AA Thoughts For Today - February

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AA Thought for the Day

February 26

An Open Channel
I no longer allow others to make decisions for me and then criticize me for it.
Today -- and every day -- with a heart full of gratitude, and a desire for God's will to be done through me,
my life is worth sharing, especially with my fellow alcoholics!
Above all, if I do not make a religion out of anything, even AA, then I can be an open channel for God's expression.
- Daily Reflections, p. 92

Thought to Ponder . . .
True religion is the life we lead, not the creed we profess.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
H O W = Honesty, Open-mindedness, Willingness.

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

Neighbors
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."
c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 152-3

Thought to Consider . . .
Sobriety is a journey, not a destination.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
T E A M = Together Everyone Achieves More.

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

Illness
Step Two: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could 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. 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."
1952, AAWS, Inc.; Printed 2005; Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pgs. 32-33

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

"I was told by a sober member of AA that if I wanted to stay sober I would need to do three things: get a sobriety date
and don't change it, get a sponsor, and get a home group."
Glendale, Calif., March 2002
From: "Three Essentials"
Beginner's Book: Getting and Staying Sober in AA

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

"We know that while the alcoholic keeps away from drink, as he may do
for months or years, he reacts much like other men. We are equally
positive that once he takes any alcohol whatever into his system,
something happens, both in the bodily and mental sense, which makes
it virtually impossible for him to stop. The experience of any
alcoholic will abundantly confirm this."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 22~

"...we were at Step Three, which is that we decided to turn our will
and our life over to God as we understood Him. Just what do we mean
by that, and just what do we do?
The first requirement is that we be convinced that any life run on
self-will can hardly be a success. On that basis we are almost
always in collision with something or somebody, even though our
motives are good. Most people try to live by self-propulsion."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 60~

"It will become more and more evident as we go forward that it is pointless to become angry, or to get hurt by people
who, like us, are suffering from the pains of growing up.
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 92

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Better than Gold
As newcomers, many of us have indulged in spiritual intoxication. Like a gaunt prospector, belt drawn in over the last
ounce of food, we saw our pick strike gold. Joy at our release from a lifetime of frustration knew no bounds.
The newcomer feels he has struck something better than gold. He may not see at once that he has barely scratched a
limitless lode which will pay dividends only if he mines it for the rest of his life and insists on giving away the entire
product. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, pp . 128-129

Prayer for the Day: Dear Lord, Please grant me the wisdom to understand that failing at something is just another
opportunity to start again. Please help me to never give up.