AA Thoughts For Today - September

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AA Thought for the Day

September 23

Control
We alcoholics are men and women who have lost the ability to control our drinking.
We know that no real alcoholic ever recovers control.
All of us felt at times that we were regaining control,
but such intervals—usually brief—were inevitably followed by still less control,
which led in time to pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 30

Thought to Ponder
When we try to control our drinking, we have already lost control.

AA-related 'Alconym'
A A = Absolute Abstinence.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Awakening
"Is sobriety all that we are to expect of a spiritual awakening?
Again, the voice of AA speaks up.
No, sobriety is only a bare beginning,
it is only the first gift of the first awakening.
If more gifts are to be received, our awakening has to go on.
And if it does go on, we find that bit by bit
we can discard the old life
-- the one that did not work --
for a new life that can and does work
under any conditions whatever.
Regardless of worldly success or failure,
regardless of pain or joy,
regardless of sickness or health or even of death itself,
a new life of endless possibilities can be lived
if we are willing to continue our awakening."
Bill W., December 1957
c. 1988AAWS, The Language of the Heart, p. 234

Thought to Consider . . .
The task ahead of us is never as great
as the Power behind us.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
G I F T = God Is Forever There

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Anvils of Experience
Tradition One: Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon AA Unity
So at the outset, how best to live and work together as groups became the prime question. In the world about us we saw personalities destroying whole peoples. The struggle for wealth, power, and prestige was tearing humanity apart as never before. If strong people were stalemated in the search for peace and harmony, what was to become of our erratic band of alcoholics? As we had once struggled and prayed for individual recovery, just so earnestly did we commence to quest for the principles through which AA itself might survive. On anvils of experience, the structure of our Society was hammered out.
1981, AAWS, Inc., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pages 130-131

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"I have made a determined effort to focus more on seeing myself as God sees me."
Reston, Va., December 2009
"I'm Not Broken"
Spiritual Awakenings II

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"'There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which
is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in
everlasting ignorance - that principle is contempt prior to
investigation.'"
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Appendice II, Spiritual Experience, pg. 568~

We usually conclude the period of meditation with a prayer that we be shown all through the day what our next step is to be, that we be given whatever we need to take care of such problems.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 87

And when we turn away from meditation and prayer, we likewise deprive our minds, our emotions, and our intuitions of vitally needed support.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 97

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Though I still find it difficult to accept today's pain and anxiety with any great degree of serenity - as those more advanced in the spiritual life seem able to do - I can give thanks for present pain nevertheless.
I find the willingness to do this by contemplating the lessons learned from past suffering - lessons which have led to the blessings I now enjoy. I can remember how the agonies of alcoholism, the pain of rebellion and thwarted pride, have often led me to God's grace, and so to a new freedom.

Prayer for the Day: Possibilities Prayer - I know, Dear God, that my part in this Program is going to be a thrilling and endless adventure. Despite all that has happened to me already, I know that I have just begun to grow. I have just begun to open to Your love. I have just begun to touch the varied lives You are using me to change. I have just begun to sense the possibilities ahead. And these possibilities, I am convinced, will continue to unfold into ever new and richer adventures, not only for the rest of my reborn days but also through eternity.