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A Prayer & Some Thoughts - July
July 1
Prayer When You Feel Rushed God, Give us the strength we need to say no to the temptation of trying to do it all. Help us to use your wisdom in every decision, allowing you to work out the details, instead of trying to do things all on our own. Forgive us, Lord, for not trusting you enough, for truly, that’s the root of our constant striving. Help us to remember that all things are possible with you, and you are able to do in just a moment, what would take us years to work out on our own. Please help us when we struggle. Amen ~ Charles Van Gath ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Participating in a meeting helps more than ourselves. If we get up in a meeting and say something about ourselves in order to help the other person, we feel a whole lot better. It's the old law of the more you give the more you get. Witnessing and confession are part of keeping sober. You never know when you may help somebody. Helping others is one of the best ways to stay sober yourself. And the satisfaction you get out of helping a fellow human being is one of the finest experiences you can have. So ............ Am I helping others? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Power In Step One, we accept our powerlessness over alcohol. But we are powerless over many parts of life. We are powerless over other people. We are powerless over what our HP has planned for us. Before recovery, we only believed in control. We tried to control everything. We fought against a basic truth, the truth that we are powerless over much of life. When we accept this truth, we begin to see what power we do have. We have the power to make choices. When we're lonely, we have the power to reach out to others. We have power over how we live our own lives. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A Possibility The idea that religion and spirituality were not one and the same was a new notion. My sponsor asked that I merely remain open-minded to the possibility that there was a Power greater than myself, one of my own understanding. . . Reluctantly, I opened my mind to the fact that maybe, just maybe, there was something to this spiritual lifestyle. Slowly but surely, I realized there was indeed a Power greater than myself. Alcoholics Anonymous Page 287 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Sometimes we are so busy adding up our troubles that we forget to count our blessings.” ~ Mike Bree |
July 3
Prayer to Battle Depression Lord, Help me to see if there is something physical that is causing my depression. Help me to sift through my circumstances to see if there is a need for change in some way. If I am experiencing depression as a result of a spiritual battle, please bring that to light and show me the best way to fight that battle. Today I surrender my depression to you and ask that you give me power and peace to win this battle once and for all. When my thoughts begin to spiral, may your promises and blessings bring healing. Amen ~ Adrian Rogers ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought One of the finest things about A.A. is the sharing. Sharing is a wonderful thing because the more you share the more you have. In our old drinking days, we didn't do much sharing. We used to keep things to ourselves, partly because we were ashamed, but mostly because we were selfish. And we were very lonely because we didn't share. When we came into A.A., the first thing we found was sharing. We heard other alcoholics frankly sharing their experiences with hospitals, jails, and all the usual mess that goes with drinking. So ............ Am I sharing? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Expectations So often our expectations exceed reality. We want more than we have; our homes, our loved ones, perhaps our jobs seem not to measure up. "If only. . ." we say to ourselves. The time has come to quit saying "if only" and be glad, instead, for what is. We do have friends and family who care about us. We do have exactly what we need at this moment. We each can make a contribution today for the good of someone else and thus for ourselves. And in the act of looking to this day--to giving something to another human being - we will sense the inner perfection we mistakenly long for in our outer selves. I can look around me today and be thankful. I will tell someone close that I'm glad we share one another's world. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Complete Defeat Every newcomer is told, and soon realizes for himself, that his humble admission of powerlessness over alcohol is his first step toward liberation from its paralyzing grip. So it is that we first see humility as a necessity. But this is the barest beginning. To get completely away from our aversion to the idea of being humble, to gain a vision of humility as the avenue to true freedom of the human spirit, to be willing to work for humility as something to be desired for itself, takes most of us a long, long time. A whole lifetime geared to self-centeredness cannot be set in reverse all at once. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Pages 72-73 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful.” ~ Annette Funicello |
July 3
Prayer for Relieving Anxiety & Stress God, I come before you full of fear and anxiety. I ask that you help me through this day, this hour, and each and every moment. I lay every problem and worry before you. I will focus on the fact that you love and care for me. I will allow you to carry my burdens as you surround me with peace, joy, and contentment. Thank you, Lord, for all that you have and will do for me. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought What makes A.A. work? The first thing is to have a revulsion against myself and my way of living. Then I must admit I was helpless, that alcohol had defeated me and I couldn't do anything about it. The next thing is to honestly want to quit the old life. Then I must surrender my life to a Higher Power, put my drinking problem in His hands and leave it there. After these things are done, I should attend meetings regularly for fellowship and sharing. I should also try to help other alcoholics. So ............ Am I doing these things? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Isolation For years I thought that I was alone; lost, isolated and afraid. Today I understand this to be a symptom of my alcoholism, an aspect of my disease. Alcoholism is "cunning, baffling and powerful"; it is a mystery that we have only begun to understand. One thing we know, the disease, the "ism" of alcoholism, involves more than the act of drinking. Feelings of inadequacy, isolation and fear keep us from recovering until we discover the spiritual strength to confront the disease in our lives. The initial risk of "letting go" and trusting others is an essential part of the recovery process. When we discover that we are not alone, then relationships and hope are reactivated; life is worth living again. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ No If's Alcoholism respects no ifs. It does not go away, not even for a week, for a day, or even for an hour, leaving us nonalcoholic and able to drink again on some special occasion or for some extraordinary reason -- not even if it is a once-in-a-lifetime celebration, or if a big sorrow hits us, or if it rains in Spain or the stars fall on Alabama. Alcoholism is for us unconditional, with no dispensations available at any price. Living Sober Page 63 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "Often we want to be shown the big picture but it is not always in our best interest as we can easily become overwhelmed." ~ Madisyn Taylor |
July 4
Freedom From Alcohol Prayer Lord, Some people who are addicted to alcohol want to quit and live sober, but they're finding it hard to stop. They need your divine intervention. Strengthen them in their inner being that they may be able to deal with withdrawal symptoms without falling back into the temptation of drinking. Make the crooked paths in the recovery journey straight that they may conquer all the setbacks that have been set before them. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A 4th of July Prayer We lift up our hearts, O God, on this day of celebration in gratitude for the gift of being Americans. We rejoice with all those who share in the great dream of freedom and dignity for all. With flags and feasting, with family and friends we salute those who have sacrificed that we might have the opportunity to bring to fulfill our many God-given gifts. As we deny all prejudice a place in our hearts, may we also clearly declare our intention to work for the time when all people, regardless of race, religion, or sex, will be granted equal dignity and worth. ~ Fr. Ed Hays ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Freedom in sobriety. Means going out socially sober and having a great time. It means waking up in the morning without shaking or vomiting. It means showing up sober for your children. It means being a loving member of a family that can be counted on. It means hope, faith, and peace. It means living a life beyond your wildest dreams. So ............ Am I living my wildest dreams yet?? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Freedom to Choice Human beings are not puppets. Sometimes when you hear people talk about God and prayer, they imply that we have no choice and that all actions in life are determined by God alone: a moment's reflection should make us hesitate from such a viewpoint. Murder, rape, child molestation and prejudice do not stem from God but are the results of God's gift of freedom to mankind. Alcoholics need to comprehend on a daily basis that prayers that are not accompanied by actions are mere words. God's love for man does not obliterate man's need to love himself through choice and decision. Sobriety and serenity should be experienced in our lives when divinity is revealed in our choice. God, help me to appreciate my involvement in my desire to be a winner. "Freedom is nothing else but a chance to be better." ~ Albert Camus ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Resentment “If you have a resentment you want to be free of, if you will pray for the person or the thing that you resent, you will be free. If you will ask in prayer for everything you want for yourself to be given to them, you will be free. Ask for their health, their prosperity, their happiness, and you will be free. Even when you don’t really want it for them and your prayers are only words and you don’t mean it, go ahead and do it anyway. Do it every day for two weeks, and you will find you have come to mean it and to want it for them, and you will realize that where you used to feel bitterness and resentment and hatred, you now feel compassionate understanding and love.” Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Page 552 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you." — F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby |
