[bluidkiti]

August 14

Step by Step

"Those of us who have spent much time in the world of spiritual make-believe have eventually seen the childishness of it. This dream world has been replaced by a great sense of purpose, accompanied by a growing consciousness of the power of God in our lives. We have come to believe He would like us to keep our heads in the clouds with Him, but that our feet ought to be firmly planted on earth. That is where our fellow travelers are, and that is where our work must be done. These are the realities for us." - Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, 1976, Ch 9 ("The Family Afterward"), p 130.

Today, the spiritual component of recovery is little more than faith without works if I fail to utilize it in service to the addict who still suffers, and if I neglect my responsibility to my spiritual development. That responsibility is, in part, strict adherence to my own program while allowing others in recovery their program that works for them, and in actively seeking participation in program and group affairs before being asked. What I have received in the program is not mine alone, and it cannot and will not grow if I keep it to myself. This is the essential expression of spirituality at work - to share with someone how the program led me to where I am now while helping them to find their way. I may think I have a spiritual connection with my higher power but, if I limit my contentment to myself, my faith is dead without works. And our common journey continues. Step by step. - Chris M.

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~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

SPONSORS

Call your sponsor before, not after, you take your first drink.

~ Anonymous ~

Sponsors are those who have experienced the benefits of the Program. They are willing to help us on our journey because they know the road we are traveling. They tell us to slow down when we need to, and answer our questions: “How long will I feel guilty?" “How important is doing Steps Four and Five?” “When will I get over these drunk dreams?” “When do I get some serenity?"

When we came into the Program, many of us thought we only needed to stay abstinent. Then we heard that we needed to change other aspects of our life, and most of us didn't like it a bit. We asked our sponsor what needed to be changed. The sponsor said "You only need to change three things.” We were relieved, until our sponsor continued, "Everything you say, everything you think, and everything you do.”

When my sponsor told me to change only three things, he smiled. I didn't. I do now.

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~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

Better to ask twice than to lose your way twice.

~ Danish proverb ~

How many times have we heard that guys never want to stop and ask for directions? It is true that many of us would rather drive around searching for a place than stop and ask for help. Some of us say we enjoy solving the puzzle without asking for the answer. It’s a trait that many men carry to extremes. We apply it to our lives with very serious consequences when we refuse to see a doctor for a medical condition, or we refuse to consult a therapist for personal problems, or we can’t bring ourselves to go to a Twelve Step group.

Fortunately we don’t have to be permanently locked into those restrictions. We have now found the freedom and rich rewards that come from letting our guard down. The payoff for asking for help, and accepting it, has been far greater than the arrogance of doing everything without help.

Today I will be open to all the help I can get.

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~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

Life is perfect, just the way it is and just the way it is not.

~ Peggy Bassett ~

Coming to believe that life is perfect however it is takes willingness and concentrated faith. Most of us waste precious hours every day wishing for something that isn’t. Will we ever learn?

It isn’t wrong to want some things to be different. If our own behavior can inspire positive changes in ourselves or others, then it’s not wrong to take responsibility for what we can do. What is futile, though, is assuming we know what is best for everyone. We can’t see the big picture. God gives us only what we need right now. What may look like trouble, what may appear as imperfect one minute, may be God’s greater plan. Let’s wait and see.

I will find comfort in the message that all is well. I will use that today if I get worried about how events seem to be unfolding.

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~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

I need to make a list of my assets

I keep seeing myself as a person whose life revolves around emotional illness and chemical dependency. I feel as though I'm just a patient who can't do anything but be sick and keep trying to get well, to recover.

Perhaps it would help if I did a kind of Fourth Step inventory on this question. I could write out a list of my assets—my personal qualities, abilities, accomplishments, and interests. Then when I feel bad about the time and effort that my dual illness demands, I can remind myself of the whole truth: I am a competent, valuable person who is in recovery from a dual disorder.

Today I will label a sheet of paper "Assets," and start out the list with two of my most helpful ones.

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~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

To love one’s self is the beginning of a life-long romance.

