May 26, 2013 - Twenty-Four Hours a Day

Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Sunday, May 26, 2013

AA Thought for the Day
In Twelfth-Step work, the fourth thing is conversion. 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 liquor. 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.

Do I care enough about other alcoholics to help them to make this conversion?

Meditation for the Day
Discipline of yourself is absolutely necessary before the power of God is given to you. When you see others manifesting the power of God, you probably have not seen the discipline that went before. They made themselves ready. All your life is a preparation for more good to be accomplished when God knows that you are ready for it. So keep disciplining yourself in the spiritual life every day. Learn so much of the spiritual laws that your life cannot again be a failure. Others will see the outward manifestation of the inward discipline in your daily living.

Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may manifest God's power in my daily living. I pray that I may discipline myself so as to be ready to meet every opportunity.

Hazelden Foundation

May 26, 2013 - A Day at a Time

A Day at a Time
Sunday, May 26, 2013

Reflection for the Day
I know today that I no longer have to proceed on my own. I've learned that it's safer, more sensible and surer to move forward with friends who are going in the same direction as I. None of us need feel shame at using help, since we all help each other. It's no more a sign of weakness to use help in recovering from my addiction than it is to use a crutch if I have a broken leg. To those who need it, and to those who see its usefulness, a crutch is a beautiful thing.

Do I sometimes still refuse to accept easily-obtained assistance?

Today I Pray
God make me see that it is not a sign of weakness to ask for help, that the comraderie of the group is what makes it work for each of us. Like a vaccine for diptheria or polio, The Program and the strength of the group have proved themselves as preventives for slips and backsliding. Praise God for the tools of recovery.

Today I Will Remember
Help is as near as my telephone.

Hazelden Foundation

May 26, 2013 - The Eye Opener

The Eye Opener
Sunday, May 26, 2013

Doubt is the opposite of Faith. No man has either one completely, but even those of little faith have by far more faith than doubt. He may not admit a belief in God or the inherent good in mankind, but still there are numberless things in which he has no doubt.

If he did not have some faith, he would be afraid to go to sleep for fear he wouldn't waken; he would refuse to eat a meal unless he cooked it himself. He would be afraid to leave his wife to go to work or to leave his job to return to his wife for fear they would not be there when he returned.

Reduced to its simplest form, life is good or bad in proportion to our faith and our doubts.

Hazelden Foundation

May 26, 2013 - Today's Gift from Hazelden

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Today's thought from Hazelden is:

Without a sense of humor, you're old in a hurry.
 -- Janice Clark
We've all been in the company of constant complainers. They drag down the mood of everyone they encounter. Can we be accused of this demeanor on occasion too?

Maybe it seems impossible to wear a happy face all the time. And it's not always easy to laugh at ourselves, particularly when we're feeling anxious and vulnerable. However, becoming willing to see the humor in our many foibles, learning to not take ourselves so seriously is well worth the effort. The lucky ones among us learned this trait many years ago, and we recognize them instantly. We generally love being around them, too. Laughter is good medicine. Whether it's at ourselves or simply at a situation or a clever movie, laughter lightens our mood, thus lightening whatever burden we might be carrying.

When we were young, most of us had fears about financial instability, war, our children, or our careers. Life does have many serious aspects. But we were never required to handle any of them alone. If we relied on the God of our understanding, all of the burdens were more easily accepted. That gave us time to breathe more easily. Laughter was then more frequent. It can be more frequent now, too. It's simply a decision to see every circumstance with a lighter heart.

It's so much more fun to laugh than to complain. It's my choice today.

From the book:

Keepers of the Wisdom by Karen Casey

Keepers of the Wisdom © 1996 by Karen Casey

May 25, 2013 - Step by Step

Step by Step
Saturday, May 25, 2013

"The remorse, horror and hopelessness of the next morning are unforgettable. The courage to do battle was not there. (The) brain raced uncontrollably and there was a terrible sense of impending calamity. ...(A) mental fog settled down. Gin would fix that. So two bottles, and - oblivion." - Alcoholics Anonymous, Third Edition, 1976, Ch 1, p 6.

