~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~
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(   \ (AA)/   )
(_   /AA\ _)
  /AA\
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Simplicity
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"A willingness to do whatever I was told to do simplified the program for me.
Study the AA book - don't just read it. They told me to go to meetings,
and I still do at every available opportunity, whether I am at home or in some other city.
Attending meetings has never been a chore for me. Nor have I attended them with a feeling
of just doing my duty. Meetings are both relaxing and refreshing to me
after a hard day. They said 'Get active," so I helped whenever I could, and still do."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 381
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Thought to Consider . . .

The ankle-biters of everyday struggles will eat away at me
unless I go to meetings and share.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A C T I O N =  Any Change Toward Improving One's Nature

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

Steps

From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":

"It might be a long time before readers of the book in distant places and lands could be personally contacted. Therefore our literature would have to be as clear and comprehensive as possible. Our steps would have to be more explicit. There must not be a single loophole through which the rationalizing alcoholic could wiggle out.

"Finally I [Bill W.] started to write. I set out to draft more than six steps; how many more I did not know.

I relaxed and asked for guidance. With a speed that was astonishing, considering my jangling emotions,

I completed the first draft. It took perhaps half an hour. The words kept right on coming.

When I reached a stopping point, I numbered the new steps. They added up to twelve."

2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pg. 161

*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*~*
A NEW DIRECTION

Our human resources, as marshalled by the will, were not sufficient; they
failed utterly. . . Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God's
will into all our activities. 

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS,  p.45,85

I hear talk of the "weak-willed" alcoholic, but I am one of the
strongest-willed people on earth!  I now know that my incredible strength of
will is not enough to save my life.  My problem is not one of "weakness," but
rather of direction.  When I, without falsely diminishing myself, accept my
honest limitations and turn to God's guidance, my worst faults become my
greatest assets.  My strong will, rightly directed, keeps me working until
the promises of the program become my daily reality.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.

*~*~*~*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*~*~*~*
"The Only Requirement. . ."

In Tradition Three, A.A. is really saying to every serious drinker, "You are
an A.A. member if you say so. You can declare yourself in; nobody can keep
you out. No matter how low you've gone, no matter how grave your emotional complications--even your crimes--we don't want to keep you out. We just want to be sure that you get the same chance for sobriety that we've had."
<<<>>>
We do not wish to deny anyone his chance to recover from alcoholism.

We wish to be just as inclusive as we can. never exclusive.

1. TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 139
2. GRAPEVINE, AUGUST 1946
*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*
"Those having religious affiliations will find here nothing
disturbing to their beliefs or ceremonies. There is no friction
among us over such matters."

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, Page 28~


*~*~*~*^Twenty Four Hours A Day^*~*~*~*
A.A. Thought for the Day

Until we came into A.A. most of us had tried desperately
to stop drinking. We were filled with the delusion that we
could drink like our friends. We tried time and again to
take it or leave it, but we could do neither. We always
lapsed into ceaseless, unhappy drinking. Families, friends,
and employers threw up their hands in hurt bewilderment,
in despair, and finally in disgust. We wanted to stop. We
realized that every reason for drinking was only a crazy
excuse. Have I given up every excuse for drinking.?

Meditation for the Day

Many things can upset you and you can easily get off the
track. But remember that God is near you all the time,
ready to help you if you call on Him. You cannot forever
stand against God's will for you, nor can you, forever
upset God's plan for your life, even though Gods plan may
be postponed by your willfulness and deliberate choice of
evil. A whole world of men and women cannot permanently
change God's laws nor His purpose for the universe. The sea
of life may look very rough to us, but we can believe that
our Captain steers the boat on a straight course.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may try to steer a straight course.

I pray that I may accept God's direction in my life's journey.