Daily Recovery Readings - 7/14

[admin]

Daily Reflections

A NOURISHING INGREDIENT, p.204

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.
12 & 12, 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 trying 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 me by that "power greater than
myself," is mine for the asking! Humility will bring balance back
into my life. Humility will allow me to accept my humanness
joyously.

************************************************** *********

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, 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.

************************************************** *********

As Bill Sees It

No Boundaries, p. 150

Meditation is something which can always be further developed. It
has no boundaries, of width or height or depth. Aided by such
instruction and example as we can find, it is essentially an individual
adventure, something which each one of us works out in his own way.
But its object is always the same; to improve our conscious contact
with God, with His grace, wisdom, and love.

And let's always remember that meditation is in reality intensely
practical. One of its first fruits is emotional balance. With it we can
broaden and deepen the channel between ourselves and God as we
understand Him.

12 & 12, pp. 101-102

************************************************** *********

Walk In Dry Places

Self-esteem in responsible work
self-confidence.
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might," goes an ancient saying. However long ago this was said, it applies to our work here and now.
Part of recovery lies in doing useful and satisfying work. We can't wait until the "perfect" job appears. Our success will come in doing the very best we can in our present situation. If we're unemployed, we can still be useful and active in ways that will help us find the right situation.
And as we work for a living, we'll find that another important benefit of our work will be greater self-esteem. We'll have more respect for ourselves as we contiue to be both productive and active.
Whatever my job is, I'll give it my best today. I'll be grateful for having the opportunity to work productively.

************************************************** *********

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.

************************************************** *********

Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition

Physician, Heal Thyself

Psychiatrist and surgeon, he had lost his way until he realized that God, not he, was the Great Healer.

Doctors have been notoriously unsuccessful in helping alcoholics. They have contributed fantastic amounts of time and work to our problem, but they weren't able, it seems, to arrest either your alcoholism or mine.

p. 307

************************************************** *********

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

Tradition Three - "The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking."

Ed not only stayed, he stayed sober - month after month. The longer he kept dry, the louder he talked - against God. The group was in anguish so deep that all fraternal charity had vanished. "When, oh when," groaned members to one another, "will that guy get drunk?"

p. 144

************************************************** *********

A bird that you set free may be caught again, but a word that escapes
your lips will not return.
--Jewish Proverb

Never let yesterday use up too much of today.
--unknown

I have always heard that I have to "give it away to keep it" but I
could never figure out what "it" was. Now I know what it is...it is
HOPE!
--unknown

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
--Mother Teresa

Love is what we are born with. Fear is what we learn here. The
spiritual journey is the relinquishment - or unlearning - of fear and the
acceptance of love back into our hearts.
--Marianne Williamson

In every real man a child is hidden that wants to play.
--Friedrich Nietzsche

***********************************************

Father Leo's Daily Meditation

Father Leo's Daily Meditation

GREATNESS

"The ability to accept
responsibility is the measure of
the man."
--Roy L. Smith

I believe the greatest insight into my life is that I am responsible;
my responsibility is an important and dignified gift from God.
My responsibility reveals my involvement in God's creation, in my
life and my recovery from alcoholism. Greatness is in the choices I
make, and the choices come with God's gift of freedom. Human
beings are more than puppets on a string or automated machines.
We are creative creatures who carry the burden and joy of
responsibility.

Along with the acceptance of my alcoholism I also accepted the
responsibility to remain sober in my decisions and lifestyle: such is
greatness.

Thank You for giving me the responsibility to co-create with You.

************************************************** *********

"Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand."
Isaiah 41:10

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
Isaiah 43:18

But Jesus remains a priest forever; his priesthood will never end.
Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save everyone who comes
to God through him. He lives forever to plead with God on their
behalf.
Hebrews 7:24-25

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in
harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the
lowly; never be conceited. Repay no one evil for evil, but take
thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If possible, so far as
it depends upon you, live peaceably with all."
Romans 12:15-18

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such
things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have
crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we
live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."
Galatians 5:22-25

************************************************** *********

Daily Inspiration

By helping others, we enrich our own life even more. Lord, help me be a little kinder today, reach out a little quicker, and share a few more smiles.

God has already prepared you for everything that He plans for you to do. Lord, You believe in me, therefore I can believe in me, and will have all the necessary confidence to succeed in what I will be doing today.

