AA Thoughts For Today - July

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AA Thought for the Day

July 5

Perfect Ideals

Only Step One, where we made the 100 percent admission we were
powerless over alcohol, can be practiced with absolute perfection. The
remaining eleven Steps state perfect ideals. They are goals toward which
we look, and the measuring sticks by which we estimate our progress.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, (Step Six) p. 68

Thought to Ponder . . .
Give me the courage to be imperfect.

AA-related 'Alconym'
H U M A N = Humbly Understanding Mistakes Are Necessary.

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

Simplicity

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

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

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

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

Steps
From "The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous":
"It might be a long time before readers of the book in distant places and lands could be personally contacted. Therefore
our literature would have to be as clear and comprehensive as possible. Our steps would have to be more explicit.
There must not be a single loophole through which the rationalizing alcoholic could wiggle out.
"Finally I [Bill W.] started to write. I set out to draft more than six steps; how many more I did not know. I relaxed and
asked for guidance. With a speed that was astonishing, considering my jangling emotions, I completed the first draft. It
took perhaps half an hour. The words kept right on coming. When I reached a stopping point, I numbered the new
steps. They added up to twelve."
2001 AAWS, Inc.; Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, pg. 161

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

"If you sponsor people, you'll never need a mirror."
August 2001
"The Mouth That Roared,"
Emotional Sobriety

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

"Those having religious affiliations will find here nothing
disturbing to their beliefs or ceremonies. There is no friction
among us over such matters."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, Page 28~

"It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on
our laurels. We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a
subtle foe. We are not cured of alcoholism. What we really have is
a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual
condition."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 85~

"I was to share generously in the profits."
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 5 (Bill's Story)

"And we can often ask ourselves, "Am I doing to others as I would have them do to me -- today?"
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 93 (Step Ten)

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

In Tradition Three, A.A. is really saying to every serious drinker, 'You are an A.A. member if you say so. You can declare yourself in; nobody can keep you out. No matter how low you've gone, no matter how grave your emotional complications--even your crimes--we don't want to keep you out. We just want to be sure that you get the same chance for sobriety that we've had.'
We do not wish to deny anyone his chance to recover from alcoholism. We wish to be just as inclusive as we can. never exclusive.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, direct my thoughts away from myself, and allow me to extend compassion and love toward the world today.