Aug. 26, 2014 - Today's Gift from Hazelden

The Serenity Prayer

Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2014

Today's thought from Hazelden is:

Mile by mile, life's a trial.
Yard by yard, it's not so hard.
Inch by inch, it's a cinch.
 -- Proverb

An important key to progress on the path is to take it one step at a time. Just as investing a little on a regular basis builds long-term wealth, the little gains we make each day pay off in spiritual dividends. As a successful musical group explained, "We spent years preparing for our overnight success."

Taking it one step at a time means living in the present moment, letting life gradually reveal itself to us. Some people get nervous and want to know the final outcome. But how can we know an outcome that hasn't yet occurred? Trust in the process, and the perfect result will occur.

When our faith wavers, we often get ahead of ourselves and try to figure out what is going to happen. This "future tripping" removes us from our source of guidance in the present. Sometimes we try to hit it big in a hurry. But there is no fooling the Universe. Sooner or later we will have to go back and retrace the steps that we skipped. The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.

Whatever the goal or desire, approach it one step at a time. Small measures consistently taken guarantee progress. Eventually you will emerge victorious, having attained a reward that you have truly earned.

From the book:

Listening to Your Inner Voice by Douglas Bloch

Listening to Your Inner Voice © 1991, by Douglas Bloch

Aug. 26, 2014 - Step by Step

The Serenity Prayer

Step by Step

Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2014

" ...(M)y life has had a purpose, not in great things accomplished but in daily living. Courage to face each day has replaced the fears and uncertainties of earlier years. Acceptance of things as they are has replaced the old impatient chomping at the bit to conquer the world. I have stopped tilting at windmills, and instead have tried to accomplish little daily tasks, unimportant in themselves, but tasks that are an integral part of living fully." - Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, 1976, "Alcoholics Anonymous Number Three," Ch 10 ("He Sold Himself Short"), p 295.

Today, may I not be self-critical or deflated if something I hope to achieve isn't realized because, if I have worked toward it without drinking, I have achieved one of those "little daily tasks" that might be "unimportant in themselves" but "are an integral part of living fully." If I have gone through the last 24 Hours without drinking, that in itself is an accomplishment of appropriate self-pride, gratitude and inspiration for the next 24 Hours. And if doing today without drinking seems like something not to be fully appreciated, a comparison to what I DIDN'T accomplish on a day of drinking should provide a measure of the magnitude of not drinking today, just for today. And our common journey continues. Step by step. - Chris M., 2014

Aug. 26, 2014 - Twenty-Four Hours a Day

The Serenity Prayer

Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2014

AA Thought for the Day
"If we are still clinging to something that we will not let go, we must sincerely ask God to help us to be willing to let even that go, too. We cannot divide our lives into compartments and keep some for ourselves. We must give all the compartments to God. We must say: 'My Creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in the way of my usefulness to you and my friends.'"

Am I still clinging to something that I will not let go? 

Meditation for the Day
The laws of nature cannot be changed and must be obeyed if you are to stay healthy. No exceptions will be made in your case. Submit to the laws of nature or they will finally break you. And in the realm of the spirit, in all human relationships, submit to the moral laws and to the will of God. If you continue to break the laws of honesty, purity, unselfishness and love, you will be broken to some extent yourself. The moral and spiritual laws of God, like the laws of nature, are unbreakable without some disaster. If you are dishonest, impure, selfish and unloving, you will not be living according to the laws of the spirit and you will suffer the consequences.

Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may submit to the laws of nature and to the laws of God. I pray that I may live in harmony with all the laws of life.

Hazelden Foundation

Aug. 26, 2014 - A Day at a Time

The Serenity Prayer

A Day at a Time
Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2014

Reflection for the Day
We all want to be rid of our most obvious and destructive flaws. No one wants to be so greedy that s/he's labeled a thief. No one wants to be angry enough to kill, lustful enough to rape, gluttonous enough to become ill. No one wants to be agonized by envy or paralyzed by procrastination. Of course, few of us suffer these defects at such rock-bottom levels. Not that that's reason to congratulate ourselves; chances are, pure self-interest enabled us to escape such extremes. Not much spiritual effort is involved in avoiding excesses which will bring severe punishment.

When I face up to the less violent and less deadly aspects of the very same defects, where do I stand then?

Today I Pray
May I give myself no back-pats for not committing murder or rape, beating up a rival, robbing a sweets shop or stealing from a down-and-outer. In all humility, may I understand that these are only more violent manifestations of human flaws I harbor in myself. May God give me the perseverance to change these from inside, rather than just lessening the degree to which I act them out for the world to see.

