Daily Recovery Readings - September

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September 27

Daily Reflections

WITHOUT RESERVATION

When brimming with gratitude, one's heartbeat must surely
result in outgoing love, . . . .
AS BILL SEES IT, p.37

While practicing service to others, if my successes give
rise to grandiosity, I must reflect on what brought me to
this point. What has been given joyfully, with love, must
be passed on without reservation and without expectation.
For as I grow, I find that no matter how much I give with
love, I receive much more in spirit.

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Twenty-Four Hours A Day

A.A. Thought For The Day

Continuing the consideration of the term "spiritual experience":
"What often takes place in a few months could seldom have been
accomplished by years of self-discipline. With few exceptions,
our members find that they have tapped an unsuspected inner
resource which they presently identify with their own conception
of a Power greater than themselves. Most of us think this
awareness of a Power greater than ourselves the essence of
spiritual experience. Some of us call it God-consciousness.
In any case, willingness, honesty, and open-mindedness are
the essentials of recovery." Have I tapped that inner resource
which can change my life?

Meditation For The Day

God's power in your life increases as your ability to understand
His grace increases. The power of God's grace is only limited by
the understanding and will of each individual. God's miracle-working
power is only limited in each individual soul by the lack of
spiritual vision of the soul. God respects free will, the right
of each person to accept or reject His miracle-working power.
Only the sincere desire of the soul gives Him the opportunity
to bestow it.

Prayer For The Day

I pray that I may not limit God's power by my lack of vision.
I pray that I may keep my mind open today to His influence.

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As Bill Sees It

When Infancy Is Over, p.269

"You must remember that every A.A. group starts, as it should,
through the efforts of a single man and his friends--a founder and
his hierarchy. There is no other way.

"But when infancy is over, the original leaders always have to make
way for that democracy which springs up through the grass roots and
will eventually sweep aside the self-chosen leadership of the past."

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Letter to Dr. Bob:
"Everywhere the A.A. groups have taken their service affairs into
their own hands. Local founders and their friends are now on the side
lines. Why so many people forget that, when thinking of the future of
our world services, I shall never understand.

"The groups will eventually take over, and maybe they will squander
their inheritance when they get it. It is probable, however, that they won't.
Anyhow, they really have grown up; A.A. is theirs; let's give it to them.

Letters
1. 1950
2. 1949

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Walk In Dry Places

The Test Of My Ideas
Change
Early in its existence, the AA fellowship tended to resist new ideas, yet did
accept many good purpose, because it screened out practices that could have
destroyed the fellowship.
But other, new ideas have been accepted and have benefited the fellowship.
How can we test a new idea before we decide to accept it?
Whatever the idea, it should be beneficial in promoting personal recovery.
If it is somehow harmful to those seeking recovery, it should not be accepted.
If this simple test is applied honestly and with fairness, new ideas can be
considered on their own merits and can usually be discussed in an atmosphere
of reason and understanding. The AA traditions will support most sound ideas.
Knowing that God is the source of new ideas, we can be open to additional guides
that can help us along the way. I'll be on the lookout today for any helpful ideas.

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Keep It Simple

Honesty is the backbone of our recovery program. Honesty opens us up. It breaks
down the walls we had built around our secret world. Those walls made a prison for
us. But all of that is now changed. We are free.
Honesty has made us wise. We aren’t sneaking drinks anymore. We don’t have a
stash to protect.
People who didn’t trust us now depend on our honesty. People who worked hard to
avoid us, now seek us out. Self-honesty is the greatest gift we can give ourselves.
Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, You are truth. I pray that I may not turn away
from truth. I will not lie. My life depends on honesty.
Action For the Day: For twenty or thirty minutes, I will think about how learning to
be honest has changed my life.

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Each Day a New Beginning

The wisdom of all ages and cultures emphasizes the tremendous power our thoughts
have over our character and circumstances. --Liane Cordes
"As we think, so we are." We are gifted with the personal power to make thoughtful
choices and thus decide whom we are. Our actions and choices combine to create our
character, and our character influences the circumstances of our lives.
Our personal mind power will work to our advantage when we think positively, or it
will contribute to our disadvantage. Imagining our good fortunes will prepare us for
them. Imagining the successful completion of a task heightens and strengthens the
commitment we must make daily to it. Imagining the steps necessary to the successful
accomplishment of any goal directs our efforts so we don't falter along the way. Our
minds work powerfully for our good. And just as powerfully to our detriment, when
fears intrude on all our thoughts.]
The program has given me positive personal power; it lies in the relationship I have
with my higher power. My outlook and attitude toward life reveals the strength of my
connection to God. I will work with God and imagine my good fortune today.

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Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition

Foreward to First Edition

This is the Foreward as it appeared in the first printing of the first edition in 1939

When writing or speaking publicly about alcoholism, we urge each of our Fellowship to omit his personal name, designating himself instead as "a member of Alcoholics Anonymous."
Very earnestly we ask the press also, to observe this request, for otherwise we shall be greatly handicapped.

p. xiii

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Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition - Stories

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.

