A Prayer & Some Thoughts - July

[bluidkiti]

July 16


Seeking Hope Prayer

Lord,
Today I ask forgiveness of all the negative and harmful words I have spoken.
Please forgive me for my bad attitude when things don't go my way.
Please help me move beyond the hurdles that trip me up and give me the strength and wisdom to look up and see the hope.
Amen



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Just a Thought

Drinking is the way we alcoholics express our maladjustments to life.

I believe that I was a potential alcoholic from the start. I had an inferiority complex. I didn't make friends easily. There was a wall between me and other people. And I was lonely. I was not well adjusted to life.

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

Did I drink to escape from myself?

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Just a Contemplation

A New Boss

When we turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand Him, we have a new employer. From now on, we are working first of all for our Higher Power.

Before, we were probably motivated by egotism, the desire for personal power, prestige, and superiority. No amount o alcohol, f food, sex, or material wealth was enough. God did not create us to satisfy ourselves; He created us to serve Him and others.

Recovering a sense of stewardship may take time for those of us who have spent many years trying to gratify our own desires. We need to pause often each day to ask for God's guidance, so that the work we do, the activities we enjoy, and the thoughts we think may all serve Him. Under His direction, our talents and abilities develop.

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When The Chips Are Down

When we developed still more, 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 wholly to rely on human protection and care.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 116

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Just a Quote


"People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do." ~ Richard Pabst

[bluidkiti]

July 17


Prayer for Success

Lord,
At this time in my life, I am not sure which direction to go. Help me Lord to be wise in the decisions I make at this junction, where various doors have seemed to have closed behind me. Lead me Lord in the direction that You would have me go day in, and day out. Lord, I want my life to count, and I want to be successful in making a difference. Take my life Lord, and at this crossroads, and rearrange my direction to coincide with your will for me .
Amen

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Just a Thought

Alcoholism is a progressive illness.

We go through the three stages of social drinking, trouble drinking, and merry-go-round drinking. We land in hospitals and jails. We eventually can lose our homes, our families, and our self-respect. Yes, alcoholism is a progressive illness and there are only three ends to it - the insane asylum, the morgue, or total abstinence.

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

Will I choose not to take the first drink?

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Just a Contemplation

Instructions

The instructions for recovery are in our Twelve Step program. Yet, there are times when we feel our program isn't working. At these times, we need to read the instructions. Have you followed the "instructions," the wise words found in The Big Book, The Twelve and Twelve, and other recovery literature? When we do, we recover. It's hard at times, and easy at others. Our problems go deeper than just staying sober. No matter what our problems, our program can help us start fixing them, if we follow the instructions. Don't use alcohol or other drugs. Go to meetings. Talk often with sponsors and program friends. Work the Steps. Think. Easy Does It. First Things First. Listen. Let Go and Let God. One


"When all else fails, read the instructions." ~ Agnes Allen

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Living Sober

Somewhat to our surprise, staying sober turns out not to be the grim, wet-blanket experience we had expected! While we were drinking, a life without alcohol seemed like no life at all.
But for sober members of AA, living sober is really living -- a joyous experience. We much prefer it to the troubles we had with drinking.
One more note: anyone can get sober. We have done it lots of times. The trick is to stay and to live sober.
That is what this booklet is about.

Living Sober, Foreword

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Just a Quote

“The basic purpose of prayer is not to bend God's will to mine, but to mold my will into His.” ~ Timothy Keller

[bluidkiti]

July 18

Prayer for Peace of Mind

Lord,
We ask you to give us all around peace in our mind, body, soul and spirit.
We want you to heal and remove everything that is causing stress, grief, and sorrow in our lives.

Please guide our path through life and make our enemies be at peace with us.
Let your peace reign in our family, at our place of work, businesses and everything we lay our hands on.
Amen

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Just a Thought

Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.

We always get worse, never better. We are never cured. Our alcoholism can only be arrested. No matter how long we have been sober, if we try alcohol again, we're as bad or worse than we ever were. There is no exception to this rule in the whole history of A.A. We can never recapture the good times of the past. They are gone forever.

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

Will I try to recapture them?

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Just a Contemplation

Fun

Have some fun - with life, with the day.

Life is not drudgery; that is an old belief. Let go of it. We are on an adventure, a journey. Events will come to pass that we cannot now fathom.

Replace heaviness and weariness of spirit with joy. Surround yourself with people and things that bring lightness of spirit.

Become sensitive to lightness of spirit.

