AA Thoughts For Today - September

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AA Thought for the Day

September 21

What an Order!

Many of us exclaimed, “What an order! I can’t go through with it."
Do not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to maintain
anything like perfect adherence to these principles. We are not saints.
The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 60

Thought to Ponder . . .
We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection.

AA-related 'Alconym'
A R T = Always Remain Teachable.

~*~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.
We will lose interest in selfish things
and gain interest in our fellows.
Self-seeking will slip away.
Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.
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."
c. 1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp 83-84

Thought to Consider . . .
The Promises are a result; not a right.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
P R O G R A M = People Relying On God Relay A Message.

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

Basis
From "A.A. Is a Philosophy":
"A religion, properly, is of divine origin; governs the person in his relationship with his Higher Power; and promises its rewards and punishments after death. A philosophy is of human origin; governs the person in his relationship with his fellowman; and promises its rewards and punishments during life. A.A., I submit, is a philosophy. If we alcoholics follow the philosophy of A.A., we can regain an understanding of our several religions. Maryland, USA"
1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 5

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

"Most of us do follow, in our personal lives, the Twelve suggested Steps to recovery ... We do this from choice. We prefer recovery to death. Then, little by little, we ... conform because we want to."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., January 1947
"Will AA Ever Have a Personal Government?"
The Language of the Heart

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

"The greatest enemies of us alcoholics are resentment, jealousy,
envy, frustration, and fear."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, To Employers, pg. 145~

Do not be discouraged if your prospect does not respond at once.
Search out another alcoholic and try again. You are sure to find
someone desperate enough to accept with eagerness what you offer.
We find it a waste of time to keep chasing a man who cannot or will
not work with you. If you leave such a person alone, he may soon
become convinced that he cannot recover by himself. To spend too much
time on any one situation is to deny some other alcoholic an
opportunity to live and be happy.
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 96~

Some of us once had great self-confidence, but it didn't fully solve the fear problem, or any other.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 68

Pride says, "You need not pass this way," and Fear says, "You dare not look!
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 49

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Sometimes, when friends tell us how well we are doing, we know better inside. We know we aren't doing well enough. We still can't handle life, as life is. There must be a serious flaw somewhere in our spiritual practice and development.
What, then, is it?
The chances are better than even that we shall locate our trouble in our misunderstanding or neglect of A.A.'s Step Eleven - prayer, meditation, and the guidance of God.
The other Steps can keep most of us sober and somehow functioning. But Step Eleven can keep us growing, if we try hard and work at it continually.

Prayer for the Day: Fellow Travelers - Higher Power, Who fills our whole life, and Whose presence we find wherever we go, preserve us who travel the road of recovery, surround us with Your loving care, protect us from every danger, and bring us safely to our journey's end.