Today, I can be grateful that I awoke to a day without the remorse of what I might have done or said the night before, without a sense of dread of what this new day will bring and without the fear of some unknown and unidentified pending disaster that feels like a bomb is about to explode and I don't know where to hide. Today, I have clarity of all I said and did last night, no dread of what these 24 Hours will serve and no need to run from a non-existent fear. My AA Program has empowered me with faith and trust in a Higher Power who, in turn, has graced me with confidence and safety in the 12 Steps and, above all, with sobriety. But I cannot take for granted that I awoke to this day sober and with a sense of purpose. My reprieve from all those morning after's of so many yesterdays is only for this day, and this day I must continue to work toward awakening to the next 24 Hours without "remorse, horror and hopelessness." And our common journey continues. Step by step. - Chris M., 2013

May 25, 2013 - Twenty-Four Hours a Day

Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Saturday, May 25, 2013

AA Thought for the Day
In Twelfth-Step work, the third thing is conviction. 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.

Do I care enough about other alcoholics to help them reach this conviction?

Meditation for the Day
There is no limit to what you can accomplish in helping others. Keep that thought always. Never relinquish any work or give up the thought of any accomplishment because it seems beyond your power. God will help you in all good work. Only give it up if you feel that it's not God's will for you. In helping others, think of the tiny seed under the dark, hard ground. There is no certainty that, when it has forced its way up to the surface, sunlight and warmth will greet it. Often a task seems beyond your power, but there is no limit to what you can accomplish with God's help.

Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may never become discouraged in helping others. I pray that I may always rely on the power of God to help me.

Hazelden Foundation

May 25, 2013 - A Day at a Time

A Day at a Time
Saturday, May 25, 2013

Reflection for the Day
When we're new in The Program, we're novices at reaching out for friendship - or even accepting it when it's offered. Sometimes we're not quite sure how to do it or, indeed, whether it will actually work. Gradually, however, we become restored; we become teachable. We learn, for example, as Moliere wrote, "The more we love our friends, the less we flatter them."

Just for today, will I not show anyone that my feelings are hurt?

Today I Pray
May God help me to discover what true friendship is. In my new relationships, I pray that I may not be so eager for approval that I will let myself be dishonest - through flattery, half-truths, false cheeriness, protective white lies.

Today I Will Remember
A friend is honest.

Hazelden Foundation

May 25, 2013 - The Eye Opener

The Eye Opener
Saturday, May 25, 2013

Our cute little darling and that spoiled brat across the street do exactly the same tricks.

Man is so constructed that he cannot be absolutely impartial. It is contrary to human nature.

We can, however, pause and reflect before we pass judgment, and we can try to put ourselves in the other fellow's position. We are prone to judge him solely on his acts while we judge our acts by our motives and thus excuse ourselves.

Hazelden Foundation

May 25, 2013 - Today's Gift from Hazelden

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Today's thought from Hazelden is:

Be yourself. Who else is better qualified?
 -- Frank J. Giblin, II
Almost every magazine devotes its cover to movie stars and famous personalities. We are taught that we need to look like the most attractive and glamorous people. We need to wear what they wear, eat what they eat, and fix our hair like theirs. The message we are given is: Don't be yourself, be like someone else.

There will always be someone who looks better than we do, has more money, scores better on tests, or has more creative skills. If we're always trying to mimic other people, we won't be looking at ourselves. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but it keeps us from being ourselves.

We need to stop focusing on what others have that we don't have. We need to look inward at our good qualities as well as our imperfections. We need to see who we are by being ourselves. Life is not made up of people who are good and bad, happy and sad, rich and poor, beautiful and ugly. Life is made up of people being themselves.

I will start to be myself. Help me show others the real me, not an imitation.

From the book:

Night Light by Amy E. Dean

Night Light by Amy E. Dean. © 1986, 1992 by Hazelden Foundation

May 24, 2013 - Step by Step

Step by Step
Friday, May 24, 2013

"Let no alcoholic say he cannot recover unless he has his family back. This just isn't so. In some cases, the (spouse) will never come back ...(R)ecovery is not dependent upon people. It is dependent upon his relationship with God." - Alcoholics Anonymous, Third Edition, 1976, Ch 7, pp 99-100.

Today, grant me understanding why my alcoholism, sobriety and recovery are dependent only on me and that I cannot make my recovery a condition of what someone else does or how some situation plays out. Just as none of those dynamics can be "blamed" for my alcoholic drinking, neither can they be the reason for my recovery. To place conditions of my sobriety on someone or something else does little more than substantiate my refusal to take responsibility and consequences and exert emotional blackmail on an external source that I cannot or will not stop drinking if I don't get from them what I want. Today, my addiction, my character defects, my spiritual defects are my responsibility, the result of my reckless and selfish behavior, and no one else's fault; likewise, no one and nothing outside of me are responsible for my recovery. And if addiction is as selfish as the Program says, then so it is for my recovery. And our common journey continues. Step by step. - Chris M., 2013

May 24, 2013 - Twenty-Four Hours a Day

Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Friday, May 24, 2013

AA Thought for the Day
In Twelfth-Step work, the second thing is confession. 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 and 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.