(At this point, the Editors intrude just long enough to supplement Bill D.'s account, that of the man on the bed, with that of Bill W., the man who sat by the side of the bed.) Says Bill W.:
Nineteen years ago last summer, Dr. Bob and I saw him (Bill D.) for the first time. Bill lay on his hospital bed and looked at us in wonder.
Two days before this, Dr. Bob had said to me, "If you and I are going to stay sober, we had better get busy." Straightway, Bob called Akron's City Hospital and asked for the nurse on the receiving ward. He explained that he and a man from New York had a cure for alcoholism. did she have an alcoholic customer on whom it could be tried? Knowing Bob of old, she jokingly replied, "Well, Doctor, I suppose you've already tried it yourself?"
Yes, she did have a customer—a dandy. He just arrived in D.T.'s. Had blacked the eyes of two nurses, and now they had him strapped down tight. Would this one do? After prescribing medicines, Dr. Bob ordered, "Put him in a private room. We'll be down as soon as he clears up."
Bill didn't seem too impressed. Looking sadder than ever, he wearily ventured, "Well, this is wonderful for you fellows, but it can't be for me. My case is so terrible that I'm scared to go out of this hospital at all. You don't have to sell me religion, either. I was at one time a deacon in the church and I still believe in God. But I guess He doesn't believe much in me."
Then Dr. Bob said, "Well, Bill, maybe you'll feel better tomarrow. Wouldn't you like to see us again?"
"Sure I would," replied Bill, "Maybe it won't do any good, but I'd like to see you both, anyhow. You certainly know what you are talking about.
Looking in later we found Bill with his wife, Henrietta. Eagerly he pointed to us saying, "These are the fellows I told you about; they are the ones who understands." Bill then related how he had lain awake nearly all night. Down in the pit of his depression, new hope had somehow been born. The thought flashed through his mind, "If they can do it, I can do it!" Over and over he said this to himself. Finally, out of his hope, there burst conviction. Now he was sure. Then came a great joy. At length peace stole over him and he slept.
Before our visit was over, Bill suddenly turned to his wife and said, "Go fetch my clothes, dear. We're going to get up and get out of here." Bill D. walked out of that hospital a free man never to drink again.
A.A.'s Number One Group dates from that very day.
(Bill D. now continues his story.)

p. 188-189

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Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

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

When evening comes, perhaps just before going to sleep, many of us draw up a balance sheet for the day. This is a good place to remember that inventory-taking is not always done in red ink. It's a poor day indeed when we haven't done something right. As a matter of fact, the waking hours are usually well filled with things that are constructive. Good intentions, good thoughts, and good acts are there for us to see. Even when we have tried hard and failed, we may chalk that up as one of the greatest credits of all. Under these conditions, the pains of failure are converted into assets. Out of them we receive the stimulation we need to go forward. Someone who knew what he was talking about once remarked that pain was the touchstone of all spiritual progress. How heartily we A.A.'s can agree with him, for we know that the pains of drinking had to come before sobriety, and emotional turmoil before serenity.

pp. 93-94

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Come, let us give a little time to folly... and even in a melancholy
day let us find time for an hour of pleasure.
--Saint Bonaventura

"Good habits are as addictive as bad habits, and a lot more rewarding."
--Harvey Mackay

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is
invisible to the eye.
--Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Real success requires respect for and faithfulness to the highest
human values - honesty, integrity, self-discipline, dignity, compassion,
humility, courage, personal responsibility, courtesy, and human service.
--Michael DeBakey, M.D.

Hope never abandons you, you abandon it.
--George Weinberg

Each day, and the living of it, has to be a conscious creation in which
discipline and order are relieved with some play and pure foolishness.
--May Sarton

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Father Leo's Daily Meditation

ACHIEVEMENT

"Do not mistake activity for
achievement."
-- Mabel Newcomber

Often I am running in circles and not getting anywhere. I spend
forever "doing" things and yet I know I am not achieving anything. I
am going nowhere in my life!

"Be still and know that I am God." I need to stop. I need to listen to
the pain that is within. I need to relax in my gratitude. I need to rest in
myself. Tomorrow has not yet come -- today I take time for me.

Lord, I hear Your still small voice. Today I rest in me and discover
Thee.

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"We ought to obey God rather than men."
Acts 5:29

He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools
shall be destroyed.
Proverbs, 13:20

"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he
considered me faithful, appointing me to his service."
I Timothy 1:12

"To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and
happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing
up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is
meaningless, a chasing after the wind."
Ecclesiastes 2:26

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Daily Inspiration

Get rid of the excuses for not doing those things that make you happy. Lord,
Your peace within me calms my spirit and opens my heart to recognize the joy
of this day.

Forget the useless and unhealthy things of your past that clutter your mind so
that you can live a life that is alive and vibrant. Lord, help me to discard all
that clouds my day so that I am able to live the life that You intend me to live.