July 14th

DAILY PONDERABLES

Together WE Trudge The Road OF Happy Destiny

Daily Reflections

A NOURISHING INGREDIENT

Where humility had formerly stood for a forced feeding on humble pie, it now begins to mean the nourishing ingredient which can give us serenity.

Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions, p. 74

How often do I focus on my problems and frustrations? When I am having a "good day " these same problems shrink in importance and my preoccupation with them dwindles. Wouldn't it be better if I could find a key to unlock the "magic" of my "good days" for use on the woes of my "bad days?"

I already have the solution! Instead of tying to run away from my pain and wish my problems away, I can pray for humility! Humility will heal the pain. Humility will take me out of myself. Humility, that strength granted to me by that "power greater than myself, " is mine for the asking! Humility will bring balance back in to my life. Humility will allow me to accept my humanness joyously.

From the book Daily Reflections

Twenty-Four Hours A Day

A.A. Thought for the Day

One of the best things about the A.A. program is the peace of mind and serenity that it can bring us. In our drinking days, we had no peace of mind or serenity. We had the exact opposite, a kind of turmoil and that "quiet desperation" we knew so well. The turmoil of our drinking days was caused partly by our physical suffering, the terrible hangovers, the cold sweats, the shakes and the jitters. But it was caused even more by our mental suffering, the loneliness, the feeling of inferiority, the lying, and the remorse that every alcoholic understands. Have I achieved more peace of mind?

Meditation for the Day

Try to look for God's leading in all your personal relationships, in all your dealings with other persons. God will help you to take care of all your relationships with people, if you are willing to let Him guide you. Rejoice that God can protect you and keep you from temptation and failure. God can protect you in all situations during the day, if you will rely on His strength and go forward. You should feel that you are entering upon the stage of success in the proper way of living. You should not doubt that better things are ahead for you. Go forward unafraid because you feel deeply safe under God's protection.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that God may protect and keep me as long as I try to serve Him. I pray that I may go forward today unafraid.

From the book Twenty-Four Hours a Day

NA - Just for Today

An "inside Job"

Page 204

"Social acceptability does not equal recovery."

Basic Text, p. 22

One of the first things that happens to many of us in recovery is that we start to look better. We get healthier; we bathe; we dress more appropriately. And without the goading of active addiction, many of us finally stop stealing, lying, and hustling. We start to look normal -just by removing the drugs.

Looking normal is very different than being normal. Acceptability in the eyes of the world is a benefit of recovery; it is not the same thing as recovery. We can enjoy the benefits of recovery, but we must take care to nurture their true source. Lasting recovery isn't found in acceptance from others, but in the inner growth set in motion by the Twelve Steps.

Just for Today: I know that looking good isn't enough. Lasting recovery is an inside job.

From the book Just for Today

Thought for Today

"one of the primary differences between alcoholics and non-alcoholics is that non-alcoholics change their behavior to meet their goals and alcoholics change their goals to meet their behavior"

~ Window Of Opportunity - page 423 - 4th edition Big Book

If I were to begin life again, I should want it as it was. I would only open

my eyes a little more.

—Jules Renard

Mirror

I look at you and I point my own finger. It sure can't be me, inuendoes they linger.

It is not them, I was told coming in, from what I can see that's a hard thing to win.

Total self and my ego fight to keep my soul frightened, working so hard, steer me far from enlightened.

Accepting the things that I cannot change, drawn to others, to try and arrange.

Looking inside to work out right from wrong, so much self doubt, feelings come at me strong.

Amending the harms I've caused unto you, justifying, perhaps, you played a role too.

Praying to get outside of my mind everyday, looking to others asking God for the way.

People are human, flawed yet can thrive, to go and help some of us and others, survive.

The wisdom and courage to change the stage show, the director I give to the power I know.

Self seeking and fear that infinite thread would drag me along until I am dead.

So I trust in the process that has helped all of you, who understand, work hard and believe

Virginia A.

Buddha/Zen Thoughts

Different winds come from all directions. Some are clear, some carry dust, some are cold or hot, fierce gales or gentle breezes. In the same way sensations arise in the body--pleasant or unpleasant or neutral. When a meditator sees sensations as he does the winds, coming and going, clear or dust laden, fierce or gentle, he will fully understand them and be free from dependence on them. When he understands sensations perfectly, he will see beyond this conditioned world.

-Samyutta Nikaya

Native American

"It was good for the skin to touch the earth, and the old people liked to remove their moccasins and walk with bare feet on the sacred earth... The soil was soothing, strengthening, cleansing, and healing."

--Chief Luther Standing Bear, TETON SIOUX

Touching the earth - getting grounded, centered. There is magic in touching the earth and feeling her healing power. This is especially healthy to do during a troubling time when our minds are racing or can't stop thinking or are locked onto fear or resentment. When I need to feel free I can go to the Mother Earth. The Mother Earth is full of life and love. She always gives her powers to those who come to her. The Mother Earth is alive.

Today, my Great Spirit, let me remember to touch the earth. Let me slow down and live just for today. Let me be gentle, patient and kind.

Keep It Simple

Most of the evils of life arise from man's being unable to sit still in a room.

Blaise Pascal

Our program teaches us to slow down. We learn to slow down by taking time out. During these times-outs, we look at our values and see if we're staying true to them.

Because of that, meditation is an important part of our program. It teaches us to slow down. Our Higher Power wants us to have fun and play. But we need to bring our Higher Power along. Remember, our Higher Power loves fun. We can have fun, but not at the expense of others.

Prayer for the Day: I pray for help so I can remember my values. Higher Power, teach me to have fun. Teach me to be true to You at the same time.

Action for the day: Today. I'll three times mischief has been good fun. I'll talk with a friend about the difference between trouble mischief and fun mischief.

Big Book

Chapter 9 The Family Afterwards (pg 130 & top 131)

Those of us who have spent much time in the world of spiritual make-believe have eventually seen the childishness of it. This dream world has been replaced by a great sense of purpose, accompanied by a growing consciousness of the power of God in our lives. We have come to believe He would like us to keep our heads in the clouds with Him, but that our feet ought to be firmly planted on earth. That is where our fellow travelers are, and that is where our work must be done. These are the realities for us. We have found nothing incompatible between a powerful spiritual experience and a life of sane and happy usefulness.

One more suggestion: Whether the family has spiritual convictions or not, they may do well to examine the principles by which the alcoholic member is trying to live. They can hardly fail to approve these simple principles, though the head of the house still fails somewhat in practicing them. Nothing will help the man who is off on a spiritual tangent so much as the wife who adopts a sane spiritual program, making a better practical use of it.

There will be other profound changes in the household. Liquor incapacitated father for so many years that mother became head of the house. She met these responsibilities gallantly. By force of circumstances, she was often obliged to treat father as a sick or wayward child. Even when he wanted to assert himself he could not, for his drinking placed him constantly in the wrong. Mother made all the plans and gave the directions. When sober, father usually obeyed. Thus mother, through no fault of her own, became accustomed to wearing the family trousers. Father, coming suddenly to life again, often begins to assert himself. This means trouble, unless the family watches for these tendencies in each other and comes to a friendly agreement about them