A Prayer & Some Thoughts - February
 

February 1


Calm My Troubled Mind Prayer

Dear Lord,

Calm my troubled mind
Still my worried heart
Guide my endless thoughts
Come and leave your mark.

Shelter my tired body
Lift my heavy soul
Quiet my deepest fears
Come and make me whole.

Carry my deepest hurt
Cover my open wounds
Restore my abandoned dreams
Come and hold my life.

Open my ears to hear
Shower my life with praise
Full up my thoughts with truth
Stay by me every day.
Amen

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Just a Thought

I shall be loyal in my attendance, generous in my giving, kind in my criticism, creative in my suggestions, loving in my attitudes.

I shall give A.A. my interest, my enthusiasm, my devotion, and most of all, myself. The Lord's Prayer has become part of my A.A. thoughts for each day: "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not to temptation, but deliver us from evil."

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

Have I given myself?

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Just a Contemplation

Reliving Yesterdays

Two of the most useless phrases in the English language are "what if" and "if only." We waste so much time and energy thinking about what we might have done and wishing we had acted or reacted differently. We imagine how things might have turned out "if only . . ."

All of us make mistakes. To go back and wonder and wish about our yesterdays prevents us from living fully today. Each day is a fresh chance; a new beginning. We can only squeeze what we can out of the moment and let the drops fall where they may. Some will evaporate and some will form rainbows.

I need to forget about yesterday and start a fresh new day.

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Surrender

On the face of it, surrendering certainly does not seem like winning. But it is in AA Only after we have come to the end of our rope, hit a stone wall in some aspect of our lives beyond which we can go no further; only when we hit "bottom" in despair and surrender, can we accomplish sobriety which we could never accomplish before. We must, and we do, surrender in order to win.

Alcoholics Anonymous, 2nd Edition, Pages 341-2

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Just a Quote

“Surrender is a journey from outer turmoil to inner peace.” ~ Sri Chinmoy

February 2


Fresh Start Prayer

Dear God,
Give me the courage to begin again – to overlook the difficulties, to overcome the obstacles and to stay open to the moment as best I can. Help me be patient enough to know it takes time to start over, and wise enough to ask for help from friends and family when I need it. As I look to the future, may I reflect on the past and remember the lessons it’s taught me. And God, may I always look to you for strength and guidance.

~ Abbey Caskets

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Just a Thought

When I came into A.A., was I a desperate person?

Did I have a soul-sickness? Was I so sick of myself and my way of living that I couldn't stand looking at myself in a mirror? Was I ready for A.A.? Was I ready to try anything that would help me to get sober and to get over my soul-sickness?

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

Should I ever forget the condition I was in?

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Just a Contemplation

Acceptance

Acceptance of our past, acceptance of the conditions presently in our lives that we cannot change, brings relief. It brings the peacefulness we so often, so frantically, seek.

We can put the past behind us. Each day is a new beginning. And each day offers us the chance to look ahead with hope. When we fear facing new situations, or when familiar situations turn sour, we can look to our God for help in saying what needs to be said and for doing what needs to be done. Our higher power is as close as our breath. Conscious awareness of its presence strengthens us, moment by moment.

Today is full of possibilities. With each breath I will be aware of the strength at hand.

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Willfulness

My willfulness is still very much a part of me and may always be a stumbling block to progress in my life. So I will have to stay very close to AA, where my strength lies. I am so full of human frailty that I think it is a miracle I am here today. It's only through AA.

The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 2], Pages 147-148

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Just a Quote

“One of the most valuable things we can do to heal one another is listen to each other's stories.” ~ Rebecca Falls

February 3


Bad Mood Prayer

Good Morning Lord,
We woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.
We admit that our attitude isn't what we want it to be.
Our words have been short, our actions unkind, and we've cast some looks at people that have been down right mean.
Everything has irritated us today.

Lord, the thing is, we don't want to be this way but we don't know how to shake this bad mood off which is why we pray. We are not even sure why we feel this way. Maybe it's because there is so much going on that we feel overwhelmed, or maybe there isn't enough change happening and we feel stalled, or maybe we're frustrated by things out of our control.

Lord, we are not even sure why we feel this way. Maybe it's because there is so much going on that we feel overwhelmed, or maybe there isn't enough change happening and we feel stalled, or maybe we're frustrated by things out of our control.

Lord, we know that it will take some time to bring real change in our lives but right now our actions are causing damage: hurting relationships, opening wounds in others so we ask right now for an injection of your spirit. We ask that you would come and replace irritation with kindness, frustration with gentleness, and anger with joy.
Amen

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Just a Thought

What makes A.A. work?

The first thing is to have a revulsion against myself and my way of living. Then I must admit I was helpless, that alcohol had me licked and I couldn't do anything about it. The next thing is to honestly want to quit the old life. Then I must surrender my life to a Higher Power, put my drinking problem in His hands and leave it there. After these things are done, I should attend meetings regularly for fellowship and sharing. I should also try to help other alcoholics.

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

Am I doing these things?

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Just a Contemplation

Reaching for Happiness

Life is like a winding path surrounded by flowers, butterflies, and delicious fruit, but many of us spend much of life looking for happiness around the next corner. We do not bend to enjoy the happiness, which is ours for the taking just at our feet.

In our desire to reach the "pot of gold," the complete and lasting happiness we all want to fill our lives, we ignore anything which doesn't seem worthy of such a large ambition, or which can't give us the whole thing all at once.

Happiness is all around us, but it often comes in small grains. When we gather it grain by grain, we soon have a basketful.

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Strong

A.A. members are not emotional cripples who need someone to hold their hands every moment of the day and night to prevent their falling. We grow up with the help of God, as we understand Him, and the fellowship of the group, and by applying the Twelve Steps to our lives.

Came to Believe Page 109

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Just a Quote

“If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain. If I can ease one life the aching or cool one pain. or help one fainting Robin unto his nest again. I shall not live in vain.” ~ Emily Dickinson

February 4


Uplift My Thoughts Prayer

Dear God, I come to You in my hour of need. I ask You to touch my mind and uplift my thoughts, change my seeming realities that I'm thinking about my life, change my opinion of what is and what can be.

God, I ask that You to give me a sense of well-being again. I pray that You help me find my smile, both on my face and in my soul. God I cannot do this by myself, so I turn to You, and I surrender.
Amen

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Just a Thought

When I came into A.A., I learned what an alcoholic was.

I applied that knowledge to myself to see if I was an alcoholic. When I was convinced that I was an alcoholic, I admitted it openly. Since then, have I been learning to live accordingly? Have I read the book Alcoholics Anonymous? Have I applied the knowledge gained to myself? Have I admitted openly that I am an alcoholic?

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

Am I ready to admit it at any time when I can be of help?

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Just a Contemplation

Life & Change

Change surrounds us. It lies within us, too. The trees in the yard have changed. They've grown taller. Their leaves die and scatter on the ground in the fall. We don't resemble our baby pictures much anymore, either. Like trees, we've grown up. As babies, we couldn't walk. But we learned to run, ride bikes, and go out alone to movies and parties.

