A Prayer & Some Thoughts - September

[bluidkiti]

September 10


Push My Buttons Prayer

Lord, it's likely that sometime today
someone will push my buttons
challenge my good will
misread my intentions
tick me off
try my patience
rattle my cage
judge me in haste
test my kindness
or do all of the above...

Give me the grace I'll need at such times
to respond with patience
to trust and accept
to listen carefully
to reach out in peace
to be fair and just
to anctipate goodness
in all my words and deeds...

I know this is a lot to ask, Lord,
but I need your help
to do for others
as I'd have them do for me...
Amen

~ Rev. Austin Fleming

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Just a Thought

We in A.A. must remember that we are offering something intangible.

We are offering a psychological and spiritual program. We are not offering a medical program. If people need medical treatment, we call in a doctor. If they need a medical prescription, we let the doctor prescribe for them. If they need hospital treatment, we let the hospital take care of them. Our vital A.A. work begins when a person is physically able to receive it.

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

Am I willing to leave medical care to the doctors?

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Just a Contemplation

Maintaining Sobriety

It's said that peer pressure often draws young people into alcoholism and drug addiction. As adults following a recovery program, we also are susceptible to peer pressure.

At a cocktail reception, for example, some people may express mild pity that we're having "only soft drinks," as if we're doing a form of penance. Or they may express exaggerated admiration for our success in recovery. Even this can make us feel different.

We need not be critical of such reactions. The fact is that we are somewhat different when we're staying sober in situations where excessive drinking is normal.

We should not, however, make this our problem if others draw attention to it. This is peer pressure, but we should be mature enough to dismiss it.

Whatever situation I'm in today, if I know I'm on the right path, I'll not be swayed by the opinions and comments of others. Their opinions cannot affect me if I know I'm doing the right thing.

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Power Source

Lack of power, that was our dilemma. We had to find a power by which we could live, and it had to be a Power greater than ourselves. Obviously. But where and how were we to find this Power?

Well, that's exactly what this book is about. Its main object is to enable you to find a Power greater than yourself which will solve your problem. That means we have written a book which we believe to be spiritual as well as moral. And it means, of course, that we are going to talk about God. Here difficulty arises with agnostics. Many times we talk to a new man and watch his hope rise as we discuss his alcoholic problems and explain our fellowship. But his face falls when we speak of spiritual matters, especially when we mention God, for we have re-opened a subject which our man thought he had neatly evaded or entirely ignored.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 45

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Just a Quote

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” ~ Victor Frankl