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A Prayer & Some Thoughts - July
July 1
When You Feel Rushed Prayer 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 meetings helps more then 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 Impending Changes Change is not easy, but it's absolutely unavoidable. Doors will close. Barriers will surface. Frustrations will mount. Nothing stays the same forever, and it's such folly to wish otherwise. Growth accompanies positive change; determining to risk the outcome resulting from a changed behavior or attitude will enhance our self-perceptions. We will have moved forward; in every instance our lives will be influenced by making a change that only each of us can make. We have all dreaded the changes we knew we had to make. Perhaps even now we fear some impending changes. Where might they take us? It's difficult accepting that the outcome is not ours to control. Only the effort is ours. The solace is that positive changes, which we know are right for us and other people in our lives, are never going to take us astray. In fact, they are necessary for the smooth path just beyond this stumbling block. When we are troubled by circumstances in our lives, a change is called for, a change that we must initiate. When we reflect on our recent as well as distant past, we will remember that the changes we most dreaded again and again have positively influenced our lives in untold ways. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 2
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 impresses us most at an A.A. meeting is the willingness to share, without holding anything back. Pretty soon we find ourselves sharing also. We start telling our own experiences and by so doing we help the other person. And when we've got these things off our chest, we feel a lot better. It does us a lot of good to share with some other poor unfortunate person who's in the same box that we were in. And the more we share, the more we have left for ourselves. So ............ Do I know that the more I share, the better chance I'll have to stay sober? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Smiles A smile is the earliest form of communication. A human infant smiles in the first few weeks of life. As the child grows, it learns how to turn the smile into a laugh - a joyous response reflecting pleasure. A sense of humor, a feeling of fun, and an ability to laugh are all signs of emotional maturity. Healthy laughter frees us; it is the sunshine that makes life's shadows interesting. When we develop the ability to see the humor in a situation, we gain the ability to handle it. We were born with smiles. They are as much a part of us as our teeth and hair. Polished and cared for, our smiles can grow into a sense of humor that will help us through the painful times. How can I turn troubles into smiles today? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ v 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 shakes 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
Prayer for Recurring Pain Lord, I feel worn down by recurring pain I have. It makes every small thing feel like a big deal. Please help me to manage this illness and continue to find time to rest and treat the pain. Most of all, Lord please touch the area of discomfort and bring healing. Please flood the inflammation with warmth and bring the swelling down. Come release the muscles that are tight and bring your restoration. May my waking hours be restful and my sleep be peaceful. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought By frankly sharing with prospects, we get them talking about their own experiences. They will open up and confess things to us that they haven't been able to tell other people. And they feel better when this confession has been made. It's a great load off their minds to get these things out into the open. It's the things that are kept hidden that weigh on the mind. They feel a sense of release and freedom when they have opened up their hearts to us. So ............ Do I care enough about other alcoholics to help them to make a confession? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Self-Sabotage There are some times when we seem bent on self-destruction. We may be disgruntled about the demands and responsibilities of the day and determined to punish ourselves for our inability to cope easily. Why we subvert our own best interests is often a mystery, but we all know the frustration and despair of not doing what we should do and doing what we should not do. Often, we engage in self-sabotage when we are being emotional about a situation instead of viewing it rationally. We usually find that we have forgotten or refused to turn the problem over to our Higher Power. Frequently, we have allowed resentments to build up and cloud our perception. Whether we indulge in any types of negative, destructive behavior and emotions, we are sabotaging ourselves. We are the ones who suffer the most from our destructiveness. No one else can disturb our serenity unless we permit them to do so. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ He Was Listening It finally became obvious to me that the God I thought had judged and damned me had done nothing of the sort. He had been listening, and in His own good time His answer came. His answer was threefold: the opportunity for a life of sobriety; Twelve Steps to practice, in order to attain and maintain that life of sobriety; fellowship within the program, ever ready to sustain and help me each twenty-four-hour day. Came To Believe Page 11 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Don’t let negative and toxic people rent space in your head. Raise the rent and kick them out.” ~ Robert Tew |