Some changes we don't notice while they're going on. The snow melts; the birds fly south; our hair grows a little every day. Other changes startle us. A best friend moves away. Perhaps a favorite grandparent dies. These changes we wish hadn't happened, and we have to remember that change is as natural as breathing. We can't keep it from happening, but we can trust that change never means to harm us. It's a sign we're growing up.

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Vision For You

You are going to meet these new friends in your own community. Near you, alcoholics are dying helplessly like people in a sinking ship. If you live in a large place, there are hundreds. High and low, rich and poor, these are future fellows of Alcoholics Anonymous. Among them you will make lifelong friends. You will be bound to them with new and wonderful ties, for you will escape disaster together and you will commence shoulder to shoulder your common journey. Then you will know what it means to give of yourself that others may survive and rediscover life. You will learn the full meaning of “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”

Alcoholics Anonymous Pages 153-153

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Just a Quote

“Laugh at yourself. It tones your facial muscles and attitude.” – Kelly Rudolph

February 5


Prayer for Hope

Give us hope Lord,
When evil darkens our world, give us light.
When despair numbs our souls, give us hope.
When we stumble and fall, lift us up.
When doubts assail us, give us faith.
When nothing seems sure, give us trust.
When ideals fade, give us vision.
When we lose our way, be our guide!
That we may find serenity in Your presence, and purpose in doing Your will.
Amen

-- John D. Rayner

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Just a Thought

Have I admitted I am an alcoholic?

Have I swallowed my pride and admitted I was different from ordinary drinkers? Have I accepted the fact that I must spend the rest of my life without liquor? Have I any more reservations, any idea in the back of my mind that someday I'll be able to drink safely? Am I absolutely honest with my self and with other people? Have I taken an inventory of myself and admitted the wrong I have done? Have I come clean with my friends?

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

Have I tried to make it up to them for the way I have treated other people?

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Just a Contemplation

Apologies

Apologies can help us learn to have a healthier family. It is hard to apologize, but with practice, it will get easier. We are learning that we can make mistakes, and admit them, and that other people will accept our apologies. In the same way, we are learning we can accept others' apologies.

Apologies are sometimes hard to make. It helps to keep in mind that we make them as much for ourselves and our own growth as for the person we apologize to. We are not worthless just because we make mistakes, but we increase our value t o ourselves and others by being able to recognize them and apologize.

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Peace

The more I drank, the more I fantasized everything....I lived in a dream world. A.A. led me gently from this fantasizing to embrace reality with open arms. And I found it beautiful! For, at last, I was at peace with myself. And with others. And with God.

Alcoholics Anonymous, "To Handle Sobriety," , Page 559

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Just a Quote

"All of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today." --Dale Carnegie

February 6


Attitude Adjustment Prayer

Lord, I confess that sometimes I choose to focus on the negatives. In every moment of every day, help me focus on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable, so that my attitude may reflect and honor you. As I practice shifting my perspective, keep my heart from growing cold or bitter. Teach me to remember that I am not a slave to my negative emotions.
Amen

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Just a Thought

Have I turned to a Higher Power for help?

Do I believe that each man or woman I see in A.A. is a demonstration of the power of God to change a human being from a drunkard into a sober, useful citizen? Do I believe that this Higher Power can keep me from drinking? Am I living one day at a time? Do I ask God to give me the power to stay sober for each twenty-four hours?

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

Do I attend A.A. meetings regularly?
Do I have contact with other A.A.’s regularly?

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Just a Contemplation

Accepting Help

Some of us have felt so alienated that we've forgotten we're not alone. We've come to believe that we have to do it ourselves. Some of us have been abandoned. Some have gone without love. Some of us have gotten used to people never being there for us. Some of us have struggled, had hard lessons to learn.

God's there, always ready to help. There is an ample supply of people to care about us too. We will, if we want it, receive love and support, comfort and nurturing. If we take the risk to ask for it, help is there. We aren't alone. And we don't have to do it ourselves.

God, help me let go of my need to do it alone and my belief that I am alone. Help me tap into Your Divine Power and Presence, and your resources for love, support, and friendship. Open my eyes and heart so I can see the love, help, and support that's there for me. Help me know I am loved.

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The Cost

I was soon sitting beside a big hulk of a man. Decidedly unfriendly, he stared at me out of eyes which were slits in his red and swollen face. I had to agree with the doctor - he certainly didn't look good. But I told him my own story. I explained what a wonderful Fellowship we had, how well we understood each other. I bore down hard on the hopelessness of the drunk's dilemma. I insisted that few drunks could ever get well on their own steam, but that in our groups we could do together what we could not do separately. He interrupted to scoff at this and asserted he'd fix his wife, his partner, and his alcoholism by himself. Sarcastically he asked, `How much does your scheme cost?' "I was thankful I could tell him, `Nothing at all.'

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 152

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Just a Quote

"Everyone is a house with four rooms, a physical, a mental, an emotional and a spiritual. Most of us tend to live in one room most of the time, but unless we go into every room every day, even if only to keep it aired, we are not a complete person." -- Rumer Godden

February 7


Today’s Simple Prayer

Dear God,
Please give me strength when I am weak, love when I feel forsaken, courage when I am afraid, wisdom when I am foolish, comfort when I am alone, hope when I feel rejected, and peace when I am in turmoil.
Amen

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Just a Thought

Keeping sober is the most important thing in my life.

The most important decision I ever made was my decision to give up drinking. I am convinced that my whole life depends on not taking that first drink. Nothing in the world is as important to me as my own sobriety. Everything I have, my whole life, depends on that one thing.

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

Can I afford ever to forget this, even for one minute?

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Just a Contemplation

Relationships

Each day, we are faced with the prospect of functioning in several different relationships. Sometimes, we choose these relationships; sometimes, we don't. The one choice we usually have in our relationships concerns our own behavior.Our goal, should be, to behave in ways that demonstrate responsibility for us.

Do we need to detach from someone who we've been trying to control? Is there someone we need to talk to, even though what we have to say may be uncomfortable? Is there someone we've been avoiding because we're afraid to take care of ourselves with that person? Do we need to make an amend? Is there someone we need to reach out to, or show love?

I will participate in my relationships to the best of my ability. I will make myself available for closeness and sharing with people I trust. I will ask for what I need and give what feels right.

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Control

Most of us have been unwilling to admit we were real alcoholics. No person likes to think he is bodily and mentally different from his fellows. Therefore, it is not surprising that our drinking careers have been characterized by countless vain attempts to prove we could drink like other people. The idea that somehow, someday he will control and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal drinker. The persistence of this illusion is astonishing. Many pursue it into the gates of insanity or death.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 30

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Just a Quote

“At times fear grips me and I can concentrate only on the anxiety. Then I realize I am in God's care and I need only trust and the fear subsides.” --Michele Fedderly

February 8


Prayer for Patience in Accepting God's Will

Lord, teach me to be patient - with life, with people,and with myself. I sometimes try to hurry things along too much, and I push for answers before the time is right. Teach me to trust Your sense of timing rather than my own and to surrender my will to Your greater and wiser plan. Help me let life unfold slowly, like the small rosebud whose petals unravel bit by bit, and remind me that in hurrying the bloom along, I destroy the bud and much of the beauty therein.

