A Prayer & Some Thoughts - January

[bluidkiti]

January 1

New Year's Prayer

As the dawn breaks on a new year, let us give thanks for all we hold dear: our health, our family and our friends.

Let us release our grudges, our anger and our pains, for these are nothing but binding chains. Let us live each day in the most loving ways, the God-conscious way. Let us serve all who are in need, regardless of race, color or creed.

Let us keep God of our own understanding in our hearts and to chant God's name each day. Let us lead the world from darkness to light, from falsehood to truth and from wrong to right.

Let us remember that we are all one, embracing all, discriminating against none.

May your year be filled with peace, prosperity and love. May God's blessings shower upon you and bestow upon each of you a bright, healthy and peaceful new year.

~ Rev. Marcy Sheremetta

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

In following the A.A. program with its twelve steps, we have the advantage of a better understanding of our problems.

Day after day our sobriety results in the formation of new habits, normal habits. As each twenty-four-hour period ends, we find that the business of staying sober is a much less trying and fearsome ordeal than it seemed in the beginning.

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

Do I find it easier as I go along?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Blame

Which is worse: blaming ourselves or others for things that go wrong? A better question might be, Is anyone to blame?
We're really better off, in 12 Step living, to begin dropping the idea of placing blame for our thinking altogether. Even if someone's responsibility for a mistake or wrong is fully evident, we get nowhere by pointing the finger at him or her. What often happens, in fact, is that the person becomes defensive... just as we do... And retreats into denial or anger.
Another problem is that placing blame quickly becomes the sticky business of taking another person's inventory. Let's leave such matters to courts and prosecutions and focus instead on solving our own problems. I'll not waste time today thinking about who's to blame. My focus will be on what can be done for general improvement.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Faith

To me, this means a belief in a Creator who is all power, justice, and love; a God who intends for me a purpose, a meaning, and a destiny to grow, however little and haltingly, toward His own likeness and image. Before the coming of faith I had lived as an alien in a cosmos that too often seemed both hostile and cruel. In it, there could be no inner security for me.

As Bill Sees It Page 51

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

"It's humbling to start fresh. It takes a lot of courage. But it can be reinvigorating. You just have to put your ego on a shelf & tell it to be quiet." ~ Jennifer Ritchie Payette

[bluidkiti]

January 2

Prayer for Acceptance

Lord,
Help me to accept the person that you made me to be, blessings, difficulties, and all.
Help me to recognize the plans and purpose for my life and to know there is no purpose too big or too small in this world, as you are the one who gave it to me.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

Am I all get and no give?

Do I go to meetings and always sit in the back row and let the others do all the work? Do I think it's enough just because I'm sober and can rest on my laurels? If so, I haven't gone very far in the program, nor am I getting nearly enough of what it has to offer. I will be a weak member until I get in there and help carry the load. I must eventually get off the bench and get into the game. I'm not just a spectator: I'm supposed to be one of the team. Do I go in there and carry the ball?

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

Am I still on a "free ride" in A.A.?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Moving Forward

Time past is gone forever, and we can never go back to it. The only way to avoid repetitive failure is to move forward creatively. Each day is a new creation, and each day brings new lessons and opportunities. We build on what is past, but we do not need to repeat it.

Moving forward involves risking what is unknown. The old, familiar rut, depressing as it is, is a known quantity. Moving out of it requires that we have courage and that we trust.To move on, we must act. Insights do not produce growth until they are accompanied by specific actions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spare Time

None of us makes a sole vocation of this work, nor do we think its effectiveness would be increased if we did. We feel that elimination of our drinking is but a beginning. A much more important demonstration of our principles lies before us in our respective homes, occupations and affairs. All of us spend much of our spare time in the sort of effort which we are going to describe. A few are fortunate enough to be so situated that they can give nearly all their time to the work.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 19

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

"It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

[bluidkiti]

January 3

Prayer for This Day

Lord,
Please give us the strength to change our lives for the better and do more good than bad, please give us the courage to live life to the fullest. Give us the strength to overcome cruelty with grace, and hatred with love.
Lord, remind us that our actions matter.
Amen


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

The A.A. way is the way of sobriety.

A.A. is known everywhere as a method that has been successful with alcoholics. Doctors, psychiatrists, and the clergy have had some success. Some men and women have gotten sober all by themselves. We believe that A.A. is the most successful and happiest way to sobriety. And yet A.A. is, of course, not wholly successful. Some are unable to achieve sobriety and some slip back into alcoholism after they have had some measure of sobriety.

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

Am I deeply grateful to have found A.A.?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Balance

Seek balance.
Balance emotions with reason.
Combine detachment with doing our part.
Balance giving with receiving.
Alternate work with play, business with personal activities.

Balance tending to our spiritual needs with tending to our other needs.
Juggle responsibilities to others with responsibilities to ourselves.
Balance caring about others with caring about ourselves.
Whenever possible, let's be good to others, but be good to ourselves too.
Some of us have to make up for lost time.
I will strive for balance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Obsession

We know that while the alcoholic keeps away from drink, as he may do for months or years, he reacts much like other men. We are equally positive that once he takes any alcohol whatever into his system, something happens, both in the bodily and mental sense, which makes it virtually impossible for him to stop. The experience of any alcoholic will abundantly confirm this.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 22

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

“Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt

[bluidkiti]

January 4

Helping Others Prayer

Lord,
I know that you have equipped me with knowledge, talent, and resources.
I pray that I can use all that you have given to me to help others.
I pray I will be generous with my time and what I have to offer to those in need, especially my family.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

Before we decide to quit drinking, most of us have come up against a blank wall.

We’d seen that we're beaten, that we had to quit. But we don't know which way to turn for help. There seems to be no door in that blank wall. A.A. opens the door that leads to sobriety. By encouraging us to honestly admit that we're alcoholics and to realize that we can't take even one drink, and by showing us which way to turn for help, A.A. opens the door in that blank wall.

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

Have I gone through that door to sobriety?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Being Honest with Ourselves

Our relationship with ourselves is the most important relationship we need to maintain.
When we can tell ourselves how we feel, and accept our feelings, we can tell others.
When we can accept what we want and need, we will be ready to have our wants and needs met.
When we can accept what we think and believe, and accept what's important to us, we can relay this to others.
When we learn to take ourselves seriously, others will too.
When we learn to chuckle at ourselves, we will be ready to laugh with others.
When we have learned to trust ourselves, we will be trustworthy and ready to trust.
When we can be grateful for who we are, we will have achieved self-love.
When we have achieved self-love and accepted our wants and needs, we will be ready to give and receive love.
When we've learned to stand on our own two feet, we're ready to stand next to someone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tradition One

"Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. Unity."

"Does this mean," some will anxiously ask, "that in A.A. the individual doesn't count for much? Is he to be dominated by his group and swallowed up in it?" We may certainly answer this question with a loud "No!" We believe there isn't a fellowship on earth which lavishes more devoted care upon its individual members; surely there is none which more jealously guards the individual's right to think, talk, and act as he wishes. No A.A. can compel another to do anything; nobody can be punished or expelled. Our Twelve Steps to recovery are suggestions; the Twelve Traditions which guarantee A.A.'s unity contain not a single "Don't." They repeatedly say "We ought . . ." but never "You must!"

