Daily Recovery Readings - 9/3

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Daily Reflections

BUILDING A NEW LIFE, p.255
We feel a man is unthinking when he says sobriety is enough.
Alcoholics Anonymous, p.82

When I reflect on Step Nine, I see that physical sobriety must be
enough for me. I need to remember the hopelessness I felt before
I found sobriety, and how I was willing to go to any lengths for
it. Physical sobriety is not enough for those around me, however,
since I must see that God's gift is used to build a new life for my
family and loved ones. Just as importantly, I must be available to
help others who want the A.A. way of life.
I ask God to help me share the gift of sobriety so that its benefit may
be shown to those I know and love.

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Twenty-Four Hours A Day

A.A. Thought For The Day

"Offer new prospects friendship and fellowship. Tell them that if
they want to get well you will do anything to help. Burn the idea into
the consciousness of new prospects that they can get well,
regardless of anyone else. Job or no job, spouse or no spouse, they
cannot stop drinking as long as they place dependence on other
people ahead of dependence on God. Let no alcoholic say they
cannot recover unless they have their family back. This just isn't so.
Their recovery is not dependent upon other people. It is dependent
on their own relationship with God." Can I recognize all excuses
made by a prospect?

Meditation For The Day

The spiritual life depends upon the unseen. To live the spiritual
life you must believe in the unseen. Try not to loose the
consciousness of God's spirit in you and in others. As a child in its
mother's arms, stay sheltered in the understanding and love of
God. God will relieve you of the weight of worry and care, misery
and depression, want and woe, faintness and heartache, if you will let
Him. Lift up your eyes from earth's troubles and view the glory of
the unseen God. Each day try to see more good in people, more of
the unseen in the seen.

Prayer For The Day

I pray that I may rest and abide in the presence of the unseen God. I
pray that I may leave my burdens in His care.

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As Bill Sees It

Renew Your Effort, p. 68

"Though I know how hurt and sorry you must be after this slip, please
do not worry about a temporary loss of your inner peace. As calmly
as you can, just renew your effort in the A.A. program, especially
those parts of it which have to do with meditation and self-analysis.

"Could I also suggest that you look at excessive guilt for what it is?
Nothing but a sort of reverse pride. A decent regret for what has
happened is fine. But guilt--no.

"Indeed, the slip could well have been brought about by unreasonable
feelings of guilt because of other moral failures, so called. Surely,
you ought to look into this possibility. Even here you should not
blame yourself for failure; you can be penalized only for refusing to
try for better things."

Letter, 1958

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Walk In Dry Places

What is Possible?
Spiritual Power.
With God, all things are possible, goes an old saying. Yet most of us haven't seen any
evidence of doing the impossible.
But through our program, we have truly accomplished things that we had
considered nearly impossible at one time. No human power could
have relieved our alcoholism, we read in the AA Big
Book. How many more conditions are we accepting because no human
power ..... particularly ours... can relieve them?
As we grow in sobriety, we should continuously reinforce our belief that God is
living and working in our lives. The impossible
problems we'll need to work on will have roots in our own habits and
feelings, but even if one of these deeply rooted problems has gone on for
years, we need not despair of finding an answer.
If we persist in prayer and in turning the problem over to our Higher power, an
answer must come. It is never too late to find the changes we need and
deserve.
Even if I haven't solved all my problems, I'll take the position
today that correct solutions exist in the mind of God. I'll be open to
signs that changes are coming.

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Keep It Simple

You will not regret the past nor wish ti shut the door on it. . . --- Alcoholics Anonymous
As we work the Steps, we fix our broken life. Many things in our new life have been painful. Our addiction to alcohol or drugs made it all worse. But if things hadn’t gotten so bad we might not have gotten into recovery.
We have changed so much! We have learned so much about life, our Higher Power, and ourselves in order to fix our lives. We can’t act like nothing in the past matters. It does matter, because it brought us to this new life. And is better already!
Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me face my past and heal the wounds---my wounds and others’ wounds.
Action for the Day : Today, I’ll three things I’m ashamed of. How can I make amends for them when I work Step Nine? I will call my sponsor if I need help.

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Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition

SAFE HAVEN - This A.A. found that the process of discovering who he really was began with knowing who he didn't want to be.

At age sixteen I got a part-time job as a disc jockey for a local radio station. Those in a position to know observed that I had a knack for this kind of work, so I dropped out of high school and started spinning records full time. Drinking and partying went hand in hand with this job. Soon, a pattern began that lasted for many years. When the alcoholism became obvious to my employers and began to affect my job performance, I would simply resign and seek employment with another broadcasting company.

p. 453
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Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

Tradition Six - "An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose."

