December 16


Simple Prayer

God,
Please guide me as I walk through this life.
Help me not to act on my own.wisdom,
but to seek Your will in every situation I am in.
Thank you Lord.
Amen

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Just a Thought

A better way than judging people is to look for all the good in them.

If you look hard enough and long enough, you ought to be able to find some good in every person. In A.A., I learned that my job was to try to bring out the good, not criticize the bad. Every alcoholic is used to being judged and criticized. That has never helped anyone to get sober. In A.A. we tell people they can change. We try to bring out the best in them. We encourage their good points and ignore their bad points. People are not converted by criticism.

So ............

Do I look for the good in people?

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Just a Contemplation

Communication

Communication is much more than words. Words are merely fingers pointing the direction to understanding - they are not understanding itself. To really communicate with someone, we have to allow ourselves, just for a moment, to become that other person. When we do this, we begin to be able to see beyond the masks that hide what another person is really feeling.

When we take the time to really see others, we may discover they are frightened, timid people longing for understanding. When we get beyond reacting to their outward behavior and move toward viewing their inner selves, it is much easier to extend a hand of friendship, to say we care, and truly mean it.

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Responsibility

In the last analysis, as a recovering alcoholic I need only have two concerns. The first is to maintain my sobriety on a daily basis and to practice the program of AA one day at a time. The second is to ensure that what was here yesterday will be here tomorrow for the next alcoholic who walks through the doors of the Fellowship. And for that I am responsible.

"Thank You For Sharing" Page 181
(Thank You For Sharing: Sixty Years of Letters to AA Grapevine)

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A Hug

It's wondrous what a hug can do
A hug can cheer you when you're blue
A hug can say "I love you so"
Or "Gee, I hate to see you go."
A hug is "Welcome back again"
And "Great to see you, where've you been?"
A hug can smooth a small child's pain
And bring a rainbow after rain.
The hug: There's just no doubt about it
We scarcely could survive without it
A hug delights and warms and charms
It must be why God gave us arms
Hugs are great for fathers and mothers
Sweet for sisters, swell for brothers
And chances are your favorite aunts
Love them more than potted plants
Kittens crave them, puppies love them
Heads of state are not above them
A hug can break the language barrier
And make your travels so much merrier.
No need to fret about your store of 'em
So stretch those arms without delay
And give someone a hug today!

~ Dean Walley

December 17


Prayer for Rest

God, I am exhausted and weary beyond belief. I ask that You touch my mind and body and help me let go of these racing thoughts that keep me from relaxing and sleeping. So come to you with my burdens. May Your peace guard my heart and mind today and restore my soul.
Amen

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Just a Thought

Today, I am less sensitive and my feelings are less easily hurt.

I no longer take myself so seriously. It didn't used to take much to insult me, to feel that I had been slighted or left on the outside. What happens to me now is not so important. One cause of our drinking was that we couldn't take it, so we escaped the unpleasant situation. We have learned to take it on the chin if necessary and smile. When I am all wrapped up in A.A., I do not notice the personal slights so much. They do not seem to matter so much. I have learned to laugh at self-pity because it's so childish.

So ............

Am I less sensitive?

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Just a Contemplation

Enthusiasm

When enthusiasm is absent in our lives, no activity appears inviting. In fact, most situations foster fear. Enthusiasm will usually guarantees positive outcomes for our efforts, when we look to our God for the right attitude.

An open, trusting, sincere relationship with our higher power equals enthusiasm about life. But that relationship takes work on our part. When we've done our homework we discover that no lesson will baffle us. Prayer and meditation make all things understandable and guarantee that we will "pass the course" on life.

Begin this day, and every day, looking to God for the gift of zeal to live fully every moment. My attitude of gratitude will increase my happiness many fold; if I look to this day with zeal.

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Financial Recovery

Although financial recovery is on the way for many of us, we found we could not place money first. For us, material well-being always followed spiritual progress; it never preceded.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 127

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Just a Quote

“Even the smallest shift in perspective can bring about the greatest healing.” -- Joshua Kai

December 18


Prayer for Inner Healing

Lord, I turn these feelings of hopelessness and distress over to You.
I ask for You to renew me inwardly. I know that what I’m going through is temporary.
Please help me to focus on the things that are unseen and eternal, rather than these things that are wearing me down because they are transient. Please restore, confirm, strengthen and establish me.
Amen

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Just a Thought

We alcoholics were on a merry-go-round, going round and round, and we couldn't get off.