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 fellow ship 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 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 Interests and Duties It is sometimes easy to get overwhelmed by our duties, forgetting that our interests fit the scheme of our lives. They are inspired by our lives and flow from them. Our interests round us out; they beckon us to become our better selves. Our duties have their places as well. In our careers, with our families and friends, we have responsibilities. People need to be able to count on us for our part in completing their particular scheme for life. Finding the right balance between our duties and our interests takes daily attention. It is perhaps one of our greatest struggles. Feeling duty-bound is common; putting a low value on our interests is a familiar trick we play on ourselves. We need reminding that our interests will cull out our better, inner selves. We must stretch to become all we are meant to be. Our interests entice us to live up to God's expectations. Each day I need to pay heed to interests as well as duties. I will let no day go by without heeding an interest. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “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
Iroquois Prayer of Gratitude We return thanks to our mother, the earth, which sustains us. We return thanks to the rivers and streams, which supply us with waters. We return thanks to all herbs, which furnish medicine for the cure of our diseases. We return thanks to the corn, and to her sisters, the beans and the squashes, which give us life. We return thanks to the wind, which moving the air has banished diseases. We return thanks to the moon and the stars, which have given us their light when the sun was gone. We return thanks to the sun, that he has looked upon the earth with a beneficent eye. Lastly, we return thanks to the Great Spirit, in whom is embodied all goodness, and who directs all things for the good of his children. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 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 Conversion means change. Prospects must learn to change their way of thinking. Until now, everything they've done has been connected with drinking. Now they must face a new kind of life, without alcohol. They must see and admit that they cannot overcome drinking by their own willpower, so they must turn to a Higher Power for help. They must start each day by asking this Higher Power for the strength to stay sober. This conversion to belief in a Higher Power comes gradually, as they try it and find that it works. So ............ Do I care enough about other alcoholics to help them to make this conversion? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Being Grateful "An attitude of gratitude," we sometimes hear, will help us on our path. There certainly are enough things for us to worry about, grieve over, and complain about. They have their place. But as we mature and no longer use addictive escapes, we learn that joy can exist side by side with grief. Gratitude is a tonic for our self-pity. Saying "thank you" actually opens us to receive more of life's blessings, which sit there waiting for us to notice. In a pleasant moment we can look around and say, "Aren't we lucky!" That's a kind of prayer, and it connects us with our Higher Power. No matter how painful or worrisome a day may be, we can be thankful for our growth. Gratitude is so simple we sometimes dismiss it while looking for a more complicated answer in our lives. We can say "thank you" for all the simple things like trees, cool air, food, and love between people. It is a risk to be so grateful. Who will be in control? Perhaps God. God, thank you for all that comes to me without my efforts. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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
Prayer for Relief of Stress and Anxiety 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 since we are alcoholics 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 Letting Go of Self Doubt Not only is it okay to take care of ourselves, we can take good care of ourselves. Many of us, so confident about our ability to take care of others, doubt our inherent strength to care for ourselves. We may have come to believe, from our past or present circumstances, that we need to take care of others and we need others to take care of us. No matter where this self-defeating belief was born, we can release it and replace it with a better one, a healthier one, a more accurate one. We can take care of ourselves -- whether we are in or out of a relationship. Everything we need will be provided. We will have loved ones, friends, and our Higher Power to help. Knowing that we can take care of ourselves doesn't mean we won't have feelings of fear, discomfort, doubt, anger, and fragility at times. It means we practice "courageous vulnerability," as Colette Dowling called it in Cinderella Complex. We may feel scared, but we do it anyway. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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