The journey can be an exciting adventure. Let yourself enjoy it.

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Service

Life will take on a new meaning. To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you. to have a host of friends - this is an experience you must not miss. . . . Frequent contact with newcomers and with each other is the bright spot of our lives.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 89

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Just a Quote

"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have." ~ Frederick Keonig

[bluidkiti]

July 19

Prayer When Confused

Lord,
I come before you today with my mind swirling with different thoughts and feelings.
I have a hard decision to make and I just don't know what to do.
I feel helpless and confused.
I'm worried about the consequences of my decision.
I worry about the impact my decision will have not only on myself but on others as well.
To be honest, I fear making the wrong decision.
Lord, please lead me to make the right decision that will reflect your will.
Amen

~ Christina Fox

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Just a Thought

When we finally hit bottom,

We did not have to be financially broke, although many of us were. But we were spiritually bankrupt. We had a soul sickness, a revulsion against ourselves and against our way of living. Life had become impossible for us. We had to end it all or do something about it.

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

Am I glad I did something about it?

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Just a Contemplation

Tough Times

We are all capable of far more than we think we are. It's in the tough times, however, that we discover the depths of our strength, and it's then that we know that some power has enabled us to do what we thought we could not. Whatever we call that power, it is there for us when we need it.

To do what seems impossible, all we need to do is ask for the help we think we need. And we can look within, too, and summon our whole selves to the task at hand. With all that going for us, how can we fail? And when the tough work is over, we'll look back and know we've grown from the experience. And yes, our statutes will have touched the skies.

When I am faced with a tough task, how do I respond?

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Only One Reason

I believe we are all sober and alive for only one reason: God has a job for us to do.
I have also come to believe that I must please God first, myself second, and everybody else third. When I can live and feel that way -- and it isn't all day every day -- things seem to work out. When I try to run the show, everything goes to hell.

Came to Believe Page 97

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Just a Quote

"I will have the courage to make a mistake today. It's a promise of growth." ~ Ken Casey

[bluidkiti]

July 20

Good Morning Lord Prayer

Good morning, Lord!
Today's a new day, a chance for a new start.
Yesterday is gone and with it any regrets, mistakes, or failures I may have experienced.
It's a good day to be glad and give thanks, and I do, Lord.
Thank you for today, a new opportunity to love, give, and be all that you want me to be.
Amen

~ Rebecca Barlow Jordan

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Just a Thought

In A.A., we're all through with lying, hangovers, remorse and wasted money.

When we were drinking, we were only half alive. Now that we're trying to live decent, honest, unselfish lives, we're really alive. Life has a new meaning for us, so that we can really enjoy it. We feel that we're of some use in the world. We're on the right side of the fence, instead of on the wrong side. We can look the world in the face instead of hiding in alleys. We come into A.A. to get sober and if we stay long enough, we learn a new way of living.

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

Am I convinced that life was never as good as the life I can build in A.A.?

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Just a Contemplation

Service

Service is really a beautiful word. Service means respect. When we serve others we're part of the human race. We all need to help each other. Service is a sure way to stay sober. Helping someone else stay sober helps us stay sober. And service frees us from self-will. It teaches us about how to care for ourselves and others. It teaches us that we're worthwhile. It teaches us that we make a difference. Service keeps us feeling good. Am I quiet when the topic of service comes up at meetings? If so, how can I change this?

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We Need Help

If we are fooling ourselves, a competent adviser can see this quickly. And, as he skillfully guides us away from our fantasies, we are surprised to find that we have few of the usual urges to defend ourselves against unpleasant truths. In no other way can fear, pride, and ignorance be so readily melted. After a time, we realize that we are standing firm on a brand-new foundation for integrity, and we gratefully credit our sponsors, whose advice pointed the way.

As Bill Sees It Page 248

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Just a Quote

"God, grant me the patience with changes that take time, appreciation of all that I have, tolerance of those with different struggles, and the strength to get up and try again, one day at a time." ~ Reinhold Niebuhr

[bluidkiti]

July 21


Prayer for Friendship

God,
I give thanks today for the friendships in my life. Lord, this life isn’t meant to be lived alone, so I am grateful for the people who walk alongside me, supporting me, loving me, and encouraging me. For we cannot do it all alone but are better together. Help me to be more aware and gracious to my friends, appreciating them and accepting their help. Help me to be a better friend, too, supporting, loving, and encouraging others. Lord, lead me to find and cultivate deeper friendships and be a good friend in all that I do. Shower your blessings upon those I call friends, that you may ever be in our midst. Bind us together, Lord, for a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Amen

~ Kathryn A.