That merry-go-round is a kind of hell on earth. In A.A. I got off that merry-go-round by learning to stay sober. I pray to that Higher Power every morning to help me to keep sober. And I get the strength from that Power to do what I could never do with my own strength. I do not doubt the existence of that Power. We're not speaking into a vacuum when we pray. That Power is there, if we will use it.

So ............

Am I off the merry-go-round of drinking for good?

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Just a Contemplation

Loving Truth

Since it is truth that sets us free - free from crippling fear - we come to love this truth, even when it hurts. It was mainly our fear that kept us from recognizing the truth about ourselves.

We needed help and support from a Higher Power before we could face reality.
Our devotion to truth may bring us into conflict with those around us. What we need to remember is that we are not responsible for convincing anyone else of what we believe to be true. We are honest about where we are, but we do not expect or demand agreement from anyone else. Since each of us has a different perspective, we can only know the truth, as we each understand it. Loving truth means that we acknowledge it to be too big for any one of us to grasp completely.

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Real Alcoholics

Despite all we can say, many who are real alcoholics are not going to believe they are in that class. By every form of self-deception and experimentation, they will try to prove themselves exceptions to the rule, therefore nonalcoholic. If anyone who is showing inability to control his drinking can do the right-about-face and drink like a gentleman, our hats are off to him. Heaven knows, we have tried hard enough and long enough to drink like other people!

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 31

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Just a Quote

“At that moment I knew without a doubt that God himself was speaking to me. He cared. He was there. He came to help even when I could not call out loud or explain my fear in words.” -- Catherine Lawton

December 19


Lord For Today

Dear God,

Give me true strength to smile when I want to cry, laughter to hide the pain, and the will to go on no matter what.
Amen

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Just a Thought

I have got rid of most of my inner conflicts.

I was always at war with myself. I was doing things that I did not want to do. I was waking up in strange places and wondering how I got there. I was full of recklessness when I was drunk and full of remorse when I was sober. My life didn't make sense. It was full of broken resolves and frustrated hopes and plans. I was getting nowhere fast. No wonder my nerves were all shot. I was bumping up against a blank wall and I was dizzy from it. A.A. taught me how to get organized and to stop fighting against myself.

So ............

Have I got rid of inner conflicts?

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Just a Contemplation

Accept Your Current Situation

We think we have control over our lives, but we don’t. We only have a tiny locus of control — what we think and feel, what we say, and what we do. We have control over ourselves and how we show up in the world — the rest is seemingly out of our reach. We can’t control events, or how other people react to what we think, feel, say or do.

Making life your friend instead of your enemy takes work. It’s not an immediate, overnight shift. Roadblocks happen in life. They’re not there to hinder you or to make your life terrible. They might actually be beneficial, when you look back with hindsight.

When you start radically accepting uncomfortable situations out of your control, it might not feel great at first. But one thing does happen — you start to flow with life, not against it.

If you turn your attention away from the seeming misfortune, you’ll often notice there are other, more subtle gifts to pay attention to.

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Greater Strength

It is now well established that willpower all by itself is about as effective a cure for alcohol addiction as it is for cancer....Most of us tried going it alone, hoping either to control our drinking or to stop, and we had no lasting success in either endeavor.

But we finally asked ourselves: Wouldn't it be more intelligent to seek out and tap a strength greater than our own than to persist in our futile solo efforts...?

Living Sober Page 73

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Just a Quote

"Peace is accepting today, releasing yesterday, and giving up the need to control tomorrow." -- Lori Deschene

December 20


Prayer To Let Go

Lord, I don’t really know how to “let go”. I don’t really know what to do to give You control of my life, but I am coming to You in humility of heart to admit that I can do nothing in my own strength and to confess my need for You in my life. Lord, I pray that Your grace and mercy would lead and guide me and take control.

Lord, let me accept each day as a gift. Let me follow the path you choose for me. Help me to be thankful for what you give me and not to worry about my needs. I trust you will take care of all my needs. Remind me that my role is to care for those around me and focus on those who need my help.

