WHY DON'T WE CALL GOD “GOD” IN A.A.?
The definition of sobriety is the ability
to live comfortably, peacefully
and joyously with ourselves.
The destiny of every alcoholic
is to be locked up, covered up or sober up.
It was never intended that phrases such as "higher power," "power greater than ourselves," or "as we understood Him" were created as an enabling device to justify our membership's continued avoidance of a connection with our Creator. Page 46 of the A.A. Big Book says, "We found that as soon as we were able to lay aside prejudice and express even a willingness to believe in a Power greater than ourselves, we commenced to get results, even though it was impossible for any of us to fully define or comprehend that Power which is God.
" Again, "...that Power, which is God."
Unknown source
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I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath; my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe: I told it not,
my wrath did grow.
—William Blake
We have a right to claim our own feelings.
Sometimes we get angry, but hold it inside
because we think it's wrong to feel it.
If anger builds inside us,
it expands like a balloon ready to burst.
If not released, it can make us depressed,
or even physically ill.
When we give ourselves permission to feel anger,
we are better able to get rid of it in a healthy way.
Our inner voice can tell us how to let go of our anger.
And once we've released it,
we can easily get in touch
with the feelings that caused it.
When we recognize our anger for what it is--
one feeling among many others that makes us unique--
it loses its significance,
and we can prevent it from consuming us.
Indira Gandhi said,
"You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist."
When we let go of our anger,
we can honestly embrace each other
with open arms.
Am I carrying around anger
which could be released today?
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HOW TO DEAL WITH WORRY
The Program of recovery is absorbed
rather than learned,
caught rather than taught.
The purpose of a sponsor
is not to be an alcoholism counselor.
Make a worry list.
Write down your worries.
Turn your worry list into a prayer list
Pray about your worries.
Next turn your prayer list into an action list.
Do something about your worries.
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TWO DAYS NOT TO WORRY ABOUT
"There are 2 days in every week about which we should not worry, 2 days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension. One of these is yesterday, with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains.
Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control.
All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday.
We cannot undo a single act we performed;
we cannot erase a single word we said.
Yesterday is gone.
The other day we should not worry about is tomorrow,
with its possible adversities, its burdens,
its large promise and poor performance.
Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.
Tomorrow's sun will rise either in splendor
or behind a mask of clouds, but it will rise.
Until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow
for it is as yet unborn.
This leaves only 1 day--today.
Any person can fight the battles of just 1 day.
It is only when you and I add the burdens
of those 2 awful eternities,
yesterday and tomorrow, that we break down.
It is not the experience of today that drives people mad;
it is remorse or bitterness for something
which happened yesterday
and the dread of what tomorrow may bring.
The 7 Points of Alcoholics Anonymous,
page 73, paragraph 4
A new sponsee was having a hard time staying sober.
You'd drink too, if you had my problems
he said to his new sponsor.
Okay, what problems do you have
that drive you to drink he asked.
Well said the sponsee, to begin with I'm an alcoholic.
A.S.A.P.
Always Say A Prayer
*****
Alkiespeak – Book – Quote
They say I'm the heart of AA.
If that's true, then Dr Bob was its soul;
and the blood of my heart.
- Bill W.
(On the day Dr. Bob died)
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If you realize you aren't so wise today
as you thought you were yesterday,
you're wiser today.
—Olin Miller
Smug was a kitten who thought she knew everything.
She knew how to clean herself
with her sandpaper tongue,
how to sleep, eat, and keep warm,
and how to sharpen her tiny claws.
One day, her mother wanted to teach Smug to climb trees.
I don't need to learn this, thought Smug;
I already know everything I need to know.
Without much interest,
Smug watched her mother climb a tall tree
and come down again.
When it was Smug's turn, she said,
"I'll stay on the ground where it's safe."
Just then, a large black dog
came trotting around the corner.
Aren't we often like Smug,
certain that we know all we need to know,
or that we really don't need to know
something another is trying to teach us?
When we rid ourselves of the pride
that keeps us from learning these things,
we'll feel a little safer
if any big black dogs come around the corner.
And we will have grown smarter
by recognizing our need to know more.
Am I smart enough to admit,
my need to learn more today?
*****
Grapevine quote of the day
"I am responsible for reporting for duty
and making the effort to overcome adversity,
and in so doing to overcome myself."
Van Nuys, Calif., November 1966
"Responsibility Is the Name of the Game,"
AA Grapevine
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Light from a Prayer
“God grant us the serenity
to accept the things we cannot change,
the courage to change the things we can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.”
We treasure our “Serenity Prayer”
because it brings a new light to us
that can dissipate our old-time
and nearly fatal habit of fooling ourselves.
In the radiance of this prayer we see that defeat,
rightly accepted, need be no disaster.
We now know that we do not have to run away,
nor ought we again try to overcome adversity
by still another bulldozing drive
that can only push up obstacles before us
faster than they can be taken down.
Grapevine, March 1962
*****
Heard at AA Meetings
Alcoholics are the only people I know
who need a pole vault to get over an anthill.
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~*~A.A. Thoughts for the Day~*~
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( \ (AA)/ )
(_ /AA\ _)
/AA\
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Change
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"How many of us would presume to declare,
'Well, I'm sober and I'm happy.
What more can I want, or do? I'm fine the way I am.'
We know that the price of such self-satisfaction is
an inevitable backslide,
punctuated at some point by a very rude awakening.
We have to grow or else deteriorate.
For us, the status quo can only be for today,
never for tomorrow.
Change we must; we cannot stand still."
Bill W.,
Grapevine, February 1961
1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 25
"Let us never fear needed change.
Certainly, we have to discriminate
between changes for worse
and changes for better.
But once a need becomes clearly apparent
in an individual, in a group, or in AA as a whole,
it has long been found out that we cannot stand still
and look the other way.
The essence of all growth is a willingness
to change for the better
and then an unremitting willingness
to shoulder whatever responsibility this entails."
Bill W.,
July 1965
c.1967AAWS, As Bill Sees It, p. 115
"It has often been said of AA
that we are interested only in Alcoholism.
That is not true.
We have to get over drinking in order to stay alive.
But anyone who knows
the alcoholic personality by firsthand contact
knows that no true alky
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