Prayer To Help Let Go Lord, Would help me to simply let go of all the fears and worries, problems and doubts, guilt and disappointments that seem to be filling my heart and mind so often, during the course of a day. Fill my hurting soul with Your love and peace I pray. Fill the emptiness and pain that is tearing my life asunder. Lord, You know what is in my heart and why I am going through this time of fear and worry. Help me Lord, to take every thought captive, to hand it over to You as it rears up in my mind. Lord, I also ask that You would teach me how to submit my life to You. Show me how to abide in You day by day, and instruct me how to live in spirit and truth. Help me Lord, to give control of my life over to You in every way, and to become the person You would have me be. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought We who have learned to put our alcoholic problem in God's hands, can help others to do so. We can be used as a connection between an alcoholic's need and God's supply of strength. We in Alcoholics Anonymous can be uniquely useful, just because we have the misfortune or fortune to be alcoholics ourselves. Do I want to be a uniquely useful person? So ............ Will I use my own greatest defeat and failure and sickness as a weapon to help others? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Perspective In our daily lives we often take a very short perspective. We see what is worrisome today, what is pressing hardest, or what is most frightening or confusing. Eventually, we may look back and have a totally different idea about what was truly important on this day. Let us take a moment now to remember what does endure, what we value most, what counts in the long run. For a brief quiet time we can let go of all the anxieties of this moment. During these few quiet moments, we will identify our tensions and then place them totally into the hands of our Higher Power. This is our time to let go of our worries and be refreshed. It will provide a background of serenity for our day. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Beginning I knew I had to have a new beginning, and this beginning had to be here. I could not start anywhere else. I had to let go of the past and forget the future. As long as I held on to the past with one hand and grabbed at the future with the other hand, I had nothing to hold on to today with. So I had to begin here, now. Came To Believe Page 46 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Few Quotes “Your reality is as you perceive it to be. So, it is true, that by altering this perception we can alter our reality.” ~ William Constantine “Sometimes a change of perspective is all it takes to see the light.” ~ Dan Brown |
July 11
Prayer about Serving Others Father, 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 I am part of A.A., one among many, but I am one. I need the A.A. principles for the development of the buried life within me. A.A. may be human in its organization, but it is Divine in its purpose. The purpose is to point me toward God and a better life. Participating in the privilege of the movement, I shall share in the responsibilities, taking it upon myself to carry my fair share of the load, not grudgingly but joyfully. To the extent that I fail in my responsibilities, A.A. fails. To the extent that I succeed, A.A. succeeds. So ............ Do I accept this as my A.A. credo? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Toward Emotional Maturity Feeling unable to act is an embarrassment, perhaps even a humiliation , and it is habit-forming. Perhaps our inertia is due to our need to act "correctly" and the accompanying fear that we'll err. Unfortunately, our fear of action reinforces itself. The only way to end the vicious cycle is to act - right or wrong. The surprise in store for us is that no action we take will be truly wrong. We will learn not only from the action itself, but also from its ripples. The response to life we make through action will gratify us; it will nourish us and will make us dread less the next situation that calls for a response. Opportunities for action are the stepping-stones to emotional maturity. The more we "act," the more able we are to act. And a new habit is formed. Taking action, even when I fear it's wrong, is growth producing. Without growth there is no life. Today, I will live! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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
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 I shall volunteer for service in A.A. I shall not wait to be drafted. 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 to A.A. my interest, my enthusiasm, my devotion, and most of all, myself. So ............ Do I also accept this as my A.A. credo? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation What If? I was talking to a friend one day about something I planned to do. Actually, I was worrying about how one particular person might react to what I intended to do. "What if he doesn't handle it very well?" I asked. "Then," my friend replied, "you're going to have to handle it well." What if's can make us crazy. They put control over our life in someone else's hands. What if's are a sign that we have reverted to thinking that people have to react in a particular way for us to continue on our course. What if's are also a clue that we may be wondering whether we can trust ourselves and our Higher Power to do what's best for us. These are shreds of ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving, and they signal fear. The reactions, feelings, likes or dislikes of others don't have to control our behaviors, feelings, and direction. We don't need to control how others react to our choices. We can trust ourselves, with help from a Higher Power, to handle any outcome - even the most uncomfortable. And, my friend, we can trust ourselves to handle it well. I will not worry about other people's reactions or events outside of my control. Instead, I will focus on my reactions. I will handle my life well today and trust that, tomorrow, I can do the same. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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
