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bluidkiti · 03-09-2014, 01:10 PM

March 10, 2014

Daily Reflections

TODAY, IT'S MY CHOICE

. . . we invariably find that at some time in the past
we have made decisions based on self which later placed
us in a position to be hurt.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p.62

With the realization and acceptance that I had played a
part in the way my life had turned out came a dramatic
change in my outlook. It was at this point that the A.A.
program began to work for me. In the past I had always
blamed others, either God or other people, for my
circumstances. I never felt that I had a choice in
altering my life. My decisions had been based on fear,
pride, or ego. As a result, those decisions led me down
a path of self-destruction. Today I try to allow my God
to guide me on the road to sanity. I am responsible for
my action--or inaction--whatever the consequences
may be.

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

Twenty-Four Hours A Day

A.A. Thought For The Day

We also strengthen our faith by working with other
alcoholics and finding that we can do nothing ourselves
to help them, except to tell them our own story of how
we found the way out. If the person is helped, it's by
the grace of God and not by what we do or say. Our own
faith is strengthened when we see another alcoholic find
sobriety by turning to God. And finally we strengthen our
faith by having quiet times every morning. Do I ask God
in this quiet time for the strength to stay sober this day?

Meditation For The Day

My five senses are my means of communication with the
material world. They are the links between my physical
life and the material manifestations around me. But I
must sever all connections with the material world when
I wish to hold communion with the Great Spirit of the
universe. I have to hush my mind and bid all my senses
be still, before I can become attuned to receive the
music of the heavenly spheres.

Prayer For The Day

I pray that I may get my spirit in tune with the Spirit
of the universe. I pray that through faith and communion
with Him I may receive the strength I need.

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

As Bill Sees It

Giving Without Demand, p. 69

Watch any A.A. of six months working with a Twelfth Step prospect. If
the newcomer says, "To the devil with you," the twelfth-stepper only
smiles and finds another alcoholic to help. He doesn't feel frustrated or
rejected. If his next drunk responds, and in turn starts to give love and
attention to other sufferers, yet gives none back to him, the sponsor is
happy about it anyway. He still doesn't feel rejected; instead he
rejoices that his former prospect is sober and happy.

And he well knows that his own life has been made richer, as an extra
dividend of giving to another without any demand for a return.

Grapevine, January 1958

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

Walk in Dry Places

Ousting the Green Demon___Victory over Jealousy.
We hear of successful people who drop their old friends after moving up the ladder. Maybe, however, it wasn't their choice. Maybe they were driven to do so because their friend's jealousy made the friendship unworkable. We have little trouble accepting a stranger's good fortune; it's a different feeling, however, when friends and co-workers move ahead of us.
If the green demon of jealousy strikes during the day, we can come to terms with it in several ways. First, accept no guilt that it happens, because jealousy is part of the human condition. Next, depersonalize it by remembering that good fortune comes to all people in various ways. Then check your own gratitude level to make sure that it hasn't been sinking. This serves as a reminder that there's no shortage of the things that really make for happiness and personal well-being in life.
We can easily tell when we've been able to oust the green demon. We'll be able to be relaxed and gracious while extending congratulations for another person's good fortune. And months down the road, we'll be genuinely sympathetic…. Not vindictive… if the other person's luck turns sour.
While I don't expect to feel jealousy today, I accept the fact that it can happen. Should it appear, I'll work calmly to deal with it.

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

Keep It Simple

Little things affect little minds.---Benjamin Disraeli
Before recovery, we liked things our way. We thought every new thing we tired should go right the first time. Little problems could really upset us. We let little things spoil our day. We let little things affect big things---our entire lives. And our bad moods affected people around us. Funny how we have fewer of those problems now. The program is teaching us to let go. What a relief when we know we don't have to control every little thing. How nice when things get done without our "expert advice"! We are starting to see what's really important, and what's not. One promise of the program is coming true: we know how to handle situations better.
Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me see what is really important for me today. Help me to stop worrying about what's not.
Action for the Day: When I'm upset, I'll ask myself, Is this problem really so bad? If I can't change it. I'll let go.

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

Each Day a New Beginning

It is healthier to see the good points of others than to analyze our own bad ones. --Francoise Sagan
Looking for the good in others is good for one's soul. Self-respect, self-love grows each time we openly acknowledge another's admirable qualities. Comparisons we make of ourselves with others, focusing on how we fail to measure up (another woman is prettier, thinner, more intelligent, has a better sense of humor, attracts people, and on and on) is a common experience. And we come away from the comparison feeling generally inadequate and unloving toward the other woman.
It is a spiritual truth that our love for and praise of others will improve our own self-image. It will rub off on us, so-to-speak. An improved self-image diminishes whatever bad qualities one has imagined.
Praise softens. Criticism hardens. We can become all that we want to become. We can draw the love of others to us as we more willingly offer love and praise. We have an opportunity to help one another as we help ourselves grow in the self-love that is so necessary to the successful living of each day.
I will see the good points in others today. And I will give praise.

