AA Thoughts For Today - November

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AA Thought for the Day

November 13

Program of Action

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.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (More About Alcoholism) p. 42

Thought to Ponder . . .
What is now proved was once only imagined.

AA-related 'Alconym'
A C T = Action Changes Things.

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

Spiritual Life
"The spiritual life is not a theory.
We have to live it.
Unless one's family expresses a desire to live upon
spiritual principles
we think we ought not to urge them.
We should not talk incessantly to them about spiritual matters.
They will change in time.
Our behavior will convince them more than our words.
We must remember that ten or twenty years
of drunkenness would make a skeptic out of anyone."
Alcoholics Anonymous, Page 83

Thought to Consider . . .
Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching?

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
P A C E =Positive Attitudes Change Everything

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

Unconditional
From: "Getting our of the "if trap"
But then, after a sober while, for some of us there comes a time when - plop! - a new discovery slaps us in the face. That same old eiffy thinking habit of our tippling days has, without our seeing it, attached itself to not drinking. Unconsciously, we have placed conditions on our sobriety. We have begun to think sobriety is just fine - if everything goes well, or if nothing goes askew.
In effect, we are ignoring the biochemical, unchangeable nature of our ailment. Alcoholism respects no ifs. It does not go away, not for a week, for a day, or even for an hour, leaving us nonalcoholic and able to drink again on some special occasion or for some extraordinary reason - not even if it is a once-in-a-lifetime celebration, or if a big sorrow hits us, or if it rains in Spain or the stars fall on Alabama. Alcoholism is for us unconditional, with no dispensations available at any price.
1998, AAWS, Inc., Living Sober, page 63

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

"When I first started in AA, I began each day asking God to help keep me sober that day, and ended each night by thanking him for another day of sobriety. I still end each day that way, as I have done almost every night during the past forty-one years. It is a routine for me, but every once in a while I pause to reflect on what it truly means. I do it every night so that God won't change his mind, as I truly believe he helped lead me from the pits of alcoholism to the AA way of life."
Alexandria, Va., April 2002
"A Real War Story,"
Voices of Long-Term Sobriety

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

"Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity
from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 89~

So our rule is not to avoid a place where there is drinking, if we
have a legitimate reason for being there. That includes bars,
nightclubs, dances, receptions, weddings, even plain ordinary whoopee
parties. To a person who has had experience with an alcoholic, this
may seem like tempting Providence, but it isn't.
You will note that we made an important qualification. Therefore,
ask yourself on each occasion, Have I any good social, business, or
personal reason for going to this place? Or am I expecting to steal a
little vicarious pleasure from the atmosphere of such places?' If you
answer these questions satisfactorily, you need have no
apprehension. Go or stay away, whichever seems best. But be sure
you are on solid spiritual ground before you start and that your
motive in going is thoroughly good. Do not think of what you will
get out of the occasion. Think of what you can bring to it. But if
you are shaky, you had better work with another alcoholic instead
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 101

This we did because we honestly wanted to, and were willing to make the effort.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.26

Without a willing and persistent effort to do this, there can be little sobriety or contentment for us.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.43

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Vision is, I think, the ability to make good estimates, both for the immediate and for the more distant future. Some might feel this sort of striving to be heresy against 'One day at a time.' But that valuable principle really refers to our mental and emotional lives and means chiefly that we are not foolishly to repine over the past nor wishfully to daydream about the future.
As individuals and as a fellowship, we shall surely suffer if we cast the whole job of planning for tomorrow onto a fatuous idea of providence. God's real providence has endowed us human beings with a considerable capability for foresight, and He evidently expects us to use it. Of course, we shall often miscalculate the future in whole or in part, but that is better than to refuse to think at all.

Prayer for the Day: My Worth - I pray to remember that my worth is not determined by my show of outward strength, or the volume of my voice, or the thunder of my accomplishments. It is to be seen, rather, in terms of the nature and depths of my commitments, the genuineness of my friendships, the sincerity of my purpose, the quiet courage of my convictions, my capacity to accept life on life's terms, and my willingness to continue "growing up." This I pray.