how well he estimates the reactions of his prospects,
how well he times and makes his presentation,
how well he handles criticisms,
and how well he leads his prospect on
by personal spiritual example ...
well, these attributes of leadership
can make all the difference,
often the difference between life and death.
Thank God that Alcoholics Anonymous is blessed
with so much leadership in each and all of its great affairs!
Bill W., April 1959
c. 1988 AA Grapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 292

Thought to Consider . . .
A recovering alcoholic without a sponsor
is much like a ship without a rudder.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
S P O N S O R =
Sober Person Offering Newcomer Support Of Recovery

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Eternal
From "More About Alcoholism":
"Most of us have believed that if we remained sober for a long stretch, we could thereafter drink normally. But here is a man who at fifty-five years found he was just where he had left off at thirty. We have seen the truth demonstrated again and again: 'Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.'"
2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 33

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"Each of us must conform reasonably well to AA's Steps and Traditions, or else we shall go mad or die of alcoholism."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., October 1947
"Traditions Stressed in Memphis Talk
The Language of the Heart

~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"When you discover a prospect for Alcoholics Anonymous, find out all
you can about him. If he does not want to stop drinking, don't
waste time trying to persuade him. You may spoil a later opportunity."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 90

"Faith without works is dead."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, Page 76~

We sit in A.A. meetings and listen, not only to receive something ourselves, but to give the reassurance and support which our presence can bring.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.110

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

In ancient times material progress was painfully slow. The spirit of modern scientific inquiry, research, and invention was almost unknown.
In the realm of the material, men's minds were lettered by superstition, tradition, and all sorts of fixed ideas. Some of the contemporaries of Columbus thought a round earth preposterous. Others came near putting Galileo to death for his astronomical heresies.
Are not some of us just as biased and unreasonable about the realm of the spirit as were the ancients about the realm of the material?
We have found that God does not make too hard terms with those who seek Him. To us, the realm of spirit is broad, roomy, all inclusive, never exclusive or forbidding to those who earnestly seek. It is open, we believe, to all men.

Prayer for the Day: The Heart Of A Child -
Grant me, O God,
the heart of a child,
pure and transparent as a spring;
a simple heart,
which never harbours sorrows;
a heart glorious in self-giving,
tender in compassion;
a heart faithful and generous,
which will never forget any good
or bear a grudge for any evil.
Make me a heart gentle and humble,
loving without asking any return,
large-hearted and undauntable,
which no ingratitude can sour
and no indifference can weary;
a heart born to help others,
usefulness never measured.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

January 8

Guidance

We discover that we do receive guidance for our lives to just about
the extent that we stop making demands upon God to give it to us
on order and on our terms. Almost any experienced A.A. will tell how
his affairs have taken remarkable and unexpected turns for the better
as he tried to improve his conscious contact with God.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Eleven) pp. 104 - 105

Thought to Ponder . . .
The Three "P's" -- Pause, Pray, Proceed.

AA-related 'Alconym'
P A U S E = Pay Attention, Use Step Eleven.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Change
How many of us would presume to declare,
"Well, I'm sober, and I'm happy.
What more can I want, or do?
I'm fine the way I am."
We know that the price of such self-satisfaction
is an inevitable backslide,
punctuated at some point by a very rude awakening.
We have to grow or else deteriorate.
For us, the status quo can only be for today,
never for tomorrow.
Change we must; we cannot stand still.
Bill W., April 1961
c. 1967 AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 25

Thought to Consider . . .
Backsliding begins when knee-bending stops.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
C H A N G E = Can Help Attract New Gifts and Energy

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

When?
Step One: We admitted we were powerless over alcohol , that our lives had become unmanageable.
"Alcoholics who still had their health, their families, their jobs began to recognize their alcoholism. They were spared
that last ten or fifteen years of literal hell the rest of us had gone through. Since Step One requires an admission that our
lives have become unmanageable, how could people such as these take this Step?
"It was obviously necessary to raise the bottom the rest of us had hit to the point where it would hit them. By going back
in our own drinking histories, we could show that years before we realized it we were out of control, that our drinking
even then was no mere habit, that it was indeed the beginning of a fatal progression."
1952, AAWS, Inc.; Printed 2005; Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pg. 23

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevinek Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"If it were not for the 'we' of AA, there would be no 'I'."
New York, NY., November 1969
"Tradition One"
Best of the Grapevine, Volume 1

