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Freefly
Administrator
966 Posts |
 Posted - 04/20/2009 : 08:16:02 AM
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AA Thought for the Day
April 20, 2009
Circling the Globe
As we journeyed from land to land, it was the same everywhere.
In Britain we were accepted as Britons; in Ireland, we were one with the Irish.
Everywhere, everywhere it was the same.
. . . this was the forming of heart to heart in wonder, in joy,
and in everlasting gratitude.
Lois and I then knew that AA could circle the globe -- and it has!
- Bill W., October 1959
- The Language of the Heart, p. 295
Thought to Ponder . . .
Alcoholics Anonymous is the only place in the world
where you can walk into a room full of total strangers and reminisce.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
Healing, Enjoying, And Recovering Together.
Day by Day is the only way.... |
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Pamela7030
Moderator
800 Posts |
Posted - 04/21/2009 : 07:24:41 AM
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April 21, 2009
"When you are in fear you should remember to T.R.U.S.T. - Try Really Using Step Three."
When I first heard this quote a great release and calm came over me. It was as if I had let go of all the fear, dread, and self-pity I had been carrying. In an instant I shifted from my will to God's will, and the peace and comfort I felt reminded me, yet again, that it works when I become willing to work it.
There is so much power and wisdom in step three. It first reminds me that the peace and serenity I get from turning my will and life over to God is always just a decision away. I have the choice today of either staying in fear or of surrendering my will to the care of my Higher Power. And though often overlooked, the word "care" makes my decision easy.
After years of working this step, I have come to trust that God's will for me is always better than anything I can think of for myself. While in the grip of self-centered fear it may be sometimes hard to remember this, my experience is that when I really try working the third step my relief and release always comes.
Today my way out of fear is to T.R.U.S.T.
“Reach for the stars...You will at least end up among the clouds”
“Share your experience, strength, and hope with another and see the miracles transform your life!”
“To open your heart means risking it all – to experience great joy and profound sorrow.”
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.”
“Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness that most frightens us.”
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Freefly
Administrator
966 Posts |
Posted - 04/21/2009 : 10:44:47 AM
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AA Thought for the Day
April 21, 2009
The Journey
Words cannot begin to describe the feelings in my heart
as I sometimes ponder how much my life has changed, how far I've come,
and how much there is yet to discover.
And though I'm not sure where my journey may take me next,
I know I'll owe it to the grace of God and to three words of the Twelve Steps:
continue, improve, and practice.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 511
Thought to Ponder . . .
The journey is the destination.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
Accept, Begin, Continue.
Day by Day is the only way.... |
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Freefly
Administrator
966 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2009 : 08:39:50 AM
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AA Thought for the Day
April 22, 2009
Emotional Turmoil
My evolution in the AA program has taught me
that I must experience the inner change, however painful,
that eventually guides me from selfishness to selflessness.
If I am to have serenity, I must STEP my way past emotional turmoil
and its subsequent hangover,
and be grateful for continuing spiritual progress.
- Daily Reflections, p. 285
Thought to Ponder . . .
Serenity is not the absence of conflict but the ability to cope with it.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
Honesty, Open-mindedness, Willingness.
Day by Day is the only way.... |
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Pamela7030
Moderator
800 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2009 : 08:54:28 AM
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April 23, 2009............................Amends and Sponsors
“We want to be free of our guilt, but we don’t wish to do so at the expense of anyone else.”
Basic Text, p. 39
Let’s face it: Most of us left trails of destruction in our wakes and harmed anyone who got in our way. Some of the people we hurt most in our addiction were the people we loved most. In an effort to purge ourselves of the guilt we feel for what we’ve done, we may be tempted to share with our loved ones, in gruesome detail, things that are better left unsaid. Such disclosures could do much harm and may do little good.
The Ninth Step is not about easing our guilty consciences; it’s about taking responsibly for the wrongs we’ve done. In working our Eighth and Ninth Steps, we should seek the guidance of our sponsor and amend our wrongs in a manner that won’t cause us to owe more amends. We are not just seeking freedom from remorse –we are seeking freedom from our defects. We never again want to inflict harm on our loved ones. One way to insure that we do not is by working the Ninth Step responsibly, checking our motives, and discussing with our sponsor the particular amends we plan to make before we make them.
Just for Today: I wish to accept responsibility for my actions. Before making any amends, I will talk with my sponsor.
Just For Today, Page 149
“Reach for the stars...You will at least end up among the clouds”
“Share your experience, strength, and hope with another and see the miracles transform your life!”