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 129

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

"Success has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others." ~ Danny Thomas

[bluidkiti]

January 5

Prayer of Renewal

Dear God,
I pray for your encouragement to light my path today.
I humbly ask for a renewal of hope within me.
Forgive me for my times of doubt and for getting caught up in self pity.
Lord, I pray for someone to help today.
Put them before me and help me to make a difference in their life.
I pray about my impatience and anxiety.
Lord, calm me down: steady me.
Please guide every step I take and every decision I must make today.
Watch over me and keep me from harm.
Amen.

~ C. L. Murphy 2015

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

Until we came into A.A. most of us had tried desperately to stop drinking.

We were filled with the delusion that we could drink like our friends. We tried time and again to take it or leave it, but we could do neither. We always lapsed into ceaseless, unhappy drinking. Families, friends, and employers threw up their hands in hurt bewilderment, in despair, and finally in disgust. We wanted to stop. We realized that every reason for drinking was only a crazy excuse.

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

Have I given up every excuse for drinking?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Progress

Our program speaks of spiritual progress, not perfection. We can take all the time we need. Our bottom line is steady progress. We can ask ourselves, "Am I a little more spiritual than I was a year ago? A month ago?" If the answer is yes, we're doing great. If the answer is no, we should look at why.
Our illness pushes us to be perfect. In recovery, we learn that we are free to be what we are---human. Even the world's fastest runners are average in most other areas of their lives.. This is okay. Remember, "spiritual progress, not perfection."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From Loneliness to Solitude

As the sober weeks go by, we can enjoy and treasure the few moments of solitude we are able to find in the rush and hurry of life today. When we cease to fear loneliness and begin to cherish and use our solitude to advantage, we have come a long way. We realize a little solitude is necessary to think and to try to work some of the Steps. In solitude, we take our inventories. In solitude, we admit to ourselves the exact nature of our wrongs. In solitude, our spirits seek that Power greater than we are; in solitude, we seek through prayer and meditation to be aware of God's will for us.

Came to Believe Page 109

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Few Quotes

“Progress not perfection… you can’t be perfect everything… but you can gain progress on a daily basis.” ~ Court McGee

“Progress requires setbacks; the only sure way to avoid failure is not to try.” ~ Henry Spencer

[bluidkiti]

January 6

Morning Prayer

God, thank you for the gift of family and friends.
Holding them in my heart is one of the most precious things I can never get tired of.
Bless everyone, for they deserve all the goodness You have given to me.
If I may do something wrong today, please forgive me.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

We tried to understand our alcoholic problem, wondering what was the cause of our strange obsession.

Many of us took special treatments, hospitalization, even confinement in institutions. In every case, the relief was only temporary. We tried through crazy excuses to convince ourselves that we knew why we drank, but we went on regardless. Finally drinking had gone far beyond even a habit. We had become alcoholics, men and women who had been destroying themselves against their own will.

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

Am I completely free from my alcoholic obsession?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Truth

Working the Twelve Steps helps us learn the truth. As we struggle with Step Four, we learn the truth about ourselves. We learn even more about ourselves by doing Steps Eight and Ten. When we admit the truth about ourselves, things come into focus. Big changes happen.
As a result, we can see other people more clearly. We see bad sides in people we thought were perfect. We see good sides in people we hate. We start to know that everyone has to work hard to find what’s right for them. No one knows all the answers. In short, we begin to trust others who also are looking for the truth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Describing Spiritual Principles

Stress the spiritual feature freely. If the man be agnostic or atheist, make it emphatic that he does not have to agree with your conception of God. He can choose any conception he likes, provided it makes sense to him. The main thing is that he be willing to believe in a Power greater than himself and that he live by spiritual principles.

When dealing with such a person, you had better use everyday language to describe spiritual principles. There is no use arousing any prejudice he may have against certain theological terms and conceptions about which he may already be confused. Don't raise such issues, no matter what your own convictions are.

Alcoholics Anonymous page 93

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

“If you can change your mind, you can change your life.” ~ William James

[bluidkiti]

January 7

Prayer to Restore

Lord,
Replace the tension within me with relaxation.
Replace the turbulence within me with calm.
Replace the anxiety within me with a quiet confidence.
Replace the fear within me with a strong faith.
Replace the bitterness within me with the sweetness.
Replace the darkness within me with a glowing light.
Replace the coldness within me with gentle warmth.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

We had become hopelessly sick people; spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

The power that controlled us was greater than ourselves--it was alcoholic drinking. Many drinkers have said: "I hadn't gone that far; I hadn't lost my job on account of drink; I still had my family; I managed to keep out of jail. True, I took too much sometimes and I guess I managed to make quite an a$$ of myself when I did, but I still thought I could control my drinking. I didn't really believe that I was an alcoholic."

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

If I was one of these, have I fully changed my mind?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Help

Often in the past, we acted like we didn't need anyone. It takes courage to let others help us.
As we get better, our courage grows. We invite people into our lives. We help others, and we let others help us.
We will learn to let others help us if we work our program. Why? Because we need others to stay sober. When we have a problem, we talk about it in our group. When we need a shoulder to cry on, we call a friend or our sponsor. Over time, our relationships become one of the biggest rewards of recovery.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Open Mind

To get sober and to stay sober, all you really need is a truly open mind. Just resign from the debating society and quit bothering yourself with such deep questions as whether it was the hen or the egg that came first. Again I say, all you need is the open mind.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 26

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Few Quotes

“We are not always aware of the help we may give by accepting aid, that in this way we may establish a foothold for contact.” ~ Finn Carling

“Accepting help is its own kind of strength.” ~ Kiera Cass

[bluidkiti]

January 8

Lord Help Me Today

Lord,
Just for today.
Please give me strength when I am weak, love when I feel forsaken,
courage when I am afraid, wisdom when I feel foolish, comfort when I am alone,
hope when I feel rejected, and peace when I am in turmoil.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

How seriously do I take my obligations to A.A.?

Have I taken all the good I can get out of it and then let my obligations slide? Or do I constantly feel a deep debt of gratitude and a deep sense of loyalty to the whole A.A. movement? Am I not only grateful but also proud to be a part of such a wonderful fellowship, which is doing such marvelous work among alcoholics? Am I glad to be a part of the great work that A.A. is doing and do I feel a deep obligation to carry on that work at every opportunity?

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

Do I still feel that I owe A.A. my loyalty and devotion?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Pain

We got into a lot of trouble trying to avoid pain. We used alcohol to avoid pain. We didn't want to accept pain as a fact of life.
We can't avoid pain, but now we have the program. The program teaches us how to talk about our pain. The program teaches how to turn over our pain to our Higher Power.
We don't have to be alone when we face pain. We have friends to go to. Before, when we hurt, we ran to alcohol.
Now, when we hurt, we run to the comfort of our sponsor and our program friends.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Humility

On his desk, Dr. Bob had a plaque defining humility:
"Perpetual quietness of heart.
It is to have no trouble. It is never to be fretted or vexed, irritable or sore;
to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me.
It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised,
it is to have a blessed home in myself where I can go in and shut the door
and kneel to my Father in secret and be at peace, as in a deep sea of calmness,
when all around and about is seeming trouble."

Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers, Page 222

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

"You can preach a better sermon with your life than with your lips." ~ Oliver Goldsmith

[bluidkiti]

January 9

To Serve Prayer

God,
Help us to use the gifts you give us
for the people who need us.
Help us to see their need and, inspired by you,
reach beyond ourselves,
beyond our institutions,
to the very margins and bring all to you, the center.
May all we do be in preparation to serve more fully.
Send your Spirit to keep us aglow with the desire to serve others.

~ Author Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

In A.A. alcoholics find a way to solve their personality problems.

They do this by recovering three things. First, they recover their personal integrity. They pull themselves together. They get honest with themselves and with other people. They face themselves and their problems honestly, instead of running away. They take a personal inventory of themselves to see where they really stand. Then they face the facts instead of making excuses for themselves.

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

Have I recovered my integrity?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Living

We often tell ourselves we want to be more peaceful, more in touch with our Higher Power. In other words, we want to become more spiritual. Acting as spiritual people is hard. Tho often, we choose the easy way. We make a nasty comment even if we know it'll only make things worse.
We say we have a program for living. Are we living our program? We'll find the answer in our behavior. Sober people act in sober ways. We attend meetings regularly. We study spiritual ideas. We work to bring joy to our lives and the lives of others. Just as we know a good friend by the way he or she behaves, we know a sober person by the way he or she behaves.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Joy and Peace

I have had my share of problems, heartaches, and disappointments, because that is life, but also I have known a great deal of joy and a peace that is the handmaiden of an inner freedom. I have a wealth of friends and, with my AA friends, an unusual quality of fellowship. For, to these people, I am truly related. First, through mutual pain and despair, and later through mutual objectives and newfound faith and hope.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 276

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

“When you pray for anyone you tend to modify your personal attitude toward him.” ~ Norman Vincent Peale

[bluidkiti]

January 10

Prayer to Achieve Goals

God,
Thank you for waking me up this morning. Thank you Lord for giving me life and strength. Lord I ask for forgiveness of sin, all my mistakes I pray you have mercy. Help me to forgive others too. Draw me closer to you and nothing shall separate me from your love today.
God help me to achieve all my goals and let them be in line with your plans. If there is an adjustment you would love me to make, God don’t hesitate to let me know so that I won’t waste my time chasing the wind. Let your will be done.
Amen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

The length of time of our sobriety is not as important as its quality.

A person who has been in A.A. for a number of years may not be in as good mental condition as a person who has only been in a few months. It is a great satisfaction to have been an A.A. member for a long time and we often mention it. It may sometimes help the newer members, because they may say to themselves, "If they can do it, I can do it." And yet the older members must realize that as long as they live, they are only one drink away from a drunk.

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

What is the quality of my sobriety?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Self Acceptance

We sometimes find it difficult to accept a compliment. We may feel we don't deserve such attention, and point out reasons why the compliment is untrue. When we act this way, we show a lack of love for ourselves.

God teaches us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Yet, before we can love anyone, we must believe we are worthy of the same love. We can stop hiding behind feelings of unworthiness. There's nothing stopping us but ourselves. Sometimes it takes courage to say thank you when we get a compliment. Let's exercise that courage, and each time we do, we'll find our self-love growing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Change

Let us never fear needed change. Certainly we have to discriminate between changes for worse and changes for better. But once a need becomes clearly apparent in an individual, in a group, or in AA as a whole, it has long since been found out that we cannot stand still and look the other way.

As Bill Sees It Page 115

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

“I cannot change what I am unwilling to face.” ~ James Baldwin

[bluidkiti]

January 11

Prayer for Serenity & Peace

Give me the patience to be compassionate and helpful toward others and myself,
and to know when it is best to remain quiet.
Give me the clarity to be grateful for all that I have,
and to realize when I have something to give to others.
Give me the capacity to love and forgive others,
especially the ones who have wronged me.
Give me the serenity to find happiness and peace in each day.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

The way of A.A. is the way of fellowship.

We have read a good deal about fellowship and yet it is such an important part of the A.A. program that it seems we cannot think too much about it. Human beings were not meant to live alone. A hermit's life is not a normal or natural one. We all need to be by ourselves at times, but we cannot really live without the companionship of others. Our natures demand it. Our lives depend largely upon it. The fellowship of A.A. seems to us to be the best in the world.

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

Do I fully appreciate what the fellowship of A.A. means to me?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Lovable

We all want to be loved. and no matter how much we're loved, we always want more.
How can we be lovable? What does the mean? Should we try to be perfect? Should we act cute and helpless? No, being lovable means that we act ourselves. We let others get to know us. When others love us, we enjoy it. We tell them. We let them know that their love isn't wasted on us, that it's important to us. We are lovable, and we are loved!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vigilance

Now that we're in AA and sober, winning back the esteem of our friends and business associates, we find that we still need to exercise special vigilance. As an insurance against the dangers of big-shot-ism, we can often check ourselves by remembering that we are today sober only by the grace of God and that any success we may be having is far more His success than ours.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 92

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

"Politeness and consideration for others is like investing pennies and getting dollars back."~ Thomas Sowell

[bluidkiti]

January 12

Ability to Speak Up Prayer

Lord,
I feel held back by my timidity and fear of what others think of me. In times when I should speak up, I remain silent. Help me to have confidence to be bold in saying what needs to be said. I ask that I have the courage to not let others talk over me. Please ease my fear that others will dislike me because of my words. Give me the wisdom to speak truthfully and sensitively. You are my source of boldness and strength.
Amen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

We did not realize what real fellowship could be.

A drinking fellowship has a fatal fault. It is not based on a firm foundation. Most of it is on the surface. It is based mostly on the desire to use your companions for your own pleasure, and using others is a false foundation. Drinking fellowship has been praised in song and story. The "cup that cheers" has become famous as a means of companionship. But we realize that the higher centers of our brains are dulled by alcohol and such fellowship cannot be on the highest plane. It is at best only a substitute.

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

Do I see my drinking fellowship in its proper light?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Dry Drunk

Our life changed a lot when we stopped drinking. But this is only a start. We need to go further.
Our old attitudes can kill us, even if we aren't drinking any more. This is called a "dry drunk." If we're on a dry drunk, we've changed the way we act without changing the way we think.
Our program shows us how to change the way we think. And we change how we treat ourselves and others. We learn to live a new life based on love and care.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fear of Rejection

Almost without exception, my AA friends admitted that they had struggled with the same feelings. Some claimed that their fear of rejection stemmed from a lack of self-worth; some of the men laid the difficulty to feelings of inadequacy stimulated by years of drinking. It was also asserted that we couldn't stand the responsibility of being loved and so sought rejection in subtle ways. About the only thing that everyone agreed upon completely was that this problem, like our drinking problem, had a spiritual solution.