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Just a Thought

When I was drinking, I always tried to build myself up.

I used to tell tall stories about myself. I told them so often that I half believe some of them now, even though I know they aren't true. I used to hang around the lowbrow barrooms so I could feel superior to the other customers. The reason I always tried to build myself up was that I knew deep down in my heart that I really didn't amount to anything. It was a kind of defense against my feeling of inferiority.

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

Do I still build myself up?

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Just a Contemplation

Defeat

A man walks into a meeting. He says," I surrender. I can't drink like other folks." We smile and welcome him. We know that feeling. All of us in the program must admit defeat. Our illness is more powerful than we are. We begin recovery when we surrender. Admitting defeat is our first step into a beautiful world. Like all first steps, it's hard. But what a world we find ourselves in! A world where we count. A world where all are really equal! This first step brings us into God's world of care. We get love. We give love. We stay sober because daily we admit defeat.

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After the "Honeymoon"

For most of us, the first years of A.A. are something like a honeymoon. There is a new and potent reason to stay alive, joyful activity aplenty. For a time, we are diverted from the main life problems. That is all to the good.

But when the honeymoon has worn off, we are obliged to take our lumps, like other people. This is where the testing starts. Maybe the group has pushed us onto the side lines. Maybe difficulties have intensified at home, or in the world outside. Then the old behavior patterns reappear. How well we recognize and deal with them reveals the extent of our progress.

As Bill Sees It Page 216

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Just a Few Quotes

“One of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand and to be understood.” ~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca

“How beautiful it is to find someone who asks for nothing but your company.” ~ Brigitte Nicole

[bluidkiti]

July 22


Prayer For Family & Friends

Lord,
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 the goodness You have given to me.
If I may do something wrong today, please forgive me.
Amen

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Just a Thought

I am glad to be a part of this great fellowship, A.A. has spread all over the world.

I am only one of the many A.A.s, but I am one. I am grateful to be living at this time, when I can help A.A. to grow, when it needs me to put my shoulder to the wheel and help keep the movement going. I am glad to be able to be useful, to have a reason for living, a purpose in life. I want to lose my life in this great cause and so find it again.

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

Am I grateful to be an A.A.?

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Just a Contemplation

Two Parts

Our program has two parts: the Steps, and the fellowship. Both keep us sober. We can't stay sober if we go it alone. We need to work on the Steps. We also need people--the help of our friends daily
Recovery is about relationships. We made new friends. We get involved. We give. We get it. In times of need, we may not want to ask our new friends for help. Maybe we don't want to "burden them."
"Maybe we're afraid to ask for help." Well, go ahead. Make that call. Ask your new friend to spend time with you. You deserve and need it. They deserve it; they need it.

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Unity

For thousands of alcoholics yet to come, AA does have an answer. But there is one condition. We must, at all costs, preserve our essential unity; it must be made unbreakably secure. Without permanent unity there can be little lasting recovery for anyone.

The Language of the Heart Page 70

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Just a Quote

“Nothing in the universe can stop you from letting go and starting over.” ~ Guy Finley

[bluidkiti]

July 23

Morning Prayer

Lord,
As the sun rises, may your hope rise up in me.
As the birds sing, let your love flow out of me.
As the light floods into this new day, may your joy shine through me.
I come before you, Lord and drink in this moment of peace,
That I may carry something of your hope, love, and joy today in my heart.
Amen

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Just a Thought

In A.A. we have to learn that alcohol is our greatest enemy.

Although we used to think that alcohol was our friend, the time came when it turned against us and became our enemy. We don't know just when this happened, but we know that it did because we began to get into trouble - jails and hospitals. We realize now that alcohol is our enemy.

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

Is it still my main business to keep sober?

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Just a Contemplation

Overcoming Fear

Our fears lock us up if we let them. They can prevent us from tasting adventure, from experiencing new wonders. We are often terrified of the unknown and fret about what might happen if we try something new. We worry if new people will like us - if we'll fit in.

It is natural to be cautious about the unknown, and anything new is just that. But we can keep our caution from becoming fearful by taking action, with the faith that we never encounter anything we can't handle in some way.

Unknowns are merely joys we haven't met. We hold the keys to our own cages and can free ourselves when we use our courage and inner strength to overcome our fears.

What new joy can I discover beneath my fear today?