“To open your heart means risking it all – to experience great joy and profound sorrow.”
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.”
“Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness that most frightens us.”
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Edited by - Pamela7030 on 04/23/2009 08:55:34 AM |
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Pamela7030
Moderator
800 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2009 : 09:06:29 AM
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April 23, 2009................................A God Of Our Own Understanding
“Many of us understand God to be simply whatever force keeps us clean.”
Basic Text, P. 25
Some of us enter recovery with a working understanding of a Higher Power. For a lot of us, however, “God” is a troublesome word. We may doubt the existence of any sort of Power greater than ourselves. Or we may remember uncomfortable experiences with religion and shy away from “the God stuff.”
Starting over in recovery means we can start over in our spiritual life, too. If we’re not comfortable with what we learned when we were growing up, we can try a different approach to our spirituality. We don’t have to understand everything all at once or find the answers to all our questions right away. Sometimes it’s enough to know that other NA members believe and that their belief helps keep them clean.
Just for today: All I have to know right now about my Higher Power is that it is the Power that helps keep me clean.
Just For Today, Page 117
“Reach for the stars...You will at least end up among the clouds”
“Share your experience, strength, and hope with another and see the miracles transform your life!”
“To open your heart means risking it all – to experience great joy and profound sorrow.”
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.”
“Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness that most frightens us.”
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Freefly
Administrator
966 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2009 : 2:03:52 PM
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AA Thought for the Day
April 23, 2009
Listening
For weeks I sat in the back of the rooms,
silent when others shared their experience, strength, and hope.
I listened to their stories and found so many areas where we overlapped --
not all of the deeds, but the feelings of remorse and hopelessness.
I learned that alcoholism isn't a sin, it's a disease.
That lifted the guilt I had felt.
I learned that I didn't have to stop drinking forever,
but just not pick up that first drink one day, one hour at a time.
I could manage that.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 344
Thought to Ponder . . .
Learn to listen; listen to learn.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
Hearing Other People's Experience.
Day by Day is the only way.... |
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Freefly
Administrator
966 Posts |
Posted - 04/24/2009 : 08:26:23 AM
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AA Thought for the Day
April 24, 2009
Promises
No matter how far down the scale we have gone,
we will see how our experience can benefit others.
That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear. . .
We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us
what we could not do for ourselves.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 84
Thought to Ponder . . .
Reliance on God enables me to match calamity with serenity.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
Always Aware.
Day by Day is the only way.... |
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Freefly
Administrator
966 Posts |
Posted - 04/25/2009 : 08:15:04 AM
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AA Thought for the Day
April 25, 2009
Hanging Together
To those now in its fold, Alcoholics Anonymous
has made the difference between misery and sobriety,
and often the difference between life and death.
AA can, of course, mean just as much to uncounted alcoholics not yet reached.
Therefore, no society of men and women ever had a more urgent need
for continuous effectiveness and permanent unity.
We alcoholics see that we must work together and hang together,
else most of us will finally die alone.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 561
Thought to Ponder . . .
Together we can do what we could never do alone.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
United Spirits.
Day by Day is the only way.... |
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Freefly
Administrator
966 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2009 : 07:43:48 AM
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AA Thought for the Day
April 26, 2009
Powerlessness
I did not know that it was physically impossible for me to drink moderately.
I did not know that my body's drinking machinery had worn out,
and that the parts could not be replaced.
I did not know that just one drink made it impossible for me to control
my behavior and conduct and my future drinking.
I did not know, in short, that I was powerless over alcohol.
My family and my friends sensed or knew these things about me
long before I did.
- Experience, Strength and Hope, p. 153
Thought to Ponder . . .
When we try to control our drinking, we have already lost control.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
Absolute Abstinence.
Day by Day is the only way.... |
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Pamela7030
Moderator
800 Posts |
Posted - 04/27/2009 : 08:27:49 AM
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April 27...................................................Embracing reality
“Recovery is a reality for us today.”
Basic Text, p. 97
Pain and misery were realities in our using lives. We were unwilling either to accept our living situation or to change what was unacceptable in our lives. We attempted to escape life’s pain by taking drugs, but using only compounded out troubles. Our altered sense of reality became a nightmare.
Through living the program of Narcotics Anonymous, we learn that our dreams can replace our nightmares. We grow and change. We acquire the freedom of choice. We are able to give and receive love. We can share honestly about ourselves, no loner magnifying or minimizing the truth. We accept the challenges real life offers us, facing them in a mature, responsible way.