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

Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition

Chapter 8 - TO WIVES

He probably has several alcoholics among his own acquaintances. You might suggest that you both take an interest in them. Drinkers like to help other drinkers. Your husband may be willing to talk to one of them.

p. 112

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

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

Tradition Twelve - "Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities."

But in the beginning, anonymity was not born of confidence; it was the child of our early fears. Our first nameless groups of alcoholics were secret societies. New prospects could find us only through a few trusted friends. The bare hint of publicity, even for our work, shocked us. Though ex-drinkers, we still thought we had to hide from public distrust and contempt.

p. 184

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

We are prisoners of our own resentments.
Forgiveness unlocks the door and sets us free.

If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging.
--Will Rogers

H E A R T = Healing, Enjoying, And Recovering, Together.

"The time to relax is when you don't have time for it."
--Sydney J. Harris

"The time is always right to do what is right."
--Martin Luther King, Jr.

A smile is your most magnetic and attractive characteristic.
Wear one today and see how many people it draws to you.

My doubts and fears, will drive me back into the wilderness.
I must trust God.

When God calls, God makes a way.
--Lynn Sloan Barnes

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

Father Leo's Daily Meditation

SCIENCE

"We have to live today by what
truth we can get today and be
ready tomorrow to call it
falsehood."
-- William James

To change is to be imperfect and to be imperfect is to be wrong --- at
times! As an alcoholic I have a problem with ego; always wanting to
be right, hating to say, "I am sorry", not wishing to appear out of
control. In sobriety I must wrestle with my ego on a daily basis.

However, although I find it difficult to accept that I am imperfect, I
know that I am! I know that I need to make amends. I know that I
produce most of the pain in my life. Today's facts are stepping stones
to tomorrow's falsehoods --- and I grow with this knowledge.

Spirituality is growing in the knowledge that I do not have all the
answers.

Let me experience joy and growth in the dilemmas of life.

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

"Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit
your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act."
Psalm 37:4-5

Accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.
Romans 15:7

For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
Proverbs 2 : 10

"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and
some pastors and teachers."
Ephesians 4:11

Commit your way to the Lord; trusting Him, and He will act.
Psalm 37:5

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

Daily Inspiration

Home is a place where we can have a bit of heaven on earth. Lord, bless our home and help make it a place of love and kindness.

It is you, not where you are or what you have, that makes the difference. Lord, may I always blossom where I am planted.