A 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 it’s 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 The thoughts that come before having a slip seem to be partly subconscious. Yet it is likely that at least part of these thoughts get into our consciousness. An idle thought connected with drinking casually pops into our mind. That is the crucial moment. Will I harbor that thought even for one minute or will I banish it from my mind at once? If I let it stay, it may develop into a daydream. I may begin to see a cool glass of beer or a Manhattan cocktail in my mind's eye. If I allow the daydream to stay in my mind, it may lead to a decision, however unconscious, to take a drink. Then I am headed for a slip. So ............ Do I let myself daydream about drinking? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 "You cannot control other people’s emotions, but you can control your own. If you sense yourself responding to their negativity, try not to let yourself." ~ Laura Archera Huxley |
July 15
Prayer for Empathy, Vulnerability and Curiosity God, We pray for Empathy – seeking to understand: ideas, people, situations, ourselves, our faith, our hopes, seeking, exploring the why of life, the why of who we are.seeking because we know that only by seeking, do we go beyond ourselves, to where answers reside, answers that we had never considered. And we are enriched, by becoming more whole. We pray that we would be Vulnerable – open to being influenced to new ideas, new possibilities. Lives enriched with new experiences, horizons, things we thought not possible. Surprise us, our God We know change causes us to be vulnerable; as we become less capable of adapting, changes seem greater as our limits become more apparent, our abilities seem to decline simple things, small changes take on greater magnitude. Keep ideas, possibilities, dreams, hopes, growing in and around us. So that change is not an inhibitor, but stimulation into new life. Cause our attitude to change to be invitational, not to create whirlwinds in our lives, but measured growth. Keep us Curious about life, exploring and discovering, growing into understanding, more of the mystery of life as we walk with you, author of life, and our guide. As we seek these things for ourselves, we pray that they become realities for those around us. Use us as channels of understanding, influence, curiosity, to help others grow. We take our part in your creation more fully when we offer ourselves to others and to you. Use us, we pray. Place people in our path that will cause us to grow and whom we can help grow. The things we desire, we pray for those whom we find difficult to love, as well as those close to us. Lord, lead us into wholeness, whatever that may be, Amen ~ C. Michael Thompson, Melbourne, Australia (Hartwell Church of Christ) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought We alcoholics are fortunate to be living in a day and age when there is such a thing as Alcoholics Anonymous. Before A.A. came into being, there was very little hope for the alcoholic. A.A. is a great rebuilder of human wreckage. It takes men and women whose personality problem expresses itself in alcoholism and offers them a program that, if they are willing to accept it, allows them not only to get sober, but also to find a much better way of living. So ............ Have I found a better way of living? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Flow of Life Transitions and changes are often painful, sometimes frightening. Often the most troubled lives are those most unyielding to change. When we become so committed to stability that we cannot flow with the never- ending river of life, we wither and die spiritually. Every one of us has changes moving within our lives. Some changes are beneath the surface and we only vaguely sense them. Others are obvious and we are dealing with their effects. When we see change only as a problem or as pain, we have a harder time getting on with our lives. Looking back, we can see other changes we would never have chosen or planned for ourselves. We can see now that we grew up with them. Change forced us into new realms, and we found sides of ourselves we hadn't known before. Through whatever strife and difficulty of change we face today, we have a stable program to fall back on. And we have our relationship with our Higher Power, which is with us through all times. I will try to have a lighter grip upon life today so that as the river of change flows, I can flow with it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A New Notion 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. He assured me that no person was going to impose a belief system on me, that it was a personal matter. 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, and I soon found myself with a full-time God in my life and following a spiritual path that didn't conflict with my personal religious convictions. Alcoholics Anonymous Page 287 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote "The principles you live by create the world you live in; if you change the principles you live by, you will change your world." ~ Blaine Lee |
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." ~ Dick P. |
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 Perfectionism Part of the ego reduction necessary to our recovery is the acceptance of the fact that we are not and never will be perfect. Perfectionism gets in the way of recovery because it imposes impossible, unrealistic goals which guarantee failure. If we do not think we have to be perfect, then we can accept our mistakes as learning experiences and be willing to try again. Deepening acquaintance with our Higher Power is good insurance against perfectionism. We come to believe that He accepts and loves us as we are, and this gives us the courage and humility to accept ourselves. We are not perfect, but we are growing. In spite of our weaknesses, we can serve others according to God's plan for our lives. Accepting our own limitations makes us more tolerant of the faults and weaknesses of those around us. Together, we progress. I am thankful that I don't need to be perfect. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 liquor 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 |
Awesome readings here! I really love all of the quotes at the bottom of each post!
