Daily Recovery Readings - September

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September 15

Daily Reflections

A NEW LIFE

Yes, there is a substitute and it is vastly more than that.
It is a fellowship in Alcoholics Anonymous . . . .
Life will mean something at last.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 152

Life is better without alcohol. A.A. and the presence of
a Higher Power keeps me sober, but the grace of God does
even better; it brings service into my life. Contact with
the A.A. program teaches me a new and greater understanding
of what Alcoholics Anonymous is and what it does, but most
importantly, it helps to show me who I am: an alcoholic who
needs the constant experience of the Alcoholics Anonymous
program so that I may live a life given to me by my
Higher Power.

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Twenty-Four Hours A Day

A.A. Thought For The Day

"We all realize that we know only a little. God will
constantly disclose more to all of us. Ask Him in your
morning meditations what you can do today for the
person who is still sick. The answers will come, if
your own house is in order. See to it that your
relationship with God is right and great events will
come to pass for you and countless others. Give freely
of what you find in A.A. But, obviously, you cannot
transmit something which you haven't got. So make a
life-study of A.A." Am I always looking for ways of
presenting the A.A. Program?

Meditation For The Day

"In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.:
Confidence means to have faith in something. We could
not live without confidence in others. When you have
confidence in God's grace, you can face whatever comes.
When you have confidence in God's love, you can be
serene and at peace. You can rest in the faith that God
will take care of you. Try to rest in God's presence
until His life-power flows through you. Be still and in
that stillness the still, small Voice will come. It
speaks in quietness to the human mind that is attuned
to its influence.

Prayer For The Day

I pray that I may find strength today in quietness.
I pray that I may be content today that God will take care of me.

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As Bill Sees It

Key to Sobriety, p.257

The unique ability of each A.A. to identify himself with, and bring
recovery to, the newcomer in no way depends upon his learning,
his eloquence, or any special individual skills. The only thing that
matters is that he is an alcoholic who has found a key to sobriety.

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

In my first conversation with Dr. Bob, I bore down heavily on the
medical hopelessness of his case, freely using Dr. Silkworth's words of
describing the alcoholic's dilemma, the "obsession plus allergy"
theme. Though Bob was a doctor, this was news to him, bad
news. And the fact that I was an alcoholic and knew what I was
talking about from personal experience made the blow a shattering
one.

You see, our talk was a completely mutual thing. I had quit preaching.
I knew that I needed this alcoholic as much as he needed me.

1. 12 & 12, pp. 150-151
2. A.A. Comes Of Age, pp. 69-70

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Walk In Dry Places

Seeking Our Own
Harmony
Our feelings will often serve as good guides in determining what course
of action we ought to follow. If there is a persistent feeling of discomfort
about any situation, we should ask ourselves why we are feeling this way.
Perhaps it’s because we are involved with people or activities that are not
right for us.
In the same way, we will feel drawn to certain people and activities. This is
undoubtedly because we’re in tune with these people or activities. In such
circumstances, we can say that we are “seeking our own.” With our unique
temperaments and abilities, we fit better in certain places and with certain
groups of people than others.
We are indeed fortunate if we find that recovery in a Twelve Step program
is a case of seeking and finding our own. This must certainly strengthen
and enhance our program.
I'll seek out only the people and activities that seem to belong in my life.
If I do not belong in one situation, this merely means that a better one is available somewhere.

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Keep It Simple

Often the test of courage is not to die but to live.---Vittorio Alfiert
What brave people we are! We have chosen life. Okay, maybe we had a
little push, maybe a big push from our family, police, or the pain of our disease.
But still, we’ve chosen recovery. We choose daily to let our Higher Power run
our lives. What trust! What faith! What courage!
We work hard at recovery. We do our meditate. We look for ways to serve others.
Each one of us is building a miracle. We can be proud of this.
Prayer for the Day: I pray that I’ll have the courage to love myself. High Power,
teach me to pat myself on the back when I deserve it.
Action for the Day: I will list three ways I am brave in recovery and share them with my group.