03-09-2014, 01:10 PM	#10
bluidkiti Administrator Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 70,587	March 10, 2014 Daily Reflections TODAY, IT'S MY CHOICE . . . we invariably find that at some time in the past we have made decisions based on self which later placed us in a position to be hurt. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p.62 With the realization and acceptance that I had played a part in the way my life had turned out came a dramatic change in my outlook. It was at this point that the A.A. program began to work for me. In the past I had always blamed others, either God or other people, for my circumstances. I never felt that I had a choice in altering my life. My decisions had been based on fear, pride, or ego. As a result, those decisions led me down a path of self-destruction. Today I try to allow my God to guide me on the road to sanity. I am responsible for my action--or inaction--whatever the consequences may be. ************************************************ ***** Twenty-Four Hours A Day A.A. Thought For The Day We also strengthen our faith by working with other alcoholics and finding that we can do nothing ourselves to help them, except to tell them our own story of how we found the way out. If the person is helped, it's by the grace of God and not by what we do or say. Our own faith is strengthened when we see another alcoholic find sobriety by turning to God. And finally we strengthen our faith by having quiet times every morning. Do I ask God in this quiet time for the strength to stay sober this day? Meditation For The Day My five senses are my means of communication with the material world. They are the links between my physical life and the material manifestations around me. But I must sever all connections with the material world when I wish to hold communion with the Great Spirit of the universe. I have to hush my mind and bid all my senses be still, before I can become attuned to receive the music of the heavenly spheres. Prayer For The Day I pray that I may get my spirit in tune with the Spirit of the universe. I pray that through faith and communion with Him I may receive the strength I need. ********************************************** ***** As Bill Sees It Giving Without Demand, p. 69 Watch any A.A. of six months working with a Twelfth Step prospect. If the newcomer says, "To the devil with you," the twelfth-stepper only smiles and finds another alcoholic to help. He doesn't feel frustrated or rejected. If his next drunk responds, and in turn starts to give love and attention to other sufferers, yet gives none back to him, the sponsor is happy about it anyway. He still doesn't feel rejected; instead he rejoices that his former prospect is sober and happy. And he well knows that his own life has been made richer, as an extra dividend of giving to another without any demand for a return. Grapevine, January 1958 ********************************************** ***** Walk in Dry Places Ousting the Green Demon___Victory over Jealousy. We hear of successful people who drop their old friends after moving up the ladder. Maybe, however, it wasn't their choice. Maybe they were driven to do so because their friend's jealousy made the friendship unworkable. We have little trouble accepting a stranger's good fortune; it's a different feeling, however, when friends and co-workers move ahead of us. If the green demon of jealousy strikes during the day, we can come to terms with it in several ways. First, accept no guilt that it happens, because jealousy is part of the human condition. Next, depersonalize it by remembering that good fortune comes to all people in various ways. Then check your own gratitude level to make sure that it hasn't been sinking. This serves as a reminder that there's no shortage of the things that really make for happiness and personal well-being in life. We can easily tell when we've been able to oust the green demon. We'll be able to be relaxed and gracious while extending congratulations for another person's good fortune. And months down the road, we'll be genuinely sympathetic…. Not vindictive… if the other person's luck turns sour. While I don't expect to feel jealousy today, I accept the fact that it can happen. Should it appear, I'll work calmly to deal with it. ********************************************** ***** Keep It Simple Little things affect little minds.---Benjamin Disraeli Before recovery, we liked things our way. We thought every new thing we tired should go right the first time. Little problems could really upset us. We let little things spoil our day. We let little things affect big things---our entire lives. And our bad moods affected people around us. Funny how we have fewer of those problems now. The program is teaching us to let go. What a relief when we know we don't have to control every little thing. How nice when things get done without our "expert advice"! We are starting to see what's really important, and what's not. One promise of the program is coming true: we know how to handle situations better. Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me see what is really important for me today. Help me to stop worrying about what's not. Action for the Day: When I'm upset, I'll ask myself, Is this problem really so bad? If I can't change it. I'll let go. ********************************************** ***** Each Day a New Beginning It is healthier to see the good points of others than to analyze our own bad ones. --Francoise Sagan Looking for the good in others is good for one's soul. Self-respect, self-love grows each time we openly acknowledge another's admirable qualities. Comparisons we make of ourselves with others, focusing on how we fail to measure up (another woman is prettier, thinner, more intelligent, has a better sense of humor, attracts people, and on and on) is a common experience. And we come away from the comparison feeling generally inadequate and unloving toward the other woman. It is a spiritual truth that our love for and praise of others will improve our own self-image. It will rub off on us, so-to-speak. An improved self-image diminishes whatever bad qualities one has imagined. Praise softens. Criticism hardens. We can become all that we want to become. We can draw the love of others to us as we more willingly offer love and praise. We have an opportunity to help one another as we help ourselves grow in the self-love that is so necessary to the successful living of each day. I will see the good points in others today. And I will give praise. ********************************************** ***** Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition Chapter 8 - TO WIVES He probably has several alcoholics among his own acquaintances. You might suggest that you both take an interest in them. Drinkers like to help other drinkers. Your husband may be willing to talk to one of them. p. 112 ********************************************** ***** Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Tradition Twelve - "Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities." But in the beginning, anonymity was not born of confidence; it was the child of our early fears. Our first nameless groups of alcoholics were secret societies. New prospects could find us only through a few trusted friends. The bare hint of publicity, even for our work, shocked us. Though ex-drinkers, we still thought we had to hide from public distrust and contempt. p. 184 ********************************************** ***** We are prisoners of our own resentments. Forgiveness unlocks the door and sets us free. If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging. --Will Rogers H E A R T = Healing, Enjoying, And Recovering, Together. "The time to relax is when you don't have time for it." --Sydney J. Harris "The time is always right to do what is right." --Martin Luther King, Jr. A smile is your most magnetic and attractive characteristic. Wear one today and see how many people it draws to you. My doubts and fears, will drive me back into the wilderness. I must trust God. When God calls, God makes a way. --Lynn Sloan Barnes ********************************************** ***** Father Leo's Daily Meditation SCIENCE "We have to live today by what truth we can get today and be ready tomorrow to call it falsehood." -- William James To change is to be imperfect and to be imperfect is to be wrong --- at times! As an alcoholic I have a problem with ego; always wanting to be right, hating to say, "I am sorry", not wishing to appear out of control. In sobriety I must wrestle with my ego on a daily basis. However, although I find it difficult to accept that I am imperfect, I know that I am! I know that I need to make amends. I know that I produce most of the pain in my life. Today's facts are stepping stones to tomorrow's falsehoods --- and I grow with this knowledge. Spirituality is growing in the knowledge that I do not have all the answers. Let me experience joy and growth in the dilemmas of life. ********************************************** ***** "Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act." Psalm 37:4-5 Accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. Romans 15:7 For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Proverbs 2 : 10 "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers." Ephesians 4:11 Commit your way to the Lord; trusting Him, and He will act. Psalm 37:5 ********************************************** ******* Daily Inspiration Home is a place where we can have a bit of heaven on earth. Lord, bless our home and help make it a place of love and kindness. It is you, not where you are or what you have, that makes the difference. Lord, may I always blossom where I am planted. __________________ "No matter what you have done up to this moment, you get 24 brand-new hours to spend every single day." --Brian Tracy AA gives us an opportunity to recreate ourselves, with God's help, one day at a time. --Rufus K. When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. --Franklin D. Roosevelt We stay sober and clean together - one day at a time! God says that each of us is worth loving.