AA Thoughts For Today - June

[bluidkiti]

AA Thought for the Day

June 13

Self-Will

So our troubles, we think, are basically of our own making. They arise out
of ourselves, and the alcoholic is an extreme example of self-will run riot,
though he usually doesn't think so. Above everything, we alcoholics must
be rid of this selfishness. We must, or it kills us! God makes that possible.
And there often seems no way of entirely getting rid of self without His aid.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (How It Works) p. 62

Thought to Ponder
The smallest package in the world is an alcoholic all wrapped up in himself.

AA-related 'Alconym'
W I S D O M = When Into Self, Discover Our Motives.

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

Change
"How many of us would presume to declare,
'Well, I'm sober and I'm happy.
What more can I want, or do? I'm fine the way I am.'
We know that the price of such self-satisfaction is
an inevitable backslide,
punctuated at some point by a very rude awakening.
We have to grow or else deteriorate.
For us, the status quo can only be for today,
never for tomorrow.
Change we must; we cannot stand still."
Bill W., Grapevine, February 1961
1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 25

Thought to Consider . . .
There are only two things an alcoholic doesn't like -
the way things are, and change.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
C H A N G E = Choosing Honesty Allows New Growth Every day

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

Future
From "Heard at Meetings":
"'It is wise to pray for the future, but not to worry about it, because we can't live it until it becomes the present. The depth
of our anxiety measures the distance we are from God.' - Sydney, Australia"
1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 26

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

"The compulsion among most of us to survive and to grow soon becomes far stronger than the temptation to drink, or
to misbehave. Literally, we must 'do or die.' So we make the choice to live. This, in turn, means the choice of AA
principles, practices and attitudes that can salvage us from total disaster by insuring our sobriety."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., May 1960
"What Is Freedom in AA?"
The Language of the Heart

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

"Actually we were fooling ourselves, for deep down in every man,
woman, and child, is the fundamental idea of God. It may be obscured
by calamity, by pomp, by worship of other things, but in some form
or other it is there. For faith in a Power greater than ourselves, and
miraculous demonstrations of that power in human lives, are facts as
old as man himself."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 55~

"Cessation of drinking is but the first step away from a highly
strained, abnormal condition."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 122~

We have gained some understanding of the ancient words ‘Freely ye have received, freely give.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 166

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

The practice of admitting one's defects to another person is, of course, very ancient. It has been validated in every
century, and it characterizes the lives of all spiritually centered and truly religious people.
But today religion is by no means the sole advocate of this saving principle. Psychiatrists and psychologists point out
the deep need every human being has for practical insight and knowledge of his own personality flaws and for a
discussion of them with an understanding and trustworthy person.
So far as alcoholics are concerned, A.A. would go even further. Most of us would declare that without a fearless
admission of our defects to another human being, we could not stay sober. It seems plain that the grace of God will not
enter to expel our destructive obsessions until we are willing to try this.

Prayer For The Day: “A Prayer During Times Of Fear” - Father, You want us to have peace instead of fear. Therefore You speak to our hearts many times, “Fear not” and give us many reasons why we are not to be fearful people. The most compelling reason that we need not fear is that You promise never to leave us nor forsake us. You are our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. So we ask that You embolden us and fill our hearts with courage in place of fear. As someone once said, “Courage is fear that has said its prayers.”