Daily Recovery Readings - 8/25

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Daily Reflections

THE GIFT OF BONDING

Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS , p. 63

Many times in my alcoholic state, I drank to establish a bond
between myself and others, but I succeeded only in establishing
the bondage of alcoholic loneliness. Through the A.A. way of
life, I have received the gift of bonding - with those who were
there before me, with those who are there now, and with those yet
to come. For this gracious gift from God, I am forever grateful.

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Twenty-Four Hours A Day

A.A. Thought For The Day

"Unless we discuss our defects with another person, we do not acquire
enough humility, fearlessness, and honesty to really get the program.
We must be entirely honest with somebody, if we expect to live
happily in this world. We must be hard on ourselves, but always
considerate of others. We pocket our pride and go to it, illuminating
every twist of character and every dark cranny of the past. Once we
have taken this step, withholding nothing, we can look the world in
the eyes." Have I discussed all my defects with another person?

Meditation For The Day

Never yield to weariness of the spirit. At times, the world's cares
and distractions will intrude and the spirit will become weak. At
times like this, carry on and soon the spirit will become strong
again. God's spirit is always with you, to replenish and renew. None
ever sincerely sought God's help in vain. Physical weariness and
exhaustion make a time of rest and communion with God more
necessary. When you are overcome by temporary conditions that you
cannot control, keep quiet and wait for the power of the spirit to flow
back.

Prayer For The Day

I pray that I may not speak or act in the midst of emotional upheaval.
I pray that I may wait until the tempest is past.

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As Bill Sees It

Learn in Quiet, p. 108

In 1941, a news clipping was called to our attention by a New York
member. In an obituary notice from a local paper, there appeared
these words: "God grant us the serenity to accept the things we
cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the
wisdom to know the difference."

Never had we seen so much A.A. in so few words. With amazing
speed the Serenity Prayer came into general use.

<< << << >> >> >>

In meditation, debate has no place. We rest quietly with the thoughts
or prayers of spiritually centered people who understand, so that we
may experience and learn. This is the state of being that so often
discovers and deepens a conscious contact with God.

1. A.A. Comes Of Age, p. 196
2. 12 & 12, pp. 101-100

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Walk In Dry Places

What should We accept?
Acceptance
Alcoholics usually have trouble accepting ordinary setbacks and limitations that
other people live with all the time. Sometimes it seems much easier
to just get drunk than to accept boredom and frustration.
The irony of such behavior is that we then have to accept much more
failure as a result of problems created by drinking. Our
drinking brings far more pain than it removes.
Learning acceptance in sobriety is part of the growing-up process.
Along with learning to accept things we cannot change, however, we learn
there are some things we don't have to accept. Living sober gives us the
power and confidence to make such changes.
I'll repeat the Serenity Prayer today if I begin to feel disturbed or
threatened. I will face life realistically while knowing I have many
opportunities for growth and change.

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Keep It Simple

In every real man a child is hidden that wants to play.---Friedrick Nietzsche
All of us have a child inside. We may see that child as a friend or as a enemy.
Many of us were taught that growing up meant doing away with our inner child. It was as if being a child was bad and being an adult was good. If we try to be only an adult, the child cries, ”Let me run free and show you the beauty of the world.” If we try to be only a child, we find the adult in using us saying, “It’s time to grow up.”
Let’s find a balance. Remember, the adult needs the wonder found in the eyes of the child. Remember, the child needs the loving care of the adult. The child lives where we find our spirit. Our Higher Power is the prefect balance of the two.
Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me be both the child and the adult. I need both.
Action for the Day: Today, I’ll make time to be a child and to be an adult.

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Alcoholics Anonymous - Fourth Edition

Student Of Life

Living at home with her parents, she tried using willpower to beat the obsession to drink. But it wasn't until she met another alcoholic and went to an A.A. meeting that sobriety took hold.

I started drinking at age eighteen, rather a late bloomer by today's stands. But after I started, the disease of alcoholism hit me with a vengeance and made up for lost time. After I had been drinking for several years and seriously wondering if I did indeed have a problem with alcohol, I read one of the "Are You An Alcoholic?" quiz-type checklists. Much relieved, I found that almost nothing applied to me: I had never lost a job, a spouse, children, or any material possessions through alcohol. The fact that my drinking hadn't allowed me to gain any of those things crossed my mind only after I came to A.A.

p. 319

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Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

Tradition Seven - "Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions."