Help me not to be judgmental, as we are all equal in God's eyes. Help me to see the good in all of your creations. Let me leave the judging to you, dear Jesus. Instead, I will concentrate on living to please you!
Amen

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Just a Thought


I have got over my procrastination.

I was always putting things off till tomorrow and as a result that never got done. "There is always another day" was my motto instead of "Do it now." Under the influence of alcohol, I had grandiose plans. When I was sober I was too busy getting over my drunk to start anything. "Some day I'll do that" -- but I never did it. In A.A. I have learned it's better to make a mistake once in a while than to never do anything at all. We learn by trial and error. But we must act now and not put it off until tomorrow.

So ............

Have I learned to do it now?

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Just a Contemplation

Be Nurtured

Let yourself be nurtured and loved. Let people be there for you. Allow yourself to be held when it would feel good. Let someone listen to you, support and encourage you when you need that. Receive comfort from someone's physical presence when you need that. Allow yourself to be supported emotionally and cared about. For too long, we've stood in the background, attending to the needs of others and claiming we have no needs of our own. We've shut off, for to long, the part of us that longs to be nurtured.

It is time, now, to claim those needs, to identify them, and to understand that we deserve to have them met. What are our needs? What would feel good? What kinds of ways would we like others to nurture and support us? The clearer we can be about our needs, the greater the possibility they will be met.

I will open to recognizing my needs for nurturing. I will be open to the needs of those around me too. I can begin taking a nurturing, loving attitude toward myself and by taking responsibility for my needs in relationships.

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Is or Isn't

When we became alcoholics, crushed by a self-imposed crisis we could not postpone or evade, we had to fearlessly face the proposition that either God is everything or else He is nothing. God either is or He isn't.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 53

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Just a Quote

"Recovery Didn’t Open The Gates Of Heaven And Let Me In. Recovery Opened The Gates Of Hell And Let Me Out!" -- Unknown Author

December 21


Prayer For Strength and Wisdom

God, there are things happening around me right now that I do not understand.
Some of these things make me feel weak, helpless and afraid.
I ask you for strength and for wisdom that I would be able to endure the situation and
be able to handle it in a way that would fulfill your will.
Amen

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Just a Thought

After we've been in A.A. for a while, we find out that if we're going to stay sober, we have to be humble people.

The men and women in A.A. who have achieved sobriety are all humble people. When I stop to think that but for the grace of God I might be drunk right now, I can't help feeling humble. Gratitude to God for His grace makes me humble. When I think of the kind of person I was not so long ago, when I think of the person I left behind me, I have nothing to be proud of.

So ............

Am I grateful and humble?

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Just a Contemplation

Self Value

We have a real life of our own. Yes, we do.

That empty feeling, that senses that everyone except us has a life - an important life, a valuable life, a better life - is a remnant from the past. It is also a self-defeating belief that is inaccurate.

We are real. So is our life. Jump into it, and we'll see.
Today, I will live my life and treasure it as mine.

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Fear

Fear has caused suffering when I could have had more faith. There are times when fear suddenly tears me apart, just when I'm experiencing feelings of joy, happiness and a lightness of heart. Faith -- and a feeling of self-worth toward a Higher Power -- helps me endure tragedy and ecstasy. When I choose to give all my fears over to my Higher Power, I will be free.

Daily Reflections Page 181

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Just a Quote

“Today I Will Remember Self-esteem or self-satisfaction?” ~ Anonymous

December 22


Restore My Strength

Lord, drive away from me all forms of sickness and disease.
restore strength to my body and joy to my spirit,
so that in my renewed health,
I may bless and serve you,
now and forevermore.

-- Author Unknown

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Just a Thought

In A.A. we do not speak much of sex.

But putting sex in its proper place in our lives is one of the rewards that has come to us as a result of our new way of living. The big book says that many of us needed an overhauling there. It also says that we subjected each sex relation to this test -- was it selfish or not? "We remembered always that our sex powers were God-given and therefore good, neither to be used lightly or selfishly, nor to be despised or loathed." We can ask God to mold our ideals and to help us to live up to them. We can act accordingly.

So ............

Have I got my sex life under proper control?