Instead, let me wait for all to unfold in its own time. Each moment and state of growth contains a loveliness. Teach me to slow down enough to appreciate life and all it holds.
Amen

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Just a Thought

I'm grateful that I found a program in A.A. that could keep me sober.

I'm grateful that A.A. has shown me the way to faith in a Higher Power, because the renewing of that faith has changed my way of life. And I've found a happiness and contentment that I had forgotten existed, by simply believing in God and trying to live the kind of a life that I know He wants me to live. As long as I stay grateful, I'll stay sober.

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

Am I in a grateful frame of mind?

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Just a Contemplation

Vulnerability

Some of us may have made a decision that no one was ever going to hurt us again. We may automatically go on "feelings freeze mode" when faced with emotional pain. Or, we may terminate a relationship the first time we feel hurt. Hurt feelings are a part of life. It is understandable that we don't want to feel anymore pain.We don't have to be so frightened of pain. It does not have to overwhelm us.

We need only allow ourselves to feel vulnerable enough to feel hurt, when that's appropriate, and take responsibility for our feelings, behaviors, and what we need to do to take care of ourselves. Maybe our pain is showing us we need to set a boundary; maybe it's showing us we're going in a wrong direction; maybe it's triggering a deep healing process.

It's okay to feel hurt; it's okay to cry; it's okay to heal; it's okay to move on to the next feeling, when it's time.I will not strike out at those who cause me pain. I will feel my emotions and take responsibility for them. I will accept hurt feelings as part of being in relationships. l am willing to surrender to the pain as well as the joy in life.

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Time

And what is time to me now? It is a most precious asset. I have the luxury of being able to cherish the memory of yesterday, to live today with serenity, to wait for tomorrow. I find great contentment in just knowing where I was and where I am. And I am grateful; grateful the existence of Alcoholics Anonymous; grateful to my God for leading me to the doors of AA and to Himself, grateful for hope.

The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 2], p. 21

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Just a Quote

"We find comfort among those who agree with us; growth among those who don't." ~ Frank A. Clark

February 9

Decision Making Prayer

Sanity like common sense seems a high commodity these days.
I pray for all of us who struggle with decision making & taking on steps forward.
May we embrace our true personality without fear, feel confident You are by our side, & lead us to stand up, speak up, and show up in the precise moment. Amen

~ Celeste M. Pérez Chadha

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Just a Thought

It's very important to keep in a grateful frame of mind, if we want to stay sober.

We should be grateful that we're living in a day and age when alcoholics aren't treated as they often used to be treated before Alcoholics Anonymous was started. In the old days, every town had its town drunk who was regarded with scorn and ridiculed by the rest of the townspeople. We have come into A.A. and found all the sympathy, understanding, and fellowship that we could ask for. There's no other group like A.A. in the world.

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

Am I grateful today?

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Just a Contemplation

Progress vs. Perfection

We are the sculptors of our day.
We can mold it creatively into a wonderful masterpiece. We control the amount of moisture we mix into our clay. We pound it, shape it, stroke it, and love it. Others can offer suggestions, and we gain new perspectives from their advice, but it is finally our own creation. Our knife may occasionally slip, or our mixture of earth may be too dry. Any great artist suffers temporary setbacks. Besides, imperfections in art often make it all the more interesting.

Am I creative in my life today?

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Prayer Persistence

In A.A. we have found that the actual good results of prayer are beyond question. They are matters of knowledge and experience. All those who have persisted have found strength not ordinarily their own. They have found wisdom beyond their usual capability. And they have increasingly found a peace of mind which can stand firm in the face of difficult circumstances.

As Bill Sees It Page 127

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Just a Quote

“Faith has a powerful effect in helping people recover a sense of balance, tranquility, and hope.” ~ Robert Veninga

February 10


For Today Prayer

God, please come and be with me in my circumstances. Fill my thoughts with Your thoughts and Your wisdom. Please come and act on my behalf. Show me what to do and give me the power and strength to take responsibility where I can but let go of the rest and lay down the burden. Fill my heart with courage to act and to do the next right thing.

I won't let the past rob me of the peace and stability You promise me in this day. I let go of regret and shame. I will live in this new day as the new person I am when God lives in me.

For this one day I will be simple hearted and focused in my mind on what I can do and on your commitment to show me a way through the rest.
Amen

From: Prayer Support
http://pihprayer.blogspot.com/2015/09/prayer-to-live-one-day-at-time.html+

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Just a Thought

When we were drinking, most of us had no real faith in anything.

We may have said that we believed in God, but we didn't act as though we did. We never honestly asked God to help us and we never really accepted His help. To us, faith looked like helplessness. But when we came into A.A., we began to have faith in God. And we found out that faith gave us the strength we needed to overcome drinking.

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

Have I learned that there is strength in faith?

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Just a Contemplation

Negative Messages

As we go through life, we run into all kinds of negative messages: teasing on the school bus, insulting nicknames, and other put-downs. Pretty soon we may discover that some of these messages stick in our minds, repeating themselves over and over like broken records. These messages can make us feel bad about ourselves.

But when we hear one of these tapes playing inside us, we have the power to push the STOP button. Then we can record a new message. We can even say it out loud, so that our voice settles emphatically into our thoughts. We can't make others stop saying these things, but we can stop listening to them. They only have power over us when we give it to them. We have the ability and freedom to let negative thoughts float by us, like water going downstream.

What positive message can I send to myself?

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Anonymity

We have denied ourselves personal government, professionalism, and the right to say who our members shall be. We have abandoned do-goodism, reform, and paternalism. We refuse charitable money and prefer to pay our own way. We will cooperate with practically everybody, yet we decline to marry our Society to anyone. We abstain from public controversy and will not quarrel among ourselves about those things that so rip society asunder-- religion, politics, and reform. We have but one purpose; to carry the AA message to the sick alcoholic who wants it.

The Language of the Heart Page 211

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Just a Quote

"Trite as it may sound, the cure for self-pity is to think about those who are less fortunate and start counting our blessings. Taking some action, doing some small thing for someone else, perhaps a phone call - these are constructive steps to take us off the 'pity pot'." ~ Cristina Ferrare

February 11


Prayer For Inner Strength

Lord, I'm upset and disturbed, and I pray that You will grant me the grace of inner peace.
Give me the patience I need to cope with the burdens and anxieties of my life.
Grant me the strength to better deal with my problems, and the understanding to be more tolerant and kind to others.
Teach me to seek after Your will.
Amen

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Just a Thought

When we were drinking, most of us were full of pride and selfishness.

We believed we could handle our own affairs, even though we were making a mess of our lives. We were very stubborn and didn't like to take advice. We resented being told what to do. To us, humility looked like weakness. But when we came into A.A., we began to be humble. And we found out that humility gave us the power we needed to overcome drinking.