July 5
Calm My Troubled Mind Prayer Dear Lord, Calm my troubled mind Still my worried heart Guide my endless thoughts Come and leave your mark. Shelter my tired body Lift my heavy soul Quiet my deepest fears Come and make me whole. Carry my deepest hurt Cover my open wounds Restore my abandoned dreams Come and hold my life. Open my ears to hear Shower my life with praise Full up my thoughts with truth Stay by me every day. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought I shall be loyal in my attendance, generous in my giving, kind in my criticism, creative in my suggestions, loving in my attitudes. I shall give A.A. my interest, my enthusiasm, my devotion, and most of all, myself. The Lord's Prayer has become part of my A.A. thoughts for each day: "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not to temptation, but deliver us from evil." So ............ Have I given myself? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Reliving Yesterdays Two of the most useless phrases in the English language are "what if" and "if only." We waste so much time and energy thinking about what we might have done and wishing we had acted or reacted differently. We imagine how things might have turned out "if only . . ." All of us make mistakes. To go back and wonder and wish about our yesterdays prevents us from living fully today. Each day is a fresh chance; a new beginning. We can only squeeze what we can out of the moment and let the drops fall where they may. Some will evaporate and some will form rainbows. I need to forget about yesterday and start a fresh new day. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Surrender On the face of it, surrendering certainly does not seem like winning. But it is in AA Only after we have come to the end of our rope, hit a stone wall in some aspect of our lives beyond which we can go no further; only when we hit "bottom" in despair and surrender, can we accomplish sobriety which we could never accomplish before. We must, and we do, surrender in order to win. Alcoholics Anonymous, 2nd Edition, Pages 341-2 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Surrender is a journey from outer turmoil to inner peace.” ~ Sri Chinmoy |
July 6
Prayer for Family's Strength Dear Lord, Our family is struggling with fear and confusion. We need your strength and power in our lives. We need to sense your comfort and peace. Wrap your arms around us and fill us with your love. I pray for every member of my family. You know each of our individual fears and needs. Supply us all with the strength we need to keep going and comfort us as we continue along the journey of life. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Continuance means our staying with prospects after they have started on the new way of living. We must stick with them and not let them down. We must encourage them to go to meetings regularly for fellowship and help. They will learn that keeping sober is a lot easier in the fellowship of others who are trying to do the same thing. We must continue to help prospects by going to see them regularly or telephoning them or writing to them so that they don't get out of touch with A.A. Continuance means good sponsorship. So ............ Do I care enough about other alcoholics to continue with them as long as necessary? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation We We. This little word says a lot about the Twelve Steps. Our addiction made us lonely. The "we" of the program makes us whole again. It makes us a member of a living, growing group of people. Our addiction isolated us from others. We couldn't be honest. We felt a lot of shame. But all this is in the past. The "we" of the program helps us live outside ourselves. Now we tell each other about our pasts. We comfort each other. We try to help each other. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Our” Serenity Prayer In 1941, a news clipping was called to our attention by a New York member. In an obituary notice from a local paper, there appeared these words: "God grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference." Never had we seen so much AA in so few words. With amazing speed the Serenity Prayer came into general use. As Bill Sees It, p. 108 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Acceptance is not submission; it is acknowledgement of the facts of the situation. Then deciding what to do with it.” ~ Kathleen Casey Theisen |
July 7
Humility Prayer Lord, I am far too often influenced by what others think of me. I am always pretending to be either richer or smarter or nicer than I really am. Please prevent me from trying to attract attention. Don't let me gloat over praise on one hand or be discouraged by criticism on the other. Nor let me waste time weaving imaginary situations in which the most heroic, charming, witty person present is myself. Show me how to be humble of heart, like you. ~ Author Unknown ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Prospects must be convinced that they honestly want to stop drinking. They must see and admit that their life is unmanageable. They must face the fact that they must do something about their drinking. They must be absolutely honest with themselves and face themselves as they really are. They must be convinced that they must give up drinking and they must see that their whole life depends on this conviction. So ............ Do I care enough about other alcoholics to help them reach this conviction? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Awareness When we first become aware of a problem, a situation, or a feeling, we may react with anxiety or fear. There is no need to fear awareness. No need. Awareness is the first step toward positive change and growth. It's the first step toward solving the problem, or getting the need met, the first step toward the future. It's how we focus on the next lesson. Awareness is how life, the Universe, and our Higher Power get our attention and prepare us for change. The process of becoming changed begins with awareness. Awareness, acceptance, and change - that's the cycle. We can accept the temporary discomfort from awareness because that's how we're moved to a better place. We can accept the temporary discomfort because we can trust God, and ourselves. Today, I will be grateful for any awareness I encounter. I will display gratitude, peace, and dignity when life gets my attention. I will remember that it's okay to accept the temporary discomfort from awareness because I can trust that it's my Higher Power moving me forward. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Three Choices The immediate object of our quest is sobriety--freedom from alcohol and from all its baleful consequences. Without this freedom, we have nothing at all. Paradoxically, though, we can achieve no liberation from the alcohol obsession until we become willing to deal with those character defects which have landed us in that helpless condition. In this freedom quest, we are always given three choices. A rebellious refusal to work upon our glaring defects can be an almost certain ticket to destruction. Or, perhaps for a time, we can stay sober with a minimum of self-improvement and settle ourselves into a comfortable but often dangerous mediocrity. Or, finally, we can continuously try hard for those sterling qualities that can add up to fineness of spirit and action--true and lasting freedom under God. As Bill Sees It Page 327 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Few Quotes "Wisdom tends to grow in proportion to one's awareness of one's ignorance." ~Anthony de Mello "The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance." ~Nathaniel Branden |
July 8