Do I care enough about other alcoholics to help them to make a confession?

Meditation for the Day
I should help others all I can. Every troubled soul that God puts in my path is the one for me to help. As I sincerely try to help, a supply of strength will flow into me from God. My circle of helpfulness will widen more and more. God hands out the spiritual food to me and I pass it on to others. I must never say that I have only enough strength for my own need. The more I give away, the more I will keep. That which I keep to myself, I will lose in the end.

Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may have a sincere willingness to give. I pray that I may not hold back the strength I have received for myself alone.

Hazelden Foundation

May 24, 2013 - A Day at a Time

A Day at a Time
Friday, May 24, 2013

Reflection for the Day
Getting over years of suspicion and other self-protective mechanisms can hardly be an overnight process. We've become thoroughly conditioned to feeling and acting misunderstood and unloved - whether we really were or not. Some of us may need time and practice to break out of our shell and the seemingly comfortable familiarity of solitude. Even though we begin to believe and know we're no longer alone, we tend to sometimes feel and act in the old ways.

Am I taking it easy? Am I learning to wear The Program and life like a loose garment?

Today I Pray
May I expect no sudden, total reversal of all my old traits. My sobriety is just a beginning. May I realize that the symptoms of my disease will wear off gradually. If I slip back, now and then, into my old self-pity bag or my grandiosity, may I not be discouraged but grateful. At last, I can face myself honestly and not let my delusions get the best of me.

Today I Will Remember
Easy does it.

Hazelden Foundation

May 24, 2013 - The Eye Opener

The Eye Opener
Friday, May 24, 2013

The only impossible thing in the world is a full conception of the things that are possible.

Within the limits of our lifetime, we have seen many marvels: the transmission of sound and pictures across the continent without visible means; we cook and freeze with the same unit of energy; man can now exert a force of 20,000 tons simply by pushing a button. Nothing seems beyond the vision of the scientist in his study and use of the unlimited forces of Nature.

The power of God, however, is still virgin territory. Man hasn't scratched the surface in his efforts to put this force to work for man. When this is accomplished, the word "impossible" will not be in anybody's dictionary.

Hazelden Foundation

May 24, 2013 - Today's Gift from Hazelden

Friday, May 24, 2013

Today's thought from Hazelden is:

Reflection for the DayEvery man and woman who has joined The Program and intends to stick around has, without realizing it, made a beginning on Step Three. Isn't it true that, in all matters related to their addictions, each of them has decided to turn his or her life over to the care, protection, and guidance of The Program? So already a willingness has been achieved to cast out one's own will and one's own ideas about the addiction in favor of those suggested by The Program. If this isn't turning one's will and life over to a new-found "Providence," then what is it? Have I had a spiritual awakening as the result of The Steps?
Today I Pray
For myself, I pray for a God-centered life. I thank God often for the spiritual awakening I have felt since I turned my life over. May the words "spiritual awakening" be a clue to others that there is a free fund of spiritual power within each person. It must only be discovered.

Today I Will Remember
I will try to be God-centered.

From the book:

A Day at a Time (Softcover) by Anonymous

A Day at a Time © 1989 by Hazelden Foundation

May 23, 2013 - Step by Step

Step by Step
Thursday, May 23, 2013

"It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment leads only to futility and unhappiness. ...But with the alcoholic, whose hope is the maintenance and growth of a spiritual experience, this business of resentment is infinitely grave. We found that it is fatal." - Alcoholics Anonymous, Third Edition, 1976, Ch 5, p 66

Today, I will understand and accept that resentments are both futile and unhappy and, by holding onto them, other words in the Big Book are gospel: " ...(H)arboring such (resentment), we shut ourselves off from the sunlight of the Spirit. The insanity of alcohol returns and we drink again. And with us, to drink is to die." Because I cannot afford to empower anything so strongly that my sobriety and, subsequently, my life are imperiled, I will listen to my Higher Power for the way to release to Him my resentments without taking them back. By holding onto and later taking back resentment, I must follow the Big Book's conclusion that I am still spiritually sick and that the sickness can magnify to trigger a slip or relapse. Today, I beg in sincerity and humility for the courage, strength and willingness to release that which I cannot control. And our common journey continues. Step by step. - Chris M., 2013