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Just a Contemplation

Negative Thinking

When we are locked within negative, hostile thinking patterns, we go around in mental circles. What seems perfectly rational to us at the time looks misguided and blind when we look back.

Carrying a grudge or a desire to get even with someone is a cancer inside us. It belittles us and holds back our spirit. We break through our mental circles by revealing our anger to others. We talk with other people, we trust and let them know the details of our resentments. We listen to their experiences and apply them in our lives. As long as we keep our thoughts and feelings to ourselves, we only recycle the same thinking system. When we take the risk and talk to friends, we build bridges that bring in new ideas.

I will try not harbor my resentments within myself. I will talk with a trusted friend so I can learn to let them go.

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Listening

For weeks I sat in the back of the rooms, silent when others shared their experience, strength and hope. I listened to their stories and found so many areas where we overlapped -- not all of the deeds, but the feelings of remorse and hopelessness. I learned that alcoholism isn't a sin, it's a disease. That lifted the guilt I felt.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 344

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Just a Quote

"All of us, at certain moments of our lives, need to take advice and to receive help from other people." -- Alexis Carrel

December 23


Lament Prayer over Coronavirus Pandemic

God. Listen to our prayers. How long will we have to hide in our homes from this invisible enemy? Where will it strike next? And whom? And what if…? Our screens relay a continuous escalation of suffering and death around the world. Panic and anxiety abounds. Our souls are weary from the strain of the life-altering unknowns.

Heavenly Father, from the depths of our pain and confusion, we cry out to You. From fear-filled hearts and anxious minds, we plead with You. Rescue us, Father of compassion and grace. We lift up our eyes to You, Lord God.


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Just a Thought

I no longer try to escape life through alcoholism.

Drinking built up an unreal world for me and I tried to live in it. But in the morning light the real life was back again and facing it was harder than ever, because I had less resources with which to meet it. Each attempt at escape weakened my personality by the very attempt. Everyone knows that alcohol, by relaxing inhibitions, permits a flight from reality. Alcohol deadens the brain cells that preside over our highest faculties and we are off to the unreal world of drunkenness. A.A. taught me not to run away, but to face reality.

So ............

Have I given up trying to escape life?

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Just a Contemplation

Gifts

Holidays are a wonderful and exciting time of year - a time to enjoy snowflakes falling, company coming, and presents. Sometimes we find ourselves concentrating solely on the wrapped presents and forgetting about the presents of the heart. With God's help, we can begin to notice such things as the hug from a brother or sister, the laugh of a grandparent or the hand-drawn card given to us by a friend. All of these wonderful presents and more are ours for the taking; we need only to see beyond the wrapped packages. It is then we will fully experience the joys of the heart.

How many gifts do I see around me right now?

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Understanding

Gradually, God began to clear my channels so that real understanding began to come. Then was the time when full realization and acknowledgement came to me. It was realization and acknowledgement of the fact that I had not fully given my problems to God. I was still trying to do my own fixing.

Experience, Strength and Hope Page 22
(This is available at most intergroups)

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Just a Quote

"There is only one small letter between the words CAN and CAN'T...and that one letter will TOTALLY change your destiny." ~ Doug Firebaugh

December 24


True Gift of Christmas Prayer

The gifts I’d leave beneath your tree,
Aren’t those that you can touch or see,
No toys meant just for pointless play,
But gifts to bless you every day.
The gift of friendship warm and true,
Is one that I would leave for you.
Good health and happiness and cheer
To keep you smiling through the year.
The gift of peace that comes from God,
With prayer to guide each path you trod.
And when your heart has lost its song
The gift of hope to cheer you on.
These are the gifts I’d leave for you.

~ Kay Hoffman

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Just a Thought

I no longer waste money, but try to put it to good use.

When I was drunk, I threw money around like I really had it. It gave me a feeling of importance - a millionaire for a day. But the morning after, with an empty wallet and perhaps also some undecipherable checks, was a sad awakening. How could I have been such a fool? How will I ever make it up? Thoughts like these get you down. When we are sober, we spend our hard-earned money as it should be spent. Although perhaps some of us could be more generous in our A.A. giving, at least we do not throw it away.

So ............

Am I making good use of my money?