LIN |
Lin, it's great to have someone else beside me enjoying
These Prayer & some thoughts, I also enjoy the was they Put the quotes at the end. God bless you and have a great week One day at a time. |
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 make and I just don't know what to do. I feel helpless and confused. I'm worried about the consequences to 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 |
It's alright to make mistakes, it is the gateway to
learning from them. Thank you God for the lessons From making mistakes, and correcting us on the way. Amen. |
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 We alcoholics have to believe in some Power greater than ourselves. Yes, we have to believe in God. Not to believe in a Higher Power can drive us to atheism. Atheism, it has been said before, is blind faith in the strange proposition that this universe originated in a cipher and aimlessly rushes nowhere. That's extremely hard to believe. So we turn to that Divine Principle in the universe that we call God. So ............ Have I stopped trying to run my own life? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Today I do not have to have courage for a lifetime, just for the moment. I am helped by the philosophy that teaches me to live one day at a time, one hour at a time, one moment at a time. It is too awesome to try to live my tomorrows today. Life is a process to be lived not a future to be anticipated. For years I tried to anticipate what life had to throw at me, and I always came away confused, surprised and exhausted. I missed the joy of the moment by worrying about the future. What was he going to do? What happens if the police get involved? Will my mother telephone next week? Will my niece grow up to be alcoholic? Am I to blame? I had a thousand questions that I could not answer; nobody can answer for the future today. I can only take responsibility for my life a day at a time. I developed the courage to face the moment and I became a winner. May I avoid the temptation to seek the fantasy of tomorrow for the reality of today. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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
This Day’s Morning Prayer Lord, I have so many concerns and cares, and they weigh me down. While I desire to cast my cares upon You, I find I usually pick them back up again, and they only add more anxiety and stress. Please help me learn to cast my cares on You as I learn what it means to rest and trust in You. Amen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Thought When we came into A.A., we made a tremendous discovery. We found that we were sick persons rather than moral lepers. We were not as unique as we thought we were. We found other people who had the same illness that we had, who had been through the same experiences that we had been through. They had recovered. If they could do it, we could do it. So ............ Was hope born in me the day I walked into A.A.? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Finding God God is to be found in the principles of life. The suggested patterns of behavior that lead to happiness, freedom and unity in the world. God is not just a "good idea", an intellectual philosophy or other worldly entity. God is practical goodness that can be demonstrated and seen in the world. Principles lead to action; principles produce change in attitude and behavior; principles must have a practical result. Sometimes you hear the phrase "walk the talk", implying that the principles we talk about should be evident in our daily lives. Also principles should be seen in the small things of life being courteous, giving a smile to a stranger, offering a hug to a friend in pain. God is alive in the principles of life. Help me to practice the principles I believe in. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Carrying the Message Alcoholics simply will not listen to a paid twelfth-stepper. Almost from the beginning, we have been positive that face-to-face work with the alcoholic who suffers could be based only on the desire to help and be helped. When an AA talks for money, whether at a meeting or to a single newcomer, it can have a very bad effect on him, too. The money motive compromises him and everything he says and does for his prospect. This has always been so obvious that only a very few AA's have ever worked the Twelfth Step for a fee. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 166 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Don’t let the BEHAVIOR of others destroy your inner peace.” ~ Dalai Lama |
July 22
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 Process of Growth Be patient with yourself. It takes time to work out issues, to work through things. It takes time to learn lessons. The more important the lesson, the longer the cycle to work it out and work it through. We may live in a technical age, but our souls aren’t technical. They’re still connected to nature. We grow and change as nature does. Learn her ways. Study her seasons and cycles, and know those same seasons and cycles are in each of us. The process of change is like planting a seed and watching it grow and bloom into a flower. What are you trying to develop? A project? A change in yourself? Is there something new you’re learning, trying to do? Are you trying to adjust to a major change in your life? Is there an old habit you’re struggling to let go of? A love relationship or friendship you’re hoping to begin or attempting to end? Each stage of the process of growth and change is important. From those first moments when we see the idea, or the change begins, to those long moments of nurturing and nourishing the idea, each stage counts. Is there a change in your life that’s begun, one you’ve started to notice? Are you thinking about it a lot, talking about it a lot, but not quite ready to take action? That stage is important too. You’re nurturing and nourishing the seeds of change. It takes time for nature to change things into what they’re becoming. It takes time for things to develop. Be patient with yourself and life. Trust the process of growth. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 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 Amiel |
