~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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Growing Pains
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"How
to translate a right mental conviction into a right emotional result,
and so into easy, happy, and good living - well, that's not only the
neurotic's problem,
it's the problem of life itself for all of us who have got to the point
of real willingness to hew to right principles. Even then, as we hew away,
peace and joy may still elude us.
That's the place so many of us AA oldsters have come to. And it's a
hell of a spot, literally."
- Bill W.
1988AAGrapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 237
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Thought to Consider . . .
Minds are like parachutes -
they won't work unless they're open.
*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
S O B E R = Simply Observe Bill's Exemplary
Recovery
*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*
Reactions to Money
Tradition
Seven: Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside
contributions.
Alcoholics are
certainly all-or-nothing people. Our reactions to money prove this. As A.A.
emerged from its infancy into adolescence, we swung from the idea that we
needed vast sums of money to the notion that A.A. shouldn’t have any. On every
lip were the words “You can’t mix A.A. and money. We shall have to separate the
spiritual from the material.” We took this violent new tack because here and
there members had tried to make money out of their A.A. connections, and we
feared we’d be exploited. Now and then, grateful benefactors had endowed
clubhouses, and as a result there was sometimes outside interference in our affairs. We had
been presented with a hospital, and almost immediately the donor’s son became
its principal patient and would-be manager. One A.A. group was given five
thousand dollars to do with what it would. The hassle over that chunk of money
played havoc for years. Frightened by these complications, some groups refused
to have a cent in their treasuries.
1981,
AAWS, Inc., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page 161
*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
A LOOK BACKWARD
First, we take a look backward
and try to discover where we have been at fault; next we make a vigorous
attempt to repair the damage we have done; . . .
TWELVE STEPS AND
TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 77
As a traveler on a fresh and
exciting A.A. journey of recovery, I experienced a newfound peace of mind
and the horizon appeared clear and bright, rather than obscure and dim.
Reviewing my life to discover where I had been at fault seemed to be such an arduous
and dangerous task. It was painful to pause and look backward. I
was afraid I might stumble! Couldn't I put the past out of my mind and
just live in my new golden present? I realized that those in the past
whom I had harmed stood between me and my desire to continue my movement toward
serenity. I had to ask for courage to face those persons from my life who
still lived in my conscience, to recognize and deal with the guilt that their
presence produced in me. I had to look at the damage I had done, and
become willing to make amends. Only then could my journey of the spirit
resume.
Copyright 1990
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Leadership
in A.A.
No society can function well without
able leadership at all its levels, and
A.A. can be no exception. But we A.A.'s sometimes cherish the thought
that we can do without much personal leadership at all. We are apt to warp the
traditional idea of "principles before personalities" around to such
a point that there would be no "personality" in leadership whatever.
This would imply rather faceless robots trying to please everybody.
A leader in A.A. service is a man (or woman) who can personally put
principles, plans, and policies into such dedicated and effective action that the
rest of us naturally want to back him up and help him with his job. When a
leader power drives us badly, we rebel; but when he too meekly becomes an
order-taker and he exercises no judgment of his own -- well, he really isn't a
leader at all.
TWELVE CONCEPTS,
pp. 39, 40
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"The fact is that most
alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost
the power of choice in drink. Our so-called will power becomes
practically nonexistent. We are unable, at certain times, to bring
into our consciousness with sufficient force the memory of the
suffering and humiliation of even a week or a month ago. We are
without defense against the first drink."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg.
24~
*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought for
the Day
"There was nothing left for us but to pick up the simple kit of
spiritual tools laid at our feet by Alcoholics Anonymous. By doing so, we have
a spiritual experience which revolutionizes our whole attitude toward life,
toward others, and toward God's universe. The central fact of our lives today
is the absolute certainty that our Creator has entered into our hearts and
lives there in a way that is indeed miraculous. He has commenced to accomplish
those things for us that we could never do for ourselves." Have I let God
come into my life?
Meditation for the Day
The moment a thing seems wrong to you or a person's actions to be not
what you think they should be, at that moment begins your obligation and responsibility
to pray for those wrongs to be righted or that person to be changed. What is
wrong in your surroundings or in the people you know? Think about these things
and make these matters your responsibility. Not to interfere or be a busybody,
but to pray that a change may come through your influence. You may see lives
altered and evils banished in time. You can become a force for good wherever
you are.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may be a co-worker with God.
I pray that I may help people by my example