Help Me This Day Lord, help me to live this day quietly, peacefully. To lean upon Thy great strength trustfully, restfully. To wait for the unfolding of Thy will patiently, serenely. To meet others peacefully, joyously. To face tomorrow confidently, courageously. Amen ~ Saint Francis Of Assisi ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Getting sober was a long and painful journey, but we can truthfully say it was worth it. We know now that all we've been through led us to A.A. and was part of our spiritual journey. We found it in A.A. what we had been vainly seeking in the bottle. We've learned that our journey goes on as we continue to deal with our shortcomings and the human problems everybody must face. And when we reach a crossroads or a roadblock, we know that our Higher Power will come to our aid in making the right choices and surmounting all obstacles. So ............ Do I turn to my Higher Power to sustain me as I continue the spiritual journey that brought me to A.A.? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Choice At times, we'll go through pain and hardship, At times, we'll have doubts. At times, we'll get angry and think we just don't care anymore. These things can spiritually blind us. But this is normal. Hopefully, we'll be ready for those times. Hopefully, we will have friends who will be there for you. Thank God for these moments! Yes, hard times can make our spirits deep and strong. These moments tell us who we are as sober people. These moments help us grow and change. Spirituality is about choice. To be spiritual, we must turn ourselves over to the care of our Higher Power. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ New From: "Winner Takes All" In working the steps, my life changed. I think differently today; I feel different today. I am new. We have a sign at the AA meetings I go to that says, Expect a Miracle. My sobriety is full of miracles. When my son filled out an application for college, I filled one out too, and was accepted. Soon I will be a senior and I have a 3.71 grade point average. Thanks to AA, I have come a long way from being near the bottom of my high school class. It takes me a bit longer to read the material, so I have a CCTV (I put my book under the camera and it comes out in big print on a monitor). I have a talking calculator that helped me get through statistics and a telescope that can help me see the board. I accept help from the disabled student services and gladly make use of the volunteer note takers. I learned to accept the things I could not change (in this case my vision) and change the things I can (I could be grateful for and accept the visual aids instead of being embarrassed and rejecting them as I had when I was younger). Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, pages 380-381 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “If you can’t do anything about it, then let it go. Don’t be a prisoner to things you can’t change” – Tony Gaskins |
July 9
Relief of Stress and Anxiety Prayer Lord, The stresses in my life often reach a dangerous proportion—or so it seems. My body, mind, and spirit struggle to keep up physically, mentally, and yes, spiritually. Some days anxiety stalks me like a deceitful predator, and the temptation to worry draws me in. I know better, but some days the challenges outweigh the truths buried inside. My trust in You fades into the background, giving fear and concerns permission to discourage me. Whether the anxiety stems from work, parenting, finances, physical issues, or even world conditions, You are there, Lord, to shoulder the weight. Teach me to recognize the stressful trials as tools for you to shape me and rearrange me. Through those difficult times, You will teach me patience, enlarge my faith, and help me see things I couldn't see earlier—if I will only let You. When I'm clueless as to what to do, Lord, I want to turn to you first, not last. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought In A.A. we learn that we can be uniquely useful people. We can help other alcoholics when perhaps somebody who has not had our experience with drinking could not help them. That makes us uniquely useful. The A.A.s are a unique group of people because they have taken their own greatest defeat and failure and sickness and used it as a means of helping others. We who have been through the same thing are the ones who can best help other alcoholics. So ............ Do I believe that I can be uniquely useful? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Laughing We laugh when others do something silly. We're amused when something funny happens to them. But if the same happens to us and people laugh, we might give them the evil eye. Yet, when others laugh, it can free us. It frees us to see the world through new eyes. Likewise, when we laugh at ourselves, we're free to see ourselves with new eyes. Instead of trying to be perfect, we accept we're human. To laugh at ourselves is to accept ourselves. There's no room for shame when we laugh. We enjoy ourselves just as we are. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To Grow Up Those adolescent urges that so many of us have for complete approval, utter security, and perfect romance--urges quite appropriate to age seventeen--prove to be an impossible way of life at forty-seven or fifty-seven. Since A.A. began, I've taken huge wallops in all these areas because of my failure to grow up, emotionally and spiritually. As Bill Sees It Page 330 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Remember, most of your stress comes from the way you respond, not the way life is. Adjust your attitude, and all that extra stress is gone.” ~ Anonymous A.A. |
July 10
Discouragement Prayer Lord, I come to You today, feeling discouraged and worn out emotionally. I ask for You to renew me inwardly. I know that what I’m going through is temporary. Please help me to focus on the things that are positive and uplifting, rather than these things that are wearing me down because they are transient. Please restore, confirm, strengthen and reestablish me. Amen ~ John Driscoll ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought When we were drinking most of us were full of pride and selfishness. We believed we could handle our own affairs, even though we were making a mess of our lives. We were very stubborn and didn't like to take advice. We resented being told what to do. To us, humility looked like weakness. But when we came into A.A., we began to be humble. And we found out that humility gave us the power we needed to overcome drinking. So ............ Have I learned that there is power in humility? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Laughter We are told that laughter is sunshine filling a room. And where there is laughter, there also is life. They say that people who laugh a lot live longer than the sour-faced. When we laugh together, gratitude comes more easily, companionship thrives, and all praise is sincere. Laughter brings us joy that cannot be bought. Such joy is with us throughout each day. To hoard joy, to hide it away deep within us away from others, will make us lonely misers. We cannot buy or trade for joy, but we can give or receive it as a gift. Laughter's joy celebrates the moment we are living right now. It is a gift we must share, or it will wither and die. Shared, it grows and thrives, and always returns to us when we need it most. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Belonging There is no more 'aloneness,' with that awful ache, so deep in the heart of every alcoholic that nothing, before, could ever reach it. That ache is gone and never need return again. Now there is a sense of belonging, of being wanted and needed and loved. In return for a bottle and a hangover, we have been given the Keys of the Kingdom. Alcoholics Anonymous Page 312 (3rd Edition) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “We’re so busy watching out for what’s just ahead of us that we don’t take time to enjoy where we are.” ~ Calvin & Hobbes |
July 11
Serving Others Prayer Lord, Allow me to serve others with a joyful heart; Never keeping score; Always giving; Never expecting to receive. Allow me to give of myself, To give of my talents and of my goods, To give of my time and of my energy, To give of my heart and of my soul. Help me understand the needs of others, Never criticizing, Never demeaning, Never scolding, Never condemning. You have been so gracious to me, Always Loving, Always forgiving, Always restoring; Never gloating over my defeats, Even when I have been so wrong. Father, keep a condemning spirit Far from my heart and further from my lips. Allow me to serve others as You serve, With gentleness, compassion, and tenderness, Never diminishing the worth of another, Choosing to extend mercy to the brokenhearted, Like You have repeatedly shown it to me, Amen. ~Jack Watts ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought When we were drinking, most of us never thought of helping others. We liked to buy drinks for people, because that made us feel like big shots. But we only used others for our own pleasure. To really go out and try to help somebody who needed help never occurred to us. To us, helping others looked like a sucker's game. But when we came into A.A., we began to try to help others. And we found out that helping others made us happy and also helped us to stay sober. So ............ Have I learned that there is happiness in helping others? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Easier Way When we used alcohol, we did most things the hard way. We could turn a simple task into a day-long project. We could turn a simple problem into an argument. We were creative giants in doing things the hard way! We need to change this. We deserve easier lives. It's okay to take the smooth road . In our program ,We have slogans for this: Keep It Simple, Let Go and Let God, First Things First, and Easy Does It. These slogans remind us that it's okay to live with as little trouble as possible. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Belief One of the oldtimers used the electricity metaphor, which I later found in the Big Book. 'A person walking into a dark room does not worry about understanding electricity,' he said. 'He just finds the switch and turns on the light.' He explained that we can turn on the switch of spirituality by simply asking God each morning for another day of sobriety and thanking Him at night for another beautiful sober day. He said, 'Do it mechanically if you really don't believe in it. But do it every day. There is probably no one who really understands the wonderful ways of the Higher Power, and we don't need to. He understands us. Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, Page 30 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "Serving others breaks you free from the shackles of self and self-absorption that choke out the joy of living." ~ James Hunter |