"I heard all this quite plainly, as I was piously trying to convert a newcomer who sat next to me. The hat came in my direction, and I reached into my pocket. Still working on my prospect, I fumbled and came up with a fifty-cent piece. Somehow it looked like a very big coin. Hastily, I dropped it back and fished out a dime, which clinked thinly as I dropped it in the hat. Hats never got folding money in those days.

p. 163

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You are the creator of your own Serenity. It lives and breathes within
your desire for Recovery. It is no mystery. It is a conscious choice.
Serenity is born and flourishes, with the help of your Higher Power,
through your own efforts to maintain order, stability and self-discipline
within your everyday life.
Serenity is a daily gift you give to yourself. Be generous!
--Lumpy Karma

The routines of good rest, exercise, regular meal times, prayer, and
meetings are the skeleton on which the body of our recovery program
can grow. Each of these activities is a reward in itself, and serves to
remind us of what our new lives have to offer.
--unknown

"Do all the good you can, by all the means you can,
in all the ways you can, in all the places you can,
at all the times you can, to all the people you can,
as long as ever you can."
--John Wesley

"Look at everything as though you were seeing it
for the first time or the last time.
Then your time on earth will be filled with glory."
--Betty Smith

"Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times."
--Anonymous

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost;
that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.
--Thoreau

We would have much peace if we would not busy ourselves with the
sayings and doings of others.
--Thomas À Kempis

Many do not know that we are here in this world to live in harmony.
--Buddha

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Father Leo's Daily Meditation

TEMPER

"Your temper is the only thing
that doesn't get better with age."
-- Anonymous

I lost my temper when I was in the wrong and wanted to protect
myself. My temper was closely associated with my ego and pride; I
hated to admit I was in the wrong.

Today I know that I am not God. I make mistakes and apologize. I
don't have to have an answer. It is okay to be imperfect and human.
And you know what I am finding? I don't lose my temper so much!

I pray that I may express my anger and discomfort without having a
selfish temper tantrum.

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I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God;
For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered
me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with
ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and
thanksgiving be made for everyone-- for kings and all those in
authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness
and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all
men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."
I Timothy 2:2

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Daily Inspiration

Many more things go right in a day than go wrong, but you will never notice if that one trying moment becomes your focus. Lord, help me make a conscious effort to see the richness of my life and live with gratitude for all of its wonders.

If you have more than you need, but still feel it isn't enough, then you are poor. Lord, may I take time to recognize and enjoy my blessings.

[admin]

You are reading from the book Today's Gift.
... self-love is an unequivocal acceptance of the validity of getting what one wants--of respecting one's needs. --Marion Weinstein
Once there was a woman who loved her husband and children so much that she did everything for them and nothing for herself. She thought taking care of herself was selfish. She never considered taking a vacation when she needed it. She stayed to take care of her family no matter what it cost her personally. Then she realized how much she resented them because she wasn't taking care of herself. So she began to ask for what she needed. At first, her family didn't like it. Little by little they began to notice that when she was relaxed, their lives were more serene, too. It wasn't always easy for her to love herself enough to ask for what she needed, but she learned that when she said no to demands she couldn't meet, she felt calm and centered. Best of all, she no longer resented them for asking. When she said yes, she did what they asked with real pleasure.
Do I sometimes resent doing things I could have chosen not to do?


You are reading from the book Touchstones.
To know oneself, one should assert oneself. --Albert Camus
We learn about ourselves by bumping up against something solid. By throwing ourselves into a project, meeting an obstacle we can't overcome, perhaps making some mistakes, we learn what we are capable of and what we are not. We are not here to live a comfortable and placid life. Our task is to grow and learn, to make a contribution, and to have some tranquility while we do. The only way we can achieve those goals is to assert ourselves, find out where the solid limits are, and assert our right to make mistakes in the process.
When we first learn to drive a car, we over steer and hit the brakes too hard or too softly. In the process we learn how to feel what is just right. When we are learning to ask for what we need and to make a place for ourselves, we may ask too demandingly at times. That is not bad. It is how we will learn to do it well.
Today, I will have opportunities to assert myself. I will take the risks required to learn.


You are reading from the book Each Day a New Beginning.
In soloing--as in other activities--it is far easier to start something than it is to finish it. --Amelia Earhart
Procrastination plagues us all, at one time or another. But any activity that is worthy of our effort should be tackled by bits and pieces, one day at a time. We are too easily overwhelmed when we set our sights only on the accomplished goal. We need to focus, instead, on the individual elements and then on just one element at a time. A book is written, word-by-word. A house is built, timber-by-timber. A college degree is attained, course-by-course.
By the time we got to this program, most of us had accumulated a checkered past, much of which we wanted to deny or forget. And the weight of our past can stand in the way of the many possibilities in the present.
Our past need not determine what we set out to do today. However, we must be realistic: We can't change a behavior pattern overnight. But we can begin the process. We can decide on a reasonable, manageable objective for this 24-hour period. Enough days committed to the completion of enough small objectives will bring us to the attainment of any goal, large or small.
I can finish any task I set my sights on, when I take it one day at a time. Today is before me. I can move forward in a small way.