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. From Cleveland A.A. (https://www.aacle.org/humility-prayer/) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 Fear Fear is a killer. It stops the God-given spirituality in our lives from taking shape and making life enjoyable. Fear is connected with doubt - doubt of self. Low self-esteem develops along with fear and in order for confidence to develop, the fear must be faced, confronted and talked about. Fear is not going to go away because we wish it away or hope it sway or even pray it away. Fear needs to be identified, located and seen for what it is - or, as in most cases, what it isn't. Fear of people, things, tomorrow or life itself grows so long as we forge that we are creatures of God. There is nothing that cannot be faced or overcome - as long as we remain alcohol-free. God is on our side - but we need also to be on our side. Fear is never stronger than our spirituality. We need to bring our fear into the light; then it can be overcome. I ask to stay in the light of sobriety, not the darkness of alcoholism. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 While alcoholics keep strictly away from drinking alcohol, they still react to life much like other people. But the first drink sets the terrible cycle in motion. Alcoholics usually have no idea why they take the first drink. Some drinkers have excuses with which they are satisfied, but in their hearts they really do not know why they do it. The truth is that at some point in their drinking they have passed into a state where the most powerful desire to stop drinking is of no avail. So ............ Am I satisfied that I have passed my tolerance point for alcohol? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 |
Easy does it, but do it... It can be done one day at a time.
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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 Self Acceptance As an alcoholic I could not tolerate my own company for long. I was forever telephoning somebody, going over to a friend's house, inviting people in, creating an "occasion" so I did not have to think or, at least, think about myself. Being alone terrified me. I was terrified because I would begin to think about what was happening in my life and I did not want to face it. Spirituality is reality. Some years ago I decided to encounter the "real" me, painful but necessary. I began to develop an awareness of who I am. Acceptance followed: I am an alcoholic. Today I know me; today I like me; today I can love me - and this awareness brings with it a knowledge of God, self and my neighbor. Today I can be alone without feeling lonely. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 for Strength 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 Thought When new members come into my A.A. group, do I make a special effort to make them feel at home? Do I put myself out to listen to them, even if their ideas of A.A. are vague? Do I make it a habit to talk to all new members myself, or do I often leave that to someone else? I may not be able to help them, but then again it may be something that I might say that would put them on the right track. When I see any members sitting alone, do I put myself out to be nice to them, or do I stay among my own special group of friends and leave them out in the cold? So ............ Are all new A.A.’s & “loners” my responsibility? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation What If What if you were wrong? What if everything you ever believed was a lie? What if you missed your opportunity because you didn't know your worth? What if you settled on familiar, but God was trying to give you something better? What if you decided not to go backwards, but forward? What if doing what you have never done before was the answer to everything that didn't make sense? What if the answer wasn't to be found in words, but in action? What if you found the courage to do what you really wanted to do and doing it changed your whole life? (from: Shannon L. Alder) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Agnostic Temperament Some of us have been violently anti-religious. To others, the word "God" brought up a particular idea of Him with which someone had tried to impress them during childhood. Perhaps we rejected this particular conception because it seemed inadequate. With that rejection we imagined we had abandoned the God idea entirely. We were bothered with the thought that faith and dependence upon a Power beyond ourselves was somewhat weak, even cowardly. We looked upon this world of warring individuals, warring theological systems, and inexplicable calamity, with deep skepticism. We looked askance at many individuals who claimed to be godly. How could a Supreme Being have anything to do with it all? And who could comprehend a Supreme Being anyhow? Yet, in other moments, we found ourselves thinking, when enchanted by a starlit night, "Who, then, made all this?" There was a feeling of awe and wonder, but it was fleeting and soon lost. Yes, we of agnostic temperament have had these thoughts and experiences. Let us make haste to reassure you. We found that as soon as we were able to lay aside prejudice and express even a willingness to believe in a Power greater than ourselves, we commenced to get results, even though it was impossible for any of us to fully define or comprehend that Power, which is God. Alcoholics Anonymous Pages 45 – 46 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Quote “Negative people need drama like it’s oxygen. Stay positive and take their breath away.” -- Unknown |