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

Have I learned that there is power in humility?

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Just a Contemplation

Thoughts

Good thoughts are like bright colors in a painting. Negative thoughts are dark and dreary and drab. Each day we paint pictures of our own lives with our thoughts. If we step back and look at the canvas, we will see whether the picture is alive with bright colors or dreary and lifeless like a dark cloud. Our thoughts have the power to bring joy or sadness our way, depending on what we expect or look for in our surroundings. The choice of how we want our lives to be is ours. Since we paint a new picture each day, we are always free to change things when they don't please us. What better time than the present?

Is there something in my life I'd like to change today?

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New Habits

Our drinking was connected with many habits -- big and little. Some of them were thinking habits, or things we felt inside ourselves. Others were doing habits -- things we did, actions we took. In getting used to not drinking, we have found that we needed new habits to take the place of the old ones.

Living Sober, Preface

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Just a Quote

"Gratitude opens our eyes to the miracles that surround us." ~ D. Denise Dianaty

February 12


Self-Care Prayer

Lord,
I pray that you will anoint me with strength and self care today, tomorrow, and always. I pray that You will grace me with patience and wisdom. I pray that You will encourage me throughout the day to take the correct steps to walk proudly, and behave well. I pray all of these things for myself & all others. Amen

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Just a Thought

When we were drinking most of us never thought of helping others.

We liked to buy drinks for people, because that made us feel like big shots. But we only used others for our own pleasure. To really go out and try to help somebody who needed help never occurred to us. To us, helping others looked like a sucker's game. But when we came into A.A., we began to try to help others. And we found out that helping others made us happy and also helped us to stay sober.

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

Have I learned that there is happiness in helping others?

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Just a Contemplation

Letting Go of Guilt

(Another person does something inappropriate or wrong, then stands there until you feel guilty and end up apologizing.)

Many times, the things we feel guilty about are not our issues. Another person behaves inappropriately or in some way violates our boundaries. We challenge the behavior, and the person gets angry and defensive. Then we feel guilty.Guilt can prevent us from setting the boundaries that would be in our best interests, and in other people's best interests. Guilt can stop us from taking healthy care of ourselves.

We don't have to let others count on the fact that we'll always feel guilty. We don't have to allow ourselves to be controlled by guilt - earned or unearned! We can break through the barrier of guilt that holds us back from self care. We have a right to set boundaries and to insist on appropriate treatment. We can separate another's issues from our issues, and let the person experience the consequences of his or her own behavior, including guilt. We can trust ourselves to know when our boundaries are being violated.

I will let go of my big and little guilty feelings. Light and love are on my side.

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Obstacles in Our Path

We live in a world riddled with envy. To a greater or lesser degree, everybody is infected with it. From this defect we must surely get a warped yet definite satisfaction. Else why would we consume so much time wishing for what we have not, rather than working for it, or angrily looking for attributes we shall never have, instead of adjusting to the fact, and accepting it?

As Bill Sees It Page 131

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Just a Quote

“Self-care is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation.” ~ Audre Lorde

February 13


Prayer for Accepting Help

Lord,
Please fill me with trust to listen and work with my doctors, to believe that they have my best interest at heart, and give me strength to not take my frustrations out on them. Accepting help isn’t always my strong suit, and I come to You now asking for assistance during this time. I don’t know all the answers and I never will. You put people in my life and direct me to those who can help me. Please let me accept them and be healed from this pain. I know that you are working through them to help heal me. I pray that I remember that always.
Amen

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Just a Thought

The longer we're in A.A., the more natural this way of life seems.

Our old drinking lives were a very unnatural way of living. Our present sober lives are the most natural way we could possibly live. During the early years of our drinking, our lives weren't so different from the lives of a lot of other people. But as we gradually became problem drinkers, our lives became more and more unnatural.

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

Do I realize now that the things I did were far from natural?

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Just a Contemplation

Gratitude

I do not have to worry about tomorrow, because if I live well today, tomorrow will take care of itself.

When I am full of gratitude, there is no room left for anger, envy, fear, or hatred. Nor is there room for pride, since when I am grateful I am humbly aware of my dependence on my God. Being filled with gratitude is ever so much better than being filled with anger & fear!

May I be grateful today and every day.

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Spot-Checking

A spot-check inventory taken in the midst of disturbances can be of very great help in quieting stormy emotions. Today's spot check finds its chief application to situations which arise in each day's march. The consideration of long-standing difficulties had better be postponed, when possible, to times deliberately set aside for that purpose.

The quick inventory is aimed at our daily ups and downs, especially those where people or new events throw us off balance and tempt us to make mistakes.

As Bill Sees It Page 132

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Just a Quote

"Life is like a taxi. The meter just keeps a-ticking whether you are getting somewhere or just standing still." ~ Lou Erickson

February 14


Living In The Present Prayer

It's morning Lord, and once again I haven’t rested. Even before I open my eyes, my mind has started to wander far back into the shadows of a haunting past, or far ahead into the dread of an imagined future. It seems so hard to control my thoughts--to focus on today, and now.

As I lie here Lord, awaiting the first light of dawn, I pray that you will still my troubled mind...that you will free me from the intoxicating drugs of fear and sadness that threaten to dull my senses once again...that today will be different.

Lord, show me how to live one day at a time. Pull down the curtain on yesterday and tomorrow and teach me the secret of living in day-tight compartments. Awaken me to the present moment, and bring me back to my senses.

As I arise to greet the day, teach me that the real secret of living in the present is to simply make my will, your will. Help me to trust you completely, without hesitation, and without the slightest worry of how things might turn out.
Amen

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Just a Thought

When we were drinking, we were living an unnatural life physically and mentally.

We were punishing our bodies by loading them with alcohol. We didn't eat enough and we ate the wrong things. We didn't get enough sleep or the right kind of rest. We were ruining ourselves physically. We had an alcoholic obsession and we couldn't imagine life without alcohol. We kept imagining all kinds of crazy things about ourselves and about other people. We were ruining ourselves mentally.

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

Since I came into A.A., am I getting better physically and mentally?

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Just a Contemplation

Good Feelings

We often focus on the troublesome trio - pain, fear, and anger.But there are other feelings available in the emotional realm - happiness, joy, peace, contentment, love, closeness, and excitement. It's okay to let ourselves feel pleasurable feelings too.

We don't have to worry when we experience good feelings; we don't have to scare ourselves out of them; we don't have to sabotage our happiness. We do that, sometimes, to get to the more familiar, less joyous terrain.

It's okay to feel good. We don't have to analyze, judge, or justify. We don't have to bring ourselves down, or let others bring us down, by injecting negativity.

We can let ourselves feel good.

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Disease

Some strongly object to the AA position that alcoholism is an illness. This concept, they feel, removes moral responsibility from alcoholics. As any AA knows, this is far from true. We do not use the concept of sickness to absolve our members from responsibility. On the contrary, we use the fact of fatal illness to clamp the heaviest kind of moral obligation onto the sufferer, the obligation to use AA's Twelve Steps to get well.