You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Willing to Make Amends
The Eighth Step is talking about a change of heart, a healing change.
This attitude can begin a great chain of repair and healing in our relationships with others and ourselves. It means we become willing to let go of our hard heartedness - one of the greatest blocks to our ability to give and receive love.
In the Eighth Step, we make a list of all people we have harmed, and we allow ourselves to experience a healing attitude toward them. It is an attitude of love.
We do not, in this Step, dash madly about and begin yelling, "Sorry!" We make our list, not to feel guilty, but to facilitate healing. Before we actually make amends or begin to consider appropriate amends, we allow ourselves to change our attitude. That is where healing begins - within us.
It can change the energy. It can change the dynamics. It can begin the process, before we ever open our mouths and say sorry.
It opens the door to love. It opens the door to the energy of love and healing. It enables us to release negative feelings and energy, and opens the door to positive feelings and energy.
That energy can be felt around the world, and it starts inside us.
How often have we, after we have been hurt, wished that the person would simply recognize our pain and say, "I'm sorry?" How often have we wished that the person would simply see us, hear us, and turn the energy of love our way? How often have we longed for at least a change of heart, a small dose of reconciliation, in relationships tainted by unfinished business and bad feelings? Often.
Others do too. It is no secret. The energy of healing begins with us. Our willingness to make amends may or may not benefit the other person; he or she may or may not be willing to put matters to rest.
But we become healed. We become capable of love.
Today, I will work on a change of heart if hard heartedness, defensiveness, guilt, or bitterness are present. I will become willing to let go of those feelings and have them replaced by the healing energy of love.


I am so pleased with all the growth that I am experiencing. It is okay to feel good about myself...and I do. --Ruth Fishel

[admin]

The Ninth Step - Reclaiming Life

"We are achieving freedom from the wreckage of our past."
Basic Text p. 45

When we start the Ninth Step, we've reached an exciting stage in our recovery. The damage done in our lives is what led many of us to seek help in the first place. Now, we have a chance to clean up that wreckage, amend our past, and reclaim our lives.

We've spent a long time and much effort preparing for this step. When we came to NA, facing the debris of our past was probably the last thing we wanted to do. We started doing it privately with a personal inventory. Then, we opened our past up to the scrutiny of a select, trusted few: ourselves, our Higher Power, and one other person. We took a look at our shortcomings, the source of much of the chaos in our lives, and asked that all those defects of character be removed. Finally, we listed the amends needed to set our wrongs right - all of them - and became willing to make them.

Now, we have the opportunity to make amends-to acquire freedom from the wreckage of our past. Everything we've done so far in NA has led us here. At this point in the process of our recovery, the Ninth Step is exactly what we want to do. With the Twelve Steps and the help of a Higher Power, we are clearing away the rubble that for so long has stood in the way of our progress; we are gaining the freedom to live.

Just for today: I will take advantage of the opportunity to reclaim my life. I will experience freedom from the wreckage of my past.
pg. 247

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Wisdom for Today
When I was drinking and using I liked to buy people drinks and turn others on. It made me feel important and accepted. I was using them for my own gain. It helped me hide what I was really feeling. The thought of being helpful to others never occurred to me. At the time helping others seemed like a game, a way to make friends. I really didn’t want friends; I just wanted to hide
behind the mask of self-pleasure.

When I came into the Twelve Step program I found out that helping others was really a way of helping myself. I began to experience genuine happiness and felt needed. I found a new humility in recognizing that I was no different than the people I was helping. I needed there help too. Am I willing to help others?
Meditations for the Heart
In recovery, I have found it necessary to constantly restore my energy and my faith. I have found out that God as I understand Him is the storehouse of this energy. By following His will for me, I have found that not only is life easier, but I am restored. Today, I will work to recognize that I am on a journey and that God provides the direction. I have to walk the path of recovery and God points the way. Along the path He gives me opportunity to help others. Am I willing to follow God’s direction?
Petitions to my Higher Power
God,

Today let me walk with you. Show me the way and point the way so that I avoid the pitfalls that may exist along the way. When I am given the opportunity to help others, guide me in a way to truly be helpful. Keep me in your presence.

Amen

[admin]

You are reading from the book Food for Thought.

Being Available

In our search for security, we turned to food in times of stress. Now we are growing in reliance on our Higher Power instead of food. We do not, however, "use" the Higher Power the way we tried to use food. We do not use God; He uses us.

What we do is make ourselves available to the Higher Power, and open to light and guidance. We pray each day that we may do His will, not ours. Often this means a more flexible schedule than we may have had in the past. Since the Higher Power is ever creative and new, we cannot cling to our old routines and habits. To insist on our time, our way, our plan is to block out God's guidance.

Sometimes we may be called on to perform a service, which means giving up our plan for the day. When the prompting comes from deep within, following it will further our growth in the program.

Today I will be available for Your use.