July 27th

DAILY PONDERABLES

Together WE Trudge The Road OF Happy Destiny

Daily Reflections

GIVING FREELY

We will make every personal sacrifice necessary to insure the unity of Alcoholics Anonymous. We will do this because we have learned to love God and one another.

A.A. COMES OF AGE, p. 234

To be self-supporting through my own contributions was never a strong characteristic during my days as a practicing alcoholic. The giving of time or money always demanded a price tag.

As a newcomer I was told "we have to give it away in order to keep it." As I began to adopt the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous in my life, I soon found that it was a privilege to give to the Fellowship as an expression of the gratitude I felt in my heart. My love of God and of others became the motivating factor in my life, with no thought of return. I realize now that giving freely is God's way of expressing Himself through me.

From the book Daily Reflections

Twenty-Four Hours A Day

A.A. Thought for the Day

To paraphrase the psalm: "We alcoholics declare the power of liquor and drunkenness showeth its handiwork. Day unto day uttereth hangovers and night unto night showeth suffering. The law of A.A. is perfect, converting the drunk. The testimony of A.A. is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of A.A. are right, rejoicing the heart. The program of A.A. is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the first drink is clean, enduring forever." Have I any doubt about the power of liquor?

Meditation for the Day

"Walk humbly with thy Lord." Walking with God means practicing the presence of God in your daily affairs. It means asking God for strength to face each new day. It means turning to Him often during the day in prayer for yourself and for other people. It means thanking Him at night for the blessings you have received during the day. Nothing can seriously upset you if you are walking with God." You can believe that He is beside you in spirit, to help you and to guide you on your way.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may try to walk humbly with God. I pray that I may turn to Him often as to a close friend.

From the book Twenty-Four Hours a Day

NA - Just for Today

We do recover

Page 217

"After coming to NA, we found ourselves among a very special group of people who have suffered like us and found recovery. In their experiences, freely shared, we found hope for ourselves. If the program worked for them, it would work for us."

Basic Text, p. 10

A newcomer walks into his or her first meeting, shaking and confused. People are milling about. Refreshments and literature are set out. The meeting starts after everyone has drifted over to their chairs and settled themselves in. After taking a bewildered glance at the odd assortment of folks in the room, the newcomer asks, "Why should I bet my life on this group? After all, they're just a bunch of addicts like me."

Though it may be true that not many of our members had much going for us when we got here, the newcomer soon learns that the way we are living today is what counts. Our meetings are filled with addicts whose lives have turned completely around. Against all odds, we are recovering. The newcomer can relate to where we've been and draw hope from where we are now. Today, every one of us has the opportunity to recover.

Yes, we can safely entrust our lives to our Higher Power and to Narcotics Anonymous. So long as we work the program, the payoff is certain: freedom from active addiction and a better way of life.

Just for Today: The recovery I've found in Narcotics Anonymous is a sure thing. By basing my life on it, I know I will grow.

From the book Just for Today

Thought for Today

"Have the courage to act instead of react."

Success consists of getting up just one more time than you fall

If you smile when no one else is around, you really mean it.

Andy Rooney

CLEAN GETAWAY

By Ricky B.

I WAS THIRTEEN YEARS OLD

WHEN I TASTED MY FIRST HIGH

THIRTEEN YEARS OLD

WHEN I ROLLED UP THAT FIRST HIGH

YEAH THAT BUZZ BECAME MY BEST FRIEND

AND IT TOOK ME FOR ONE HELL OF A RIDE

I WENT DOWN TO THE BOTTOM

MY LIFE WAS STRIPPED BARE TO THE BONE

SPENT YEARS ON THE BOTTOM

YA KNOW I CALLED THAT PLACE MY HOME

BY THE TIME THE RIDE WAS OVER

I WAS STRUNG OUT , DESPERATE AND ALL ALONE

ONLY ONE WAY OUT

HAD TO MAKE A CLEAN GETAWAY

ONE WAY OUT

HAD TO MAKE A CLEAN GETAWAY

NOW I’M FREE, A PRISONER NO MORE

LORD HAVE MERCY LET IT STAY THAT WAY

IT’S A CLEAN GETAWAY

AIN’T TIED TO THOSE CHAINS NO MORE

MADE A CLEAN GETAWAY

AIN’T TIED DOWN TO THOSE HEAVY CHAINS NO MORE

AND WHEN TROUBLE COMES A KNOCKIN’

YOU KNOW I AIN’T GONNA ANSWER THAT DOOR

Buddha/Zen Thoughts

Eventually we will find (mostly in retrospect, of course) that we can be very grateful to those people who have made life most difficult for us.

-Ayya Khema, "When the Iron Eagle Flies"

Native American

"Let us put our minds together as one."

--Irving Powless, Sr., ONONDAGA

If we sat in a circle and put an object in the center of the circle and we all described what we saw, everyone would see different points of views from each other. Some would even see opposites because they would be sitting on opposite sides of the circle. In other words, you don't have to see what I see for you to be right. In fact, everyone in the circle is right based on their own point of view. If we are willing to listen to everyone's point of view, then we can get a more accurate description of the object in the center. This is one way to put our minds together. When we get the clarity from each other, we should give thanks and be grateful to each other.

Grandfathers from the four directions, guide me today with Your wisdom from the east, from the south, from the west and from the north.

Keep It Simple

To enjoy freedom, we have to control ourselves. --- Virginia Woolf

Freedom is a funny thing, in a way, it makes life harder. We are free to do what we want but every choice makes a difference in our lives. Some choices make us happy and some bring trouble.

We can make good choices. We can control our actions. We can start by having control in little ways: follow the law, pay the rent, and make the bed every day. These choices put order in our lives. Eat right, exercise, and get enough sleep. These choices make us strong enough to live each day to the fullest.

These kinds of choices set us free.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, I was drinking and drugging. I couldn't enjoy my freedom. I had no control over the little things in my life. Help me stay sober today.

Action for the Day: Today, I'll be grateful for having some control. I will list five way I am more free because I can control my actions.

Big Book

Chapter 10 To Employers (pg 143 & top 144)

If your man accepts your offer, it should be pointed out that physical treatment is but a small part of the picture. Though you are providing him with the best possible medical attention, he should understand that he must undergo a change of heart. To get over drinking will require a transformation of thought and attitude. We all had to place recovery above everything, for without recovery we would have lost both home and business.

Can you have every confidence in his ability to recover? While on the subject of confidence, can you adopt the attitude that so far as you are concerned this will be a strictly personal matter, that his alcoholic derelictions, the treatment about to be undertaken, will never be discussed without his consent? It might be well to have a long chat with him on his return.

To return to the subject matter of this book: It contains full suggestions by which the employee may solve his problem. To you, some of the ideas which it contains are novel. Perhaps you are not quite in sympathy with the approach we suggest. By no means do we offer it as the last word on this subject, but so far as we are concerned, it has worked with us. After all, are you not looking for results rather than methods? Whether your employee likes it or not, he will learn the grim truth about alcoholism. That won’t hurt him a bit, even though he does not go for this remedy.