The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 1] Page 16

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

“Most fears of rejection rest on the desire for approval from other people. Don't base your self-esteem on their opinions.” ~ Harvey Mackay

[bluidkiti]

January 13

Not Judging Others Prayer

Lord,
I have come to You for help. I am struggling with judging others.
Teach me how to pray for others when I realize they are struggling instead of judging them.
Help me to have a heart that shows compassion and mercy to people who are hurting.
I pray You would bless those whom I have judged and that Your grace would be real to them.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

Some doctors think of the A.A. fellowship as group therapy.

This is a very narrow conception of the depth of the A.A. fellowship. Looking at it purely as a means of acquiring and holding sobriety, it is right as far as it goes. But it doesn't go far enough. Group therapy is directed toward the help that the individual receives from it. It is essentially selfish. It is using the companionship of other alcoholics only in order to stay sober ourselves. But this is only the beginning of real A.A. fellowship.

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

Do I deeply feel the true A.A. fellowship?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Trouble

We naturally wish to avoid pain and difficulty, but life experience and a measure of reflection show us that most of what comes our way is beyond our control. When we use trouble as our teacher, we develop the art of living. We are taking a spiritual approach, using our God as our guide. We can choose today to use our difficulties for our learning and growth.

We might ask, "What can I learn from this experience about myself as a man? How can I use this to strengthen myself for the future?" Serenity develops, not by eliminating life's difficulties, but by having a reliable relationship with our Higher Power in the midst of it all. I will try and use whatever comes my way as an opportunity for growth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From Misery

It may seem incredible that these men are to become happy, respected, and useful once more. How can they rise out of such misery, bad repute and hopelessness? The practical answer is that since these things have happened among us, they can happen with you. Should you wish them above all else, and be willing to make use of our experience, we are sure they will come.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 153

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

"Repetition of the same thought or physical action develops into a habit which, repeated frequently enough, becomes an automatic reflex." ~ Norman Vincent Peale

[bluidkiti]

January 14

Encouraging Friends Prayer

Dear Lord,
I pray for my friends right now. I pray that you will help them with the struggles they are going through in this season. For you know exactly what they need at this moment. Draw near to them and let them feel your presence. Open their eyes, ears, and hearts to you. Help them have the discernment to hear your voice as you lead them in their next steps. Speak to them as they read your word and bring verses of encouragement and comfort to their attention. I pray that you will calm any fear or anxiety they may be feeling. Replace it with confidence. I pray that your guidance will be clear to them from this day forward. Amen.

~ Carrie Lowrance

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

One of the best things about the A.A. program is the peace of mind and serenity that it can bring us.

In our drinking days, we had no peace of mind or serenity. We had the exact opposite, a kind of turmoil and that "quiet desperation" we knew so well. The turmoil of our drinking days was caused partly by our physical suffering, the terrible hangovers, the cold sweats, the shakes and the jitters. But it was caused even more by our mental suffering, the loneliness, the feeling of inferiority, the lying, the remorse that every alcoholic understands.

So .............
Have I achieved more peace of mind?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

God's Will

Each day, ask God what God wants us to do today; then ask God to help. A simple request, but so profound and far reaching it can take us anywhere we need to go.

Listen: all that we want, all that we need, all the answers, all the help, all the good, all the love, all the healing, all the wisdom, all the fulfillment of desire is embodied in this simple request. We need to say no more than Thank You.

This Plan that has been made for us is not one of deprivation. It is one of fullness, joy, and abundance. Walk into it. See for yourself.

I will ask God to show me what God wants me to do for this day, and then ask for help to do that. I will trust that is sufficient to take me into light and joy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sharing

In spite of the great increase in the size and the span of this Fellowship, at its core it remains simple and personal. Each day, somewhere in the world, recovery begins when one alcoholic talks with another alcoholic, sharing experience, strength, and hope.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page xxii

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

"Love consists in sharing what one has and what one is with those one loves. Love ought to show itself in deeds more than in words." ~ Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556)

[bluidkiti]

January 15

For Courage to Do Justice

Lord,
Open my eyes that I may see the needs of others
Open my ears that I may hear their cries;
Open my heart so that they need not be without succor**;
Let me not be afraid to defend the weak because of the anger of the strong,
Nor afraid to defend the poor because of the anger of the rich.
Show me where love and hope and faith are needed,
And use me to bring them to those places.
And so, open my eyes and my ears
That I may this coming day be able to do some work of peace for thee.

~ Alan Paton

**succor --- give assistance or aid to

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

Do I realize that I do not know how much time I have left?

It may be later than I think. Am I going to do the things that I know I should do before my time runs out? By the way, what is my purpose for the rest of my life? Do I realize all I have to make up for in my past wasted life? Do I know that I am living on borrowed time and that I would not have even this much time left without A.A. and the grace of God?

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

Am I going to make what time I have left count for A.A.?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Living In The Present

How easily our minds jump from the present to the failings of the past or our fears about the future. We need to practice, with diligence, returning our minds to whatever the experience is at hand. A truly creative response to any situation can only be made when we are giving it our undivided attention.

All we have of life, all that it can offer us is here, now. If we close our mind to the present, this present, we'll only continue to do so when the tomorrow we dream of now becomes the present. I need to let go of the past and the future. My only reality is here, now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spiritual Beliefs

We, who have traveled this dubious path, beg you to lay aside prejudice, even against organized religion. We have learned that whatever the human frailties of various faiths may be, those faiths have given purpose and direction to millions. People of faith have a logical idea of what life is all about. Actually, we used to have no reasonable conception whatsoever. We used to amuse ourselves by cynically dissecting spiritual beliefs and practices when we might have observed that many spiritually-minded persons of all races, colors, and creeds were demonstrating a degree of stability, happiness and usefulness which we should have sought for ourselves.

~ Author Unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance-that principle is contempt prior to investigation." ~ Herbert Spencer

[bluidkiti]

January 16

Prayer for Releasing the Past

Lord, my past is trying to consume my present. I am constantly reminded of it. It replays in my mind daily, like a broken record.

All the hurt, all the pain and all the suffering: I release it! Every grudge, the uneasy thoughts and all the negativity, I rebuke it!

All the fear, all the doubt and lack of faith, I curse it out! Every chain that binds me to my past shall be broken and I am set free.
Amen!

~ Cheryce Rampersad

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought


The way of A.A. is the way of service.

Without that, it would not work. We have been "on the wagon" and hated it. We have taken the pledge and waited for the time to be up with impatience. We have tried in all manner of ways to help ourselves. But not until we begin to help other people do we get full relief. It is an axiom that the A.A. program has to be given away in order to be kept. A river flows into the Dead Sea and stops. A river flows into a clear pool and flows out again. We get and then we give. If we do not give, we do not keep.