July 12
Gratitude Prayer Thank you, Father, for having created us and given us to each other in the human family. Thank you for being with us in all our joys and sorrows, for your comfort in our sadness, your companionship in our loneliness. Thank you for yesterday, today, tomorrow and for the whole of our lives. Thank you for friends, for health and for grace. May we live this and every day conscious of all that has been given to us. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought The longer we're in A.A., the more natural this way of life seems. Our old drinking lives were a very unnatural way of living. Our present sober lives are the most natural way we could possibly live. During the early years of our drinking, our lives weren't so different from the lives of a lot of other people. But as we gradually became problem drinkers, our lives became more and more unnatural. So ............ Do I realize now that the things I did were far from natural? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Different When we were using alcohol we often thought that we were different from others. We secretly thought that no one could understand us. Maybe we tried to be one of the group, but we were lonely. Now we know for sure--we are different from others. Everyone's unique. We all have this in common. Being like others helps us feel safe and normal. But we need to feel good about the ways we're different from others too. We think a little differently, act a little different, and look a little different from anyone else. We each have our own way to make life better for others. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Belonging Perhaps one of the greatest rewards of meditation and prayer is the sense of belonging that comes to us. We no longer live in a completely hostile world. We are no longer lost and frightened and purposeless. The moment we catch even a glimpse of God's will, the moment we begin to see truth, justice, and love as the real and eternal things in life, we are no longer deeply disturbed by all the seeming evidence that surrounds us in purely human affairs. We know that God lovingly watches over us. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 105 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "Letting go of your painful past is how you open yourself to a wonderful future." ~ Bryant H. McGill |
July 13
Prayer for Hope Lord, I come before you today in need of hope. There are times when I fell helpless, There are times when I feel weak. I pray for hope. I need hope for a better future. I need hope for a better life. I need hope for love and kindness. Some say that the sky is at its darkest just before the light. I pray that this is true, for all seems dark. I need your light, Lord, in every way. I pray to be filled with your light. To bask in your glory. To know that all is right in the world, as you have planned, and as you want it to be. Help me to walk in your light, and live my life in faith. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Some things I do not miss since becoming sober: That overall awful feeling physically, including the shakes, a splitting headache, pains in my arms and legs, bleary eyes, fluttering stomach, droopy shoulders, weak knees, a three day beard, and a flushed complexion. Also, facing my wife or my husband at breakfast. Also, composing the alibi and sticking to it. Also, trying to shave or put on makeup with a shaky hand. Also, opening up my wallet to find it empty. So ............ I don't miss these things, do I? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Gossip Gossip is ultimately a form of malicious cowardice. It is a "blasphemy" because it seeks to denigrate the human being that God has made in His image. As a practicing alcoholic I was a gossip. I exaggerated and manipulated the truth with my gossip. I made up stories against those people I had a resentment towards; innocent people were abused and victimized by my gossip. Also I loved listening to gossip. The listener plays an important role in the life of "gossip" because without the listener it could not exist. It takes two to gossip! Today gossip is unacceptable behavior in my program. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Quantity or Quality About this slip business--I would not be too discouraged. I think you are suffering a great deal from a needless guilt. For some reason or other, the Lord has laid out tougher paths for some of us, and I guess you are treading one of them. God is not asking us to be successful. He is only asking us to try to be. That, you surely are doing, and have been doing. So I would not stay away from A.A. through any feeling of discouragement or shame. It's just the place you should be. Why don't you try just as a member? You don't have to carry the whole A.A. on your back, you know! It is not always the quantity of good things that you do, it is also the quality that counts. Above all, take it one day at a time. As Bill Sees It Page 11 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "It is a sign of strength, not of weakness, to admit that you don't know all the answers." ~ John P. Loughrane |
July 14
Prayer for Direction Lord, Guide my heart with love. Guide my mind with truth. Guide my actions with faith. Guide my soul with hope. I trust in You. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought When we first came into A.A., a sober life seemed strange. We wondered what life could possibly be like without ever taking a drink. At first, a sober life seemed unnatural. But the longer we're in A.A., the more natural this way of life seems. And now we know that the life we're living in A.A., the sobriety, the fellowship, the faith in God, and trying to help each other, is the most natural way we could possibly live. So ............ Do I believe it's the way God wants me to live? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Fear of Inadequacy We create problems for ourselves because we think we need to be more than we are. We fear that we are inadequate to the task before us, fear that another person is more attractive or more handsome, fear that the friends around us are bored by our presence. Fear hinders us; it prevents full involvement with the experiences we are given to grow on. When we withdraw from a situation in order to save ourselves from failure, we have chosen instead another kind of failure: failure to take all we can from life; failure to be all that we can be. Every experience can move us forward in the understanding of ourselves. When we withdraw, we stay stuck in a world we need to leave behind. I will not fear whatever looks like trouble today. Nothing I can't handle, in fact, nothing I can't grow from will come my way today. My inner strength can see me through. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Grandiosity In my teens, I had to be an athlete because I was not an athlete. I had to be a musician because I could not carry a tune. I had to be first in everything because in my perverse heart I felt myself the least of God's creatures. I could not accept my deep sense of inferiority, and so I strove to become captain of the baseball team, and I did learn to play the fiddle. Lead I must -- or else. This was the 'all or nothing' kind of demand that later did me in." As Bill Sees It, p. 214 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Everybody thinks of changing humanity, but nobody thinks of changing himself.” ~ Leo Tolstoy |
July 15
Trust in God’s Will Lord, Simply knowing Your will and trusting in You are two separate things. Sometimes I can discern Your plans for me, but there are times when I am paralyzed. I am unable to move because my heart is not in it. I am not able to trust Your goodwill. Lord, change my heart so that I can learn to trust You. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought When we were drinking, most of us had no real faith in anything. We may have said that we believed in God, but we didn't act as though we did. We never honestly asked God to help us and we never really accepted His help. To us, faith looked like helplessness. But when we came into A.A., we began to have faith in God. And we found out that faith gave us the strength we needed to overcome drinking. So ............ Have I learned that there is strength in faith? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Negative Messages As we go through life, we run into all kinds of negative messages: teasing on the school bus, insulting nicknames, and other put-downs. Pretty soon we may discover that some of these messages stick in our minds, repeating themselves over and over like broken records. These messages can make us feel bad about ourselves. But when we hear one of these tapes playing inside us, we have the power to push the STOP button. Then we can record a new message. We can even say it out loud, so that our voice settles emphatically into our thoughts. We can't make others stop saying these things, but we can stop listening to them. They only have power over us when we give it to them. We have the ability and freedom to let negative thoughts float by us, like water going downstream. What positive message can I send to myself? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Anonymity We have denied ourselves personal government, professionalism, and the right to say who our members shall be. We have abandoned do-goodism, reform, and paternalism. We refuse charitable money and prefer to pay our own way. We will cooperate with practically everybody, yet we decline to marry our Society to anyone. We abstain from public controversy and will not quarrel among ourselves about those things that so rip society asunder-- religion, politics, and reform. We have but one purpose; to carry the AA message to the sick alcoholic who wants it. The Language of the Heart Page 211 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "Trite as it may sound, the cure for self-pity is to think about those who are less fortunate and start counting our blessings. Taking some action, doing some small thing for someone else, perhaps a phone call - these are constructive steps to take us off the 'pity pot'." ~ Cristina Ferrare |
