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

We scarcely need to be reminded that excessive guilt or rebellion leads to spiritual poverty.
But it was a very long time before we knew we could go even more broke on spiritual pride.
When we early AAs got our first glimmer of how spiritually pride full we could be,
we coined this expression: "Don't try to get too damned good by Thursday!"
That old-time admonition may look like another of those handy alibis that can excuse

us from trying our best. Yet a closer view reveals just the contrary. This is our AA

way of warning against pride-blindness, and the imaginary perfection's that we do not possess.
Bill W., June 1961
c. 1988 AAGrapevine, The Language of the Heart, p. 255
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Thought to Consider . . .

Pride without gratitude is arrogance.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
S O B E R = Simply Observe Bill's Exemplary Recovery

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

Ideas

From "'Suggested' Steps":

"I remember my sponsor's answer when I told him that the Steps were 'suggested.' He replied that they are 'suggested' in the same way that, if you were to jump out of an airplane with a parachute, it is 'suggested' that you pull the ripcord to save your life. He pointed out that it was 'suggested' I practice the Twelve Steps, if I wanted to save my life."

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
DOING ANYTHING TO HELP

Offer him [the alcoholic] friendship and fellowship.

Tell him that if he wants to get well you will do anything to help.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, P. 95

I remember how attracted I was to the two men from A.A. who Twelfth-Stepped me. They said I could have what they had, with no conditions attached, that all I had to do was make my own decision to join them on the pathway to recovery. When I start convincing a newcomer to do things my way, I forget how helpful those two men were to me in their open-minded generosity.

©Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.©
*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
Random Quote - One Fellowship - Many Faiths

As a society we must never become so vain as to suppose that we are authors and inventors of a new religion. We will humbly reflect that every one of A.A.'s principles has been borrowed from ancient sources.

<<<>>>

A minister in Thailand wrote, "We took A.A.'s Twelve Steps to the largest Buddhist monastery in this province, and the head priest said, 'Why, these Steps are fine! For us as Buddhists, it might be slightly more acceptable if you had inserted the word 'good' in your Steps instead of 'God.' Nevertheless, you say that it is God as you understand Him, and that must certainly include the good. Yes, A.A.'s Twelve Steps will surely be accepted by the Buddhists around here.'"

<<<>>>

St. Louis old-timers recall how Father Edward Dowling helped start their group;

it turned out to be largely Protestant, but this fazed him not a bit.

A.A. COMES OF AGE - 1. p. 231 - 2. p. 81 - 3. p. 37
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"When ready, we say something like this: 'My Creator, I am now
willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that you
now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in
the way of my usefulness to you and my fellows. Grant me strength, as
I go out from here, to do your bidding. Amen.' We have then
completed Step Seven."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 76~
*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

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 we took our own greatest problem and found the answer to it and spent the rest of our lives helping others with the same problem in our spare time. Soon we would have the right kind of a world. Do I appreciate my unique opportunity to be of service?

Meditation for the Day

Today can be lived in the consciousness of God's contact, upholding you in all good thoughts, words, and deeds. If sometimes there seems to be a shadow on your life and you feel out of sorts, remember that this is not the withdrawal of God's presence, but only your own temporary unwillingness to realize it. The quiet gray days are the days for doing what you must do, but know that the consciousness of God's nearness will return and be with you again, when the gray days are past.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may face the dull days with courage.

I pray that I may have faith that the bright days will return.