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

Have I given up all ideas of holding A.A. for myself alone?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Mature Living

Being in error now and then is part of our human existence. Many of us, however, feel unbearable self-reproach when we make a mistake. Some compulsive people even blame themselves for errors beyond their control.
But the worst mistake is the refusal, or denial, of responsibility for mistakes. This comes from a strange belief that we can erase the mistake by refusing to accept it. It may stem from the belief that we should be above mistakes. This is immature thinking.
We are learning and growing when we accept our mistakes graciously and immediately move to correct them. Most of the time, when this is done, the distress passes quickly and we can go on to other matters.
I'll take full responsibility for all of my actions today, and I'll move quickly to correct any of my mistakes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Desire

Each day that I try to have a desire to be sober and to remember to keep an open heart, love and help flow into me. These bounties are unlimited in A.A. if we are fortunate enough to have the desire.

Came to Believe page 51

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

“The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.” ~ Edward John Phelps

[bluidkiti]

January 17

Let Go of Pride Prayer

Dear Lord,
I want to believe I am not a prideful person…but the truth is I still wrestle with pride. Please help me to let go of pride. I pray for a humble heart. I pray I would not see myself as better than anyone. I pray I would not hinder others from helping just so I can receive praise for doing it all myself. I pray I would not let pride motivate me to argue with others. Instead I pray humility would lead me. I pray love would be my motivation not pride.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

Service to others makes the world a good place.

Civilization would cease if all of us were always and only for ourselves. We alcoholics have a wonderful opportunity to contribute to the well-being of the world. We have a common problem. We find a common answer. We are uniquely equipped to help others with the same problem. What a wonderful world it would be if everybody took his own greatest problem and found the answer to it and spent the rest of his life helping others with the same problem in his spare time. Soon we would have the right kind of a world.

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

Do I appreciate my unique opportunity to be of service?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Finding Happiness

We delude ourselves if we believe that our happiness and well-being will come when we reach a certain goal. Whatever happiness and well-being we obtain must come through the process of living in ordinary, everyday situations.
If we observe carefully, we'll find lots of happy people who are in situations or work that we might consider unpleasant. It is not the work or situation that creates happiness and fulfillment. What counts is the ATTITUDE toward it.
Those of us in 12 Step programs should have special insight into the issue of happiness. We tried to find it, here and now, in false ways. But it is available to us, here and now, in ordinary living.
I'll be happy today in knowing that I'm blessed with the ordinary tasks of life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pride

Some see pride as just a minor issue. I see pride, and resistance to change, as the deadliest character flaw every alcoholic deals with on a daily basis. The only answer I've ever found in dealing with such a high level of denial, is written about in the Big Book, and can be found in action at just about any AA meeting in the world.

From: The AA Grapevine, April 2014

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

"A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you. " ~ C.S. Lewis

[bluidkiti]

January 18

Serenity Prayer
(Full Version)

God, grant me the Serenity
To accept the things, I cannot change...
Courage to change the things I can,
And Wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace.
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it.
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His will.
That I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
Amen.

~ Reinhold Niebuhr
(Research suggests that Niebuhr wrote the prayer as part of a sermon he was giving)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

Two things can spoil group unity--gossip and criticism.

To avoid these divisive things, we must realize that we're all in the same boat. We're like a group of people in a life-boat after the vessel has sunk. If we're going to be saved, we've got to pull together. It's a matter of life or death for us. Gossip and criticism are sure ways of disrupting any A.A. group. We're all in A.A. to keep sober ourselves and to help each other to keep sober. And neither gossip nor criticism helps anyone to stay sober.

So ............
Am I guilty of gossip or criticism?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Release

We're promised a "new freedom" in the 12 Step program. How does this differ from the "old freedom" we've known?
The new freedom is an inner feeling of release from the bondage of compulsion. We are no longer serving as our own jailers. We are free from useless things that have held us back. Think of the burdens we had assumed by fearing others, by holding grudges, by having needless regrets.
This new freedom has nothing to do with political or civil liberties, which we hope to enjoy as our birthright. But nobody can give us freedom if we are locked into compulsions that bind us. We must seek the new freedom within ourselves.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A New Attitude

And we have ceased fighting anything or anyone - even alcohol. For by this time sanity will have returned. We will seldom be interested in liquor. If tempted, we recoil from it as from a hot flame. We react sanely and normally, and we will find that this has happened automatically. We will see that our new attitude toward liquor has been given us without any thought or effort on our part. It just comes! That is the miracle of it. We are not fighting it, neither are we avoiding temptation. 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 Pages 84-85

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

'The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power for good. Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom.” ~ James Allen

[bluidkiti]

January 19

Prayer When Confused

Lord, I desire to be clear-minded in a time when deceit and deception floods into my minds from so many quarters, and so I pray that you endow me with your wisdom, so that I may not be tossed about by the many winds of challenges and troubles of the world that can cause confusion, and distort the truth.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

Alcoholics recover their proper relationship with other people. They think less about themselves and more about others.

They try to help other alcoholics. They make new friends so that they're no longer lonely. They try to live a life of service instead of selfishness. All their relationships with other people have improved. They solve their personality problems by recovering their personal integrity, their faith in a Higher Power, and their way of fellowship and service to others.

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

Is my drink problem solved as long as my personality problem is solved?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Volunteering

The most precious time we will ever have we give away by doing volunteer chores to help others get more out of life. There is no material wage for this kind of work, but a host of emotional rewards.

What great humility this can bring to us, who live in a world where selfish people often insist on credit for all their deeds - often things they had nothing to do with.

All we need to do is think of all we have received without deserving it or asking for it. By taking part in the giving end of life, we find the true wealth of our own generosity.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fear

For all its usual destructiveness, we have found that fear can be the starting point for better things. Fear can be a stepping-stone to prudence and to a decent respect for others. It can point the path to justice, as well as to hate. And the more we have respect and justice, the more we shall begin to find the love which can suffer much, and yet be freely given. So fear need not always be destructive, because the lessons of its consequences can lead us to positive values.
~ Bill W.

The Language of the Heart, April 2014

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

"What goes around comes around. I will look for the opportunities to be kind and feel the results." ~ Karen Casey

[bluidkiti]

January 20

Prayer for Emotional Pain

Lord, I come to You today with distress and sadness in my soul.I feel darkness today like an oppressing cloud. I am exhausted and weary beyond belief.
Lord, I feel like You’re a thousand miles away! I feel helpless and my mind is in turmoil. I feel like I’m falling beneath the weight of everything.

Lord, I come to You for refuge, please keep me safe. When I am troubled by anxiety and fear, help me remember that You will guard me.
Bend down and listen to my plea for comfort and free me from this pain.
I cry out to You in my distress. Lord, I trust in You for protection from these fiery darts of pain and grief and hurt.

Lord, I know You hear my weeping. I thank You that You have heard my plea and that You will answer my prayer.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

Strength comes from honestly telling your own experiences with drinking.

In religion, they call it confession. We call it witnessing or sharing. You give a personal witness, you share your past experiences, the troubles you got into, the hospitals, the jails, the break-up of your home, the money wasted, the debts, and all the foolish things you did when you were drinking. This personal witness lets out the things you had kept hidden, brings them out into the open, and you find release and strength.

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

Am I receiving strength from my personal witnessing?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Change & Security

The specter of change builds dread in most of us. We fear the effects on our personal lives. We lack faith that the impending change will benefit us.

