DAILY PONDERABLES Together WE Trudge The Road OF Happy Destiny

Daily Reflections WALKING THROUGH FEAR If we still cling to something we will not let go, we ask God to help us be willing. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 76 When I had taken my Fifth Step, I became aware that all my defects of character stemmed from my need to feel secure and loved. To use my will alone to work on them would have been trying obsessively to solve the problem. In the Sixth Step I intensified the action I had taken in the first three Steps---meditating on the Step by saying it over and over, going to meetings, following my sponsor's suggestions, reading and searching within myself. During the first three years of sobriety I had a fear of entering an elevator alone. One day I decided I must walk through this fear. I asked for God's help, entered the elevator, and there in the corner was a lady crying. She said since her husband had died she was deathly afraid of elevators. I forgot my fear and comforted her. This spiritual experience helped me see how willingness was the key to working the rest of the Twelve Steps to recovery. God helps those who help themselves. From the book Daily Reflections © Copyright 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Twenty-Four Hours A Day A.A. Thought for the Day We alcoholics used so little self-control when we were drinking, we were so absolutely selfish, that it does us good to give up something once in a while. Using self-discipline and denying ourselves a few things is good for us. At first, giving up liquor is a big enough job for all of us, even with God's help. But later on, we can practice self-discipline in other ways to keep a firm grip on our minds so that we don't start any wishful thinking. If we daydream too much, we'll be in danger of slipping. Am I practicing enough self-discipline? Meditation for the Day In material things, you must rely on your own wisdom and that of others. In spiritual things, you cannot rely so much on your own wisdom as on God's guidance. In dealing with personalities, it is a mistake to step out too much on your own. You must try to be guided by God in all human relationships. You cannot accomplish much of value in dealing with people until God knows you are ready. You alone do not have the power or wisdom to put things right between people. You must rely on God to help you in these vital matters. Prayer for the Day I pray that I may rely on God in dealing with people's problems. I pray that I may try to follow His guidance in all personal relationships. From the book Twenty-Four Hours a Day © Copyright 1975 by Hazelden Foundation

NA - Just for Today Write about it! Page 135 "We sit down with a notebook, ask for guidance, pick up our pen, and start writing." Basic Text, p. 30 When we're confused or in pain, our sponsor sometimes tells us to "write about it." Though we may groan as we drag out the notebook, we know that it will help. By laying it all out on paper, we give ourselves the chance to sort through what's bothering us. We know we can get to the bottom of our confusion and find out what's really causing our pain when we put the pen to the paper. Writing can be rewarding, especially when working through the steps. Many members maintain a daily journal. Simply thinking about the steps, pondering their meaning, and analyzing their effect is not sufficient for most of us. There's something about the physical action of writing that helps to fix the principles of recovery in our minds and hearts. The rewards we find through the simple action of writing are many. Clarity of thought, keys to locked places inside of us, and the voice of conscience are but a few. Writing helps us be more honest with ourselves. We sit down, quiet our thoughts, and listen to our hearts. What we hear in the stillness are the truths that we put down on paper. Just for Today: One of the ways I can search for truth in recovery is to write. I will write about my recovery today. From the book Just for Today © Copyright 1991-2013 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Thought for Today Silence can never be misquoted "One filled with joy preaches without preaching." --Mother Teresa It’s About the Message   An AA group on the West Coast asked Bill to come and speak He’d honored similar requests before, so this was not unique Another group had also asked if he would come one day A Midwest group in a small town he’d pass along the way   And when he did the town folks came to greet him at the station To honor him for what he’d done, to show their admiration He was surprised so many people knew he would be there It made him glad that he had made the time to stop and share   It was an open meeting, more than AA members gathered Families, friends and other guests around the room were scattered But when the meeting started up the folks began to sing Hymns of praise, just like in church, an unaccustomed thing   The meeting then got underway like most our meetings do They said The Prayer, took out The Book, and read a page or two They shared about what it was like, what happened and life now And at the closed sang hymns again, and Bill raised an eyebrow   He’d been to many meetings and in many different places Most of them were similar in how they ran the bases But he had never been to one that felt more like religion He felt that doing it this way could harm the AA mission   He left the town, back on the train, and started to reflect On why he took exception to the way these folks select To start and end by singing hymns, diverging from the norm It’s not the way things should be done, they needed to conform   And while he pondered over this, he had an admonition Reminding him what he had wrote about the Fourth Tradition Each group should be autonomous, they had the right to choose On how to run their meetings, provided AA’s not abused   We all have been to meeting when we are away from home The formats that we’ve come to know are different when we roam But that won’t really matter, it’s what helps to keep us sane Delivery may differ but the message stays the same   Our founders were some wise old men, gave us a bag of tools To keep us on a steady path, suggestions and not rules They realized our members would have different points of view On how their meeting should be run, group conscience to pursue   So, even Bill was just like us, liked things a certain way There’s comfort in the same routine we follow every day But when folk differ from our norm, we need not be obsessive It’s not the way the meetings run, it’s all about the message.   Larry R.

Buddha/Zen Thoughts What You Think Upon Grows...

Native American "Without a sacred center, no one knows right from wrong." Thomas Yellowtail, CROW In the center of the circle is where the powers reside. These powers are called love, principle, justice, spiritual knowledge, life, forgiveness and truth. All these powers reside in the very center of the human being. We access these powers by being still, quieting the mind. If we get confused, emotionally upset, feel resentment, anger, or fear, the best thing we can do is pray to the Great Spirit and ask Him to remove the anger and resentment. By asking Him to remove these obstacles, we are automatically positioned in the sacred center. Only in this way do we know right from wrong. Great Spirit, allow me this day to live in the sacred center.

Keep It Simple The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes.    --- Frank Lloyd Wright For many for us, life was a burden while using alcohol and other drugs. As our illness went on, life was more ugly. We grew further from our friends, family, and Higher Power. In recovery, our eyes and hearts open a little more each day. We see the beauty that life holds. We now see the beauty that life holds. We now see that before recovery, we weren’t living---we were dying. In recovery, we again feel happy when we hold a baby. We again may feel joy when we see a sunset. This happens mainly because we've chosen to be with people who love life, people who've been given a second chance. Once we've almost lost something important, it becomes more precious. We almost lost our lives. Now our lives are special. Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, thank-you for a second chance. Thank-you for opening my eyes and heart. Give me the strength to keep them open. Action for the Day: I'll list the most beautiful parts of my life. I'll open my heart today to the joy in store for me.

Big Book Chapter 5    How It Works (pg 60 & top 61) Many of us exclaimed, "What an order! I can't go through with it." Do not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles. We are not saints. The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines. The principles we have set down are guides to progress. We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection. Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventure before and after make clear three pertinent ideas: (a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives. (b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism. (c) That God could and would if He were sought. Being convinced, 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. Each person is like an actor who wants to run the whole show; is forever trying to arrange the lights, the ballet, the scenery and the rest of the players in his own way. If his arrangements would only stay put, if only people would do as he wished, the show would be great. Everybody, including himself, would be pleased. Life would be wonderful. In trying to make these arrangements our actor may sometimes be quite virtuous. He may be kind, considerate, patient, generous; even modest and self-sacrificing. On the other hand, he may be mean, egotistical, selfish and dishonest. But, as with most humans, he is more likely to have varied traits.