As Bill Sees It Page 32

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Just a Quote

"Laughter, like a drenching rain, settles the dust, cleans and brightens the world around us, and changes our whole perspective." ~ Jan Pishok

February 15


Prayer To Understand Others

Lord,
Grant me the gift of understanding.
Help me to understand the feelings of others, the desires of others, the goals of others.
At the same time, help me to understand myself in my actions and reactions.
Widen my vision beyond my own small world to embrace with knowledge and love the worlds of others.
Help me, Lord, to always see you at work in my own life and in the lives of others.
Bless me with insight, acceptance and love. Help me to understand, Lord.
Amen.

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Just a Thought

When we first came into A.A., a sober life seemed strange.

We wondered what life could possibly be like without ever taking a drink. At first, a sober life seemed unnatural. But the longer we're in A.A., the more natural this way of life seems. And now we know that the life we're living in A.A., the sobriety, the fellowship, the faith in God, and the trying to help each other, is the most natural way we could possibly live.

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

Do I believe it's the way God wants me to live?

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Just a Contemplation

Anger

Anger is part of life. We need not dwell in it or seek it out, but we can't afford to ignore it. It's one of our emotions.

We can learn that we can shamelessly feel all our feelings, including anger, and still take responsibility for what we do when we feel angry. We don't have to let anger control us, but it surely will if we prevent ourselves from feeling it.

Being grateful, being positive, being healthy, does not mean we never feel angry. Being grateful, positive, and healthy means we feel angry when we need to.

I can let myself be angry, if I need to. I can feel and release my emotions, including anger, constructively. I will be grateful for my anger and the things it is trying to show me. I can feel and accept all my emotions without shame, and I can take responsibility for my actions.

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Awakening

Alcoholism is a grievous and often fatal malady of the mind and body. We have found that these awful conditions invariably bring on the third phase of our malady. This is the sickness of the spirit; a sickness for which there must necessarily be a spiritual remedy. We AA's recognize this in the first five words of Step Twelve. Those words are: 'Having had a spiritual awakening...' Here we name the remedy for our threefold sickness of body, mind, and soul.
~ Bill W

The Language of the Heart Page 297

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Just a Quote

"Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving." ~ Dale Carnegie

February 16


Turbulent Times Prayer

God, look with compassion, we pray, on your world in distress.
Comfort those who suffer, strengthen those who are weary, grant your peace to those whose thoughts are troubled, and embolden your people to be a light of hope throughout the world.
Amen

~~ Dr. John Cook

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Just a Thought

The A.A. program is a way of life.

It's a way of living and we have to learn to live the program if we're going to stay sober. The twelve steps in the book are like guide-posts. They point the direction in which we have to go. But all members of the group have to find their own best way to live the program. We don't all do it exactly alike. Whether by quiet times in the morning, meetings, working with others, or spreading the word, we have to learn to live the program.

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

Has the A.A. way become my regular, natural way of living?

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Just a Contemplation

Choices

Life is full of dangers and risks and challenges. We can choose to meet them fearfully or in a spirit of welcome. To choose fear, to say, "I won't take that risk because I might lose," is to prevent ourselves from ever winning. If we welcome the danger, the risk, or the challenge, we acknowledge that life is made up of losses as well as victories, of gains as well as pain.

Life holds the dangers as well as the rewards. We choose how we will act. Sometimes we may feel trapped in a cycle of fearfulness. If we examine our own part, will we find that we are neglecting to take a balanced view? Perhaps, through a fear of losing, we are missing many chances for satisfaction.

Yes, I have the power to choose what my attitude will be toward this day's offerings.

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An Open Mind

Reluctantly, I opened my mind to the fact that maybe, just maybe, there was something to this spiritual lifestyle. Slowly, but surely, I realized there was indeed a Power greater than myself, and I soon found myself with a full-time God in my life and following a spiritual path that didn't conflict with my personal religious convictions.

Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 287

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Just a Quote

"One of the biggest things I've learned is that I don't always have to be right." ~ Jeffrey B. Swartz

February 17


Morning Prayer for Strength

Dear Lord,
This daylight, upon waking and getting ready for my day, I pray that you give me strength today, to be strong for You in this world full of temptations.

Lord, You know that there are struggles I will go through today. I pray that you be with me as I go through them. Carry me when I am too weak. If I stumble into temptation, forgive me.
Amen

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Just a Thought

The A.A. program is more a way of building a new life than just a way of getting over drinking, because in A.A. we don't just stop drinking.

We did that plenty of times in the old days when we "went on the wagon." And, of course, we always started to drink again because we were only waiting for the time when we could fall off. Once we've got sober through the A.A. program, we start going uphill. In our drinking days, we were going downhill, getting worse and worse.

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

We either go down or up. Am I going uphill, getting better and better?

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Just a Contemplation

Prayer and Meditation

Prayer and meditation are not necessarily connected to organized religion. Prayer and meditation are ways to improve our personal relationship with a Higher Power to benefit our life, our growth, and us. Praying is how we connect with God. We don't pray because we have to; we pray because we want to. It is how we link our soul to our Source.

We're learning to take care of our emotions, our mind, and our physical needs. We're learning to change our behaviors. But we're also learning to take care of our spirit, our soul, because that is where all true change begins.

Each time we talk to God, we are transformed. Each time we connect with our Higher Power, we are heard, touched, and changed for the best. I will practice prayer and meditation, whether I feel desperate, uneasy, or peaceful, I will make the effort to connect with my Higher Power.

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The Answer

It finally became obvious to me that the God I thought had judged and damned me had done nothing of the sort. He had been listening, and in His own good time His answer came. His answer was threefold: the opportunity for a life of sobriety; Twelve Steps to practice, in order to attain and maintain that life of sobriety; fellowship within the program, ever ready to sustain and help me each twenty-four hour day.

Came To Believe Page 11

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Just a Quote

“It’s your reaction to adversity, not adversity itself that determines how your life’s story will develop.” ~ Dieter F. Uchtdorf

February 18


Prayer For Peace Of Mind

Dear God,
Please give me peace of mind and heart, discipline and organization skills in my life. Please help me be the best person I can be. Rid my heart of all feelings of envy and of resentment. Help me reach my goals and dreams. Help me stop loosing sleep over things I can’t control and over people that have offended me.

Lord, also please help me become an organize and discipline person; I know that much of my stress will go away if i can accomplish to learn those two very important life skills. Thank you for all the blessings you give me.
Amen

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Just a Thought

It doesn't do much good to come to meetings only once in a while and sit around, hoping to get something out of the program.

That's all right at first, but it won't help us very long. Sooner or later we have to get into action by coming to meetings regularly, by giving a personal witness of our experience with alcohol, and by trying to help other alcoholics. Building a new life takes all the energy that we used to spend on drinking.

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

Am I spending at least as much time and effort on the new life that I'm trying to build in A.A.?

