Daily Recovery Readings
March 17, 2017

Daily Reflection

MYSTERIOUS WAYS

. . . out of every season of grief or suffering, when the hand of God seemed heavy or even unjust, new lessons for living were learned, new resources of courage were uncovered, and that finally, inescapably, the conviction came that God does “move in a mysterious way His wonders to perform.”
— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 105

After losing my career, family and health, I remained unconvinced that my way of life needed a second look. My drinking and other drug use were killing me, but I had never met a recovering person or an A.A. member. I thought I was destined to die alone and that I deserved it. At the peak of my despair, my infant son became critically ill with a rare disease. Doctors’ efforts to help him proved useless. I redoubled my efforts to block my feelings, but now the alcohol had stopped working. I was left staring into God’s eyes, begging for help. My introduction to A.A. came within days, through an odd series of coincidences, and I have remained sober ever since. My son lived and his disease is in remission. The entire episode convinced me of my powerlessness and the unmanageability of my life. Today my son and I thank God for His intervention.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“Though we work out our solution on the spiritual as well as an altruistic plane, we favor  hospitalization for the alcoholic who is very jittery or befogged. More often than not, it is imperative that a man’s brain be cleared before he is approached, as he has then a better chance of understanding and accepting what we have to offer.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Doctor’s Opinion, pg. xxvi~

Keep It Simple

Skill to do comes of doing.—Ralph Waldo Emerson

Often, we just want to sit and do nothing. And why not. We go to meetings, work the Twelve Steps, read, make new friends. All this takes energy and means taking risk. Haven’t we earned the right to just sit and take it a break from it all? No! In the past, we avoided life. Now we’re becoming people of action. We take risk. We’re becoming people who get involved in life. We practice caring about people and caring about ourselves. At times, we may complain, but we do what is needed to stay sober. We gain skills by doing. why? We do it to save our lives. How? By trusting. We now trust that our Higher Power and friends will be there for us. They will help us push past our fears. As we practice daily how to stay sober, our skills grow.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, Yours is a spirit of action. Allow me to become skilled at being active.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll work at being active and alive. Maybe I’ll start a new friendship or try a new meeting.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You may be stretched to your emotional limits and it appears like nothing short of a miracle can bail you out. But an extreme reaction today will seem more proportional in the near future. It could feel like your daily efforts will never be enough to deliver you to the heights you dream of as you see how your habits are impacting your grand plan. Although you are a summation of what you do each day, you are not your shortcomings; resigning to shame would be a waste. There will be time to readjust your routine later, but for now accept your changing moods and be gentle with yourself.

<h1>Daily Recovery Readings
March 16, 2017</h1>

<h2><b><u>Daily Reflection</u></b></h2>

Daily Reflections

AS WE UNDERSTAND HIM

My friend suggested what then seemed a novel idea . . . “Why don’t you choose your own conception of God?” That statement hit me hard. It melted the icy intellectual mountain in whose shadow I had lived and shivered many years. I stood in the sunlight at last. It was only a matter of being willing to believe in a Power greater than myself. Nothing more was required of me to make my beginning.

~ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 12

I remember the times I looked up into the sky and reflected on who started it all, and how. When I came to A.A., an understanding of some description of the spiritual dimension became a necessary adjunct to a stable sobriety. After reading a variety of versions, including the scientific, of a great explosion, I went for simplicity and made the God
of my understanding the Great Power that made the explosion possible. With the vastness of the universe under His command, He would, no doubt, be able to guide my thinking and actions if I was prepared to accept His guidance. But I could not expect help if I turned
my back on that help and went my own way. I became willing to believe and I have had 26 years of stable and satisfying sobriety.

<h2><b><u>Big Book Quote</u></b></h2>

“At a certain point in the drinking of every alcoholic, he passes into a state where the most powerful desire to stop drinking is of absolutely no avail. This tragic situation has already arrived in practically every case long before it is suspected.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 24~

<h2><b><u>Keep It Simple</u></b></h2>

Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.—Oscar Wilde

We all change. We learn, and change, and grow. We once made alcohol or other drugs our Higher Power. Perhaps we had other higher powers too—like money, gambling, food, or sex. But, it’s never too late to be in touch with a true Higher Power. Each day we follow a false higher power, we aren’t.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me put my life and will in Your hands today. Help me be a saint, just for today.

Action for the Day:
How have my ideas about saints and sinners changed since I got into a Twelve Step program? I’ll talk with my sponsor about it today.

<h2><b><u>Daily Horoscope – Cancer</u></b></h2>

You feel like a petal floating down a river at the mercy of the currents, but content to drift along. Your emotions may win out over other concerns as the moody Scorpio Moon meanders through your 5th House of Self-Expression, lulling you into a state of melancholy. Prevent getting lost at sea by making port at a friend’s dock. Sometimes connecting with someone else is all it takes to get your feet back on solid ground. People who hide their feelings usually care the most, but there’s no reason to struggle with a burden too heavy to bear.

