AA Thoughts For Today - November

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AA Thought for the Day

November 1

Character Building

Seldom did we look at character-building as something
desirable in itself, something we would like to strive for
whether our instinctual needs were met or not. We
never thought of making honesty, tolerance, and true
love of man and God the daily basis of living.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Seven) p. 72

Thought to Ponder . . .
Character is what I am; reputation is what people think I am.

AA-related 'Alconym'
A A = Altered Attitudes.

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

Companionship

"Letting go of everything at once
was both painful and terrifying.
I could never have accomplished this alone.
It took the help, understanding and wonderful companionship that was given so freely to me by my 'ex-alkie' friends.
This and the program of recovery
embodied in the Twelve Steps . . .
Whole new vistas were opened up for me,
new avenues of experience to be explored,
and life began to take on color and interest."
c. 1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 311

Thought to Consider . . .
This is a great day to be sober, patient, tolerant,
kindly and loving.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
C A R E = Comforting And Reassuring Each other

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

Accountable
From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":
"By 1940 we had begun to see that the A.A. book should belong to our society itself. Its shares should not be forever scattered among forty-nine subscribers, Ruth Hock, Henry, and me [Bill W.]. If the Foundation could acquire these outstanding shares, the book could be placed in trust for A.A. as a whole. They could no longer kick about the book's income being used to run the A.A. office.
"Trustee A. LeRoy Chipman conceived the idea of borrowing enough money from Mr. [John D., Jr.] Rockefeller, two of his sons [including then-future US Vice President Nelson], and the dinner guests to clear away certain debts and to buy all Works Publishing's shares (except Henry's and mine) from the cash subscribers at par. Every one of the cash subscribers gladly consented to this; they were happy to get out even. Mr. Chipman thereupon raised a total of $8,000 dollars, to be repaid to Mr. Rockefeller and the others out of book profits at a later date."
2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pg. 189

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"No prophet can presume to say whether the world outcome will be blazing destruction or the beginning, under God's intention, of the brightest era yet known to mankind. I am sure we AAs well comprehend this scene. In microcosm, we have experienced this identical state of terrifying uncertainty, each in his own life."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., January 1962
"This Matter of Fear"
The Language of the Heart

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"If, when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit entirely,
or if when drinking, you have little control over the amount you take,
you are probably alcoholic. If that be the case, you may be
suffering from an illness which only a spiritual experience will
conquer."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 44~

The very practical approach to his problems, the absence of
intolerance of any kind, the informality, the genuine democracy, the
uncanny understanding which these people had were irresistible.
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, Page 160

It may be that both will decide that the way of good sense and loving kindness is to let by-gones be by-gones.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.82

With those we dislike we can begin to practice justice and courtesy, perhaps going out of our way to understand and help them.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.93

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

The principle that we shall find no enduring strength until we first admit complete defeat is the main taproot from which our whole Society has sprung and flowered.
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.

Prayer for the Day: Please Lord - Please Lord, teach us to laugh again; but God, Don't ever let us forget that we cried.

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AA Thought for the Day

November 2

Quick Inventory

In all these situations we need self-restraint, honest analysis of what
is involved, a willingness to admit when the fault is ours, and an equal
willingness to forgive when the fault is elsewhere. We need not be
discouraged when we fall into the error of our old ways, for these
disciplines are not easy. We shall look for progress, not for perfection.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Ten) p. 91

Thought to Ponder . . .
Nothing pays off like restraint of tongue and pen.

AA-related 'Alconym'
C A L M = Cause Anger Left Me.

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

Oldtimers
"Many oldsters who have put our AA 'booze cure'
to severe but successful tests still find
they often lack emotional sobriety.
To attain this, we must develop real maturity and balance
(which is to say humility)
in our relations with ourselves, with our fellows,
and with God."
Bill W., AA Grapevine, January 1958
c. 1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 244

Thought to Consider . . .
Newcomers are the lifeblood of the program,
but our oldtimers are the arteries.

*~*~*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
C H A N G E = Choosing Honesty Allows New Growth Every day

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

Spirituality
From "In His Own Individual Right":
"Spirituality is an awakening or is it all the loose ends woven together into a mellow fabric? It's understanding or is it all the knowledge one need ever know? It's freedom if you consider fear slavery. It's confidence or is it the belief that a higher power will see you through any storm or gale? It's adhering to the dictates of your conscience or is it a deep, genuine, living concern for the people and the planet? I's peace of mind in the face of adversity. It's a keen and sharpened desire for survival. " New York, New York, USA"
1973 AAWS, Inc.; Came to Believe, 30th printing 2004, pg. 5

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"In despair, I had cried out, 'Now I am willing to do anything. If there is a God, will he show himself?' And he did. This was my first conscious contact, my first awakening. I asked from the heart, and I received."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., July 1960
The Language of the Heart

~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Yes, there is a substitute and it is vastly more than that. It is a
fellowship in Alcoholics Anonymous. There you will find release from
care, boredom and worry. Your imagination will be fired. Life will
mean something at last. The most satisfactory years of your
existence lie ahead."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, pg. 152~

'Abandon yourself to God as you understand God. Admit your faults to Him and to your fellows. Clear away the wreckage of your past Give freely of what you find and join us. We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit, and you will surely meet some of us as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny.
May God Bless you and Keep you--until then.'
Alcoholics Anonymous p.164

The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.60

We will want the good that is in us all, even in the worst of us, to flower and to grow.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p.98

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

I don't think happiness or unhappiness is the point. How do we meet the problems we face? How do we best learn from them and transmit what we have learned to others, if they would receive the knowledge?
'In my view, we of this world are pupils in a great school of life. It is intended that we try to grow, and that we try to help our fellow travelers to grow in the kind of love that makes no demands. In short, we try to move toward the image and likeness of God as we understand Him.
'When pain comes, we are expected to learn from it willingly, and help others to learn. When happiness comes, we accept it as a gift, and thank God for it.

Prayer for the Day: My Prayer For You -
I thought of you so much today
I went to God in prayer.
To ask Him to watch over you
and show you that I care.
My prayer for you was not for rewards
ones that you can touch or feel.
But true rewards for happiness
that are so very real.
Like love and understanding
in all the things you do.
For guidance when you need it most
to see your troubles through.
I asked Him for good health for you
so your future could be bright.
And faith to accept life's challenges
with courage to do what's right.
I gave thanks to Him for granting my prayer
to bring you peace and love.
May you feel the warmth in your life
with Gods blessings from above.