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After the "Honeymoon"

For most of us, the first years of A.A. are something like a honeymoon. There is a new and potent reason to stay alive, joyful activity aplenty. For a time, we are diverted from the main life problems. That is all to the good.

"But when the honeymoon has worn off, we are obliged to take our lumps, like other people. This is where the testing starts. Maybe the group has pushed us onto the side lines. Maybe difficulties have intensified at home, or in the world outside. Then the old behavior patterns reappear. How well we recognize and deal with them reveals the extent of our progress.

As Bill Sees It Page 216

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Just a Quote

"Life is short, and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are traveling the dark journey with us. Oh, be swift to love, make haste to be kind." ~ Henri Frederic Amie

[bluidkiti]

July 24

Humility Prayer

Lord,
I am far too much influenced by what people think of me.
Which means that 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 the 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 like You.

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Just a Thought

We have fellowship and faith in A.A.

Fellowship is wonderful, but its wonder lasts just so long. Then some gossip, disillusionment, and boredom may come in. Worry and fear come back at times and we find that fellowship is not the whole story. Then we need faith. When we're alone, with nobody to pat us on the back, we must turn to God for help.

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

Can I say "Thy will be done" - and mean it?

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Just a Contemplation

Hate

In recovery, learn to give up hate. We must stand for justice, not for hate. We must learn to respect people. They, in turn, will respect us in most cases. We begin to see how important it is to give up hate--if we want others to care for us. Hate is often our secret. Hate is found deep in our hearts and minds. It eats at our souls. It hurts our spiritual growth. Sometimes people are public about their hate. There are even dangerous groups based on hate. But, the most dangerous hate is the private and unspoken. Do I have public hates? Do I have secret hates?

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Miracles

How can they rise out of such misery, bad repute and hopelessness?
The practical answer is that since these things have happened among us, they can happen with you.
Should you wish them above all else, and be willing to make use of our experience, we are sure they will come. The age of miracles is still with us. Our own recovery proves that!

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 153

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Just a Quote

"Do I realize that our common purpose can outweigh all differences?" ~ Lina Sandell

[bluidkiti]

July 25


Morning Request for Strength

Lord,
I give you this day, may your spirit be at work in me.
Clear the mix of dreams and thoughts from my mind and help me to embrace everything that you have for me today.
I give you the mental and physical tiredness I can feel and ask for your life to flow though me.
May your hope stir in those who are close to me and bring joy into their hearts.
May your love cause me to find new energy, ideas and solutions throughout the day.
And may your truth allow me to stay on track and walk confidently in all that I do.
Amen

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Just a Thought

We used to depend on drinking for a lot of things.

We depended on drinking to help us enjoy things. It gave us a "kick." It broke down our shyness and helped us to have a "good time." We depended on drinking to help us when we felt low physically. If we had a toothache or just a hangover, we felt better after a few drinks. We depended on drinking to help us when we felt low mentally. If we had a tough day at the office or if we'd had a fight with our wives, or if things just seemed against us, we felt better under the influence of alcohol. For us alcoholics, it got so that we depended on drinking for almost everything.

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

Have I gotten over that dependence on drinking?

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Just a Contemplation.

Going With The Flow

It seems like some days everything goes our way. Everything falls together in a way that makes life easier for us. Other days are just the opposite; on a bad day we seem to be all thumbs. In our spiritual practice we know we don't control all that goes on around us.

We all are vulnerable to accidents, random misfortune, and illness. Yet, when we don't fight against the events of our lives, somehow things go better for us. We can remember that as difficult as a day may be, we are never alone because nothing can separate us from our Higher Power. When we accept the bad things that come, even though they are unfair, we give them less power in our lives. Then we are free to go forward and leave more room for the good things.

I'll accept the problems I must confront and leave room for the good things.

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Solitude

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

Came To Believe Page 109

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Just a Quote

"Don't talk about what you have done or what you are going to do --do it and let it speak for itself." --Martin Vanbee

[bluidkiti]

July 26


Simple Morning Prayer

God,
Please enlighten my mind with truth, inflame my heart with love.
Inspire my will with courage, enrich my life with service.
Pardon what I have been, sanctify what I am, and order what I shall be.
Amen

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Just a Thought

We in A.A. have the privilege of living two lives in one lifetime.

One life of drunkenness, failure, and defeat. Then, through A.A., another life of sobriety, peace of mind, and usefulness. We who have recovered our sobriety are modern miracles. And we're living on borrowed time. Some of us might have been dead long ago. But we have been given another chance to live.