Today I Will Remember
Change the inside first.

Hazelden Foundation

Aug. 26, 2014 - The Eye Opener

The Serenity Prayer

The Eye Opener
Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2014

With fiery zeal we devote much energy to going through the motions of living AA. We speak on every occasion we are invited, we rush ourselves dizzy carrying the message to all who call on us, but in the process we sometimes neglect the one man we are most interested in - ourselves. Our AA has become muscular.

To reach ourselves requires quiet meditation, daily use of prayer and a comprehensive study of the Program and of ourselves.

Hazelden Foundation

Aug. 25, 2014 - Today's Gift from Hazelden

The Serenity Prayer

Monday, Aug. 25, 2014

Today's thought from Hazelden is:

If you don't have any loyalty to what you are doing, you ought not be doing it.
 -- Tom Harding

We understand loyalty to friends and family members, but does loyalty to an activity imply the same thing? To be loyal to an activity means to stick with it even when we hit the inherent snags. Let's consider a hobby for instance. Are we so frustrated when we can't track down a particular stamp or seem unable to complete the 5000 piece puzzle that we consider quitting the activity in disgust? If so, we probably lack the loyalty that Tom alludes to.

Each of us has to consider for ourselves whether or not we value this kind of loyalty when it comes to the "extracurriculars" in our lives. We're not failures if we decide to drop some hobby for another one. Sometimes we can't see that some interest doesn't fit us all that well until we get deep into it. What's more important is that we remain loyal to our values, whatever they are. When some activity loses its appeal, for any reason, and we continue to stay with it out of shame or embarrassment, we're not being loyal to that which is most important — ourselves.

Today, I'll ask myself if my hobbies suit my true interests.

From the book:

Keepers of the Wisdom by Karen Casey

Keepers of the Wisdom © 1996 by Karen Casey

Aug. 25, 2014 - Step by Step

The Serenity Prayer

Step by Step
Monday, Aug. 25, 2014

"And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation - some fact of my life - unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment." - Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, 1976, "They Stopped in Time," Ch 17 ("Doctor, Alcoholic, Addict"), p 449.

Today, let me not only understand but fully accept as a requirement of my recovery, acceptance that I am absolutely powerless over alcohol and I can never drink again, acceptance of the consequences of my drinking and that I alone am responsible to them, and acceptance that recovery is more than physical and includes a massive rebuilding of my emotional and spiritual character. If I am simply IN recovery but not WITH it and carry even a hidden resentment that I cannot drink safely or a sense of being wronged because I have to clean up the mess I allowed alcohol to make of my life, the Program's promise of serenity with myself and the world around me will be elusive. Today, I seek the humility to ask for absolute - and unconditional - acceptance that my alcoholism is MY responsibility, and so it is with my recovery. And our common journey continues. Step by step. - Chris M., 2014

Aug. 25, 2014 - Twenty-Four Hours a Day

The Serenity Prayer

Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Monday, Aug. 25, 2014

AA 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 which 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.

Hazelden Foundation

Aug. 25, 2014 - A Day at a Time

The Serenity Prayer

A Day at a Time
Monday, Aug. 25, 2014

Reflection for the Day
Without freedom from addiction, we have nothing. Yet we can't be free of our addictive obsessions until we become willing to deal with the character defects which brought us to our knees. If we refuse to work on our glaring defects, we'll almost certainly return to our addiction. If we stay clean and sober with a minimum of self-improvement, perhaps we'll settle into a comfortable but dangerous sort of limbo for a while. Best of all, if we continuously work The Steps, striving for fineness of spirit and action, we'll assuredly find true and lasting freedom under God.

Am I walking with confidence that I'm at last on the right track?

Today I Pray
May God show me that freedom from addiction is an insecure state unless I can be freed also of my compulsions. May God keep me from a half-hearted approach to The Program, and make me know that I cannot be spiritually whole if I am still torn apart by my own dishonesty and selfishness.

Today I Will Remember
Half-hearted, I cannot be whole.

Hazelden Foundation

Aug. 25, 2014 - The Eye Opener

The Serenity Prayer

The Eye Opener
Monday, Aug. 25, 2014

If we think - truly think - our lives will become manageable, and if we thank God who made this thinking possible for us, then our lives are almost sure to remain manageable. We alcoholics can contain our entire philosophy in these two words - THINK and THANK.

Think before you take that first drink, then thank your God that you didn't.