We long for permanence, believing it guarantees security, not realizing the only real security available to us comes with our trust in God, from whom all change comes as a blessing on the growth we've attained. If we were to experience total lack of change, we'd find death. Life is a challenge, continued change, always endurable and growth enhancing. We can reflect on what's gone before, and trust that which faces us now. Changes are gifts.

Change means I am progressing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unlimited Choice

Any number of alcoholics are bedeviled by the dire conviction that if they ever go near A.A. they will be pressured to conform to some particular brand of faith or theology.

They just don't realize that faith is never an imperative for A.A. membership. that sobriety can be achieved with an easily acceptable minimum of it, and that our concepts of a Higher Power and God--as we understand Him--afford everyone a nearly unlimited choice of spiritual belief and action.

As Bill Sees It Page 201

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” ~ William James

[bluidkiti]

January 21

Prayer to Accept Change

Lord, I don’t like change. I like newness, excitement and adventure; but, when it’s all said and done, I love to come home to the predictable and manageable—to my favorite chair and comfortable routines. So I need fresh grace to accept change, because there’s so much change going on everywhere I look.

Lord, I ask that your wisdom direct me to my guest for change. Help me to feel confident in the direction and make your will recognizable. Help me to have no doubt or confusion on the path I am choosing.
Amend

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

The identification that one alcoholic has with another is mysterious, spiritual--almost incomprehensible.

But it is there. I "feel" it. Today I feel that I can help people and that they can help me. It is a new and exciting feeling for me to care for someone; to care what they are feeling, hoping for, praying for; to know their sadness, joy, horror, sorrow, grief; to want to share those feelings so that someone can have relief. I never knew how to do this--or how to try. I never even cared.

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

The Fellowship of A.A., and God, are teaching me how to care about others.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Attitude

There's a saying that we have only one chance to make a good first impression. That's true, but we always have the opportunity to make good lasting impressions.
The secret of making good impressions is contained in one word: ATTITUDE. Whatever we really feel will be expressed to others as our true character and the impression we give will be authentically us.
The way to control the impressions we are making is simply to continue cultivating an attitude that's consistent with humility, acceptance, and graciousness. We should have others' best interests at heart without being meddlesome. We should be genuinely helpful.
This attitude will create any good impressions we need to make.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Freedom Through Acceptance

We admitted we couldn't lick alcohol with our own remaining resources, and so we accepted the further fact that dependence upon a Higher Power (if only our A.A. group) could do this hitherto impossible job. The moment we were able to accept these facts fully, our release from the alcohol compulsion had begun.

For most of us, this pair of acceptances had required a lot of exertion to achieve. Our whole treasured a lot of exertion to achieve. Our whole treasured philosophy of self-sufficiency had to be cast aside. This had not been done with sheer will power; it came instead as the result of developing the willingness to accept these new facts of living. We neither ran nor fought. But accept we did. And then we began to be free.

From the Grapevine March 1962

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

“A wise man adapts himself to circumstances, as water shapes itself to the vessel that contains it.”~ Chinese Proverb

[bluidkiti]

January 22

Obsession Prayer

Lord,
You have all the power to set me free from these chains of thoughts that obsess my mind.
I pray that this bondage which steals away my happiness and peace of mind be shattered right now.
Let Your power remove these evil thoughts and establish peace in my heart.
I commit my thoughts into Your mighty hands.
I thank You for relieving me from this obsession.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

One of the finest things about A.A. is the diversity of its membership.

We come from all walks and stations of life. All types and classes of people are represented in an A.A. group. Being different from each other in certain ways, we can each make a different contribution to the whole. Some of us are weak in one respect, but strong in another. A.A. can use the strong points of all its members and can disregard the weaknesses. A.A. is strong, not only because we all have the same problem, but also because of the diversified talents of its members. Each can contribute his part.

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

Do I recognize the good points of all my group's members?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Right Work

"You cannot change your type, but you can make yourself a brilliant success I that type," Wrote Emmet Fox. This is a reminder for people who are discontented with their lot in life, and this includes most people who participate in 12 Step programs.
There are many different TYPES of people, and all types are good. We only need t find where our type is required and then do our best in that place. We will have immediate advantages, because all of our energies and talents will then be applied in the right way.
We should never spend a moment envying other types of people who are brilliantly successful in their activities. Our happiness is to be found in our place, not theirs.
If I'm doing what's right for my type, I'll give it my very best. If I'm in the wrong place, I'll know that my Higher Power is guiding me toward the right outlet for my talents.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Growth

Growth and understanding came slowly, but they came steadily. And finally, I could feel gratitude for my sobriety -- for the saving grace of God. Now I feel totally free, because I know the truth about myself. . . I know that spiritual growth is a great, wide, beautiful thing and that I have only stepped up to the open door.

Came To Believe Page 94

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

"How simple it is to see that we can only be happy now, and there will never be a time when it is not now." ~ Gerald Jampolsky

[bluidkiti]

January 23

The Tolerance Prayer

Lord, give me tolerance towards those whose thoughts and ways conflict with mine. For though I would, I cannot always know what constitutes the Absolute Truth. The other person may be right, while I may be all wrong, yet unaware.

Lord, make my motives right, for only this can ease my conscience when I sometimes err.

Lord, give me tolerance, for who am I to stand in judgment on another person's mistakes? No one knows better than my inward self how many little blunders I have and can make.

Life is full of stones that somehow trip us, and meaning not, we stumble now and then.

Lord, give me tolerance, for only you are rightly fit to judge my fellow travelers.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

We should remember that all A.A.'s have "clay feet."

We should not set any member upon a pedestal and mark her or him out as a perfect A.A. Its not fair to the person to be singled out in this fashion and if the person is wise she or he will not wish it. If the person we single out as an ideal A.A. has a fall, we are in danger of falling, too. Without exception, we are all only one drink away from a drunk, no matter how long we have been in A.A. Nobody is entirely safe. A.A. itself should be our ideal, not any particular member of it.

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

Am I putting my trust in A.A. principles and not in any one member of the group?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Sensing Rejection

We laugh when a recovering person tells how he "learned to quit just before he got fired." We sometimes can tell when a rejection is coming, and we take steps.... such as quitting.. To avoid further pain and humiliation.
In the recovery process, there still may be times when we sense a coming rejection. If it does come, we must remember that rejection is part of living. People receive rejection for all sorts of reasons, including wrong ones.
When we sense any kind of a rejection in the works, our best course is to let it happen, accept it, and put it behind us. If we are living our program, we don't need to feel pain or humiliation, as rejection is simply part of normal human experience.
I'll try today to be as accepting as possible in everything I do. If others choose to reject me, I will also accept this without resentment or self-reproach.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New Beginning

I knew I had to have a new beginning, and this beginning had to be here. I had to let go of the past and forget the future. As long as I held on to the past with one hand and grabbed at the future with the other hand I had nothing to hold on to today with. So I had to begin here, now.