~ Oscar Wilde ~

People who value themselves take good care of themselves. The better care we give ourselves, the healthier we become and, in turn, the more we value ourselves. Since most of us have difficulty feeling valuable, we can start to improve our self-esteem by taking good care. It’s the little things, like a woman putting some pretty color on her nails or a man enjoying a soothing bath instead of a shower. Making a complete, healthy meal for ourselves because we’re important will help our self-esteem. Spending time with friends or a quiet time with our Higher Power, can also help.

Sometimes we may want to feel low. We may actually want to believe we are not worth great care. This is sad, and it’s not sobriety. Sobriety is doing the things that are healthy, even if we’d rather not. It means eating a balanced diet and getting enough rest, exercising our minds, and embracing a spiritual way of life. It’s a lot of work, but soon the payoff begins: we feel lovable, worthwhile, happy, and hopeful again.

Today let me do one small, nice thing for myself.

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~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

The block of granite which was an obstacle in the pathway oj the weak becomes a stepping-stone in the pathway of the strong. That block of granite is often nothing more than a decision.

~ Thomas Carlyle ~

Trails through national parks and forests are often clearly marked and well-maintained. But sometimes a heavy snowmelt or downpour can turn a trickling stream into a tricky obstacle that needs to be navigated in order to continue following the trail.

When this happens, hikers can turn around and postpone their hike until another day. They can attempt to create their own trail by rambling through—and possibly destroying—delicate forest undergrowth. They can slog through the water, soaking their footgear and creating discomfort for the rest of the hike. Or they can utilize the resources available to them, such as by positioning large rocks as stepping-stones to cross the stream.

How you navigate the trails of your recovery can be seen in similar terms. You must choose how to navigate these trails, both in times when the footing is good and when it is not. Be like the hiker who thinks first about how to handle the challenges, so you can continue safely along your journey.

Today I will make choices that will keep me on the path of recovery.

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~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

I am sick and tired of the snivelers, the defeated, and, the whiners. I am sick and tired of being expected to believe that ugliness is beauty, that melancholy is man's sole pleasure, that delinquency is delight, that laughter is something to be ashamed of.

~ John Mason Brown ~

Every year businesses go through their files, throwing out old information and papers, and reorganizing remaining files. We can do some cleaning of the message files we keep in our heads.

Stored inside us are messages that no longer hold true: "You're a bad person." "You shouldn't show your feelings." "If you cry, you're not a man." "You'll never amount to anything." "Nobody loves you." We can toss out these old messages. We have learned things are not the way those messages claim they are.

We can start new message files: "I'm a nice person." "Crying is a good way to express my feelings." "It's important for me to show how I feel." "I'm doing wonderful things for myself." "People love me." There's no need to hold on to old files when we have wonderful new ones.

I can start weeding out negative messages in my mind. What are some new messages I can put there instead?

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~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

Keeping our program in mind

In the heat of summer, it can be hard to re-member that we have meetings to attend and a program to work. When we think we are too busy to get to meetings or to work the Steps, our minds are beginning to slip. The pull of mood-altering chemicals can be felt in laziness, boredom, or uncomfortable circumstances.

At times like these, it is important to re-member how we got straight and what keeps us straight.

Do I keep my program in mind at all times?

Higher Power, help me prevent anything from interfering with my crucial Twelve Step program.

Today I will practice my program by

God help me to stay clean and sober today.

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~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day, runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measure.

~ RABINDRANATH TAGORE ~

Newcomer

I love nature, but I just haven't been able to make the time or find the money to get away and enjoy it.

Sponsor

We don't have to travel in order to experience ourselves as part of the natural world. If we aren't able to have a garden, we can plant seeds in a windowsill container or put out a bird feeder. We can tune in to natural rhythms by allowing ourselves quiet time when we first wake up in the morning instead of automatically turning on a news broadcast. When we eat, we can stop to smell the food, think about the earth it came from, and chew slowly enough to experience its taste. We can walk outdoors for a short time every day experiencing the rhythm of our moving bodies and the sensation of sunlight, rain, or snow on our skin. We ourselves are a part of nature; we can quiet ourselves by observing the rhythm of our breathing in meditation. Instead of watching TV as we lie in bed at night, we can listen to birds, wind, or rustling leaves. If all we can hear outside our windows is the sound of cars or fire engines, we can listen to a tape of natural sounds.

