Recovery Thoughts and Quotes 4/28

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AA Just For Today

Discovery

From "Bill's Story":

"At the hospital I was separated from alcohol for the last time. Treatment seemed wise, for I showed signs of delirium tremens.

"There I humbly offered myself to God, as I then understood Him, to do with me as He would. I place myself unreservedly under His care and direction. I admitted for the first time that of myself I was nothing; that without Him I was lost. I ruthlessly faced my sins and became willing to have my new-found Friend take them away, root and branch. I have not had a drink since."

© 2001 AAWS, Inc., Fourth Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 13

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AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)

April 28, 2008

Gifts

When I face a fear, I am given courage:
when I support a brother or sister, my capacity to love myself is increased;
when I accept pain as part of the growing experience of life,
I realize a greater happiness;
when I look at my dark side, I am brought into a new light;
when I accept my vulnerabilities and surrender to a Higher Power,
I am graced with unforeseen strength.
I stumbled through the doors of AA in disgrace, expecting nothing from life,
and I have been given hope and dignity.
Miraculously, the only way to keep the gifts of the program is to pass them on.
© 1990 AAWS, Daily Reflections, p. 62
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.


Thought to Ponder . . .

We surrender to win; we give away to keep;
we suffer to get well; we die to live.


AA-related 'Alconym' . . .

G I F T S = Getting It From The Steps.

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AA 'Big Book' - Quote

Remind the prospect that his recovery is not dependent upon people. It is dependent upon his relationship with God. - Pg. 100 - Working With Others



"What used to be the hunch or the occasional inspiration gradually
becomes a working part of the mind. Being still inexperienced and
having just made conscious contact with God, it is not probable that
we are going to be inspired at all times. We might pay for this
presumption in all sorts of absurd actions and ideas. Nevertheless,
we find that our thinking will, as time passes, be more and more on
the plane of inspiration. We come to rely upon it."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 87~



"These men had found something brand new in life. Though they knew they must help other alcoholics if they would remain sober, that
motive became secondary. It was transcended by the happiness they
found in giving themselves for others."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 159~

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Misc. AA Literature - Quote

On the Broad Highway
'I now realize that my former prejudice against clergymen was blind and wrong. They have kept alive through the centuries a faith which might have been extinguished entirely. They pointed out the road to me, but I did not even look up, I was so full of prejudice and self-concern.
'When I did open my eyes, it was because I had to. And the man who showed me the truth was a fellow sufferer and a layman. Through him, I saw at last, and I stepped from the abyss to solid ground, knowing at once that my feet were on the broad highway if I chose to walk.'

LETTER, 1940

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12 x 12 Quote

"In the years since, however, most of us have come to agree with those
doctors. We have had a much keener look at ourselves and those about
us. We have seen that we were prodded by unreasonable fears or
anxieties into making a life business of winning fame, money, and what
we thought was leadership. So false pride became the reverse side of
that ruinous coin marked 'fear.' We simply had to be number one people
to cover up our deep-lying inferiority's. In fitful successes we
boasted of greater feats to be done; in defeat we were bitter. If we
didn't have much of any worldly success we became depressed and cowed.
Then people said we were of the 'inferior' type. But now we see
ourselves as chips off the same old block. At heart we had all been
abnormally fearful. It mattered little whether we had sat on the shore
of life drinking ourselves into forgetfulness or had plunged in
recklessly and willfully beyond our depth and ability. The result was
the same--all of us had nearly perished in a sea of alcohol." (Twelve
and Twelve, Step Twelve, pg. 123)

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Arrogance

"I am a firm believer in both
guidance and prayer.
But I am fully aware, and humble enough, I hope,
to see there may be nothing infallible
about my guidance.
The minute I figure I have got
a perfectly clear pipeline to God,
I have become egotistical enough
to get into real trouble.
Nobody can cause more needless grief
than a power-driver who thinks
he has got it straight from God."

Bill W., Letter, 1950
As Bill Sees It, p. 38

Thought to Consider . . .
The smallest package in the world
is an alcoholic all wrapped up in himself.



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