Came To Believe Page 46

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

"Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others. " ~ John F. Kennedy

[bluidkiti]

January 24

Just Today Lord

Lord,
I come to You today asking that you open the way for a deepening of my trust in You.
I give You my worries, my burdens and fears, confident that You will make something useful of them.
I give You all my hopes and dreams. Thank You for showing me what to do to make them come true.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

When we were drinking, we used to be ashamed of the past.

Remorse is terrible mental punishment: ashamed of ourselves for the things we've said and done, afraid to face people because of what they might think of us, afraid of the consequences of what we did when we were drunk. In A.A., we forget about the past. Do I believe that God has forgiven me for everything I've done in the past, no matter how black it was, provided I'm honestly trying to do the right thing today?

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

Am I ready to move on??

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Temperament

People with bad dispositions, like people with drinking problems, do not recognize how difficult they are. They accept their bad disposition as normal. Some people even declare proudly that they're in a bad mood until they've been awake several hours or had three cups of coffee.
We do not have to put up with a BAD DISPOSITION. If we find ourselves touchy or grumpy at times, we should immediately release this to our Higher Power. There is a better pattern of thought and feeling to replace anything that comes across to others as a bad disposition.
It's surprising to learn that we don't have to live with a bad disposition. What's even more surprising is that we'll also be happier and more relaxed without it.
A bad disposition, we learn, is just so much unnecessary baggage we don't have to carry.
I'll be relaxed and friendly at all times today. I have neither a need nor an excuse for a bad disposition.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spirit of the Universe

I had always believed in a Power greater than myself. I had often pondered these things. I was not an atheist. Few people really are, for that means blind faith in the strange proposition that this universe originated in a cipher and aimlessly rushes nowhere. My intellectual heroes, the chemists, the astronomers, even the evolutionists, suggested vast laws and forces at work. Despite contrary indications, I had little doubt that a mighty purpose and rhythm underlay all. How could there be so much of precise and immutable law, and no intelligence? I simply had to believe in a Spirit of the Universe, who knew neither time nor limitation. But that was as far as I had gone.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 10

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

“Change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.” ~ Tony Robbins

[bluidkiti]

January 25

Prayer For Peace & Joy

There are times, Lord, when I feel a deep sense of unrest.
Trials and tribulations beset me, and I do not know where to turn.
I pray that you will guide me in all ways and help me to make the best of the situation.
Help me to find happiness in the small things.
I pray that you bring me the peace and joy that I seek in life.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

When we were drinking, we used to worry about the future.

Worry is terrible mental punishment. What's going to become of me? Where will I end up? In the gutter or the sanitarium? We can see ourselves slipping, getting worse and worse, and we wonder what the finish will be. Sometimes we get so discouraged in thinking about the future that we toy with the idea of suicide.

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

In A.A., have I stopped worrying about the future?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Detaching with Love

Sometimes people we love do things we don't like or approve of. We react. They react. Before long, we're all reacting to each other, and the problem escalates.

When do we detach? When we're hooked into a reaction of anger, fear, guilt, or shame. When we get hooked into a power play - an attempt to control or force others to do something they don't want to do. When the way we're reacting isn't helping the other person or solving the problem. When the way we're reacting is hurting us It's time to detach when detachment appears to be the least likely, or possible, thing to do.

The first step toward detachment is understanding that reacting and controlling don't help. The next step is getting peaceful - getting centered and restoring our balance.

Take a walk. Leave the room. Take a long, hot bath. Call a friend. Call on God. Breathe deeply. Find peace. From that place of peace and centering will emerge an answer, a solution. I will surrender and trust that the answer is near.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pain-Healer

In every A.A. story, pain has been the price of admission into a new life. But this admission price purchased more than we expected. It led us to a measure of humility, which we soon discovered to be a healer of pain. We began to fear pain less, and desire humility more than ever.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 75

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

“Everyone wants happiness. No one wants pain. But you can't have a rainbow without a little rain." ~ Unknown Author

[bluidkiti]

January 26

Just for Today Prayer

May today there be peace within you.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities
that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received,
and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing that you are a child of God.
Let His presence settle into your bones,
and allow your soul the freedom to sing,
dance, and to bask in the sun.
It is there for each and every one of you.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

We have been given a new life just because we happened to become alcoholics.

We certainly don't deserve the new life that has been given us. There is little in our past to warrant the life we have now. Many people live good lives from their youth on, not getting into serious trouble, being well adjusted to life, and yet they have not found all that we drunks have found. We had the good fortune to find Alcoholics Anonymous and with it a new life. We are among the lucky few in the world who have learned a new way to live.

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

Am I deeply grateful for the new life that I have learned in A.A.?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

God's Name

It doesn't matter what name we use. No one name is ever fully adequate, and each of us has our own private way of trying to understand that which we can't ever understand fully. We give God names, which attempt to express what God means to us personally, what God does for us as individuals, and how we see ourselves in relation to God.

Could it also be true that other people can't be labeled and put into one box? Doing so limits them to one particular way of being understood, and it limits the ways we can get to know them. If we are all made in God's image, then we all deserve the freedom to be seen differently by different people.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Self-restraint

Nothing pays off like restraint of tongue and pen. We must avoid quick-tempered criticism and furious power-driven arguments. The same goes for silent scorn. These are emotional booby traps baited with pride and vengefulness. We can neither think nor act to good purpose until the habit of self-restraint has become automatic.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 91

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

“Just be honest with yourself. That opens the door.” ~ Vernon Howard

[bluidkiti]

January 27

Prayer to Start Today

Lord, thank you for this day.
I ask that You would guide my path today and, more specifically, my thoughts, words and actions.
Please be with me throughout the day and help me navigate whatever comes my way.
Most importantly, help me to reflect and live out my life in a way that reflects our will, not mine.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

I need the A.A. principles for the development of the buried life within me, that good life, which I had misplaced, but which I found again in this fellowship.

This life within me is developing slowly but surely, with many setbacks, many mistakes, many failures, but still developing. As long as I stick close to A.A., my life will go on developing, and I cannot yet know what it will be, but I know that it will be good. That's all I want to know. It will be good.

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

Am I thanking God for A.A.?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Courage

We pray for the courage to change the things we can. Making changes requires the courage to start out on a new, unknown course. Courage does not mean the elimination of fear. Courage means acting in spite of the fact that we are afraid.

It takes courage to learn to affirm one's rights as an individual, especially if the old way was to say yes to all demands and requests, reasonable and unreasonable. It takes courage to face the truth instead of continuing to live with comfortable illusions.

Sometimes courage comes when we are pressed to a wall of failure. There is nothing to do but turn around and step out in a new direction, even though we are afraid. The courage born of desperation can produce remarkable results.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Convinced

Practicing AA's Steps means the adoption of attitudes and actions that almost no alcoholic who is still drinking can dream of taking. The average alcoholic, self-centered in the extreme, doesn't care for this prospect -- unless he has to do these things in order to stay alive himself.