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Just a Contemplation

All We Have Is Now

We can only live now, this moment. We cannot erase the mistakes we made yesterday or bring back the good times we had. We cannot know what tomorrow will require of us, nor can we ensure future security and happiness. Now is what we have, and now is everything.

We can deal with the problems, which confront us today as best we can, trusting God to guide us. We can be in touch with our Higher Power only in the present. As we focus on the present moment, we live it deeper, and we derive a satisfaction that we did not know when we were regretting the past and worrying about the future. Whatever happens now is all I can manage and all I need.

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Fear

This short word somehow touches about every aspect of our lives. It was an evil and corroding thread; the fabric of our existence was shot through with it. It set in motion trains of circumstances which brought us misfortune we felt we didn't deserve. But did not we, ourselves, set the ball rolling? Sometimes we think fear ought to be classed with stealing. It seems to cause more trouble.

Alcoholics Anonymous Pages 67- 68.

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Just a Quote

"Tolerance is the positive and cordial effort to understand another's beliefs, practices and habits without necessarily sharing or accepting them." ~ Joshua Liebman

February 19


Contentment Prayer

God,
I pray that I will stay focused on today, not yesterday or tomorrow.
I pray that You will constantly remind me to be content in all of my circumstances.
I pray that You will fill me up that I may be joyful all day, even if stress creeps in.
Amend

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Just a Thought

The new life cannot be built in a day.

We have to take the program slowly, a little at a time. Our subconscious minds have to be reeducated. We have to learn to think differently. We have to get used to sober thinking instead of alcoholic thinking. Any one who tries it knows that the old alcoholic thinking is apt to come back on us when we least expect it. Building a new life is a slow process, but it can be done if we really follow the A.A. program.

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

Am I building a new life on the foundation of sobriety?

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Just a Contemplation

Gratitude Attitude

Every day we face interruptions, delays, changes, and challenges. We face personality conflicts and disappointments. Often when we're feeling overwhelmed, we can't see the lessons in these experiences.

One simple concept can get us through the most stressful of times. It's called gratitude. We learn to say, thank you, for these problems and feelings. Thank you for the way things are. I don't like this experience, but thank you anyway.

Force gratitude until it becomes habitual. Gratitude helps us stop trying to control outcomes. It is the key that unlocks positive energy in our life. It is the alchemy that turns problems into blessings, and the unexpected into gifts. I will start the process of turning today's pain into tomorrow's joy.

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Sponsor

If we are fooling ourselves, a competent adviser can see this quickly. And, as he skillfully guides us away from our fantasies, we are surprised to find that we have few of the usual urges to defend ourselves against unpleasant truths. In no other way can fear, pride, and ignorance be so readily melted. After a time, we realize that we are standing firm on a brand-new foundation for integrity, and we gratefully credit our sponsors, whose advice pointed the way.

As Bill Sees It Page 248

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Just a Quote

"Making amends is simple. We approach the person we have harmed and say, 'I was wrong.'" ~ Dick P.

February 20


Prayer For Those Who Suffer

Lord,
Look with compassion upon your creatures who suffer under the weight of this pandemic.
Fill us with love toward our neighbor; deliver us from partisan motives as we strive for the common good; and strengthen those who labor for our health.
Amen

~ Juan Oliver

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Just a Thought

On the foundation of sobriety, we can build a life of honesty, unselfishness, faith in God, and love of our fellow human beings.

We'll never fully reach these goals, but the adventure of building that kind of a life is so much better than the merry-go-round of our old drinking life that there's no comparison. We come into A.A. to get sober, but if we stay long enough we learn a new way of living. We become honest with ourselves and with other people. We learn to think more about others and less about ourselves. And we learn to rely on the constant help of a Higher Power.

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

Am I living the way of honesty, unselfishness, and faith?

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Just a Contemplation

Struggles

The struggles of life teach us a lot. They challenge our beliefs. As we struggle, we come to believe that our friends, family, and our God will be there for us in hard times.

But we must do our part. We need to call and honestly let people know how we are doing. We need to pray and ask our God for help. If we do these things, we'll come to respect and learn from hard times.

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Attitudes

We find that our old attitudes toward our instincts need to undergo drastic revisions. Our desires for emotional security and wealth, for personal prestige and power, for romance, and for family satisfactions - all these have to be tempered and redirected. If we place instincts first, we have got the cart before the horse; we shall be pulled backward into disillusionment. But when we are willing to place spiritual growth first - then and only then do we have a real chance.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Page 114

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Just a Quote

"The individual is capable of both great compassion and great indifference. He has it within his means to nourish the former and outgrow the latter." ~ Norman Cousins

February 21


Prayer For A Clear Mind

Lord, I desire to be clear-minded in a time when deceit and deception floods into our minds from so many quarters. Lord, I do not want to be swept into the world’s way of thinking, and pray that You would give me increasing and ongoing clarity of thought in my home and in the general activities of life as well as my special times of devotion, payer and fellowship meetings.

Open the eyes of my understanding, I pray, and give me real wisdom. Help me not to fall into a spiritual slumber but rather to remain alert and watchful for the truth.
Amen

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Just a Thought

In A.A. we're all through with lying, hangovers, remorse, and wasting money.

When we were drinking, we were only half alive. Now that we're trying to live decent, honest, unselfish lives, we're really alive. Life has a new meaning for us, so that we can really enjoy it. We feel that we're of some use in the world. We're on the right side of the fence, instead of on the wrong side. We can look the world in the face instead of hiding in alleys. We come into A.A. to get sober and if we stay long enough, we learn a new way of living.

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

Am I convinced that no matter how much fun I thought, I got out of drinking, that life never was as good as the life I can build in A.A.?

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Just a Contemplation

New Beginnings

Resentments are the blocks that hold us back from loving others and ourselves. Resentments do not punish the other person; they punish us. They become barriers to feeling good and enjoying life. They prevent us from being in harmony with the world. Resentments are hardened chunks of anger. They loosen up and dissolve with forgiveness and letting go.

Letting go of resentments does not mean we allow the other person to do anything to us that he or she wants. It means we accept what happened in the past, and we set boundaries for the future. We can let go of resentments and still have boundaries.

We try to see the good in the person or the good that ultimately evolved from whatever incident we feel resentful about. We try to see our part in it, too. Then we put the incident to rest.

Praying for those we resent helps. Asking God to take our resentments from us helps too. Asking my God to take any resentment that is hidden within me, and blocking me, to the surface. Show me what I need to do to take care of my self by letting go of resentments, and then help me do that.

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Change

I tried to change the time and place and amount of my drinking. I tried to change my environment, my place of living -- like most of us who at one time or another think that our trouble is geography rather than whiskey. I even entertained the idea of changing wives. I tried to change everything and everybody, except myself -- the only thing I could change.

Experience, Strength and Hope Page 153

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Just a Quote

"You can keep things in perspective by realizing that not much in life is as urgent as others would like you to believe. Lord, help me to know and stay focused on that which is really important to me." ~ M. Robin Sharma

February 22

For Today Prayer

God, please come and be with me in my circumstances. Fill my thoughts with Your thoughts and Your wisdom. Please come and act on my behalf. Show me what to do and give me the power and strength to take responsibility where I can but let go of the rest and lay down the burden. Fill my heart with courage to act and to do the next right thing.