Although recovery does not give us immunity from the realities of life, in the NA Fellowship we can find the support, genuine care, and concern we need to face those realities. We need never hide from reality by using drugs again, for our unity with other recovering addicts gives us strength. Today, the support, the care, and the empathy of recovery give us a clean, clear window through which to view, experience, and appreciate reality as it is.
Just for today: A gift of my recovery is living and enjoying life as it truly is. Today, I will embrace reality.
Just For Today, Page 119
“Reach for the stars...You will at least end up among the clouds”
“Share your experience, strength, and hope with another and see the miracles transform your life!”
“To open your heart means risking it all – to experience great joy and profound sorrow.”
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.”
“Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness that most frightens us.”
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| Information in this forum is not monitored or provided by a medical professional. The information reflects member opinions only. Do not act on advice from these forums without first consulting a qualified medical professional. All content is copyrighted and protected by Aelius Group. |
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Freefly
Administrator
966 Posts |
Posted - 04/27/2009 : 11:08:12 AM
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AA Thought for the Day
April 27, 2009
Staying Sober
Somewhat to our surprise, staying sober turns out to be not the grim,
wet-blanket experience we had expected!
While we were drinking, a life without alcohol seemed like no life at all.
But for most members of AA, living sober is really living --
a joyous experience.
We much prefer it to the troubles we had with drinking.
One more note: anyone can get sober. We have all done it lots of times.
The trick is to stay and to live sober.
- Living Sober, Preface
Thought to Ponder . . .
I am worth staying sober for.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
Always Alive.
Day by Day is the only way.... |
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Pamela7030
Moderator
800 Posts |
Posted - 04/28/2009 : 07:33:31 AM
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April 29, 2009
"I may not always know what God's will is, but I ALWAYS know what His will is NOT."
In the beginning of my recovery, I had a hard time figuring out what God's will for me might be. It helped a little when my sponsor explained that turning my "will and my life" over meant my thoughts and my actions, but listening for and understanding what direction He wanted me to take left me confused and frustrated.
As I continued to struggle with this, I heard today's quote and I suddenly had my answer. I have found that when I'm considering many courses of action or trying to make a decision, instead of wondering which one would be in alignment with God's will it's much easier to ask which ones are clearly not His will. If I'm honest and able to put self-seeking aside, the answer is always clear.
It's kind of like when I pull up to a four way stop sign and look around wondering who's turn is next. While I may not know for sure what I do know is that it's not my turn. It's the same thing with figuring out God's will today. Any choice that puts my wants and needs first is not God's will.
Once I've identified those, it's easy to decide which actions or decisions to make.
wisdomoftherooms.com
“Reach for the stars...You will at least end up among the clouds”
“Share your experience, strength, and hope with another and see the miracles transform your life!”
“To open your heart means risking it all – to experience great joy and profound sorrow.”
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.”
“Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness that most frightens us.”
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Freefly
Administrator
966 Posts |
Posted - 04/28/2009 : 10:21:37 AM
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AA Thought for the Day
April 28, 2009
Keeping Promises
We in AA know what it is like to be addicted to alcohol,
and to be unable to keep promises made to others and ourselves
that we will stop drinking.
We are not professional therapists.
Our only qualification for helping others to recover from alcoholism
is that we have stopped drinking ourselves,
but problem drinkers coming to us know that
recovery is possible because they see people who have done it.
- A Newcomer Asks..., AA Pamphlet P-24
Thought to Ponder . . .
Recovery is not an event; it is a process.
related 'Alconym' . . .
Start Talking About Recovery.
Day by Day is the only way.... |
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Freefly
Administrator
966 Posts |
Posted - 04/29/2009 : 08:46:27 AM
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AA Thought for the Day
April 29, 2009
Commitment and Service
Commitment and service were part of my recovery.
I was told that to keep it we have to give it away.
At first I made the coffee and later volunteered at the inter group office
answering telephones on the evening shift.
I went on Twelfth Step calls, spoke at meetings, served as group officer.
Ever so gradually I began to open.
Just a crack at first, with my hand on the door
ready to slam it shut in a moment of fear. But my fears subsided too.
I found that I could be there, open to all kinds of people
from this solid base that we shared.
Then I began to go back out into the world, carrying that strength with me.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 345
Thought to Ponder . . .
Service is gratitude in action.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
Alcoholics Anonymous Recovery Unity Service.
Day by Day is the only way.... |
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