As Bill Sees It Page 118

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

"Pray not for lighter burdens but for stronger backs." ~ Theodore Roosevelt

[bluidkiti]

January 28

Assurance Prayer

Lord,
There are times when I have doubted my strength and my ability to do things.
I know that you have blessed me immensely with talent and a resilient heart.
Lord, I ask for your help as I pursue my dreams.
Multiply my confidence and help me believe that you have set me up for glory.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Just a Thought

A.A. may be human in its organization, but it is divine in its purpose.

The purpose is to point me toward God and the good life. My feet have been set upon the right path. I feel it in the depths of my being. I am going in the right direction. The future can be safely left to God. Whatever the future holds, it cannot be too much for me to bear. I have the Divine Power with me to carry me through everything that may happen.

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

Am I pointed toward God and the good life?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Panic

If panic strikes, we do not have to allow it to control our behaviors. Behaviors controlled by panic tend to be self-defeating. No matter what the situation or circumstance, panic is usually not a good foundation. No matter what the situation or circumstance, we usually have at least a moment to breathe deeply and restore our serenity and peace.

The healthy way of life we are seeking, is built on a foundation of peace and quiet confidence - in ourselves, in our God. Do not panic. That takes us away from the path. Relax. Breathe deeply. Let peace flow through our body and mind. From this base, our Source shall supply the necessary resources.

I will treat panic as a separate issue that needs immediate attention. I will refuse to allow panicky thoughts and feelings to motivate me. Instead, I will let peace and trust motivate my feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arrogance

I am a firm believer in both guidance and prayer. But I am fully aware, and humble enough, I hope, to see there may be nothing infallible about my guidance. The minute I figure I have got a perfectly clear pipeline to God, I have become egotistical enough to get into real trouble. Nobody can cause more needless grief than a power-driver who thinks he has got it straight from God.

As Bill Sees It Page 38

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote
"When you face your fear, most of the time you will discover that it was not really such a big threat after all." ~ Les Brown

[bluidkiti]

January 29

Prayer For Tough Times

Dear Lord,
Teach me to be content when I’m facing a bad day.
How easy it is to be happy when everything goes well.
How tough it is to remember my joy when one thing after another appears to defeat me.
Turn my frown into a smile. Tears into laughter.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

I am content to face the rest of my life without alcohol.

I have surrendered as gracefully as possible to the inevitable. I have made the great decision once and for all. I have no more reservations. Nothing can happen to me now that would justify my taking a drink. No death of a dear one. No great calamity in any area of my life should justify me in drinking. Even if I were on some desert isle, far from the rest of the world, but not far from God, should I ever feel it right to drink. For me, alcohol is out - period.

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

I will always be safe unless I take that first drink. Am I fully resigned to this fact?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Choices

In recovery, we regain our right to have choices, our right to have honest relationships. Do we claim these rights, or do we let them go by?
Sometimes, standing up for our rights will mean going against the crowd. It will mean turning down that drink when everyone else has one. It will mean telling your honest opinion when it's different from what others think. Being sober will mean, at times being different. Lots of times, we find being different hard. We want to fit in. This is normal.
But we don't stand alone. We have friends who will stand with us during hard times. We have a Higher Power who will guide and comfort us. We are people with rights. Let's work hard so nothing takes away our rights.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Honesty

I know the biggest word for me in AA is "honesty."
I don't believe this program would work for me if I didn't get honest with myself about everything.
Honesty is the easiest word for me to understand because it is the exact opposite of what I've been doing all my life.
Therefore, it will be the hardest to work on.
But I will never be totally honest -- that would make me perfect, and none of us can claim to be perfect.
Only God is.

Experience, Strength and Hope Pages 400-401

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

”Self-righteousness is a loud din raised to drown the voice of guilt within us.” ~ Eric Hoffer

[bluidkiti]

January 30

Prayer for Empathy

Lord,
May we come to recognize our own vulnerability and our longing to be healed.
As we encounter our own pain, let it deepen in us a capacity to feel for others.
Enlarge our souls, expand our minds, and soften our hearts towards all who suffer.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

If we allow an alcoholic thought to lodge in our minds for any length of time, we are in danger of having a slip.

Therefore, we must dispel such thoughts at once, by refusing their admittance and by immediately putting constructive thoughts in their place. Remember that alcohol is poison to you. Remember that it is impossible for you to drink normally. Remember that one drink will lead to others and you will eventually be drunk. Remember what happened to you in the past as a result of your drinking. Think of every reason you have learned in A.A. for not taking that drink. Fill your mind with constructive thoughts.

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

Am I keeping my thoughts constructive?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Talk

I know how to talk. I know how to sound good. I know how to convince a person of my good intentions --- indeed that was part of my manipulation for years.

Today I will try to walk the talk. I try to demonstrate what I say in the behavior I exhibit. The bottom line is action. Talking never stopped me from drinking --- my physical refusal of the first drink was the start of my recovery.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Change

It never occurred to us that we needed to change ourselves to meet conditions, whatever they were. But in AA we slowly learned that something had to be done about our vengeful resentments, self-pity, and unwarranted pride. . . We learned that if we were seriously disturbed, our first need was to quiet that disturbance, regardless of who or what we thought caused it.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 47

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote
"Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment." ~ Benjamin Franklin

[bluidkiti]

January 31

Prayer for Peace of Mind

Lord,
We ask you to give us all around peace in our mind, body, soul and spirit.
We want you to heal and remove everything that is causing stress, grief, and sorrow in our lives.
Please guide our path through life and make our enemies be at peace with us.
Let your peace reign in our family, at our place of work, businesses and everything we lay our hands on.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

The A.A. program is one of faith.

Because we find that we must have faith in a Power greater than ourselves if we are going to get sober. We're helpless before alcohol, but when we turn our drink problem over to God and have faith that He can give us all the strength we need, then we have the drink problem licked. Faith in that Divine Principle in the universe which we call God is the essential part of the A.A. program.

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

Is faith still strong in me?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Contemplation

Fear of Failure

It is often the fear of failure, which prevents us from attempting what we really want to do. Our past failures can undermine our confidence in our present abilities. For this reason, we need to let go of the past and be willing to try something new. For many of us, belief in a Higher Power is a new commitment. The fear that we will be disappointed sometimes blocks us from the wholehearted trust that such a commitment entails.

The fear of failure is best dealt with by living one day at a time. We can risk a small failure today; it is the large failure in the future that terrifies us. By taking a small step today, toward working on an important project, we build the confidence that we can eventually succeed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Word of Mouth

In my view, there isn't the slightest objection to groups who wish to remain strictly anonymous, or to people who think they would not like their membership in A.A. known at all. That is their business, and this is a very natural reaction. 'However, most people find that anonymity to this degree is not necessary, or even desirable. Once one is fairly sober, and sure of this, there seems no reason for failing to talk about A.A. membership in the right places. This has a tendency to bring in other people. Word of mouth is one of our most important communications. 'So we should criticize neither the people who wish to remain silent, nor even the people who wish to talk too much about belonging to A.A., provided they do not do so at the public level and thus compromise our whole Society.

Bill W., In Letter, 1962 (Grapevine)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Quote

"When we are feeling creatively blocked, it is usually our own fear that is creating that block." ~ Madelyn Taylor