I won't let the past rob me of the peace and stability You promise me in this day. I let go of regret and shame. I will live in this new day as the new person I am when God lives in me.

For this one day I will be simple hearted and focused in my mind on what I can do and on your commitment to show me a way through the rest.
Amen

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Just a Thought

To grasp the A.A. program, we have to think things out.

We have to learn to think straight. We have to change from alcoholic thinking to sober thinking. We must build up a new way of looking at things. Before we came into A.A., we wanted an artificial life of excitement and everything that goes with drinking. That kind of a life looked normal to us then. But as we look back now, that life looks the exact opposite of normal. In fact, it looks most abnormal. We must reeducate our minds.

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

Am I changing from an abnormal thinker to a sober normal thinker?

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Just a Contemplation

Wants and Needs

Part of taking responsibility for us means taking responsibility for what we want and need, and knowing that's okay to do. Learning to tune in to us, learning to listen to ourselves, is an art. It takes practice.

What we want and need counts. It's important, and it's valid. It's okay to learn to participate in meeting our own needs. What does it sound like we might want and need? What would we guess would help us feel better? What are our feelings telling us? Our body? Our mind? Our intuition? If we ask, then listen closely; we'll hear the answer.

We can learn to identify what we want and need and be patient with ourselves while we're learning. I will pay attention to what I want and need. I will not discount myself.

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Restore Us to Sanity

Few indeed are the practicing alcoholics who have any idea how irrational they are, or, seeing their irrationality, can bear to face it. For example, some will be willing to term themselves "problem drinkers," but cannot endure the suggestion that they are in fact mentally ill.

They are abetted in this blindness by a world which does not understand the difference between sane drinking and alcoholism. "Sanity" is defined as "soundness of mind." Yet no alcoholic, soberly analyzing his destructive behavior, whether the destruction fell on the dining-room furniture or his own moral fiber, can claim "soundness of mind" for himself.

As Bill Sees It Page 141

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Just a Quote

“Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.” ~ Chinese proverb

February 23


Prayer for Strength and Protection

Lord, you know that we are set in the midst of so many and great dangers,
that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright:
Grant us such strength and protection, to support us in all danger, and carry us through all temptations.
Amen.

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Just a Thought

In the beginning, you want to get sober.

But you're helpless, so you turn to a Power greater than yourself and by trusting in that Power, you get the strength to stop drinking. From then on, you want to keep sober, and that's a matter of reeducating your mind. After a while, you get so that you really enjoy simple, healthy, normal living. You really get a kick out of life without the artificial stimulus of alcohol. All you have to do is to look around at the members of any A.A. group and you will see how their outlook has changed.

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

Is my outlook on life changing?

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Just a Contemplation

Appreciating Our Past

It is easy to be negative about past mistakes and unhappiness. But it is much more healing to look at ourselves and our past in the light of experience, acceptance, and growth. Our past is a series of lessons that advance us to higher levels of living and loving.

The relationships we entered, stayed in, or ended taught us necessary lessons. Our mistakes? Necessary. Our frustrations, failures, and sometimes-stumbling attempts at growth and progress? Necessary too.Each step of the way, we learned. We went through exactly the experiences we needed to, to become who we are today. Each step of the way, we progressed.

I need to let go of negative thoughts I may be harboring about my past circumstances or relationships. I can accept, with gratitude, all that has brought me to today.

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The Book

By 1937, some of us realized that AA needed a standard literature. There would have to be a book. .
Well, we did quarrel violently over the preparation and distribution of that AA Book. In fact, it took five years for the clamor to die down.
Should any AA's dream that the old-timers who put the Book together went about in serene meditation and white robes, then they had best forget it.
The inspiration that readers now say they find in the volume must have got there by the grace of God only!

The Language of the Heart Page 33

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Just a Quote

“There is no royal road to anything. One thing at a time, all things in succession. That which grows fast, withers as rapidly. That which grows slowly, endures.” ~ Josiah Gilbert Holland

February 24


Negative Thinking Prayer

Lord,
Sometimes I have terrible thoughts that run through my head.
Remove the bad thoughts that torment me.
Cast the enemy out of my mind and my life.
Let no attack, deceit or contamination affect me any more.
Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a Thought

Alcoholics are people whose drinking got them into a "blind alley."

They are always making the same mistakes and suffering the same consequences over and over again. They refuse to admit they're alcoholic. They still think they can handle the stuff. They won't swallow their pride and admit that they're different from ordinary drinkers. They won't face the fact that they must spend the rest of their lives without liquor. They can't visualize life without ever taking a drink.

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

Am I out of this blind alley?

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Just a Contemplation

Trust That Guidance Will Come

Trust and act on the guidance you have now.

Some parts of our lives appear like a long, paved highway. We can see exactly where to go; we have a panoramic view. Other times, it may feel like we’re driving in the dark with only one headlight on a winding road through the fog. We can only see a few feet in front of the car.

Don’t worry if you can’t see that far ahead, if you only have a glimmer of light to guide your path. Slow down. Listen to your heart. Guidance will come. Trust what you hear. Do the small thing. Take the one step. Go as far as you can see.

Then go back to your heart, and you’ll hear the next step. It may be a step of immediate action, or deliberate inaction. Sometimes you may have to quiet down, wait, and prepare yourself to hear what you’re to do next.

Trust and act on the guidance you have now, and more will come.

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Inspiration

At some time, perhaps in a more moderate way, nearly everyone has experienced this spirit touch of God, the fleeting feeling of insight, love, joy, and 'The world is right.' Once, I thought that only unusual circumstances made these moments possible. Actually, I now think, they are forecasts of what one can have if one is willing to take the time and make the effort. Peace, love, and joy can be sought through quiet thinking and honest prayer. The wholeness, the new awareness, that is produced affects one's relationship with God and man to a degree greater than would seem possible in ordinary life.

Came to Believe Page 65

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Just a Quote

"For many, negative thinking is a habit which, over time, becomes an addiction." ~ Peter McWilliams

February 25


Prayer for Loving Difficult People

Lord, I have to thank You for looking beyond my faults and for loving me unconditionally.
Forgive me when I fail to love others in the same way.
Give me eyes to see the needs of the difficult people in my life, and show me how to meet those needs in a way that pleases You.
Amen

~ Mary Southerland

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Just a Thought

Alcoholics who are living in a blind alley refuse to be really honest with themselves or with other people.

They're running away from life and won't face things as they are. They won't give up their resentments. They're too sensitive and too easily hurt. They refuse to try to be unselfish. They still want everything for themselves. And no matter how many disastrous experiences they have had with drinking, they still do it over and over again. There's only one way to get out of that blind alley way of living and that's to change your thinking.

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

Have I changed my thinking?