[admin]

You are reading from the book Today's Gift.
Happiness is not a matter of events; it depends upon the tides of the mind. --Alice Meyvell
It's thought that Abe Lincoln once said, "We're as happy as we make up our minds to be." In other words, we decide to be happy. Bad weather, lost toys, broken plans, even angry friends don't have to ruin our own happiness unless we let them. We're always in control of our own thoughts and feelings, and happiness is a feeling we can choose even when others around us have chosen to be angry or sad. Even when the day is gloomy and none of our plans are working out, we can still be cheerful if we decide to be. How lucky we are that someone else can't decide for us how to feel. We'd be nothing more than robots if that were true.
Am I ready to make this day a happy one?


You are reading from the book Touchstones.
Life is not a "brief candle." It is a splendid torch that I want to make burn as brightly as possible before handing on to future generations. --George Bernard Shaw
We are men who have sought intensity. Some have said the extremes of our past were a kind of search for a Higher Power, although we went to self-defeating ends. There is no need now for us to give up our intense love of life. Serenity need not be bland. In facing ourselves, confronting our pain, surrendering our arrogant individualism, we are released to live the life we deeply desire.
What do men really want? We want to have true, lasting friendships with other men and women - to be at peace with our Higher Power and ourselves. We want to be fully aware in the present moments of our lives. We want to have some joy and to make a contribution to the world.
I am grateful that my torch burns brightly. I am finding what I really want.


You are reading from the book Each Day a New Beginning.
Through spontaneity we are reformed into ourselves. Freed from handed-down frames of reference, spontaneity becomes the moment of personal freedom when we are faced with a reality, explore it, and act accordingly. --Viola Spolin
Living in the here and the now opens up untold possibilities for new growth. Our inner self is enticed in new directions when our attention is fully in the present. When our minds are still on last night's argument or tomorrow's board meeting, we wear blinders to the activity at hand. And God, as our teacher and protector, resides in this experience, in the hearts of these people present.
Every single moment has something for us. Maybe a new piece of information. A piece that solves a problem that's been puzzling us. Perhaps a chance to make a new friend, one who will be there in a time of need.
Letting go of yesterday frees us. We need not be burdened. It is gone. Our lives could be eased, so much, if we kept our focus on the experience at hand, where the problems we ponder have their solutions. Always.
I will greet today, skipping, smiling, ready for the answers, the truths, the directions meant only for me. The wonders of today will bless me.


You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
We Are Lovable
Even if the most important person in your world rejects you, you are still real, and you are still okay. --Codependent No More
Do you ever find yourself thinking: How could anyone possibly love me? For many of us, this is a deeply ingrained belief that can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Thinking we are unlovable can sabotage our relationships with co-workers, friends, family members, and other loved ones. This belief can cause us to choose, or stay in, relationships that are less than we deserve because we don't believe we deserve better. We may become desperate and cling as if a particular person was our last chance at love. We may become defensive and push people away. We may withdraw or constantly overreact.
While growing up, many of us did not receive the unconditional love we deserved. Many of us were abandoned or neglected by important people in our life. We may have concluded that the reason we weren't loved was because we were unlovable. Blaming ourselves is an understandable reaction, but an inappropriate one. If others couldn't love us, or love us in ways that worked, that's not our fault. In recovery, we're learning to separate ourselves from the behavior of others. And we're learning to take responsibility for our healing, regardless of the people around us.
Just as we may have believed that we're unlovable, we can become skilled at practicing the belief that we are lovable. This new belief will improve the quality of our relationships. It will improve our most important relationship: our relationship with our self. We will be able to let others love us and become open to the love and friendship we deserve.
Today, God, help me be aware of and release any self-defeating beliefs I have about being unlovable. Help me begin, today, to tell myself that I am lovable. Help me practice this belief until it gets into my core and manifests itself in my relationships.


You are reading from the book Food for Thought.
Energize, Don't Tranquilize
Food is nourishment for our bodies, not a drug. When we overeat, we sap our energy and dull our responses. Too much food makes us lazy and lethargic. We should eat for energy, not oblivion.
If we have been using food as a narcotic to temporarily deaden the pain of living, then we need to learn other ways to cope. Much of our pain is needless, brought on by egocentric fears and demands. If we accept the fact that we cannot change another person's behavior, then we will not hurt ourselves by anger at what that person does.
At the same time, we will learn to remove ourselves from people and situations, which cause us unnecessary pain. We do not have to be martyrs! Abstinence gives us the energy to make positive changes.
A certain amount of pain, both physical and emotional, is unavoidable. Often, it accompanies growth. To tranquilize ourselves with food is to impede growth.
May I remember to eat for energy instead of oblivion.