July 16
Seeking Hope Prayer Lord, Today I ask forgiveness of all the negative and harmful words I have spoken. Please forgive me for my bad attitude when things don't go my way. Please help me move beyond the hurdles that trip me up and give me the strength and wisdom to look up and see the hope. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Drinking is the way we alcoholics express our maladjustments to life. I believe that I was a potential alcoholic from the start. I had an inferiority complex. I didn't make friends easily. There was a wall between me and other people. And I was lonely. I was not well adjusted to life. So ............ Did I drink to escape from myself? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation A New Boss When we turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand Him, we have a new employer. From now on, we are working first of all for our Higher Power. Before, we were probably motivated by egotism, the desire for personal power, prestige, and superiority. No amount o alcohol, f food, sex, or material wealth was enough. God did not create us to satisfy ourselves; He created us to serve Him and others. Recovering a sense of stewardship may take time for those of us who have spent many years trying to gratify our own desires. We need to pause often each day to ask for God's guidance, so that the work we do, the activities we enjoy, and the thoughts we think may all serve Him. Under His direction, our talents and abilities develop. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When The Chips Are Down When we developed still more, we discovered the best possible source of emotional stability to be God Himself. We found that dependence upon His perfect justice, forgiveness, and love was healthy, and that it would work where nothing else would. If we really depended upon God, we couldn't very well play God to our fellows nor would we feel the urge wholly to rely on human protection and care. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 116 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do." ~ Richard Pabst |
July 17
Prayer for Success Lord, At this time in my life, I am not sure which direction to go. Help me Lord to be wise in the decisions I make at this junction, where various doors have seemed to have closed behind me. Lead me Lord in the direction that You would have me go day in, and day out. Lord, I want my life to count, and I want to be successful in making a difference. Take my life Lord, and at this crossroads, and rearrange my direction to coincide with your will for me . Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Alcoholism is a progressive illness. We go through the three stages of social drinking, trouble drinking, and merry-go-round drinking. We land in hospitals and jails. We eventually can lose our homes, our families, and our self-respect. Yes, alcoholism is a progressive illness and there are only three ends to it - the insane asylum, the morgue, or total abstinence. So ............ Will I choose not to take the first drink? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Instructions The instructions for recovery are in our Twelve Step program. Yet, there are times when we feel our program isn't working. At these times, we need to read the instructions. Have you followed the "instructions," the wise words found in The Big Book, The Twelve and Twelve, and other recovery literature? When we do, we recover. It's hard at times, and easy at others. Our problems go deeper than just staying sober. No matter what our problems, our program can help us start fixing them, if we follow the instructions. Don't use alcohol or other drugs. Go to meetings. Talk often with sponsors and program friends. Work the Steps. Think. Easy Does It. First Things First. Listen. Let Go and Let God. One "When all else fails, read the instructions." ~ Agnes Allen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Living Sober Somewhat to our surprise, staying sober turns out not to be the grim, wet-blanket experience we had expected! While we were drinking, a life without alcohol seemed like no life at all. But for sober 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 done it lots of times. The trick is to stay and to live sober. That is what this booklet is about. Living Sober, Foreword ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “The basic purpose of prayer is not to bend God's will to mine, but to mold my will into His.” ~ Timothy Keller |
July 18
Prayer for Peace of Mind Lord, We ask you to give us all around peace in our mind, body, soul and spirit. We want you to heal and remove everything that is causing stress, grief, and sorrow in our lives. Please guide our path through life and make our enemies be at peace with us. Let your peace reign in our family, at our place of work, businesses and everything we lay our hands on. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic. We always get worse, never better. We are never cured. Our alcoholism can only be arrested. No matter how long we have been sober, if we try alcohol again, we're as bad or worse than we ever were. There is no exception to this rule in the whole history of A.A. We can never recapture the good times of the past. They are gone forever. So ............ Will I try to recapture them? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Fun Have some fun - with life, with the day. Life is not drudgery; that is an old belief. Let go of it. We are on an adventure, a journey. Events will come to pass that we cannot now fathom. Replace heaviness and weariness of spirit with joy. Surround yourself with people and things that bring lightness of spirit. Become sensitive to lightness of spirit. The journey can be an exciting adventure. Let yourself enjoy it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Service Life will take on a new meaning. To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you. to have a host of friends - this is an experience you must not miss. . . . Frequent contact with newcomers and with each other is the bright spot of our lives. Alcoholics Anonymous Page 89 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have." ~ Frederick Keonig |
July 19
Prayer When Confused Lord, I come before you today with my mind swirling with different thoughts and feelings. I have a hard decision to make and I just don't know what to do. I feel helpless and confused. I'm worried about the consequences of my decision. I worry about the impact my decision will have not only on myself but on others as well. To be honest, I fear making the wrong decision. Lord, please lead me to make the right decision that will reflect your will. Amen ~ Christina Fox ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought When we finally hit bottom, We did not have to be financially broke, although many of us were. But we were spiritually bankrupt. We had a soul sickness, a revulsion against ourselves and against our way of living. Life had become impossible for us. We had to end it all or do something about it. So ............ Am I glad I did something about it? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Tough Times We are all capable of far more than we think we are. It's in the tough times, however, that we discover the depths of our strength, and it's then that we know that some power has enabled us to do what we thought we could not. Whatever we call that power, it is there for us when we need it. To do what seems impossible, all we need to do is ask for the help we think we need. And we can look within, too, and summon our whole selves to the task at hand. With all that going for us, how can we fail? And when the tough work is over, we'll look back and know we've grown from the experience. And yes, our statutes will have touched the skies. When I am faced with a tough task, how do I respond? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Only One Reason I believe we are all sober and alive for only one reason: God has a job for us to do. I have also come to believe that I must please God first, myself second, and everybody else third. When I can live and feel that way -- and it isn't all day every day -- things seem to work out. When I try to run the show, everything goes to hell. Came to Believe Page 97 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "I will have the courage to make a mistake today. It's a promise of growth." ~ Ken Casey |
July 20
