ABCs of Thanksgiving
 

A is for Appreciation. Appreciate what you have rather than looking at what you don't have. Remember this is a one day at time program.

Ask and then give thinks, it is already on it's way!

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B is for Bounty. We reap a bountiful harvest as a result of being in recovery. We start to get back, in some cases what we lost; but most of all, we get back ourselves. We have money for food, rent, and self-care.

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C is for Choice. I am granted freedom of Choice. I can choose recovery or I can choose to go back to my old way of living. The nice thing about choice is that once I make a choice, I can always choose again.

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D is for Day. Just for this 24 hours, I choose not to use. I only have to deal with this day's emotions, feelings, thoughts, experiences, situations, awakenings, awareness, choices, what ever comes my way, just for today. When I remember, this too shall pass, then I can get through this day, clean and sober with the help of my Higher Power.

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E is For Enjoy..When I learned to employ the slogan LIVE (& let live) I place the emphasis on the first part and the second part seems to pretty much just take care of itself. When I am busy living (opposed to just existing) I begin to truly enjoy my Life. When I am enjoying my life I become hopeful full of another E (Energy) and I am grateful for ALL that I enjoy..from nature, to fellowship to service.

F is for Free...thankful that I am free from the death grip of alcohol. Each day I am thankful to be alive and sober!

G is for Glory. Give the God of your understanding the Glory. Good Orderly Direction comes from within and yet it isn't of our making, it comes from a much Higher Source. We are but a channel that hopefully glorifies the goodness of God each day in our daily lives so that others may see.

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H is for Humor....I am thankful that on my road of recovery, I found my sense of humor that I had lost in my depression and alcoholic fog. Just a few steps further down the road I found laughter. Hey, I could even laugh at myself instead of tearing myself down for doing something stupid. I had a smile on my face instead of a frown.

I is for Inch. If you give your 'disease' and inch, it will take a mile. It will inch back into your life and before you know it, you will find yourself back acting out in your old behaviours, habits, and actions that were a part of your past that don't reflect your recovery; and can lead you back to picking up and using again. We have daily reprieve, we need to live this program one day at a time.

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J is for Just for today.... Just for today, I will choose life by choosing recovery. I will take care of myself. I am thankful that I am alive and sober today.

K is for Key. The key to recovery is willingness. It unlocks the door. If you can't find it, pray for the willingness to be willing to find it.

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L is for Limit. There is no limit as to what your God can do unless you limit Him by your narrow outlook and your closed mind. Trying to limit things on our own is control, which is an illusion. If you have to control it, it is already out of control, so leave if up to God.

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M is for Music.

I am thankful for the gift of music. Music can soothe the soul.

N is for Nobody. Nobody can work the program for you. We can suggest and share, you need to want to do it for yourself. Just because you are an alcoholic and/or an addict doesn't mean you are a nobody, you are a somebody, you are deserving of recovery. You have a disease. You are a child of God, worthy of recovery. We do this one day at a time.

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O is for Opposite. I was told to do the opposite of what I did when I was using and I would stay sober. Do a 180 deg. change in my thinking, and it would be a good start to opposing the thinking of my old tapes and old behaviours and habits.

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P is Pay. We paid the price to get here. The 12 Steps offer us the freedom of recovery. Free from the bondage of addiction. We don't have to continue to pay the price. God is loving and forgiving. The price has been paid. We don't have to continue to pay penance. The gift of recovery is priceless and free for the asking.

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Q is for Quiet time. I am thankful that I can take a little bit of time in my day for "Quiet Time". I use this time to pray, meditate, and read.

R is for Resentment. Pray for the person you are resenting. Today I had to pray for myself.

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S is for Stay Sober...I am thankful that I am staying sober for me...not someone else - otherwise it won't work.

T is for Thanksgiving. It is an action word. Give thanks every day.