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 We have this choice every day of our lives. We can take the path that leads to insanity and death (and remember, our next drunk could be our last one). Or we can take the path that leads to a reasonably happy and useful life. The choice is ours each day of our lives. God grant that we take the right path. So ............ Have I made my choice today? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Reality of Life When a person looks at their life and at the lives of others, it is clear that pain is part of life. We cannot escape this tragic truth; our growth and our wholeness must include it because our recovery stresses honesty. In our old way of living, we may have been bitter. Many of us felt sorry for ourselves. Some of us cursed God and wasted time in our self-centeredness thinking life was especially unfair to us. Life is not fair; it just is. It is left to us to choose how we will respond. People's responses to life inspire us. We not only acknowledge the pain, but we see the heroic lives of others around us. They met their limitations and went forward with a willing spirit and faith. Today we can be grateful for the progress we have made in overcoming our suffering. We have friends who give us the joy of human contact. We have choices and possibilities where we never saw them before. We have a growing self-respect as men. I accept the reality of life, and I will respond with faith in the choices I make today. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 You should be ready and willing to carry the A.A. message when called upon to do so. Live for some purpose greater than yourself. Each day you will have something to work for. You have received so much from this program that you should have a vision that gives your life a direction and a purpose that gives meaning to each new day. Let us not slide along through life. Let us have a purpose for each day and let us make that purpose for something greater than just ourselves. So ............ What is my purpose for today? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Balance and Moderation Finding balance is important at any age, not just when we’re old. We need balance in our diet, between work and rest, in our emotional life – any activity is more rewarding, more life enhancing when done in moderation., Most of us developed a belief that if a little of something is good, then a whole lot is better. Had we been able to practice moderation, we would not be sharing this fellowship today. It’s paradoxical that our drive to live on the edge, doing everyting to extreme, has rewarded us with a program for living quite a distance from the edge. Many a friend or sponsor has suggested Easy Does It; Let Go and Let God; One Day at a Time. These slogans are simple and yet profound reminders to find balance and quiet moderation in all our activities. We can only fully know and appreciate this moment if we’re participating in it, not racing to the next thought, hour, or day. Today I can enjoy moderation with the knowledge it will enhance my life. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 Dear God, 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 Faith in that Power greater than ourselves can be counted on to stabilize our emotions. It has an incomparable capacity to help us look at life in a balanced perspective. We look up, around, and away from ourselves, and we see that nine out of ten things that at the moment upset us will shortly disappear. Problems solve themselves; criticism and unkindness vanish as though they had never been. So ............ Have I got the proper perspective toward life? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just a Contemplation Fear of Pain If we really stopped to think about it, we would be astounded to discover how much of our time is spent trying to avoid pain. We are afraid to say what we think or tell others our needs because we fear rejection. We are afraid to face the pain of our own anger. We are afraid of telling others who we are. When we are afraid of opening up to others for fear they will hurt us, we are not free, we are prisoners of our own fears. Pain is a natural part of life, and we are gifted with the ability to feel it. Pain teaches us, makes us work harder sometimes, and it helps us appreciate pleasure. When we accept pain, and stop exhausting ourselves trying to avoid it, we will be free to live life more fully and without so much worry. How has my own fear limited my freedom? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 If you have any doubts, just ask any of the older members of the A.A. group. They will readily tell you that since they turned their lives over to the care of God as they understand Him, many of their problems have been banished into the forgotten yesterdays. When you allow yourself to be upset over one thing, you succeed only in opening the door to the coming of hundreds of other upsetting things. So ............ Am I allowing myself to be upset over little things? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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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