Thoughts For The Day~*~Grudges ^*^*^ September 2
Transitions Daily
~A.A.
Thoughts
For The
Day~
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Grudges
"We had to see that every time we played
the big shot, we turned people against us. We had to see that when we
harbored grudges and planned revenge for such defeats, we were really
hitting ourselves with the club of anger we had intended to use on others.
We learned that if we were seriously disturbed, our first need was to
quiet that disturbance, regardless of who or what we thought caused it.."
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 47
Copyright 1952 A.A.W.S. Inc.
Thought
to Consider . . .
Anger is the hot wind that extinguishes the light of
reason.
A N G E R = Any No Good Energy Rising.
*~*^Just For Today!^*~*
The Right to be Wrong Tradition Four:
This meant, of course, that we had been given the courage to
declare each A.A. group an individual entity, strictly reliant on its own
conscience as a guide to action. In charting this enormous expanse of freedom,
we found it necessary to post only two storm signals: A group ought not do
anything which would greatly injure A.A. as a whole, nor ought it affiliate
itself with anything or anybody else. There would be real danger should we
commence to call some groups "wet," others "dry," still others "Republican" or
"Communist," and yet others "Catholic" or "Protestant." The A.A. group would
have to stick to its course or be hopelessly lost. Sobriety had to be its sole
objective. In all other respects there was perfect freedom of will and action.
Every group had the right to be wrong.
1981, AAWS, Inc.
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page
147
FINDING "A REASON TO BELIEVE"
The willingness to grow is the essence of all spiritual development.
AS BILL SEES IT, p. 171
A line from a song goes, " . . .and I look to find a reason to believe. . . " It reminds me that at one time I was not able to find a reason to believe that my life was all right. Even though my life had been saved by my coming to A. A., three months later I went out and drank again. Someone told me: "You don't have to believe. Aren't you willing to believe that there is a reason for your life, even though you may not know yourself what that reason is, or that you may not sometimes know the right way to behave?" When I saw how willing I was to believe there was a reason for my life, then I could start to work on the Steps. Now when I begin with, "I am willing. . .," I am using the key that leads to action, honesty, and an openness to a Higher Power moving through my life.
Copyright 1990
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
*~*^As Bill Sees It^*~*
Single-handed Combat
Few indeed are those who, assailed by the tyrant alcohol, have ever won through in single-handed combat. It is a statistical fact that alcoholics almost never recover on their personal resources alone.
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'Way up toward Point Barrow in Alaska, a couple of prospectors got themselves a cabin and a case of Scotch. The weather turned bitter, fifty below, and they got so drunk they let the fire go out. Barely escaping death by freezing, one of them woke up in time to rekindle the fire. He was prowling around outside for fuel, and he looked into an empty oil drum filled with frozen water. Down in the ice cake he saw a reddish-yellow object. When thawed out, it was seen to be an A.A. book. One of the pair read the book and sobered up. Legend has it that he became the founder of one of our farthest north groups.
1. TWELVE AND TWELVE, p. 22
2. A.A. COMES OF AGE, pp. 82-83
*~*^Big Book Quote^*~*
"Once more: The alcoholic at certain times has no effective mental defense against the first drink. Except in a few rare cases, neither he nor any other human being can provide such a defense. His defense must come from a Higher Power."
Alcoholics Anonymous 4th Edition
More About Alcoholism, pg. 43
*^Twenty
Four
Hours A
Day^*
A.A. Thought for the Day
"Outline the program of action
to new prospects, explaining how you made a self-appraisal, how you
straightened out your past, and why you are now endeavoring to help them. It
is important for them to realize that your attempt to pass this on to them
plays a vital part in your own recovery. The more hopeless they feel, the
better. They will be more likely to follow your suggestions. Tell them about
the fellowship of A.A. and if they show interest, lend them a copy of
the Big Book." Can I tell the A.A. story to another alcoholic?
Meditation for the Day
You
should try to stand aside and let God work through you. You should try not
to block Him off by your own efforts, or prevent His spirit working through
you. God desires your obedient service and your loyalty to the ideals of the
new life you are seeking. If you are loyal to God, He will give you
protection against mistakes. His spirit will plan for you and secure for you
a sufficiency of all spiritual help. You will have true victory and real
success, if you will put yourself in the background and let God work through
you.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may not interfere with the working of God's spirit in
me and through me. I pray that I may give it full rein.
Hazelden Foundation PO Box 176 Center City, MN 55012
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