Good Morning Lord Prayer Good morning, Lord! Today's a new day, a chance for a new start. Yesterday is gone and with it any regrets, mistakes, or failures I may have experienced. It's a good day to be glad and give thanks, and I do, Lord. Thank you for today, a new opportunity to love, give, and be all that you want me to be. Amen ~ Rebecca Barlow Jordan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought In A.A., we're all through with lying, hangovers, remorse and wasted money. When we were drinking, we were only half alive. Now that we're trying to live decent, honest, unselfish lives, we're really alive. Life has a new meaning for us, so that we can really enjoy it. We feel that we're of some use in the world. We're on the right side of the fence, instead of on the wrong side. We can look the world in the face instead of hiding in alleys. We come into A.A. to get sober and if we stay long enough, we learn a new way of living. So ............ Am I convinced that life was never as good as the life I can build in A.A.? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Service Service is really a beautiful word. Service means respect. When we serve others we're part of the human race. We all need to help each other. Service is a sure way to stay sober. Helping someone else stay sober helps us stay sober. And service frees us from self-will. It teaches us about how to care for ourselves and others. It teaches us that we're worthwhile. It teaches us that we make a difference. Service keeps us feeling good. Am I quiet when the topic of service comes up at meetings? If so, how can I change this? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We Need Help If we are fooling ourselves, a competent adviser can see this quickly. And, as he skillfully guides us away from our fantasies, we are surprised to find that we have few of the usual urges to defend ourselves against unpleasant truths. In no other way can fear, pride, and ignorance be so readily melted. After a time, we realize that we are standing firm on a brand-new foundation for integrity, and we gratefully credit our sponsors, whose advice pointed the way. As Bill Sees It Page 248 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "God, grant me the patience with changes that take time, appreciation of all that I have, tolerance of those with different struggles, and the strength to get up and try again, one day at a time." ~ Reinhold Niebuhr |
July 21
Prayer for Friendship God, I give thanks today for the friendships in my life. Lord, this life isn’t meant to be lived alone, so I am grateful for the people who walk alongside me, supporting me, loving me, and encouraging me. For we cannot do it all alone but are better together. Help me to be more aware and gracious to my friends, appreciating them and accepting their help. Help me to be a better friend, too, supporting, loving, and encouraging others. Lord, lead me to find and cultivate deeper friendships and be a good friend in all that I do. Shower your blessings upon those I call friends, that you may ever be in our midst. Bind us together, Lord, for a cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Amen ~ Kathryn A. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought When I was drinking, I always tried to build myself up. I used to tell tall stories about myself. I told them so often that I half believe some of them now, even though I know they aren't true. I used to hang around the lowbrow barrooms so I could feel superior to the other customers. The reason I always tried to build myself up was that I knew deep down in my heart that I really didn't amount to anything. It was a kind of defense against my feeling of inferiority. So ............ Do I still build myself up? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Defeat A man walks into a meeting. He says," I surrender. I can't drink like other folks." We smile and welcome him. We know that feeling. All of us in the program must admit defeat. Our illness is more powerful than we are. We begin recovery when we surrender. Admitting defeat is our first step into a beautiful world. Like all first steps, it's hard. But what a world we find ourselves in! A world where we count. A world where all are really equal! This first step brings us into God's world of care. We get love. We give love. We stay sober because daily we admit defeat. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After the "Honeymoon" For most of us, the first years of A.A. are something like a honeymoon. There is a new and potent reason to stay alive, joyful activity aplenty. For a time, we are diverted from the main life problems. That is all to the good. But when the honeymoon has worn off, we are obliged to take our lumps, like other people. This is where the testing starts. Maybe the group has pushed us onto the side lines. Maybe difficulties have intensified at home, or in the world outside. Then the old behavior patterns reappear. How well we recognize and deal with them reveals the extent of our progress. As Bill Sees It Page 216 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Few Quotes “One of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand and to be understood.” ~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca “How beautiful it is to find someone who asks for nothing but your company.” ~ Brigitte Nicole |
July 22
Prayer For Family & Friends Lord, Thank you for the gift of family and friends. Holding them in my heart is one of the most precious things I can never get tired of. Bless everyone, for they deserve all the goodness You have given to me. If I may do something wrong today, please forgive me. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought I am glad to be a part of this great fellowship, A.A. has spread all over the world. I am only one of the many A.A.s, but I am one. I am grateful to be living at this time, when I can help A.A. to grow, when it needs me to put my shoulder to the wheel and help keep the movement going. I am glad to be able to be useful, to have a reason for living, a purpose in life. I want to lose my life in this great cause and so find it again. So ............ Am I grateful to be an A.A.? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Two Parts Our program has two parts: the Steps, and the fellowship. Both keep us sober. We can't stay sober if we go it alone. We need to work on the Steps. We also need people--the help of our friends daily Recovery is about relationships. We made new friends. We get involved. We give. We get it. In times of need, we may not want to ask our new friends for help. Maybe we don't want to "burden them." "Maybe we're afraid to ask for help." Well, go ahead. Make that call. Ask your new friend to spend time with you. You deserve and need it. They deserve it; they need it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Unity For thousands of alcoholics yet to come, AA does have an answer. But there is one condition. We must, at all costs, preserve our essential unity; it must be made unbreakably secure. Without permanent unity there can be little lasting recovery for anyone. The Language of the Heart Page 70 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Nothing in the universe can stop you from letting go and starting over.” ~ Guy Finley |
July 23
Morning Prayer Lord, As the sun rises, may your hope rise up in me. As the birds sing, let your love flow out of me. As the light floods into this new day, may your joy shine through me. I come before you, Lord and drink in this moment of peace, That I may carry something of your hope, love, and joy today in my heart. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought In A.A. we have to learn that alcohol is our greatest enemy. Although we used to think that alcohol was our friend, the time came when it turned against us and became our enemy. We don't know just when this happened, but we know that it did because we began to get into trouble - jails and hospitals. We realize now that alcohol is our enemy. So ............ Is it still my main business to keep sober? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Overcoming Fear Our fears lock us up if we let them. They can prevent us from tasting adventure, from experiencing new wonders. We are often terrified of the unknown and fret about what might happen if we try something new. We worry if new people will like us - if we'll fit in. It is natural to be cautious about the unknown, and anything new is just that. But we can keep our caution from becoming fearful by taking action, with the faith that we never encounter anything we can't handle in some way. Unknowns are merely joys we haven't met. We hold the keys to our own cages and can free ourselves when we use our courage and inner strength to overcome our fears. What new joy can I discover beneath my fear today? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After the "Honeymoon" For most of us, the first years of A.A. are something like a honeymoon. There is a new and potent reason to stay alive, joyful activity aplenty. For a time, we are diverted from the main life problems. That is all to the good. "But when the honeymoon has worn off, we are obliged to take our lumps, like other people. This is where the testing starts. Maybe the group has pushed us onto the side lines. Maybe difficulties have intensified at home, or in the world outside. Then the old behavior patterns reappear. How well we recognize and deal with them reveals the extent of our progress. As Bill Sees It Page 216 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "Life is short, and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are traveling the dark journey with us. Oh, be swift to love, make haste to be kind." ~ Henri Frederic Amie |
July 24