These adventures implanted a deep-rooted conviction that in no circumstances could we endorse any related enterprise, no matter how good. We of Alcoholics Anonymous could not be all things to all men, nor should we try.

p. 157

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I will take time today to stop and give a gift to someone needy, smile
at a stranger or help a small child. I will take the time to do at least
one thing that I usually find myself too busy to do, and I will inwardly
smile at myself, taking the time to experience the feelings of my own
kindness.
--Ruth Fishel

Just for today: I will strive to be an active listener. I will practice
active listening when others share and when I share with others.
--Just For Today Daily Meditation

For us, if we neglect those who are still sick, there is unremitting
danger to our own lives and sanity.
--Twelve Steps And Twelve Traditions, p. 151

God, give me the courage and strength to see clearly.
--Melody Beattie

Tell your partner, your children, your parents: "I love you"
frequently.
Let them know the difference they make in your life. Miss no
opportunities for loving.
--Mary Manin Morrissey

"Never ask a barber if he thinks you need a haircut."
--Roy Rogers

WHAT CAN I DO?"
My child, I've often heard your question. This is my answer:
You feel compassion for those who suffer pain, sorrow and
despair ... and you ask, "What can I do?" - COMFORT ONE
Your heart goes out to the lonely, the abused, and the imprisoned ... and
you ask, "What can I do?" - LOVE ONE

"What is oxygen to the lungs, such is hope to the meaning of life."
--Unknown

"Kindness pays most when you don't do it for pay."
--Unknown

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Father Leo's Daily Meditation

SOLITUDE

"One of the greatest necessities
in America is to discover
creative solitude."
-- Carl Sandburg

I need to be alone. Being alone is not the same as being lonely. I
need to be alone with me in order to love me, understand me, hear
my needs and plan my day.

Also solitude is a spiritual experience because it enables me to center
on what God is doing and creating in my life. Solitude enables me
to think and cooperate with His will for me in our world.

As an addict I was always running around being "busy". Today I rest
within myself in order to be more active and creative.

Let me be still so that I can enjoy my world.

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"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe
yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and
patience."
Colossians 3:12

"But you, keep your head in all situations..."
2 Timothy 4:5

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility
consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not
only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your
attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus."
Philippians 2:3-5

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Daily Inspiration

Today be kind and loving and expect nothing in return. When you lift your consciousness above the darkness, you will understand that the life of Christ is the only enduring life. Lord, teach me to see You in my neighbor.

Dear Lord, open our hearts to be able to see you anywhere, anytime, in all the ways that you choose to be present. Amen

[admin]

You are reading from the book Today's Gift.
Into each life some rain must fall. Some days must be dark and dreary. --Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Coping with problems and weathering troubled times - is part of life. Those of us who have survived painful experiences have a duty to help younger ones prepare to face bad times by sharing the solutions we found.
When stormy weather comes, we need to feel we are like other people. It's not that misery loves company, but that we don't want to feel we're in this alone.
We will never have perfect living conditions. The only place where every day is a sunny one is in the desert. When pain comes, we can walk through our problems and settle things quickly, rather than prolonging the hurt by battling our way around the obstacles in an effort to avoid them.
What problem can I confront and eliminate today?


You are reading from the book Touchstones.
It is clear the future holds opportunities - it also holds pitfalls. The trick will be to seize the opportunities, avoid the pitfalls, and get back home by 6:00. --Woody Allen
Sometimes we take ourselves far too seriously. We draw our lives in the absolutes of black and white, with no shadings of gray. We believe our whole lives depend on every decision we make. When a problem comes along, we see it as a crisis rather than another of the ongoing issues that confront all people. If we are displeased with someone, or if a person is upset with us, we amplify the feelings until we rupture the whole relationship.
It would be helpful to look at today's tasks and problems as a game. Yes, we would like to play the game well, but we could have a good time while doing it. If we don't take our problems or ourselves too seriously, maybe we'll have some fun.
Help me learn that daily living needs the light of humor.


You are reading from the book Each Day a New Beginning.
... satisfaction is a lowly thing, how pure a thing is joy. --Marianne Moore
Our perfectionism generally dashes all hopes of self-satisfaction. But the program is here to show us that we can make progress. We can learn to believe that we are doing any task as well as we need to do it, at this time. Our job is the effort. The outcome is part of a larger plan, one that involves more than ourselves.
We'll find joy when we find acceptance of ourselves and our efforts and the belief that we are spiritual beings whose lives do have purpose and direction.
The wisdom that accompanies spiritual growth offers us security, that which we have sought along many avenues. And when we feel secure, we can trust that the challenges confronting us are purposeful and to our advantage.
One day at a time, one small prayer at a time, moves us even closer to spiritual security. We can look with glad anticipation at our many responsibilities and activities today. They are our opportunities for spiritual security. We can trust our growing inner resources by simply asking for guidance and waiting patiently. It will find us.
I must exercise my prayers if I want the spiritual security where I can find joy. I will ask for guidance with every activity today.