Nature relieves our fatigue, tension, and stress. Becoming aware of nature, bringing ourselves into harmony with its rhythms, heals us.

Today, I alternate activity with rest, taking time to appreciate some part of the natural world.

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~ THE EYE OPENER ~

If you are one of those who think they are unable to speak at meetings, or to do a little Twelve Step work, then give a try at some other AA activity. If you have a phone you can always call up some new man and shoot the breeze with him. If you have a car you can arrange to pick up some guy who hasn't got transportation and bring him to meetings. Or you gals can occasionally baby sit for someone who wants to attend meetings but can't get away.

There are lots of things you can do if you try. You once thought you couldn't quit drinking, but you did.

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~ WALK SOFTLY AND CARRY A BIG BOOK ~ (Official & Unofficial Sloganeering From the 12 Step Programs) ~

1) A lie a day keeps sobriety away.

2) God wants for you what you would want for yourself, IF you had all the facts.

3) Skid Row is a place in your mind--not a place on the street.

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~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

May My Thoughts Be Guided

Dear Lord, You have guided me to demonstrate that common sense is the best approach to living in this recovery program.

The Tenth Step suggests it is wise to pause often and review all my choices.
My hurried remarks and actions lead to mistakes.
I have learned when I am wrong to promptly admit it.

From this I have learned honesty and humility.
From this I have grown in understanding and effectiveness.

Dear Lord, in gratitude I pray:
I am what I think.
All that I am comes from my thoughts.
With my thoughts and positive actions, I make my world.

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~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

THE SHADOW OF THE ALMIGHTY

To abide under the shadow of the Almighty means to live under the protection of God Himself. Eastern people, and especially those with a desert background, such as the people of Palestine, look upon the sun as a danger, even an enemy, from which they need to be safe-guarded. Shade is sanctuary or safety—"the shadow of a mighty rock in a weary land." The exhausted traveler sinks down in the shade for his long-sought rest.

God is called "The Almighty" in order to impress us with the fact that He really is All-mighty, and can therefore overcome our present difficulty, no matter how big it may seem.

. . . for with God all things are possible (Mark 10:27) .

Consider, however, that the promise is made to “him that dwelleth," If we only run into the Secret Place now and again, we can scarcely be said to dwell there. God will come to our rescue whenever we pray, but if we seldom think of Him, we may experience difficulty in making our contact in an emergency. By means of daily meditation we dwell in the Secret Place.

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~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

For, Not Against

Resist not evil, but overcome evil with good.

~ Jesus Christ ~

In a restaurant, I noticed a woman wearing a white sweatshirt with the word pornography splashed across the front in big red letters. Printed in tiny black letters below the red ones were the words, "is not the will of God.” The latter phrase was written in such small type that I had to be quite near the shirt to read it. "Pornography" however, was easily visible from across the street. While this woman was intending to campaign against pornography, she was actually advertising it. The moment I read the huge word on her sweatshirt, images of pornography came to my mind. She would have been more effective in her campaign if she wore a shirt advertising what she wanted to create, not destroy. she might have worn a shirt with an image depicting two people embracing lovingly, or some phrase that would have reminded onlookers of healthy sexuality.

The mind creates more of whatever it focuses on. For example, do not think about a pink elephant now. Whatever you do, you must not see a pink elephant in your mind. Of course, you are probably seeing a big pink elephant. The subconscious does not comprehend the meaning of not. Now think of your favorite elementary school teacher. Remember her face, name, and why you liked her. While you were thinking of the teacher, did you see the pink elephant? Probably not'

Jesus was a master metaphysician who understood that thoughts create. He advised, "Turn the other cheek," indicating that we must not give energy to what we do not want, but rather turn and look in the direction of what we do value. When Mother Teresa was invited to speak at an anti-war rally, she refused. "If you asked me to speak at a pro-peace rally, I would be there. I am not against anything. I am for love.

I pray to create heaven on earth by focusing on Your presence in all.

I bless the good and let all else go.