Humility Prayer Lord, I am far too much influenced by what people think of me. Which means that I am always pretending to be either richer or smarter or nicer than I really am. Please prevent me from trying to attract attention. Don’t let me gloat over praise on the one hand or be discouraged by criticism on the other. Nor let me waste time weaving imaginary situations in which the most heroic, charming, witty person present is myself. Show me how to be humble of heart like You. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought We have fellowship and faith in A.A. Fellowship is wonderful, but its wonder lasts just so long. Then some gossip, disillusionment, and boredom may come in. Worry and fear come back at times and we find that fellowship is not the whole story. Then we need faith. When we're alone, with nobody to pat us on the back, we must turn to God for help. So ............ Can I say "Thy will be done" - and mean it? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Hate In recovery, learn to give up hate. We must stand for justice, not for hate. We must learn to respect people. They, in turn, will respect us in most cases. We begin to see how important it is to give up hate--if we want others to care for us. Hate is often our secret. Hate is found deep in our hearts and minds. It eats at our souls. It hurts our spiritual growth. Sometimes people are public about their hate. There are even dangerous groups based on hate. But, the most dangerous hate is the private and unspoken. Do I have public hates? Do I have secret hates? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Miracles How can they rise out of such misery, bad repute and hopelessness? The practical answer is that since these things have happened among us, they can happen with you. Should you wish them above all else, and be willing to make use of our experience, we are sure they will come. The age of miracles is still with us. Our own recovery proves that! Alcoholics Anonymous Page 153 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "Do I realize that our common purpose can outweigh all differences?" ~ Lina Sandell |
July 25
Morning Request for Strength Lord, I give you this day, may your spirit be at work in me. Clear the mix of dreams and thoughts from my mind and help me to embrace everything that you have for me today. I give you the mental and physical tiredness I can feel and ask for your life to flow though me. May your hope stir in those who are close to me and bring joy into their hearts. May your love cause me to find new energy, ideas and solutions throughout the day. And may your truth allow me to stay on track and walk confidently in all that I do. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought We used to depend on drinking for a lot of things. We depended on drinking to help us enjoy things. It gave us a "kick." It broke down our shyness and helped us to have a "good time." We depended on drinking to help us when we felt low physically. If we had a toothache or just a hangover, we felt better after a few drinks. We depended on drinking to help us when we felt low mentally. If we had a tough day at the office or if we'd had a fight with our wives, or if things just seemed against us, we felt better under the influence of alcohol. For us alcoholics, it got so that we depended on drinking for almost everything. So ............ Have I gotten over that dependence on drinking? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation. Going With The Flow It seems like some days everything goes our way. Everything falls together in a way that makes life easier for us. Other days are just the opposite; on a bad day we seem to be all thumbs. In our spiritual practice we know we don't control all that goes on around us. We all are vulnerable to accidents, random misfortune, and illness. Yet, when we don't fight against the events of our lives, somehow things go better for us. We can remember that as difficult as a day may be, we are never alone because nothing can separate us from our Higher Power. When we accept the bad things that come, even though they are unfair, we give them less power in our lives. Then we are free to go forward and leave more room for the good things. I'll accept the problems I must confront and leave room for the good things. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Solitude In solitude, we take our inventories. In solitude, we admit to ourselves the exact nature of our wrongs. In solitude, our spirits seek that Power greater than we are; in solitude, we seek through prayer and meditation to be aware of God's will for us. . . We are alone, but not lonely. Came To Believe Page 109 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "Don't talk about what you have done or what you are going to do --do it and let it speak for itself." --Martin Vanbee |
July 26
Simple Morning Prayer God, Please enlighten my mind with truth, inflame my heart with love. Inspire my will with courage, enrich my life with service. Pardon what I have been, sanctify what I am, and order what I shall be. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought We in A.A. have the privilege of living two lives in one lifetime. One life of drunkenness, failure, and defeat. Then, through A.A., another life of sobriety, peace of mind, and usefulness. We who have recovered our sobriety are modern miracles. And we're living on borrowed time. Some of us might have been dead long ago. But we have been given another chance to live. So ............ Do I owe a debt of gratitude to A.A. that I can never repay as long as I live? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Trust During our illness, we hurt others. We hurt ourselves. We messed up a lot. So, a lot of us come to recovery not trusting ourselves very much. The truth is, as alcoholics, we couldn't be trusted. But in recovery, we can be trusted again. We can again live and love ourselves. We do this by finding our spiritual center. This is the place inside of us where our Higher Power lives. We turn our will and our lives over to this spiritual center. We do as our spiritual center tells us. And from our spiritual center, we'll find our values. We'll live better lives. We'll come to trust ourselves again. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Changing I am changing, and there are more like me starting this process every day, so AA must be changing. Yet the process and direction in which we are moving is the same. The more it changes, the more it stays the same. . . This Fellowship is like a diamond whose message flashes toward me every time I hold it up to the light and turn it around. Thank You For Sharing, p. 182 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “You have to accept the fact that sometimes you are the pigeon, and sometimes you are the statue.” ~ Claude Chabrol |
July 27
Prayer When in Pain or Suffering There are times, Lord, when I feel a deep sense of unrest. Trials and tribulations beset me, and I do not know where to turn. I cannot see the reason why suffering must exist, but I trust in your plan. I pray that you will guide me in all ways and help me to make the best of the situation. Help me to find happiness in small things. I pray that you bring me the peace and joy that I seek in life. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought In A.A. we have to re-educate our minds. We have to learn to think differently. We have to take a long view of drinking alcohol instead of a short view. We have to look through the glass to see what lies beyond it. We have to look through the night before to the morning after. No matter how good alcohol looks from the short view, we must realize that in the long run it is poison to us. So ............ Have I learned to look beyond the bottle, to the better life that lies ahead? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Believing For most of us, our alcoholism was full of doubt. We stopped believing in ourselves. Our thoughts had turned to "stinking thinking." We didn't believe in much of anything. We didn't take risk. We always looked for the easier, softer way. In recovery, we start to believe again. We believe in the program. We believe in a Higher Power. We believe in people. And, over time, we believe in ourselves again. We become better at taking risks. We are able to stay sober because we believe, because we take risks. As we stay sober, we can face almost anything---with the help of others. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Twelve Steps I often say and shall always say that the Twelve Steps are one of the very great summaries and organic collections of spiritual truth known to history. They have an almost universal relevance (not a relevance for alcoholics alone). They will offer a way out for many a person who knows nothing personally of alcoholism. They will point up the way for those who have known it and lost it. Thank God for the Twelve Steps and for a man wise enough and open enough to God and to the observation of human experience to receive these truths, and transmit them to the world! (Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker) The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 2], pages 133-134 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Few Quotes “Emotional baggage is like the dead skin of a snake. If you don’t shed it, how can you grow emotionally?” ~ Khang Kijarro ****** "Healing takes courage, and we all have courage, even if we have to dig a little to find it." ~ Tori Amos |
July 28
