Notices

Daily Readings 01-25-2023

Old 01-24-2023, 12:42 PM
  # 1 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Patcha's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 1,599
Daily Readings 01-25-2023

Daily Reflections

WHAT WE NEED - EACH OTHER

. . . . A.A. is really saying to every serious drinker, "You are an A.A. member if you say so . . . nobody can keep you out."
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 139

For years, whenever I reflected on Tradition Three
("The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire
to stop drinking"), I thought it valuable only to
newcomers. It was their guarantee that no one could bar
them from A.A. Today I feel enduring gratitude for the
spiritual development the Tradition has brought me. I
don't seek out people obviously different from myself.
Tradition Three, concentrating on the one way I am
similar to others, brought me to know and help every
kind of alcoholic, just as they have helped me.
Charlotte, the atheist, showed me higher standards of
ethics and honor; Clay, of another race, taught me
patience; Winslow, who is gay, led me by example into
true compassion; Young Megan says that seeing me at
meetings, sober thirty years, keeps her coming back.
Tradition Three insured that we would get what we need
- each other.

************************************************** *********

Twenty-Four Hours A Day

A.A. Thought For The Day

We used to depend on drinking for a lot of things. We
depended on drinking to help us enjoy things. It gave us
a "kick." It broke down our shyness and helped us to have
a "good time." We depended on drinking to help us when we
felt low physically. If we had a toothache or just a
hangover, we felt better after a few drinks. We depended
on drinking to help us when we felt low mentally. If we
had a tough day at the office or if we'd had a fight with
our wives, or if things just seemed against us, we felt
better under the influence of alcohol. For us alcoholics,
it got so that we depended on drinking for almost
everything. Have I gotten over that dependence on drinking?

Meditation For The Day

I believe that complete surrender of my life to God is
the foundation of serenity. God has prepared for us many
mansions. I do not look upon that promise as referring
only to the after-life. I do not look upon this life as
something to be struggled through, in order to get the
rewards of the next life. I believe that the Kingdom of
God is within us and we can enjoy "eternal life" here
and now.

Prayer For The Day

I pray that I may try to do God's will. I pray that such
understanding, insight and vision shall be mine, and
shall make my life eternal, here and now.

************************************************** ********

As Bill Sees It

We Cannot Stand Still, p. 25

In the first days of A.A., I wasn't much bothered about the areas of
life in which I was standing still. There was always the alibi: "After
all," I said to myself, "I'm far too busy with much more important
matters." That was my near perfect prescription for comfort and
complacency.

<< << << >> >> >>

How many of us would presume to declare, "Well, I'm sober and I'm
happy. What more can I want, or do? I'm fine the way I am." We
know that the price of such self-satisfaction is an inevitable backslide,
punctuated at some point by a very rude awakening. We have to grow
or else deteriorate. For us, the status quo can only be today, never for
tomorrow. Change we must; we cannot stand still.

1. Grapevine, June 1961
2. Grapevine, February 1961

************************************************** *********

Walk In Dry Places

Finding a Higher Good____Handling Trouble.

There are times when things just don't work out, despite our best efforts. Even in sobriety, we can have business or marriage failures, accidents, sicknesses, or trouble in holding a job. Sobriety is no guarantee that things will always work out according to our expectancies.

But no disappointment or failure has to throw us or cause permanent distress. It is some comfort to remember that the meeting of the first two AA members came out of a business failure, not a success. On many occasions, a disappointment or a setback can actually give a person the insight and understanding needed for a new, more successful effort.

We do not, of course, want to rationalize failure. We should also accept responsibility when failure has been the result of negligence or wrong action on our part. Nevertheless, as we continue to seek and to follow God's guidance, w will find the course of our lives that fits our needs and capabilities. There is a higher good in everything. Even our drinking was indirectly beneficial in pushing us toward AA and the program's healing principles.
I will not waste time today brooding over mistakes or losses. I'll know that God is in charge of my life and can turn liabilities into assets and defeats into victories.

************************************************** *********

Keep It Simple

The best way to find a helping hand is at the end of your arm.----Swedish proverb

During our illness, we hurt others. We hurt ourselves. We messed up a lot.

So, a lot of us come to recovery not trusting ourselves very much. The truth is, as addicts, we couldn't be trusted.
But in recovery, we can be trusted again. We can again live and love ourselves. We do this by finding our spiritual center. This is the place inside of us where our Higher Power lives. We turn our will and our lives over to this spiritual center. We do as our spiritual center tells us. And from our spiritual center, we'll find our values. We'll live better lives. We'll come to trust ourselves again.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, thank-you for helping me believe in myself again. I'll treat myself with love and kindness. I know You want me to.

Action for the Day: Today, I'll list four ways I couldn't be trusted during my addiction. I'll also list four ways I can now be trusted.

************************************************** *********

Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition

Chapter 10 - To Employers

Here were three exceptional men lost to this world because I did not understand alcoholism as I do now. What irony—I became an alcoholic myself! And but for the intervention of an understanding person, I might have followed in their footsteps. My downfall cost the business community unknown thousands of dollars, for it takes real money to train a man for an executive position. This kind of waste goes on unabated. We think the business fabric is shot through with a situation which might be helped by better understanding all around.

p. 137

************************************************** *********

Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition Stories

ON THE MOVE - Working the A.A. program showed this alcoholic how to get from geographics to gratitude.

Over the next thirteen years, until I graced the doors of A.A. for the first time, life really never got any better. I did, however, learn the fine art of geographics. From my home on the East Coast, I landed in Japan. Then I moved back to the United States and to New England, and then out to California, where over the next six years I saw my alcoholism take me to new depths of disgrace, embarrassment, and despair. As one of my early A.A. sponsors use to say, I didn't hang out with lower companions--I had become one.

p. 487

************************************************** *********

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

Step Seven - "Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. "

As we approach the actual taking of Step Seven, it might be well if we A.A.'s inquire once more just what our deeper objectives are. Each of us would like to live at peace with himself and with his fellows. We would like to be assured that the grace of God can do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. We have seen that character defects based upon shortsighted or unworthy desires are the obstacles that block our path toward these objectives. We now clearly see that we have been making unreasonable demands upon ourselves, upon others, and upon God.

p. 76

************************************************** *********
Warriors Anonymous Practice of the Day-
-AA Responsibility Statement:

I am responsible...When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always to be there. And for that:
I am Responsible.

-Tom- After I had been working with my sponsor for a week or so, one day he said “tell me what you are Grateful for” I said I had nothing to be grateful for, all I ever cared about in my life is gone. He said, well that’s a problem. I said, I agree. He said well there is always one thing you can be grateful for Tom. I said, oh really, so what is that? He said “ you can always be forever grateful for Alcoholics Anonymous, because no one else would have your sorry ass”
I wanted to punch him in the face, but I didn’t because it was True.

Before AA, there was only a Living Hell, jails, Institutions and Death if you were an alcoholic/addict. That was it. There was no recovery option.
I often think about, what if there was no one ready and willing to grab my hand when I finally reached out for help? That gives me chills.

My Higher Power and my willingness to do AA saved my life, but I couldn’t have done it without my sponsor, I know that. I asked him one day, “how can I ever repay you for all you have taught me and all you have done for me?” He smiled and said “give to the next man, what I gave to you. That is the only way you can repay me”

If you are attempting to grab the hands that are reaching for help in AA, then you are on track for what was done for you. Continue.
If you are not, I suggest you re read the section above.

Today I pray that I remember what was freely given to me, so that I will do same for another.
Patcha is offline  

Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off




All times are GMT -7. The time now is 08:04 AM.