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Just a Contemplation

Measuring Up

Because we strive for perfection, assume it's achievable, and settle for no less in all our activities, we are haunted by our secret fears of not measuring up. But the greater our understanding of the fallacy of this way of thinking becomes, our awareness increases; the more accepting we become of our human frailty, and the less need we have to cover it up.

Our mental health is measurable by the openness we offer to the world. Secrets belie good health and heighten the barriers to it. Letting go of our secrets, by sharing them with friends, we trust, frees us from the power they wield.

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Rationalization

There are cases where our ancient enemy, rationalization, has stepped in and has justified conduct which was really wrong. The temptation here is to imagine that we had good motives and reasons when we really didn't. We 'constructively criticized' someone who needed it, when our real motive was to win a useless argument. We sometimes hurt those we love because they' need to be taught a lesson, 'when we really want to punish. This perverse wish to hide a bad motive underneath a good one, permeates human affairs from top to bottom.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 94

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Just a Quote

“Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don’t.” -- Steve Maraboli

December 25


Humble Christmas Prayer

We pray for joy in our hearts, hope in our God, love to forgive, and peace upon the earth.
We ask for the salvation of all our family members and friends, and we pray your blessings on all people.
Lord, fill our hearts with your love and power.
Amen

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Just a Thought

I don't believe that A.A. works because I read it in a book or because I hear people say so.

I believe it because I see people getting sober and staying sober. An actual demonstration is what convinces me. When I see the change in people, I can't help believing that A.A. works. We could listen to talk about A.A. all day and still not believe it, but when we see it work, we have to believe it. Seeing is believing.

So ............

Do I see A.A. work every day?

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Just a Contemplation

Gratitude

Gratitude doesn't always come from being a receiver. Gratitude is warmest when it accompanies the joy of being able to give without expecting anything in return. We find it isn't enough to feel grateful. We have to express our gratitude by showing kindness and service to everyone around us.

Gratitude is the greatest of all heart-openers. When it enters the heart, love pours out. For every kindness we receive, gratitude inspires a hundred acts of giving.

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The Light

I approached AA with fear and hesitation.
Then, urged by the dread of what was behind me, I took tiny delicate steps onto this new path. When I found the footing was firm, each tentative move brought me a little nearer to trust. Confidence grew, faith in my Higher Power expanded, and I came to recognize a light I had not known existed.

Alcoholics Anonymous Pages 542-543

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Just a Quote

"Faith is like electricity. You can't see it, but you can see the light." ~ Anonymous A.A.

December 26


After Christmas Prayer

Dear God,
Fill us with your joy and the peace of your Spirit. Thank you for your reminder that both in seasons of celebration and in seasons of brokenness, you’re still with us. You never leave us. Thank you for your daily Presence in our lives, that we can be assured your heart is towards us, your eyes are over us, and your ears are open to our prayers. Thank you that your surround us with favor as with a shield, and we are safe in your care. We choose to press in close to you, in all these days after Christmas. Thank you for giving us this hope we can carry all year through.
Amen

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Just a Thought

The A.A. way is the way of sobriety, and yet there are slips.

Why do these slips occur? Why don't we all accept A.A. and stay sober from then on? There are many reasons, but it has been proved without exception that once we have become alcoholics we can never drink successfully again. This has never been disproved by any case we know of. Many alcoholics have tried drinking after a period of sobriety from a few days to a few years and no one that we know of has been successful in becoming a normal drinker.

So ............

Do I think I might be the only exception to this rule?

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Just a Contemplation

Quiet Time

In our daily lives we often take a very short perspective. We see what is worrisome today, what is pressing hardest, or what is most frightening or confusing. Eventually, we may look back and have a totally different idea about what was truly important on this day.

Let us take a moment now to remember what does endure, what we value most, what counts in the long run. For a brief quiet time we can let go of all the anxieties of this moment. During these few quiet moments, we will identify our tensions and then place them totally into the hands of our God. This is our time to let go of our worries and be refreshed. It will provide a background of serenity for our day.

Let me remember this corner of serenity as I meet the tasks and activities on my path.

