AA Thoughts For Today - February

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AA Thought for the Day

February 4

Sponsor

The unique ability of each A.A. to identify himself with, and bring recovery to,
the newcomer in no way depends upon his learning, eloquence, or on any special
individual skills. The only thing that matters is that he is
an alcoholic who has found a key to sobriety.
- Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions, pp. 150 - 151

Thought to Ponder
A recovering alcoholic without a sponsor is much like a ship without a rudder.

AA-related 'Alconym'
S P O N S O R = Sober Person Offering Newcomers Suggestions On Recovery.

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

Humility
Every newcomer in AA is told, and soon realizes for himself,
that his humble admission of powerlessness
over alcohol is his first step toward liberation
from its paralyzing grip.
So it is that we first see humility as a necessity.
But this is the barest beginning. . .
A whole lifetime geared to self-centeredness
cannot be set in reverse all at once.
Rebellion dogs our every step at first.
c. 1952 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 72-3

Thought to Consider . . .
Many people haven't even a nodding acquaintance
with humility as a way of life.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
T R U S T = Teaching Recovery Using Steps and Traditions

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

Relief
>From "More about Alcoholism":
"'They grinned, which I didn't like too much, and then asked me if I thought myself alcoholic and if I were really licked this time.
"'Then they outlined the spiritual answer and program of action which a hundred of them had followed successfully.
Though I had been only a nominal churchman, their proposals were not, intellectually, hard to swallow. But the program
of action, though entirely sensible, was pretty drastic. It meant I would have to throw several lifelong conceptions out of
the window. That was not easy. But the moment I made up my mind to go through with the process, I had the curious
feeling that my alcoholic condition was relieved, as in fact it proved to be.'"
2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg.42

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

"While I've never been sober today before, I count on my Higher Power to keep me sober as he has done on all those
other days before."
Huntington, W.V., August 2006
From: "Never Sober Today Before"
Beginner's Book: Getting and Staying Sober in AA

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

"When we became alcoholics, crushed by a self-imposed crisis we could
not postpone or evade, we had to fearlessly face the proposition that
either God is everything or else He is nothing. God either is or He
isn't."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 53~

We can look the world in the eye. We can be alone at perfect peace and ease. Our fears fall from us. We begin to feel
the nearness of our Creator. We may have had certain spiritual beliefs, but now we begin to have a spiritual experience.
The feeling that the drink problem has disappeared will often come strongly. We feel we are on the Broad Highway,
walking hand in hand with the Spirit of the Universe. ~Alcoholics Anonymous page 75

When we are honest with another person, it confirms that we have been honest with ourselves and with God.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 60

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

While A.A. has restored thousands of poor Christians to their churches, and has made believers out of atheists and
agnostics, it has also made good A.A.'s out of those belonging to the Buddhist, Islamic, and Jewish faiths. For example,
we question very much whether our Buddhist members in Japan would ever have joined this Society had A.A. officially
stamped itself a strictly Christian movement.
'You can easily convince yourself of this by imagining that A.A. started among the Buddhists and that they then told you
you couldn't join them unless you became a Buddhist, too. If you were a Christian alcoholic under these circumstances,
you might well turn your face to the wall and die.

Prayer for the Day: Lord in heaven, please listen to all those who are praying to You now. Those who are sad and
crying, those who have lost friends and family. Those who are alone and frightened. Help them to remember, that You
are there and You are listening. Amen.