~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Expectations
"My
serenity is inversely proportional to
my expectations.
The higher my
expectations of other people are, the lower is my serenity.
I can watch my serenity
level rise when
I discard my expectations.
But then my 'rights' try
to move in, and
they, too, can force my serenity level down.
I have to discard my
'rights,' as
well as my expectations, by asking myself,
'How important is it,
really? How
important is it compared to my serenity,
my emotional sobriety?'
And when I place more
value on my serenity and sobriety
than on anything else,
I can maintain them at a
higher level-- at
least for the time being."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition p. 452
Thought to Consider . . .
Lower
your standards and improve your program.
*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
GRACE
Gently Releasing All Conscious Expectations
*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*
Popular
From
When A.A. Came of Age:
At this point the Cleveland Plain Dealer ran a series of pieces
that ushered in a new period for Alcoholics Anonymous, the era of mass
production of sobriety. Elrick B. Davis, a feature
writer of deep understanding, was the author of a series of articles that were
printed in the middle of the Plain Dealer's editorial page, and these
were accompanied every two or three days by red-hot blasts from the editors
themselves. In effect, the Plain Dealer was saying, Alcoholics Anonymous
is good, and it works. Come and get it.
The newspaper's
switchboard was deluged. Day and night, the calls were relayed to [early
members] Clarence and Dorothy and from them to members of their little group.
2001
AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pg. 20
*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
HAPPINESS IS NOT THE POINT
I
don't think happiness or unhappiness is the point. How do we meet the
problems we face? How do we best learn from them and transmit what we have
learned to others, if they would receive the knowledge?
AS BILL SEES IT, p. 306
In
my search "to be happy," I changed jobs, married and divorced, took
geographical cures, and ran myself into debt-financially, emotionally and
spiritually. In A.A., I'm learning to grow up. Instead of demanding
that people, places and things make me happy, I can ask God for
self-acceptance. When a problem overwhelms me, A.A.'s Twelve Steps will
help me grow through the pain. The knowledge I gain can be a gift to
others who suffer with the same problem. As Bill said, "When pain
comes, we are expected to learn from it willingly, and help others to
learn. When happiness comes, we accept it as a gift, and thank God for
it." (As Bill Sees It, p. 306)
Copyright
1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Each Man's Vision
"Beyond
a Higher Power, as each of us may vision Him, A.A. must never, as a society,
enter the field of dogma or theology. We can never become a religion in that sense,
lest we kill usefulness by getting bogged down in theological contention."
<<<>>>
"The really amazing
fact about A.A. is that all religions see in our program a resemblance to
themselves. For example, Catholic theologians declare our Twelve Steps to be in
exact accord with their Ignatian Exercises for
Retreat, and though our book reeks of sin, sickness, and death, the Christian
Science Monitor
has often praised it editorially.
"Now, looking
through Quaker eyes, you, too, see us favorably. What happy circumstances,
these!"
1. LETTER, 1954
2. LETTER, 1950
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"Next, we decided that hereafter in this drama of life, God
was going
to be our Director. He
is the Principal; we are His agents. He is
the Father, and we are
His children. Most good ideas are simple, and
this concept was the
keystone of the new and triumphant arch through
which we passed to
freedom."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 62~
*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day
The A.A. program is one of submission, release, and action. When
were drinking, we're submitting to a power greater than ourselves, liquor. Our
own wills are no use against the power of liquor. One drink and we're sunk. in A.A. we stop submitting to the power of liquor. Instead,
we submit to a Power, also greater than ourselves, which we call God. Have I
submitted myself to that Higher Power?
Meditation for the Day
Ceaseless activity is not God's plan for your life. Times of
withdrawal for renewed strength are always necessary. Wait for the faintest
tremor of fear and stop all work, everything, and rest before God until you are
strong again. Deal in the same way with all tired feelings. Then you need rest
of body and renewal of spirit force.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that God's spirit may be my master always.
I pray that I may learn how to rest and listen, as well as how to work