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Each Day a New Beginning

When our myths, dreams, and ideals are shattered, our world topples.
--Kathleen Casey Thiesen
The act of "becoming" topples our world, and rightly so. We outgrow yesterday's
ideals, and we have begun realizing, in our unfolding, the dreams of last year.
Now new dreams call us. Recovery has toppled our world. Hallelujah!
In our abstinence, each day offers us fresh opportunities to "create" new
realities to replace the outworn, outgrown myths of the using days. But letting
go of the old takes patience, persistence, and strength. The old comforted us,
when there was little else.
Perhaps we need reminding that were it not for the shattered myths of last year
or last week, we'd not be progressing, unfolding, as the bigger picture calls us.
We have a part to play in this life, as do our sisters, our friends, our children.
New dreams and ideals will lead us on our way. Old dreams served us yesterday,
and the past is gone. They can't direct our present.
I will look with excitement at my toppling world. It signifies growth - intellectual,
emotional and spiritual. Old ideals will bind me--I will dare to dream new dreams
and go where they lead with confidence.

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Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition

Alcoholic Anonymous Number Three

Pioneer member of Akron's Group No. 1, the first A.A. group in the world. He kept the faith; therefore, he and countless others found a new life.

As time went on my drinking became progressively worse. Away from my office two or three weeks at a time; horrible days and nights when I would lie on the floor of my home, lying awake and reaching over to get the bottle, taking a drink and going back into oblivion.

p. 184

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Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

Step Ten - "Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it."

Although all inventories are alike in principle, the time factor does distinguish one from another. There's the spot check inventory, taken at any time of the day, whenever we find ourselves getting tangled up. There's the one we take at day's end, when we review the happenings of the hours just past. Here we cast up a balance sheet, crediting ourselves with things well done, and chalking up debits where due. Then there are those occasions when alone, or in the company of our sponsor or spiritual adviser, we make a careful review of our progress since the last time. Many A.A.'s go in for annual or semiannual housecleanings. Many of us also like the experience of an occasional retreat from the outside world where we can quiet down for an undisturbed day or so of self-overhaul and meditation.

p. 89

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"When your life is filled with the desire to see the holiness
in everyday life, something magical happens: ordinary life
becomes extraordinary, and the very process of life begins to
nourish your soul!"
--Rabbi Harold Kushner

"He who laughs, lasts."
--Mary Pettibone Poole

If there is any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any
fellow being, let me do it, and not deter or neglect it, as I shall not pass
this way again.
--William Penn

A L C O H O L I C S = A Life Consisting Of Helping Others Live Is Called Sobriety.

I have learned that my actions are far more important than my thoughts.

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more.
It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal
into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of
our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."
--Melody Beattie

"The more you recognize and express gratitude for the things you have, the more
things you will have to express gratitude for."
--Zig Ziglar

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Father Leo's Daily Meditation

NONSENSE

"We find it hard to believe that
other people's thoughts are as
silly as our own, but they
probably are."
-- James Harvey Robinson

Today I am able to laugh at myself. I even "think" funny things. I sit
at airports and look at the faces, postures and mannerisms of the
people passing by and I smile, giggle and laugh in my handkerchief.
Then I think about what a funny man I am -- so ridiculously proud, so
pompous about the silliest things, so preoccupied about my own
importance -- and it is funny.

Yes, today I am able to laugh at myself. I know that people are funny
because I know I am. At meetings I hear people laughing about the
day's insanities and I can always identify. Even my relationships are
humorous. I try so hard to make a good impression while at the same
time offering the effect of detachment -- trying to be "cool".

God must have a sense of humor because He made you and me!

Thank You for the gift of humor -- it allows true humility to develop.

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"What is impossible with man is possible with God." Luke 18:27

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen,
slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring
about the righteous life that God desires. James 1:19-20

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my
presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your
salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will
and to act according to his good purpose. Do everything without
complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure,
children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which
you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life--in order
that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.
Philippians 2:12-16

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Daily Inspiration

Every day renew your purpose because without purpose your life will be empty.
Lord, grant that I am able to truly see the worth and value of my existence
and know that my presence does make a difference.

The value of each gift God gives us is doubled when we share it with someone else.
Lord, may I freely give without expectation of something in return even though
I know Your constant generosity.