You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Word Power
I know I'm controlling, but so is my husband. Possibly more controlling than I am. Each time I set out to leave him, each time I started to walk away, he knew exactly what to say to pull me back in. And he knew I'd respond. He knew how to say exactly what I needed to hear to keep me where he wanted me. He knew what he was doing, and he knew what I would do. I know, because after we began recovering, he told me so. --Anonymous
Some of us are so vulnerable to words.
A well timed "I love you." A chosen moment for "I'm sorry." An excuse delivered in the right tone of voice. A pat on the head. A dozen roses. A kiss. A greeting card. A few words that promise love that has yet to be delivered can spin us into denial. Sometimes, it can keep us denying that we are being lied to, mistreated, or abused.
There are those who deliberately set out to sway us, to control and manipulate us through cheap talk! They know, they fully understand our vulnerability to a few well-timed words! Break through your naivete. They know what they're doing. They understand their impact on us!
We do not have to give such power to words, even though the words may be just what we want and need to hear, even though they sound so good, even though the words seem to stop the pain.
Sooner or later, we will come to realize that if behavior doesn't match a person's words, we are allowing ourselves to be controlled, manipulated, and deceived. Sooner or later, we will come to realize that talk is cheap, unless the person's behavior matches it.
We can come to demand congruency in the behavior and the words of those around us. We can learn to not be manipulated, or swayed, by cheap talk.
We cannot control what others do, but we can choose our own behaviors and our own course of action. We do not have to let cheap, well-timed talk control us--even if the words we hear are exactly what we want to hear to stop our pain.
Today, I will let go of my vulnerability to words. God, help me trust myself to know the truth, even when I am being deceived. Help me cherish those relationships where there is congruity. Help me believe I deserve congruity and truth in the behavior and the words of those I care about.


Today I will experience each moment to the fullest. I will do all have to do to let go of everything that is blocking me from being fully alive in this moment. Each moment is unique, within itself and the less I carry with me from the previous moment, the freer I am to experience the joy of the now. --Ruth Fishel

[admin]

You are reading from the book Food for Thought.

Friends and Enemies

Sometimes our friends or members of our family urge us to eat food that is not part of our plan. If we allow ourselves to be manipulated into eating something to please someone else, we are in danger of losing the most important thing in our life - abstinence. Anyone who tries to make us feel uncomfortable because of our illness is acting as an enemy, rather than a friend.

To some people close to us, an explanation of our food plan may be helpful. Repeated discussions, however, are usually unnecessary and unproductive. We alone are responsible for what we put into our mouths. If those around us cannot or will not understand, then that is their problem, not ours.

When confronted with food, which we know is harmful to us, the simplest response is a firm "No, thank you." When we ourselves are determined to maintain abstinence, no one else, whether friend or enemy, can prevent us from following our plan.
Protect me, Lord, from my friends and enemies.

[admin]

Wisdom for Today
When I as active in my addiction, I did not take care of myself physically, mentally, or spiritually. Frequently, I did not eat enough or ate the wrong things. I never got any exercise other than lifting a “cold one.” Mentally I played lots of games. I made many assumptions that were wrong. I was constantly busy figuring out what my next lie would have to be. My whole belief system was messed up. And spiritually, I had simply given up all hope. I was convinced that “God” did not exist or had forgotten about me, when in truth it was I who had forgotten about Him. I had become as useless as a lump of clay. Am I taking better care of myself physically, mentally, and spiritually?
Meditations for the Heart
Just like a lump of clay, I am shapeless and formless when I walk into the doors of the twelve-step program. Though the handiwork and care of sponsors, other recovering addicts and alcoholics, my life began to shape up. My “Higher Power” also worked hard to craft me to a new usefulness. I was “fired” in the kiln of the twelve steps. I was glazed in the principles of honesty, openness, and willingness and fired again. Today I can see that I have become a “new vessel,” one that can be used for good in this world. Can I see the beginnings of usefulness in my life?
Petitions to my Higher Power
God,

Today I want to be of service to others and of service to you. Help me to accept your will in my life. Mold me, shape me, and use me for good in this world today.

Amen