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

Do I owe a debt of gratitude to A.A. that I can never repay as long as I live?

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Just a Contemplation

Trust

During our illness, we hurt others. We hurt ourselves. We messed up a lot.
So, a lot of us come to recovery not trusting ourselves very much. The truth is, as alcoholics, we couldn't be trusted.
But in recovery, we can be trusted again. We can again live and love ourselves. We do this by finding our spiritual center. This is the place inside of us where our Higher Power lives. We turn our will and our lives over to this spiritual center. We do as our spiritual center tells us. And from our spiritual center, we'll find our values. We'll live better lives. We'll come to trust ourselves again.


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Changing

I am changing, and there are more like me starting this process every day, so AA must be changing.
Yet the process and direction in which we are moving is the same. The more it changes, the more it stays the same. . .
This Fellowship is like a diamond whose message flashes toward me every time I hold it up to the light and turn it around.

Thank You For Sharing, p. 182

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Just a Quote

“You have to accept the fact that sometimes you are the pigeon, and sometimes you are the statue.” ~ Claude Chabrol

[bluidkiti]

July 27

Prayer When in Pain or Suffering

There are times, Lord, when I feel a deep sense of unrest.
Trials and tribulations beset me, and I do not know where to turn.
I cannot see the reason why suffering must exist, but I trust in your plan.
I pray that you will guide me in all ways and help me to make the best of the situation.
Help me to find happiness in small things.
I pray that you bring me the peace and joy that I seek in life.
Amen

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Just a Thought

In A.A. we have to re-educate our minds.

We have to learn to think differently. We have to take a long view of drinking alcohol instead of a short view. We have to look through the glass to see what lies beyond it. We have to look through the night before to the morning after. No matter how good alcohol looks from the short view, we must realize that in the long run it is poison to us.

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

Have I learned to look beyond the bottle, to the better life that lies ahead?

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Just a Contemplation

Believing

For most of us, our alcoholism was full of doubt. We stopped believing in ourselves. Our thoughts had turned to "stinking thinking." We didn't believe in much of anything. We didn't take risk. We always looked for the easier, softer way. In recovery, we start to believe again. We believe in the program. We believe in a Higher Power. We believe in people. And, over time, we believe in ourselves again. We become better at taking risks. We are able to stay sober because we believe, because we take risks. As we stay sober, we can face almost anything---with the help of others.

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The Twelve Steps

I often say and shall always say that the Twelve Steps are one of the very great summaries and organic collections of spiritual truth known to history.
They have an almost universal relevance (not a relevance for alcoholics alone).
They will offer a way out for many a person who knows nothing personally of alcoholism.
They will point up the way for those who have known it and lost it.
Thank God for the Twelve Steps and for a man wise enough and open enough to God and to the observation of human experience to receive these truths, and transmit them to the world!
(Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker)

The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 2], pages 133-134

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Just a Few Quotes

“Emotional baggage is like the dead skin of a snake. If you don’t shed it, how can you grow emotionally?” ~ Khang Kijarro ******

"Healing takes courage, and we all have courage, even if we have to dig a little to find it." ~ Tori Amos

[bluidkiti]

July 28


Prayer to Start This Day

Lord,
We pray to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude.
Let us make the best of each and every day to clear our mind so that we can hear from You.
Please broaden our mind so that we can accept all things.
Let us not whine and whimper over things we have no control over.
Help us Lord to not judge others, or to speak an ill word.
Please keep us safe from all danger and harm.
Amen

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Just a Thought

Drinking cuts you off from God.

No matter how you were brought up, no matter what your religion is, no matter if you say you believe in God, nevertheless you build up a wall between you and God by your drinking. You know you're not living the way God wants you to. As a result, you have that terrible remorse. When you come into A.A., you begin to get right with other people and with God. A sober life is a happy life, because by giving up drinking we've got rid of our loneliness and remorse.

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

Do I have real fellowship with other people and with God?

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Just a Contemplation

Remember

We need to remember what got us well. The Twelve Steps heal us. The meetings we attend heal us.
Reading and listening to program tapes heals us. Talking with our sponsors heals us. The time we spend with program friends heals us. Sometimes we're pressed for time. As a result, we have to make choices about how to use our time. We may think we know enough about the program. We
may feel like cutting down on meetings. These are danger signs. We only know how to stay sober One Day at a Time: by working the Steps. Let's not forget them as we grow in this program. It may seem like we've been recovering a long time, but we're all beginners.

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Whose Will?

