AA Thoughts For Today - June

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AA Thought for the Day

June 9

Sincerely Trying to Grow

"This is the Step that separates the men from the boys." So declares a well-loved
clergyman who happens to be one of A.A.'s greatest friends. He goes on to explain
that any person capable of enough willingness and honesty to try repeatedly Step
Six on all his faults—without any reservations whatever—has indeed come a long
way spiritually, and is therefore entitled to be called a man who is sincerely trying
to grow in the image and likeness of his own Creator.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Six) p. 63

Thought to Ponder . . .
Motivation may get you going, but discipline keeps you growing.

AA-related 'Alconym'
A G O = Another Growth Opportunity.

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

Wants or Needs?
"We are taught to differentiate between our wants
(which are never satisfied)
and our needs (which are always provided for).
We cast off the burdens of the past
and the anxieties of the future,
as we begin to live in the present, one day at a time.
We are granted
'the serenity to accept the things we cannot change'
- and thus lose our quickness to anger
and our sensitivity to criticism."
1976 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 560

Thought to consider ...
Don't give up before the miracle happens.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
S T E P S = Solutions To Every Problem in Sobriety

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

Doubt
From "We Agnostics":
"Its main object is to enable you to find a Power greater than yourself which will solve your problem. That means we
have written a book which we believe to be spiritual as well as moral. And it means, of course, that we are going to talk
about God. Here difficulty arises with agnostics. Many times we talk to a new man and watch his hope rise as we
discuss his alcoholic problems and explain our fellowship. But his face falls when we speak of spiritual matters,
especially when we mention God, for we have re-opened a subject which our man thought he had neatly evaded or
entirely ignored. "We know how he feels. We have shared his honest doubt and prejudice."
2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 44

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

"I can change my viewpoint anytime I want to. I can look at things from down, by lying back and waiting for someone to
rescue me. Or I can stand tall and look at the way things are as the way they're meant to be."
York Harbor, Maine, September 1994
"Attitude Adjustment,"
AA Grapevine

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

"We found that as soon as we were able to lay aside prejudice and
express even a willingness to believe in a Power greater than
ourselves, we commenced to get results, even though it was impossible
for any of us to fully define or comprehend that Power, which is God."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 46~

"Let no alcoholic say he cannot recover unless he has his family
back. This just isn't so. In some cases the wife will never come
back for one reason or another. Remind the prospect that his
recovery is not dependent upon people. It is dependent upon his
relationship with God. We have seen men get well whose families have
not returned at all. We have seen others slip when the family came
back too soon."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 99~

We had lacked the perspective to see that character-building and spiritual values had to come first, and that material
satisfactions were not the purpose of living.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 71

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

We alcoholics are the biggest rationalizers in the world. Fortified with the excuse that we are doing great things for A.A.,
we can, through broken anonymity, resume our old and disastrous pursuit of personal power and prestige, public
honors, and money--the same implacable urges that, when frustrated, once caused us to drink.
Dr. Bob was essentially a far more humble person than I, and anonymity came rather easily to him. When it was sure
that he was mortally afflicted, some of his friends suggested that there should be a monument erected in honor of him
and his wife, Anne--befitting a founder and his lady. Telling me about this, Dr. Bob grinned broadly and said, 'God bless
'em. They mean well. But let's you and me get buried just like other folks.'
In the Akron cemetery where Dr. Bob and Anne lie, the simple stone says not a word about A.A. This final example of
self-effacement is of more permanent worth to A.A. than any amount of public attention or any great monument.

Prayer For The Day: Lord our God, may I learn to treat others generously, with respect, and with care and understanding, that we may all bring out the best in one another. Amen.