Prayer to Start This Day Lord, We pray to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let us make the best of each and every day to clear our mind so that we can hear from You. Please broaden our mind so that we can accept all things. Let us not whine and whimper over things we have no control over. Help us Lord to not judge others, or to speak an ill word. Please keep us safe from all danger and harm. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought Drinking cuts you off from God. No matter how you were brought up, no matter what your religion is, no matter if you say you believe in God, nevertheless you build up a wall between you and God by your drinking. You know you're not living the way God wants you to. As a result, you have that terrible remorse. When you come into A.A., you begin to get right with other people and with God. A sober life is a happy life, because by giving up drinking we've got rid of our loneliness and remorse. So ............ Do I have real fellowship with other people and with God? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Remember We need to remember what got us well. The Twelve Steps heal us. The meetings we attend heal us. Reading and listening to program tapes heals us. Talking with our sponsors heals us. The time we spend with program friends heals us. Sometimes we're pressed for time. As a result, we have to make choices about how to use our time. We may think we know enough about the program. We may feel like cutting down on meetings. These are danger signs. We only know how to stay sober One Day at a Time: by working the Steps. Let's not forget them as we grow in this program. It may seem like we've been recovering a long time, but we're all beginners. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Whose Will? We have seen A.A.'s ask with much earnestness and faith for God's explicit guidance on matters ranging all the way from a shattering domestic or financial crisis to a minor personal fault, like tardiness. A man who tries to run his life rigidly by this kind of prayer, by this self-serving demand of God for replies, is a particularly disconcerting individual. To any questioning or criticism of his actions, he instantly proffers his reliance upon prayer for guidance in all matters great or small. He may have forgotten the possibility that his own wishful thinking and the human tendency to rationalize have distorted his so-called guidance. With the best of intentions, he tends to force his will into all sorts of situations and problems with the comfortable assurance that he is acting under God's specific direction. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Pages 103-104 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "It isn't "me" and "you" anymore; it's "we" and "us." I get drunk. We stay sober! It's a we program." ~ Unknown A.A. |
July 29
I Give Myself to You Lord, Open my mind that I may be aware of your presence in my daily life. Open my heart that I may offer you all my thoughts. Open my mouth that I may speak to you throughout my day. I am grateful that you wish to hear my voice. To you I give my all. Help me to do your will, every hour of every day. ~Walter J. Ciszek, SJ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought What a load wasting money puts on your shoulders! They say that members of A.A. have paid the highest initiation fee of any club members in the world, because we've wasted so much money on alcohol. We'll never be able to figure out how much it was. We not only waste our own money, but also the money we should have spent on our families. When you come into A.A., that terrible load of wasted money falls off your shoulders. We alcoholics were getting round-shouldered from carrying all those loads that drinking put on our shoulders. But when we come into A.A., we get a wonderful feeling of release and freedom. So ............ Can I throw back my shoulders and look the whole world in the face again? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation No Accident None of us woke up one morning and found we had suddenly turned into an alcoholic. We got to be one by practice. And we practiced often. We ignored our families--we left work early--and went drinking. Daily, we chose alcohol over anything else. Likewise, getting sober is no accident. We work the program. At meetings, we're reminded to help others. We all get sober on the installment plan. A day at a time. We got sick one day at a time; we recovered one day at a time. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Give Thanks Though I still find it difficult to accept today's pain and anxiety with any great degree of serenity--as those more advanced in the spiritual life seem able to do--I can give thanks for present pain nevertheless. I find the willingness to do this by contemplating the lessons learned from past suffering--lessons which have led to the blessings I now enjoy. I can remember how the agonies of alcoholism, the pain of rebellion and thwarted pride, have often led me to God's grace, and so to a new freedom. As Bill Sees It Page 266 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Anger is a condition in which the tongue works faster than the mind.” ~ John S |
July 30
Making Amends Prayer Lord, You know our past; You’re familiar with all the good and bad things we’ve done. We ask You to give us the strength and courage to list them so we can “come clean” and face both our past and the truth about our present and future. Please help us reach out to those special persons You’ve placed along our road to recovery. Thank You for providing them to help us maintain balance as we work on our lists. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought An alcoholic life isn't a happy life. Drinking cuts you off from other people and from God. One of the worst things about drinking is loneliness. And one of the best things about A.A. is the fellowship. Drinking cuts you off from other people, at least from the people who really matter to you, your wife and children, your family and real friends. No matter how much you love them, you build up a wall between you and them by drinking. You're cut off from any real companionship with them. As a result, you're terribly lonely. So ............ Have I got rid of my loneliness? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Choice We've been given recovery. For this, we're lucky. And we're grateful. Now it's up to us. We must accept our choices. When we're afraid, do we choose to be alone? Or do we choose to go to extra meeting? When we're not honest, do we keep it secret? Or do we admit it and try to be more honest? No matter what we choose, we're responsible for that choice. Through choices, we either make our program strong or weak. We can choose to be lucky. Or we can choose not to be. The choice is ours. Our alcoholism robbed us of choice. It taught us to blame others. Now we see ourselves as responsible. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Now Now is the time, the only time there is. And if we are not kind to ourselves right now, we certainly cannot rightfully expect respect or consideration from others. We have found we can enjoy, sober, every good thing we enjoyed while drinking -- and many, many more. It takes a little practice, but the rewards more than make up for the effort. . . Unless we cherish our own recovery, we cannot survive to become unselfish, ethical, and socially responsible people. Living Sober Page 42 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "The most wonderful gift of prayer is the friendship we discover with God. This friendship promises security in the midst of any turmoil." ~ Karen Casey |
July 31
Prayer On This Day Lord, Please give me strength when I am weak, love when I feel forsaken, courage when I am afraid, wisdom when I feel foolish, comfort when I am alone, hope when I feel rejected, and peace when I am in turmoil. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought The thoughts that come before having a slip are often largely subconscious. It is a question whether or not our subconscious minds ever become entirely free from alcoholic thoughts as long as we live. For instance, some of us dream about being drunk when we are asleep, even after several years of sobriety in A.A. During the period of our drinking days, our subconscious minds have been thoroughly conditioned by our alcoholic way of thinking and it is doubtful that they ever become entirely free of such thoughts during our lifetime. But when our conscious minds are fully conditioned against drinking, we can stay sober and our subconscious minds do not often bother us. So ............ Am I still conditioning my conscious mind? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Integrity The benefit of a spiritual program is the development of integrity in my life. Integrity is having an honest respect for myself; it is respecting who I am and how I live in the world. Integrity also becomes a bridge by which I can reach my fellow man. My respect for my life develops a respect for others. My determination to have integrity affects the way I treat you. Integrity gives me freedom to be -- and this allows for an acceptance of you. Of course I must follow some rules and guidelines in my life but today they are not written in cement. Today I can be flexible with me and this means that I can be flexible with you. My past need to control has developed into an accepting serenity that brings peace. My spiritual program forever teaches me to be free; now I can live. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Plan Following this spiritual path made a major difference in my life. It seemed to fill that lonely hole that I used to fill with alcohol. My self-esteem improved dramatically, and I knew happiness and serenity as I had never known it before. I started to see the beauty and usefulness in my own existence, and tried to express my gratitude through helping others in whatever ways I could. A confidence and faith entered my life and unraveled a plan for me that was bigger and better than I could have ever imagined. It wasn't easy, and it has never been easy, but it gets so much better. Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Pages 287-88 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "Making prompt amends is the fresh air of each new day." ~ Sandra Little |
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