Monday, March 28, 2016
March 28, 2016 - Equality groups take fight against North Carolina anti-gay law to court
March 28, 2016 - Spousal-shaming, the Republicans' latest disgrace
March 28, 2016 - Alcohol and suicide, when a man isn't 'macho' enough
March 28, 2016 - Male abusers: When strength is a front for fear
March 28, 2016 - Suicide isn't just an older men's issue anymore
March 28, 2016 - Gay conversion therapy and one man's tale of survivorship
March 28, 2016 - 'Terrified' of being hit on by gay men
March 28, 2016 - Readings in Recovery: Today's Gift from Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation
Monday, March 28, 2016
Today's thought from the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is:
The cause is hidden, but the result is known.
-- Ovid
We know it's coming before we do it. Our boy[girl]friend dumps us and we devour the ice cream. We don't get the promotion so we head for the bar. We have a fight with our spouse and treat ourselves to a new leather jacket - at his or her expense. We decide that because we're feeling bad anyway, we might as well take full advantage of it. We figure the worse we feel, the more entitled we are to the indulgence.
This type of behavior starts a cycle. The worse we feel, the more we want to self-destruct. Let's face it - our actions are usually premeditated.
We think about the ice cream, the drink, or the leather jacket until we can get to it. During the planning stage, we can shift gears. We think it through. We know we have a choice. We decide to do something healthy instead of destructive.
Today I will make only healthy choices for myself.
The cause is hidden, but the result is known.
-- Ovid
We know it's coming before we do it. Our boy[girl]friend dumps us and we devour the ice cream. We don't get the promotion so we head for the bar. We have a fight with our spouse and treat ourselves to a new leather jacket - at his or her expense. We decide that because we're feeling bad anyway, we might as well take full advantage of it. We figure the worse we feel, the more entitled we are to the indulgence.
This type of behavior starts a cycle. The worse we feel, the more we want to self-destruct. Let's face it - our actions are usually premeditated.
We think about the ice cream, the drink, or the leather jacket until we can get to it. During the planning stage, we can shift gears. We think it through. We know we have a choice. We decide to do something healthy instead of destructive.
Today I will make only healthy choices for myself.
You are reading from the book:
Letting Go of Debt © 2000 by Hazelden Foundation
March 28, 2016 - Readings in Recovery: Step by Step
Monday, March 28, 2016
Today, I will not romanticize my drinking days as "fun" or good if a newcomer to the program or even a veteran talk about "the good old days." By embellishing drinking before "things went bad" and even constructing a vision that any of it was good, I am probably pining for days when I might have drank "safely" without being honest that those days never existed at all. And by longing for non-existent "good old days," I am vulnerable to a slip or relapse and denying the truth that I am now, and forever will be, "powerless over alcohol." More pointedly, if I try to re-do my last drunk into something that is not true, I have basically forgotten my last drunk. And as one of the program's old sayings goes, if I can't remember my last drunk, I haven't had it yet. Today, I will remember with honesty how it was and that it has been, so far by the grace of God, my last drunk. And our common journey continues. Step by step. - Chris M., 2016
March 28, 2016 - Readings in Recovery: Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Monday, March 28, 2016
AA Thought for the Day
When you come into an AA meeting, you're not just coming into a meeting, you're coming into a new life. I'm always impressed by the change I see in people after they've been in AA for a while. I sometimes take an inventory of myself to see whether I have changed and, if so, in what way. Before I met AA, I was very selfish. I wanted my own way in everything. I don't believe I ever grew up. When things went wrong, I sulked like a spoiled child and often went out and got drunk.
Am I still all get and no give?
Meditation for the Day
There are two things that we must have if we are going to change our way of life. One is faith, the confidence in things unseen, the fundamental goodness and purpose in the universe. The other is obedience: that is, living according to our faith, living each day as we believe that God wants us to live, with gratitude, humility, honesty, purity, unselfishness and love. Faith and obedience, these two, will give us all the strength we need to overcome sin and temptation and to live a new and more abundant life.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may have more faith and obedience. I pray that I may live a more abundant life as a result of these things.