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Surrender

At one time the admission that I was and am an alcoholic meant shame, defeat, and failure to me. But in the light of the new understanding that I have found in AA, I have been able to interpret that defeat and that failure as seeds of victory. Because it was only through feeling defeat and failure, the inability to cope with my life and with alcohol, that I was able to surrender and accept the fact that I had this disease and that I had to learn to live again without alcohol.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 295

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Just a Quote

“When written in Chinese, the word crisis is composed of two characters--one represents danger and the other represents opportunity.” -- John F. Kennedy

December 27


Alone At Holiday Time Prayer

Lord, the holiday season can be quite a trial and even a deep sadness to many people, especially those that are alone at this time
Draw very close we pray, to those that are alone and lonely over this holiday time

Comfort the lonely, console the grieving, support the weak, give grace to the afflicted, and reassure those who have allowed fear to invade their peace, with the certainty that You are their ever present help in time of trouble.
Amen

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Just a Thought

I have got rid of most of my boredom.

One of the hardest things that a new member of A.A. has to understand how to stay sober and not be bored. Drinking was always the answer to all kinds of boring people or boring situations. But once you have taken up the interest of A.A., once you have given it your time and enthusiasm, boredom should not be a problem to you. A new life opens up before you that can be always interesting. Sobriety should give you so many new interests in life that you shouldn't have time to be bored.

So ............

Have I got rid of the fear of being bored?

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Just a Contemplation

Feeling Happy

We all have friends who seem happy even though they run into lots of bad luck. And we all know other people who seem grumpy all the time. Nothing makes them very happy. It's puzzling, but some people have decided, maybe without even knowing it, that life is fun and should be enjoyed. No bit of bad luck has to make us miserable unless we let it.

A broken bike, a lost set of keys, a rained-out picnic are things that might make us miserable. But, we can decide they won't. Feeling happy can be a habit - just like brushing teeth.

Can I stop and think today before I let things make me unhappy?

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Selfish Program

I can see why you are disturbed to hear some A.A. speakers say, “A.A. is a selfish program.” The word “selfish” ordinarily implies that one is acquisitive, demanding, and thoughtless of the welfare of others. Of course, the A.A. way of life does not at all imply such undesirable traits.

What do these speakers mean? Well, any theologian will tell you that the salvation of his own soul is the highest vocation that a man can have. Without salvation — however we may define this — he will have little or nothing. For us if A.A., there is even more urgency.

If we cannot or will not achieve sobriety, then we become truly lost, right in the here and now. We are of no value to anyone, including ourselves, until we find salvation from alcohol. Therefore, our own recovery and spiritual growth have to come first– a right and necessary kind of self-concern.

As Bill Sees It Page 81

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Just a Quote

"Charity begins at home ,so I must deal with myself first so that I can deal with others, but still in dealing with myself I need others experience, sharing of courage, hope and strength." -- Osmund Lupindu

December 28


Prayer for Emotional Strength

Lord,
I’ve reached my emotional breaking point. I am full of doubt, despair, and anxiety. I’m dissatisfied and don’t know where to turn.

I pray to ask you for emotional strength. Please give me trust, joy, and excitement so I can be lifted from this dark place and become the person you created me to be.

Please be with me and give me comfort and fill my heart with your goodness.
Amen

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Just a Thought

I no longer refuse to do anything because I cannot do it to perfection.

Many alcoholics use the excuse of not being able to do something perfectly to enable us to do nothing at all. We pretend to be perfectionists. We are good at telling people how a thing should be done, but when we come to the effort of doing it ourselves, we balk. We say to ourselves: "I might make a mistake so I'd better let the whole thing slide." In A.A., we set our goals high, but that does not prevent us from trying. The mere fact that we will never fully reach these goals does not prevent us from doing the best we can.

So ............

Have I stopped hiding behind the smoke screen of perfectionism?

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Just a Contemplation

Feelings

Many of us were taught that it's bad to express our feelings directly--crying, wailing, jumping up and down for joy--that it's good manners to talk softly, slowly, and politely and to sit still. But what happens to our feelings when we sit still? If they don't get expressed, they must be caught inside our bodies. Trapped feelings are like birds in a cage, or a rabbit in a trap--they try to get out any way they can. They peck on our heads and give us headaches. They scratch at our stomachs and make us hurt.

We must let them out. We must laugh and cry. Then our bodies will be happy, and our feelings will curl up in our laps like happy puppies.
I must stop ignoring the physical symptoms of trapped feelings.

