Share something that speaks to your heart.

[toad]

"Day by day, we try to move a little toward God's perfection. So we need not be consumed by maudlin guilt for failure to achieve His likeness and image by Thursday next. Progress is our aim, and His perfection is the beacon, light-years away, that draws us on."

Bill W.

[TonyB]

Originally Posted by toad

"Day by day, we try to move a little toward God's perfection. So we need not be consumed by maudlin guilt for failure to achieve His likeness and image by Thursday next. Progress is our aim, and His perfection is the beacon, light-years away, that draws us on."

Bill W.

I've seen that before; is that from Language from the Heart or from the Big Book?

[toad]

Originally Posted by TonyB

I've seen that before; is that from Language from the Heart or from the Big Book?

It is from a letter that Bill wrote in 1966, and can be found in As Bill See's It page 15.

"Progress is our aim, and His perfection is the beacon, light-years away, that draws us on"

I thought this to be very profound.

I had four PGR missions in the last 4 days........We've been real busy in Missouri the past couple of months.

Have you been on any missions lately?

[TonyB]

That's it!! As Bill sees it. I've been reading that on and off for the last couple of years! Thanks, that was really bugging me.



I am on a mission every day my friend. Missions is the field the Lord has brought me to.
Blessings,

[toad]

"At the beginning we sacrificed alcohol. We had to, or it would have killed us.
But we couldn't get rid of alcohol unless we made other sacrifices. Big-shotism and phony thinking had to go. We had to toss self-justification, self-pity, and anger right out the window. We had to quit the crazy contest for personal prestige and big bank balances. We had to take personal responsibility for our sorry state and quit blaming others for it. Were these sacrifices? Yes, they were. To gain enough humility and self-respect to stay alive at all we had to give up what had really been our dearest possessions - our ambitions and our illegitimate pride."



A friend of mine named Bill wrote this in January 1955


The Language of the Heart, p. 210

[toad]

"Most certainly I was powerless over alcohol, and for me, my life had become unmanageable. It wasn't how far I had gone, but where I was headed. It was important to me to see what alcohol had done to me
and would continue to do if I didn't have help. At first it was a shock to realize I was an alcoholic, but the realization that there was hope made it easier. The baffling problem of getting drunk when I had every intention of staying sober was simplified. It was a great relief to know I didn't have to drink any more."


Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 379

[toad]

"The man said, 'The thing I do is to say "God here I am and here are all my troubles. I've made a mess of things and can't do anything about it.
You take me and all my troubles, and do anything you want with me." '
I return to bed. It doesn't make sense. . . I am in the bottom of hell.
And there a tremendous hope is born. It might be true. I tumble out of bed on my knees. I know not what I say. But slowly a great peace comes to me.
I feel lifted up. I believe in God. I crawl back into bed and sleep like a child."


Big Book page 504


I have a certain peace in my life that I did not have before I became a believer...toad

[Astro]

My friend suggested what then seemed a novel idea. He said, "Why don´t you choose your own conception of God?"

That statement hit me hard. It melted the icy intellectual mountain in whose shadow I had lived and shivered many years. I stood in the sunlight at last.

I didn't give much thought to God for most of my life. Now it seems like a day doesn't go by when I don't think of Him a thousand times. Icy? I don't shiver much with the warmth that God wraps me in every day.

(Big Book quote from the 1st edition of Alcoholics Anonymous, page 12)

[toad]

Originally Posted by Astro

My friend suggested what then seemed a novel idea. He said, "Why don´t you choose your own conception of God?"

That statement hit me hard. It melted the icy intellectual mountain in whose shadow I had lived and shivered many years. I stood in the sunlight at last.

I didn't give much thought to God for most of my life. Now it seems like a day doesn't go by when I don't think of Him a thousand times. Icy? I don't shiver much with the warmth that God wraps me in every day.

(Big Book quote from the 1st edition of Alcoholics Anonymous, page 12)

Thanks Astro,

I can only have a God of my understanding. I can never know fully how you or anybody else understands God. My own concept of God is just that. No matter how much you influence me about God, I still form my own concept because I cannot live in your skin and know your thoughts. When Ebby told Bill to form his own concept of God, it might have sounded like a new idea, but I see it as only truth and nothing else.

thanks for letting me share my ESH................toad

[toad]

Five simple rules to be happy:


1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply..
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

[24hrsAday]

good stuff toad.. thank you.. i really like that part of the big book where bill is drinking in his kitchen and his sober friend comes calling..

[toad]

Originally Posted by 24hrsAday

good stuff toad.. thank you.. i really like that part of the big book where bill is drinking in his kitchen and his sober friend comes calling..

Bill's sober friend was Ebby Thatcher who was his sponsor. Bill expected his booze to outlast Ebby's preaching, but Ebby was sowing seeds of recovery that are still bringing forth a harvest today.

[toad]

We have to keep our sobriety independent of everything else, not entangled with any people, and not hedged in by any possible cop-outs or conditions.
Living Sober, p. 64

[toad]

"All of us, without exception, pass through times when we can pray only with the greatest exertion of will. Occasionally we go even further than this. We are seized with a rebellion so sickening that we simply won't pray. When these things happen we should not think too ill of ourselves. We should simply resume prayer as soon as we can, doing what we know to be good for us."


Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 105

[toad]

All I thought as I was making the coffee was making the coffee . . I stood near the coffeepot and welcomed everyone who came by. I must have experienced a million smiles in a very short time. And when I pushed the broom all I concentrated on was the dust rising from it as I moved across the floor. My troubles were gone for the time that I was doing those things.
And so it can be for you. If you can't live and you can't die, make coffee.

[toad]

We need each other's experience, strength, and hope, regardless of age or length of sobriety. The saving grace of God doesn't come like a bolt out of the blue.
It comes through, in, and from other suffering, as well as rescued, souls like you and me.
- Came To Believe . . ., p. 94

[Astro]

Originally Posted by toad

If you can't live and you can't die, make coffee.

I'm much better with the broom, was working that one yesterday. It works if I work it, so I think I'll stick to the sweeping

[24hrsAday]

i have gone to my A.A. club house (an old church) when no one else was there.. it was so silent.. and i was sure that i was not alone.:ghug2

[toad]

Originally Posted by 24hrsAday

i have gone to my A.A. club house (an old church) when no one else was there.. it was so silent.. and i was sure that i was not alone.:ghug2

thanks for sharing............got me thinking about God

[toad]

"What we must recognize now is that we exult in some of our defects.
We really love them. Who, for example, doesn't like to feel just a little superior to the next fellow, or even quite a lot superior? Isn't it true that we like to let greed masquerade as ambition? To think of liking lust seems impossible. But how many men and women speak love with their lips, and believe what they say, so they can hide lust in a dark corner of their minds?
And even while staying within conventional bounds, many people have to admit that their imaginary sex excursions are apt to be all dressed up as dreams of romance."


Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 66-7

[toad]

Look back and thank God.

Look forward and trust God.

Look around and serve God.

Look within and find God!"

[toad]

As I was going to sleep last night I was thinking about Thanksgiving and how I see the holiday as being one of the most sincere holidays this country has. There doesn’t seem to be the buying and selling, and materialistic side that other holidays have. A time for family and friends to gather together and say, "thank you."…..Thank you God. One thanksgiving that came to my mind was the year 1954. My father was in the Army and was stationed at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington D.C.. We had received orders to be stationed in Paris France for three years, affective Christmas day. My mother wanted to come home and see her parents for a while, so Mom, Susan and I moved to Mountain Grove, Missouri sometime in September or October. I attended the local school for three months before the assignment to France. I was born in the house that I live in at the present time, and that Thanksgiving dinner took place in the dinning room where my desk sits today. I have often thought about that day over the years. I remember how Granny brought the big table into the dinning room, and we all gathered around to give thanks and eat the meal. Present were Granny and Papa, uncle Jimmy and aunt Sharron, Mom, Susan and I, and great Grandma Lupton. Grandma Lupton was up in years and this would be the last Thanksgiving I would be with her. I was young and don’t remember much about her but this last memory sticks well with me. The day seemed to be an important day not only because it was Thanksgivings, but because we were leaving for France in a month, and would not be back for three years. I give thanks today for that time forty-nine years ago, and for having memories of family gathering together for the purpose of recognizing God as the source of our existence and blessings. I don’t remember what I got for my birthday that year, but I do remember giving thanks that day. That kind of shows me what is important in my life. Thanks for letting me share. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself………………………toad

[tabfan]

Thanks, Toad, for sharing. I always enjoy reading your posts as you write from the heart!

I have been deathly ill. I thought I was going to die on December 27th. I am still here, and that is ONLY by God's grace. I would like to say I have been on my death bed a couple times in my adult life, but this time was different. I always pray on my knees because it just seems more humbling to me. On one of those particular days, I got on my knees and said: "Heavenly Father: I am in pain. Only you, God, know the pain I feel. I know it is YOUR will that I am in this state of physical condition. I don't know the reason why, but I know there is a reason WHY. Whatever lesson this is suppose to teach me, I pray for willingness to learn. If the pain is going to stop, I pray I can endure until then. If not, I pray for the ability to endure as long as necessary. THY WILL BE DONE".

Then, I crawled back into bed and hoped for the best.

I am happy to say, the correct diagnosis came through and the proper medicines were prescribed. I had a very rare bacterial infection, usually only seen in hospital settings. (My doctor giggled as she told me this; She seemed to be amazed that I endured the pain in my lower abdomen. I saw no humour in it, however!)

I thought about this website often whilst I was down and out. I had hoped to come back here and touch bases with my buddie, Toad, and Sharon and others.......

Today, I give thanks to God for all my blessings. We never know when it will all end suddenly, and there will be no more days ahead.


Take care Y'all. I am going back to work on Thursday and so I will be a "regular-regular" again!

Your friend, Tabfan

[tabfan]

........and I agree with your choice of holidays. Thanksgiving is my favorite one!

[toad]

tabfan........so good to hear from you. Praise God that you found the solution and are feeling much better. I will pray for your continued good health.

Talk about a blast from the past. As I look over these post from a year and a half ago I am lifted up again.

Thanks for sharing............your friend toad

67 days till Spring