Monday, March 28, 2016
AA Thought for the Day
When you come into an AA meeting, you're not just coming into a meeting, you're coming into a new life. I'm always impressed by the change I see in people after they've been in AA for a while. I sometimes take an inventory of myself to see whether I have changed and, if so, in what way. Before I met AA, I was very selfish. I wanted my own way in everything. I don't believe I ever grew up. When things went wrong, I sulked like a spoiled child and often went out and got drunk.
Am I still all get and no give?
Meditation for the Day
There are two things that we must have if we are going to change our way of life. One is faith, the confidence in things unseen, the fundamental goodness and purpose in the universe. The other is obedience: that is, living according to our faith, living each day as we believe that God wants us to live, with gratitude, humility, honesty, purity, unselfishness and love. Faith and obedience, these two, will give us all the strength we need to overcome sin and temptation and to live a new and more abundant life.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may have more faith and obedience. I pray that I may live a more abundant life as a result of these things.
Hazelden Foundation
March 28, 2016 - Readings in Recovery: A Day at a Time
A Day at a Time
Monday, March 28, 2016
Reflection for the Day
We must think deeply of all those sick persons still to come to The Program. As they try to make their return to faith and to life, we want them to find everything in The Program that we have found, yet more, if that be possible. No care, no vigilance, no effort to preserve The Program's constant effectiveness and spiritual strength will ever be too great to hold us in full readiness for the day of their homecoming.
How well do I respect the Traditions of The Program?
Today I Pray
God help me to carry out my part in making the group a lifeline for those who are still suffering from addictions, in maintaining the Steps and the Traditions which have made it work for me for those who are still to come. May The Program be a "homecoming" for those of us who share the disease of addiction. May we find common solutions to the common problems which that disease breeds.
Today I Will Remember
To do my part.
Monday, March 28, 2016
Reflection for the Day
We must think deeply of all those sick persons still to come to The Program. As they try to make their return to faith and to life, we want them to find everything in The Program that we have found, yet more, if that be possible. No care, no vigilance, no effort to preserve The Program's constant effectiveness and spiritual strength will ever be too great to hold us in full readiness for the day of their homecoming.
How well do I respect the Traditions of The Program?
Today I Pray
God help me to carry out my part in making the group a lifeline for those who are still suffering from addictions, in maintaining the Steps and the Traditions which have made it work for me for those who are still to come. May The Program be a "homecoming" for those of us who share the disease of addiction. May we find common solutions to the common problems which that disease breeds.
Today I Will Remember
To do my part.
Hazelden Foundation
March 28, 2016 - Readings in Recovery: The Eye Opener
The Eye Opener
Monday, March 28, 2016
Why is the world? Why are we here? What is our purpose? Why must we live and suffer and die? Without God, there would be no answer. We do not know the great extent of God's purpose, but we do know that we as individuals, each and every one, must somehow fit into that purpose.
We can only know God as He has revealed Himself to us. We know His principle attribute is goodness. Therefore, His purpose must be good, and we can best serve that purpose by aspiring to the highest standard of goodness that we can conceive.
Monday, March 28, 2016
Why is the world? Why are we here? What is our purpose? Why must we live and suffer and die? Without God, there would be no answer. We do not know the great extent of God's purpose, but we do know that we as individuals, each and every one, must somehow fit into that purpose.
We can only know God as He has revealed Himself to us. We know His principle attribute is goodness. Therefore, His purpose must be good, and we can best serve that purpose by aspiring to the highest standard of goodness that we can conceive.
Hazelden Foundation
Sunday, March 27, 2016
March 27, 2016 - Bisexuality: Are you just confused ...or scared?
March 27, 2016 - Photo gallery: When two men are in love and want the world to know it
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