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Just a Contemplation

Patience

Family life requires patience
The Greek origin of the word patience is pathos, which means "suffering." In our lives together, we often suffer. Life is full of bumps and scrapes, both physical and emotional. In our search for greater family unity and harmony we need to realize that we will not be able to escape all suffering. This is why we need patience. It is a form of love. When we suffer the bumps and scrapes and still have faith something good will come of it, we are living out our love.

By practicing our patience, we will surely find a reward.

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Compulsion

It helped me a great deal to become convinced that alcoholism was a disease, not a moral issue; that I had been drinking as a result of a compulsion, even though I had not been aware of the compulsion at the time; and that sobriety was not a matter of willpower. I was afraid to let go of what I had in order to try something new; there was a certain sense of security in the familiar. At last, acceptance proved to be the key to my drinking problem. When I stopped living in the problem and began living in the answer, the problem went away."

Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Page 417

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Just a Quote

"There is no limit to what you can accomplish in helping others." ~ Richmond Walker

February 26


Prayer for This Day

Lord, it is so easy to focus only on my needs, but I ask that You would bless those around me.
Please help my children, family and friends to see, feel and experience your love.
Please protect and heal my loved ones.
I thank You for the wonderful people I have in my life and I ask You to guide their paths this day.
Amen

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Just a Thought

We used to depend on drinking for a lot of things. We depended on drinking to help us enjoy things.

It broke down our shyness and helped us to have a "good time." We depended on drinking to help us when we felt low physically. If we had a toothache or just a hangover, we felt better after a few drinks. We depended on drinking to help us when we felt low mentally. If we'd had a tough day at work or if we'd had a fight with our husband or wife, or if things just seemed against us, we felt better under the influence of alcohol. For us alcoholics, it got so that we depended on drinking for almost every thing.

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

Have I got over that dependence on drinking?

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Just a Contemplation

Life's Lessons

"When the pupil is ready, the teacher appears."
Life's lessons often come unexpectedly. They come, nevertheless. Perhaps the teacher will be a loving relationship, a difficult loss, or a truant child. The time of learning is seldom free from pain and questioning. But from these experiences and what they can teach us, we are ready to learn. As we are ready, they come.

We all enjoy the easy times when the sailing is smooth, when all is well, when we are feeling no pain. And these periods serve a purpose. They shore us up for the lessons which carry us to a stronger sense of ourselves. To understand that all is well, throughout the learning process, is the basic lesson we need to learn. All is well. The teacher is the guide up the next rung of the ladder.

I will try to be grateful for my lessons today and know that all is well.

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Choices

Our necessities are certainly immense and compelling. Each of us must conform reasonably well to AA's Steps and Traditions, or else we shall go mad or die of alcoholism. Therefore the compulsion among most of us to survive and grow soon becomes far stronger than the temptation to drink or misbehave. Literally, we must 'do or die.' So we make the choice to live. This, in turn, means the choice of AA principles, practices, and attitudes. This is our first great and critical choice. Admittedly, this is made under the fearful and immediate lash of John Barleycorn, the killer. Plainly enough, this first choice is far more a necessity than it is an act of virtue.

The Language of the Heart Pages 301-302

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Just a Quote

“Being honest may not get you a lot of friends but it’ll always get you the right ones.” John Lennon

February 27


Immune System Prayer

Lord,
I pray that You would bless me with a strong immune system so that I have a powerful defense against bacterial and viral infections. I thank You that when You created me, You put this system within me to protect me from illness. Help me be diligent to promote a strong immune system through healthy habits and to avoid habits that compromise it.
Amen

~ John Fitzpatrick

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Just a Thought

As we became alcoholics, the bad effects of drinking came more and more to outweigh the good effects.

But the strange part of it is that, no matter what drinking did to us, loss of our health, our jobs, our money, and our homes, we still stuck to it and depended on it. Our dependence on drinking became an obsession. In A.A., we find a new outlook on life. We learn how to change from alcoholic thinking to sober thinking. And we find out that we can no longer depend on drinking for anything. We depend on a Higher Power instead.

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

Have I entirely given up that obsession and dependence on drinking?

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Just a Contemplation

Attitude

Many days we may not get up with love in our hearts for our family, our friends, our co-workers. We may, in fact, want them to show their love for us first. But if we reach out, give love unconditionally; focus on another's needs, love will return tenfold. And the act of loving them will lift our own spirits. We will know love; we will feel love for ourselves and the many other persons close to us.

The attitude we cultivate, whether one of love or selfishness, inferiority or superiority, will determine how the events of our lives affect us. The principle is so simple. If we meet life with love, with a smile, we'll find love and something to smile about.

There's magic in behaving the way we want to be, even though we don't yet feel it. The behavior seems to lead the way. The attitude, the mental state, follows. "Act as if."

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Transformation

To get over drinking will require a transformation of thought and attitude. We all had to place recovery above everything, for without recovery we would have lost both home and business.

Alcoholics Anonymous Page 143

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Just a Quote

"God's plans for you are beyond your imagination. ‘Lord, may I not limit myself to my past experiences, but be willing to accept new opportunities and challenges into my life.’" ~ Robin Sharma

February 28


Thankful Prayer

Lord,
I thank you for the direction and guidance you’ve provided me in my life, and for increasing my wisdom as the years pass.
I pray that I’ll continually see you as the source of all wisdom and that I will continue to turn to You for help in understanding myself and the world around me.
Amen

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Just a Thought

Alcoholics carry an awful load around with them.

What a load lying puts on your shoulders! Drinking makes liars out of all of us alcoholics. In order to get the liquor we want, we have to lie all the time. We have to lie about where we've been and what we've been doing. When you are lying you are only half alive because of the fear of being found out. When you come into A.A., and get honest with yourself and with other people, that terrible load of lying falls off your shoulders.

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

Have I got rid of that load of lying?

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Just a Contemplation

Overcritical

Being overcritical and irritable has been common to many of us. Some of us go around with controlled smiles while underneath we are grumbling. Others blast everyone around them. Some of us save our most critical reactions for those we love while staying sweet and friendly with the outside world. In any case, we are caught in a blinding trap. We may know we feel trapped but do not see that our problem is mainly with ourselves.

We need to look at our relationships. Have we been falling into a pattern where no one seems to measure up? Are we also being too critical or demanding of ourselves? Perhaps we don't need to lower our standards so much as to hold them less tightly. If we can be friends to ourselves and give ourselves a little more leeway, we can be more easygoing with others.

I can be less judgmental of others and myself.

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Priorities

I was also able to realize that this bonfire of resentment and rage was beckoning me to pick up a drink and plunge into my death. Then I realized that I had to separate my sobriety from everything else that was going on in my life. No matter what happened or didn't happen, I couldn't drink. In fact, none of these things that I was going through had anything to do with my sobriety; the tides of life flow endlessly for better or worse, both good and bad, and I cannot allow my sobriety to become dependent on these ups and downs of living. Sobriety must live a life of its own.

Alcoholics Anonymous, Fourth Edition Pages 450-451

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Just a Quote

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”~ William Arthur Ward