AA Thoughts For Today - April

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AA Thought for the Day

April 20

Progressive Illness

All of us felt at times that we were regaining control, but such intervals—usually
brief—were inevitably followed by still less control, which led in time to pitiful and
incomprehensible demoralization. We are convinced to a man that alcoholics of
our type are in the grip of a progressive illness.
Over any considerable period we get worse, never better.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (More About Alcoholism) p. 30

Thought to Ponder . . .
Within our wonderful new world, we have found freedom from our fatal obsession.

AA-related 'Alconym'
F R E E = Fortunately, Recovery Enhances Everything.

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

Faith
"In this book you read again and again
that faith did for us what we could not do for ourselves.
We hope you are convinced now that God
can remove whatever self-will has blocked you off from Him.
If you have already made a decision,
and an inventory of your grosser handicaps,
you have made a good beginning.
That being so, you have swallowed and digested
some big chunks of truth about yourself."
Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 70-1

Thought to Consider . . .
Faith isn't belief without proof;
it's trust without reservation.

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

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

Balance
From "Self-Pity":
When we catch self-pity starting, we also can take action against it with instant bookkeeping. For every entry of misery
on the debit side, we find a blessing we can mark on the credit side. What health we have, what illnesses we don't
have, the sunny weather, a good meal a-coming, limbs intact, kindnesses shown and received, a sober 24 hours, a
good hour's work, a good book to read, and many other items can be totaled up to outbalance the debit entries that cause self-pity.
1998 AAWS, Inc.; Living Sober, p. 58

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

"To want nothing -- to know that we cannot make anything happen -- brings inner and outer joy, total fulfillment. The
earth and the heavens and ourselves become one, and in this state of spontaneous surrender, we discover the deep,
spiritual constancy in everyday living that we were looking for all along."
September 1974
"Awareness,"
AA Grapevine

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

"Outsiders are sometimes shocked when we burst into merriment over a seemingly tragic experience out of the past.
But why shouldn't we laugh? We have recovered, and have been given the power to help others."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 132~

"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, 4th Edition, Into Action, Page 85~

Third, all you really need is a truly open mind.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 26

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Trouble: Constructive or Destructive?
There was a time when we ignored trouble, hoping it would go away. Or, in fear and in depression, we ran from it, but
found it was still with us. Often, full of unreason, bitterness, and blame, we fought back. These mistaken attitudes,
powered by alcohol, guaranteed our destruction, unless they were altered.
'Then came A.A. Here we learned that trouble was really a fact of life for everybody--a fact that had to be understood
and dealt with. Surprisingly, we found that our troubles could, under God's grace, be converted into unimagined blessings.
'Indeed, that was the essence of A.A. itself: trouble accepted, trouble squarely faced with calm courage, trouble
lessened and often transcended. This was the A.A. story, and we became a part of it. Such demonstrations became
our stock in trade for the next sufferer.' LETTER, 1966

Prayer For The Day: Dear Lord, help me to learn to really listen -- to You, to my family, to those around me, and to be
sensitive to the "unspoken," for often it is in the "unspoken" that the needs of others are revealed. You are not only heard
in a clap of thunder, or in the cry of a newborn infant, but also in the silence of a sunrise and the quiet desperation of an
anguished heart. ... Help me to listen, that I may bring Your love and comfort to others. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I
may develop a "listening heart." In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. © 2000 by D. L. Hammond, Permission to copy granted
for noncommercial use.