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U is for United. United we stand. We can do what I can no do alone. No matter what religion we believe in, no matter what colour, race, or creed, we can all get clean and sober through the program of recovery. The common denominator of all fellowships are the 12 Steps which originated with Alcoholics Anonymous.

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V is for Verify. Verify your source. Take it to your Source, your Higher Power. Don't pass on gossip. Gossip almost drove me out of the fellowship. Validate yourself.

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W is for Walk. Walk your talk. When people see you, do they see your words reflected from within you. Do they see the patience, tolerance, forgiveness, courage, strength, and all those other spiritual principles of the program? I found myself in the rooms of recovery by following the people who walked before me.

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X is for 'Xtra. When life gets chaotic and my head gets busy, I know it is a good time to do 'xtra meetings. When I am coming up to an anniversary, I do 'xtra meetings to remind myself that I didn't get there alone and try to touch base with the people helped me get to where I am in today. I like to give 'xtra strokes for very special folks.

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Y is for Yet. If you haven't done it yet, you probably will if you make the decision to pick up a drink and go back out. Identify, don't compare.

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Z is for ZZZ's Don't fall asleep spiritually -- "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving." (my emphasis) - Colossians 6:2

A is for Action. They speak louder than words. They are sometimes best followed by a thought but not always.

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B is for Believe. If you believe it....You can achieve it!

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C is for Come. Come to believe. Come to believe in the God of your own understanding. Come to believe in a 12 Step Program that worked for me and will work for you if you are willing to work it for you. Can't work, if you don't use all the parts. I was given suggestions, some didn't work for me, but I found I could adjust them to what was good for me. I found that contempt prior to investigation left me still coming back.

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D is for Determined. I am determined to be the best me I can be in today.

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E is for Expectations. We can expect great things to happen to us in recovery and be thankful for them.

F is for Forgiveness. Forgive not only others but ourselves too!

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G is for Grace. But for the Grace of God, I would not be here today or any day for the past 23 years.

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H is for Hesitate and Meditate. Stop and think before you act. Allow that moment of Grace to give you time to make a healthy decision to not pick up. Call on your Higher Power. Call your sponsor before you pick up, not after.

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I is for Interest. Unless you take and interest in the program and the suggestions offered to you, you will not recover. There is more to recovery than putting a plug in the jug. It is investing yourself in a new way of life.

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J is for Just for Today. Just for today, I choose not to use. Just for today, I will have a program. Just for today, I will choose to work and apply that program to my life.

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K is for KISS. Keep It Simple Sweetheart. I took offence at Keep It Simple Stupid. I did some stupid things, and made some stupid decisions, but that didn't mean I was stupid. You can't know what you have never been taught.

I beat myself up enough on my road to the doors of recovery. No need to continue doing so in recovery. Be kind to yourself.

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L is Live For Today. Let go of the past, embrace the future, but don't forget to take the God of your understanding with you. Live and let live, means live your life and allow others to live theirs, lovingly detach.

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M is for Moxy! Finding the confidence within yourself to do what you need to do to stay clean and sober in today, through our Higher Power, not through our own will by hanging on by the skin of our teeth. (a mother phrase)


Quote:
n. When someone has guts or balls, they have moxy.


Self possessed confidence. An attitude of fearlessness in everyday circumstances. The capacity to stand alone in favor of an unpopular opinion or course of action with a casual demeanor. The word fell out of usage as the character traits it represented both became less common and came to be viewed as unfavorable in others.

- Urban Dictionary

Most people feel threatened when they see someone with confidence and will often sabotage them. I had this happen to me in recovery my people in the rooms.

My sponsor says don't look at the people, look at yourself and work the program. Make it what is good for you, not what is good for someone else, stick to the basics.

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N is for New. Each day is a new beginning. If I look at each day, and look at that day, through the eyes of a newcomer, I will stay grounded in today, and know that I don't have to use, just for today. Each day brings new experiences, new thoughts, and a new awareness of my God and myself.

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