We have seen A.A.'s ask with much earnestness and faith for God's explicit guidance on matters ranging all the way from a shattering domestic or financial crisis to a minor personal fault, like tardiness. A man who tries to run his life rigidly by this kind of prayer, by this self-serving demand of God for replies, is a particularly disconcerting individual. To any questioning or criticism of his actions, he instantly proffers his reliance upon prayer for guidance in all matters great or small.

He may have forgotten the possibility that his own wishful thinking and the human tendency to rationalize have distorted his so-called guidance. With the best of intentions, he tends to force his will into all sorts of situations and problems with the comfortable assurance that he is acting under God's specific direction.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Pages 103-104

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Just a Quote

"It isn't "me" and "you" anymore; it's "we" and "us." I get drunk. We stay sober! It's a we program." ~ Unknown A.A.

[bluidkiti]

July 29


I Give Myself to You

Lord,
Open my mind that I may be aware of your presence in my daily life.
Open my heart that I may offer you all my thoughts.
Open my mouth that I may speak to you throughout my day.
I am grateful that you wish to hear my voice. To you I give my all.
Help me to do your will, every hour of every day.

~Walter J. Ciszek, SJ

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Just a Thought

What a load wasting money puts on your shoulders!

They say that members of A.A. have paid the highest initiation fee of any club members in the world, because we've wasted so much money on alcohol. We'll never be able to figure out how much it was. We not only waste our own money, but also the money we should have spent on our families. When you come into A.A., that terrible load of wasted money falls off your shoulders. We alcoholics were getting round-shouldered from carrying all those loads that drinking put on our shoulders. But when we come into A.A., we get a wonderful feeling of release and freedom.

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

Can I throw back my shoulders and look the whole world in the face again?

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Just a Contemplation

No Accident

None of us woke up one morning and found we had suddenly turned into an alcoholic. We got to be one by practice. And we practiced often. We ignored our families--we left work early--and went drinking. Daily, we chose alcohol over anything else. Likewise, getting sober is no accident. We work the program. At meetings, we're reminded to help others. We all get sober on the installment plan. A day at a time. We got sick one day at a time; we recovered one day at a time.

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Give Thanks

Though I still find it difficult to accept today's pain and anxiety with any great degree of serenity--as those more advanced in the spiritual life seem able to do--I can give thanks for present pain nevertheless.

I find the willingness to do this by contemplating the lessons learned from past suffering--lessons which have led to the 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 Sees It Page 266

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Just a Quote

“Anger is a condition in which the tongue works faster than the mind.” ~ John S

[bluidkiti]

July 30


Making Amends Prayer

Lord,
You know our past; You’re familiar with all the good and bad things we’ve done.
We ask You to give us the strength and courage to list them so we can “come clean” and face both our past and the truth about our present and future.
Please help us reach out to those special persons You’ve placed along our road to recovery.
Thank You for providing them to help us maintain balance as we work on our lists.
Amen

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Just a Thought

An alcoholic life isn't a happy life.

Drinking cuts you off from other people and from God. One of the worst things about drinking is loneliness. And one of the best things about A.A. is the fellowship. Drinking cuts you off from other people, at least from the people who really matter to you, your wife and children, your family and real friends. No matter how much you love them, you build up a wall between you and them by drinking. You're cut off from any real companionship with them. As a result, you're terribly lonely.

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

Have I got rid of my loneliness?

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Just a Contemplation

Choice

We've been given recovery. For this, we're lucky. And we're grateful. Now it's up to us. We must accept our choices. When we're afraid, do we choose to be alone? Or do we choose to go to extra meeting? When we're not honest, do we keep it secret? Or do we admit it and try to be more honest? No matter what we choose, we're responsible for that choice. Through choices, we either make our program strong or weak. We can choose to be lucky. Or we can choose not to be. The choice is ours. Our alcoholism robbed us of choice. It taught us to blame others. Now we see ourselves as responsible.

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Now

Now is the time, the only time there is.
And if we are not kind to ourselves right now, we certainly cannot rightfully expect respect or consideration from others.
We have found we can enjoy, sober, every good thing we enjoyed while drinking -- and many, many more. It takes a little practice, but the rewards more than make up for the effort. . . Unless we cherish our own recovery, we cannot survive to become unselfish, ethical, and socially responsible people.

Living Sober Page 42

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Just a Quote

"The most wonderful gift of prayer is the friendship we discover with God. This friendship promises security in the midst of any turmoil." ~ Karen Casey