Today I know that if I'm coming from good and love, then only good and love with happen. Today I know that what I give, I receive back. Ruth Fishel

[admin]

An "Inside Job"

"Social acceptability does not equal recovery."
Basic Text, p.21

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.
pg. 204

[admin]

Wisdom for Today
Yet another benefit that comes from working with others is learning to live in today. When talking with newcomers in the program, one forgets about their own past and also the future. You find that the focus is just in the moment. As newcomers share their fears, frustrations and despair, it becomes impossible to focus on our own issues; and we can only be with this person in that given moment. One comes to the realization that all we have is now. We help the newcomer focus on this as well. All they need do is not drink or use now. Fretting over the past only provides reasons to drink or use. Fantasizing about the future keeps us from accepting our current responsibility. Living in today is the only sane option for the addict and alcoholic.
In sharing with others I have learned to take each moment as they come. I am given choices along the way. I make these decisions, for better or worse, now. Life is simply a series of "now-s." When I choose to arrive early at a meeting and make coffee, I am living in the moment of time called now. When I speak to another member of the program, I am living in the now. When I pray, I am living in the now. Working with others shows us the futility of living life in regret and in the past. Working with others shows us the disillusionment of fantasy and the future. God gives us new breath in this moment called now. This is where we find life. No one can help us understand this and live this other than another just like us. Am I living life a moment at a time?
Meditations for the Heart
"Get over yourself," my sponsor would chip at me when he grew tired of my self-centered attitude and selfish desires. The truth is that I was so full of myself that I could not even see this for a long time. I did not understand these words from my sponsor for quite a while and was so wrapped up in myself that I could not even ask him what he meant. Finally I had heard my sponsor say this one too many times and got angry enough to ask him what in the world he meant. He let me have it with both barrels. He blasted my godlike omnipotence. He pointed out my selfishness. He pointed out all the times when everything had to be about me. My ego was slapped and slapped hard. I know now that this is exactly what needed to happen. I know today that I will never fully overcome my self-centeredness. It cannot be accomplished in this life, but I have made progress in accepting my true place in the universe. I continue to battle myself and my egocentric ways. Am I working to get over myself?
Petitions to my Higher Power
God,
In my selfishness, I sometimes lose sight of my place in the universe. Help me this day to remember that I am one of many. Help me to recall that I am Your child and not the ruler of the universe. Let me strive this day to live one moment at a time – to breathe in Your goodness with each breath I take. Help me to let go of my self-centeredness each time I exhale.
Amen.

[admin]

You are reading from the book Food for Thought.

Energize, Don't Tranquilize

Food is nourishment for our bodies, not a drug. When we overeat, we sap our energy and dull our responses. Too much food makes us lazy and lethargic. We should eat for energy, not oblivion.

If we have been using food as a narcotic to temporarily deaden the pain of living, then we need to learn other ways to cope. Much of our pain is needless, brought on by egocentric fears and demands. If we accept the fact that we cannot change another person's behavior, then we will not hurt ourselves by anger at what that person does.

At the same time, we will learn to remove ourselves from people and situations, which cause us unnecessary pain. We do not have to be martyrs! Abstinence gives us the energy to make positive changes.

A certain amount of pain, both physical and emotional, is unavoidable. Often, it accompanies growth. To tranquilize ourselves with food is to impede growth.

May I remember to eat for energy instead of oblivion.

[admin]

You are reading from the book Food for Thought.

Clean Abstinence

It is easy to become sloppy in our abstinence and in our program. This is where a daily inventory is an invaluable aid. When we catch ourselves cheating just a little on measurements, making excuses to skip meetings, neglecting to follow the promptings of our Higher Power, it is time for housecleaning.

If we have stopped calling in our food plan and are having trouble with abstinence, we may need to get in touch with a food sponsor. Many of us find it hard to admit that we cannot do everything alone! False pride can be our downfall. If we pretend that all is well when it is not, we cut ourselves off from the help of the group.

The time to correct small mistakes is immediately, before they get bigger and make us discouraged. Admitting the mistake to another person clears the way for correction and change.

Thank You for those who help me maintain clean abstinence.