~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Yes, there is a substitute and it is vastly more than that. It is a
fellowship in Alcoholics Anonymous. There you will find release from
care, boredom and worry. Your imagination will be fired. Life will
mean something at last. The most satisfactory years of your
existence lie ahead."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, pg. 152~

"The delusion that we are like other people, or presently may be, has
to be smashed."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, Page 30~

Well, meditation is like that, too; it helps to envision our spiritual objective before we try to move toward it.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.100

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Is sobriety all that we are to expect of a spiritual awakening? No, sobriety is only a bare beginning; it is only the first gift of the first awakening. If more gifts are to be received, our awakening has to go on. As it does go on, we find that bit by bit we can discard the old life - the one that did not work - for a new life that can and does work under any conditions whatever.
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.

Prayer for the Day: Dear Lord, I give you may hands to do Your work; I give You my feet to go Your way; I give You my eyes to see as You see; I give You my tongue to speak Your words; I give You my mind that You may think in me; I give You my spirit that You may pray in me. Above all, I give You my heart that You may love in me – love the Father and love all humankind. I give You my whole self, Lord, that You may grow in me, so that it is You who lives, works and prays in me. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

January 9

Not a Theory

We ought to sit down with the family and frankly analyze the past as we
now see it, being very careful not to criticize them. Their defects may be
glaring, but the chances are that our own actions are partly responsible.
So we clean house with the family, asking each morning in meditation that
our Creator show us the way of patience, tolerance, kindliness and love.
The spiritual life is not a theory. We have to live it.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (Into Action) p. 83

Thought to Ponder . . .
Right actions for the future are the best apologies for wrong ones in the past.

AA-related 'Alconym'
L O V E = Living Our Values Everyday.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Action
"Then they outlined the spiritual answer
and program of action
which a hundred of them had followed successfully.
Though I had been only a nominal churchman,
their proposals were not, intellectually, hard to swallow.
But the program of action, though entirely sensible,
was pretty drastic.
It meant I would have to throw several lifelong conceptions
out of the window.
That was not easy.
But the moment I made up my mind
to go through with the process,
I had the curious feeling that my alcoholic condition
was relieved, as in fact it proved to be."
c. 1976, 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 42

Thought to Consider . . .
Willingness without action is fantasy.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A C T I O N = Any Change Toward Improving One's Nature

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Solutions
From "The Housewife Who Drank at Home":
"I had problems. We all have them, and I thought a little brandy or a little wine now and then could certainly hurt no one. I
don't believe, when I started, that I even had in mind the thought that I was drinking. I had to sleep. I had to clear my mind
and free it from worry, and I had to relax. But from one or two drinks of an afternoon or evening, my intake mounted, and
mounted fast. It wasn't long before I was drinking all day. I had to have that wine. The only incentive that I had, toward the
end, for getting dressed in the morning was to get out and get 'supplies' to help me get my day started. But the only thing
that got started was my drinking."
2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 296

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"By revealing our secrets and thereby ridding ourselves of guilt we can actually change our thinking and by altering our
thinking we can change ourselves. What we will be tomorrow is determined by what we think today."
Brentwood, N.Y., May 1991
"What We Will Be Tomorrow"
AA Grapevine

~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on
our laurels. We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a
subtle foe. We are not cured of alcoholism. What we really have is
a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual
condition."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 85~

"We found that God does not make too hard terms with those who seek
Him. To us, the Realm of Spirit is broad, roomy, all inclusive; never
exclusive or forbidding to those who earnestly seek. It is open, we
believe, to all men."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, Page 46~

If our tempers are consistently bad, we arouse anger in others.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.80

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

The moment Twelfth Step work forms a group, a discovery is made - that most individuals cannot recover unless there is a group. Realization dawns on each member 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.
'The Lone member at sea, the A.A. at war in a far land - all these members know that they belong to A.A.'s world-wide community, that theirs is only a physical separation, that their fellows may be as near as the next port of call. Ever so importantly, they are certain that God's grace is just as much with them on the high seas or the lonely outpost as it is with them at home.

Prayer for the Day: Father God, there are so many decisions to make and I don’t seem to know what is the best for now or for the future. You said if we lack wisdom, all we need to do ask you. I really need you to pour wisdom into my mind today. Thank you!