Hazelden Foundation

Aug. 24, 2014 - Today's Gift from Hazelden

The Serenity Prayer

Sunday, Aug. 24, 2014

Today's thought from Hazelden is:

The smallest seed of faith is better than the largest fruit of happiness.
 -- Henry David Thoreau

Life's crises seem terrifying and endless when they are happening. As we reflect on these stressful periods, we begin to realize that they provide a chance for change and growth. We get a feeling of hope when we think back to past problems that seemed like mountains of despair at the time. Today, many of our mountains of fear are behind us. We have been able to climb these mountains in our lives even though we may have had to take different paths than we had planned.

Now we know that, with faith, we can meet every challenge — that we are given no obstacle we can't turn into an opportunity.

Today let me be willing to let my Higher Power lead me in an orderly direction.

From the book:

Our Best Days by Nancy Hull-Mast

Our Best Days by Nancy Hull-Mast. © 1990 by Hazelden Foundation

Aug. 24, 2014 - Step by Step

The Serenity Prayer

Step by Step
Sunday, Aug. 24, 2014

"At last, acceptance proved to be the key to my drinking problem. ...When I stopped living in the problem and began living in the answer, the problem went away. From that moment on, I have not had a single compulsion to drink." - Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, 1976, "They Stopped in Time," Ch 17 ("Doctor, Alcoholic, Addict"), pp 448-49.

Today, after living so long in the problem of drinking, let me understand and believe that now, as an alcoholic who does not drink, I am free to live in the answer - sobriety. By living in sobriety, I a, free of fighting the temptation to drink again, free of the fear of being caught and of shame, anger, resentment, loneliness and hopelessness. The problem of drinking offers no freedom; the answer of sobriety does. Let me think and re-think until I understand the fine line between living in the problem of resisting temptation to drink and living in the answer of sobriety and, in understanding, I can begin to loosen the problem's grip on me and embrace the answer. And the answer is the Program and the principles it impresses. Today, I no longer have to fight or live with the problem; I have an answer. And our common journey continues. Step by step. - Chris M., 2014

Aug. 24, 2014 - Twenty-Four Hours a Day

The Serenity Prayer

Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Sunday, Aug. 24, 2014

AA Thought for the Day
"When we saw our faults, we listed them. We placed them before us in black and white. We admitted our wrongs honestly and we were willing to set these matters straight. We reviewed our fears thoroughly. We asked God to remove our fears and we commenced to outgrow fear. Many of us needed an overhauling in regard to sex. We came to believe that sex powers were God-given and therefore good, if used properly. Sex is never to be used lightly or selfishly, nor is it to be despised or loathed. If sex is troublesome, we throw ourselves the harder into helping others, and so take our minds off ourselves."

Am I facing my sex problems in the proper way?

Meditation for the Day
Cling to the belief that all things are possible with God. If this belief is truly accepted, it is the ladder upon which a human soul can climb from the lowest pit of despair to the sublimest heights of peace of mind. It is possible for God to change your way of living. When you see the change in another person through the grace of God, you cannot doubt that all things are possible in the lives of people through the strength that comes from faith in Him who rules us all.

Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may live expectantly. I pray that I may believe deeply that all things are possible with God.

Hazelden Foundation

Aug. 24, 2014 - A Day at a Time

The Serenity Prayer

A Day at a Time
Sunday, Aug. 24, 2014

Reflection for the Day
Some of us, after we've taken the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and then the Seventh Step, sit back and simply wait for our Higher Power to remove our shortcomings. The program's teachings remind us of the story of St. Francis working in a beautiful garden. A passerby said, "You must have prayed very hard, to get such beautiful plants to grow." The good saint answered, "Yes, I did. But every time I started to pray, I reached for the hoe." As soon as our "wait" is changed to "dig," the promise of the Seventh Step begins to become reality.

Do I expect my Higher Power to do it all?

Today I Pray
May I not just pray and wait - for my Higher Power to do everything. Instead may I pray as I reach for the tools The Program gives me. May I ask now for guidance on how I can best use these precious tools.

Today I Will Remember
Pray and act.

Hazelden Foundation

Aug. 24, 2014 - The Eye Opener

The Serenity Prayer

The Eye Opener
Sunday, Aug. 24, 2014

When a member of AA can take his first inventory and compare it with his last and then truthfully say, "I am not now that which I have been," he has arrived at a definite stage of improvement. When the next one shows still more improvement, then he is definitely on the Program. When this improvement continues until there is no more room for improvement - look out below!

Hazelden Foundation