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Isolating

The less people tolerated us, the more we withdrew from society, from life itself. As we became subjects of King Alcohol, shivering denizens of his mad realm, the chilling vapor that is loneliness settled down. It thickened, ever becoming blacker. Unhappy drinkers who read this page will understand.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 151

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Just a Quote

"When we are forced to deal with people we dislike, a great learning opportunity is being put forth to us." -- Madisyn Taylor

December 29


Anxiety Prayer

Lord,
When I feel crushed by my own worries, Lift my mind and help me to see the truth.
When fear grips me tight and I feel I cannot move, Free my heart and help me to take things one step at a time.
When I can't express the turmoil inside, Calm me with Your quiet words of love.
I choose to trust in You, each day, each hour, each moment of my life.
Amen

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Just a Thought


Instead of pretending to be perfectionists, in A.A. we are content if we are making progress.

The main thing is to be growing. We realize that perfectionism is only a result of false pride and an excuse to save our faces. In A.A. we are willing to make mistakes and to stumble, provided we are always stumbling forward. We are not so interested in what we are as in what we are becoming. We are on the way, not at the goal. And we will be on the way as long as we live. No A.A. has ever "arrived." But we are getting better.

So ............

Am I still making progress?

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Just a Contemplation

Self-respect

Many of us have struggled with our self-esteem. We believed if we felt better about ourselves we could change some of our behavior. But we found the reverse to be true. First our behavior changed, then our self-esteem improved.

Only after we stop doing things we don't respect can we hear and accept the goodwill of others around us. Then we see our value as men/women because we are upholding strong self-images by our actions. This is not easy to do. As we learn, we continue to say no to weak behaviors, and we are released to feel greater dignity.

Saying no to my negative behavior today will improve my self-respect.

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Stability

My stability came out of trying to give, not out of demanding that I receive. Thus I think it can work out with emotional sobriety. If we examine every disturbance we have, we will find at the root of it some unhealthy dependency and its consequent unhealthy demand. Let us, with God's help, continually surrender these hobbling demands.

The Best of Bill Page 58

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Just a Quote

“There are two types of people to watch in AA; those who make it, and those who don't.” -- Dr. Bob

December 30


Purpose on Life Prayer

Lord,
I believe there is so much that I can do with my Life and right now I find myself in a state of question.
I know that with Your assistance, absolutely anything is possible.
Father, help me to maintain a positive attitude and increase my confidence so that I can clearly feel You and hear You when You speak to my heart, knowing that You are working through me to fulfill Your Purpose.
Amen

-- Dr. Loretta Standley

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Just a Thought

Today, I am not so envious of other people, nor am I so jealous of other people's possessions and talents.

When I was drinking, I was secretly full of jealousy and envy of those people who could drink normally, who had the love and respect of their families, who lived a normal life and were accepted as equals by their friends. I pretended to myself that I was as good as they were, but I knew it wasn't so. Now I don't have to be envious any more. I try not to want what I don't deserve. I'm content with what I have earned by my efforts to live the right way. More power to those who have what I have not. At least, I'm trying.

So ............

Have I got rid of the poison of envy?

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Just a Contemplation

Awareness

When we first become aware of a problem, a situation, or a feeling, we may react with anxiety or fear. Awareness is the first step toward positive change and growth. It's the first step toward solving the problem, or getting the need met, the first step toward the future.

Awareness is how life, our God, get our attention and prepare us for change. The process of becoming changed begins with awareness. Awareness, acceptance, and change - that's the cycle. We can accept the temporary discomfort from awareness because that's how we're moved to a better place.

I will try to display gratitude, peace, and dignity when life gets my attention. I will remember that it's okay to accept the temporary discomfort from awareness because I can trust that it's my God moving me forward.

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Resentments

It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment leads only to futility and unhappiness. To the precise extent we permit these, do we squander the hours that might have been worth while. But with the alcoholic, whose hope is the maintenance and growth of a spiritual experience, this business of resentment is infinitely grave. We found that it is fatal.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 66

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Just a Quote

“The path to our destination is not always a straight one. We go down the wrong road, we get lost, we turn back. Maybe it doesn’t matter which road we embark on. Maybe what matters is that we embark.” -- Barbara Hall