Daily Recovery Readings
March 14, 2017

Daily Reflection

THE KEYSTONE

He is the Father, and we are His children. Most good ideas are simple, and this concept was the keystone of the new and triumphant arch through which we passed to freedom.
— ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 62

A keystone is the wedge-shaped piece at the highest part of an arch that locks the other pieces in place. The “other pieces” are Steps One, Two, and Four through Twelve. In one sense this sounds like Step Three is the most important Step, that the other eleven depend on the third for support. In reality however, Step Three is just one of twelve. It is the keystone, but without eleven other stones to build the base and arms, keystone or not, there will be no arch. Through daily working of all Twelve Steps, I find that triumphant arch waiting for me to pass through to another day of freedom.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“Many of us keep liquor in our homes. We often need it to carry green recruits through a severe hangover. Some of us still serve it to our friends provided they are not alcoholic. But some of us think we should not serve liquor to anyone. We never argue this question. We feel that each family, in the light of their own circumstances, ought to decide for themselves.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 102~

Keep It Simple

Archie doesn’t know how to worry without getting upset. — Edith Bunker

Most us are like Edith’s television husband, Archie. When we worry, we get upset. Problems seem too big for us. We get afraid. We feel powerless. What does the program tell us to do when we feel powerless and our life is upset? We look at the problem honestly . Than we ask our Higher Power to help us with the problem. We take it One Day at a Time. We believe our Higher Power will take care of us and help. We’ll have problems. That’s life! But we can get through them with care and support. We don’t have to get crazy. We don’t have to make things worst. We can be kind to ourselves and live through problems just fine—with our Higher Powers help.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me do what I can today about my problems. Help me stop worrying.

Action for the Day:
If I have problems today, I’ll do what I can—and leave the outcome to my Higher Power.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You keep looking over your shoulder today, wondering what else will come out of the blue. You’re doing your best to maintain your optimism, but you might be distracted by behind-the-scenes tension with a family member or roommate. All you really want is for home to feel like a place everyone can relax, but the current instability may lead you to assume that’s a pipe dream. However, take heart in knowing that you don’t have to let your old story become your next chapter. Writing the future you want starts with closing the book on the past.

Daily Recovery Readings
March 12, 2017

Daily Reflection

A DAY’S PLAN
On awakening let us think about the twenty-four hours ahead. We consider our plans for the day. Before we begin, we ask God to direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives.
— ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 86

Every day I ask God to kindle within me the fire of His love, so that love, burning bright and clear, will illuminate my thinking and permit me to better do His will. Throughout the day, as I allow outside circumstances to dampen my spirits, I ask God to sear my consciousness with the awareness that I can start my day over any time I choose; a hundred times, if necessary.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“We know what you are thinking. You are saying to yourself: “I’m jittery and alone. I couldn’t do  that.” But you can. You forget that you have just now tapped a source of power much greater than  yourself. To duplicate, with such backing, what we have accomplished is only a matter of  willingness, patience and labor.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, pg. 163~

Keep It Simple

The Twelve Step program is spiritual, based on action coming from love  ~Martha Cleveland

To be spiritual means to be an active person. It means spending time with others. It means sharing love. It means looking for ways to be more loving to others. It means looking for ways to make the world a better place. Step Three helps us to look at the world better. We turn our lives over to the care of our Higher Power. So Lets allow care to direct our lives. Let’s always be asking ourselves, “Is what I’m doing something that shows care?”

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, let me be active in a loving, caring way. Let the love in my heart be my guide.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll do something good for someone and keep it a secret.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

The only place safer than your comfort zone is the peaceful utopia you create in your own mind. You long for the bliss of wandering in your own imagination, free from worldly distractions. Fortunately, the sensible Virgo Full Moon grounds your 3rd House of Immediate Environment, offering an anchor point when escape seems like the only rescue. However, drifting into the silence for long periods of time can make it even harder to return to daily life. Establishing fixed commitments on your calendar adds necessary structure to your day. Balance is the secret to your happiness.

Daily Recovery Readings
March 11, 2017

Daily Reflection

GOOD ORDERLY DIRECTION

It is when we try to make our will conform with God’s that we begin to use it rightly. To all of us, this was a most wonderful revelation. Our whole trouble had been the misuse of willpower. We had tried to bombard our problems with it instead of attempting to bring it into agreement with God’s intention for us. To make this increasingly possible is the purpose of A.A.’s Twelve Steps, and Step Three opens the door.
— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 40

All I have to do is look back at my past to see where my self-will has led me. I just don’t know what’s best for me and I believe my Higher Power does. G.O.D., which I define as “Good Orderly Direction,” has never let me down, but I have let myself down quite often. Using my self-will in a situation usually has the same result as forcing the wrong piece into a jigsaw puzzle—exhaustion and frustration.

Step Three opens the door to the rest of the program. When I ask God for guidance I know that whatever happens is the best possible situation, things are exactly as they are supposed to be, even if they aren’t what I want or expect. God does do for me what I cannot do for myself, if I let Him.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“If we are planning to stop drinking, there must be no reservation of any kind, nor any lurking notion that someday we will be immune to alcohol.”
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 33~

Keep It Simple

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.—AA saying

Before recovery, we never thought we had enough alcohol or other drugs. More would make us feel better, we thought. Sometimes, we are like this in recovery too. We know we need to change, so we want to do it all right now. If we can just change ourselves totally, we’ll feel better, we think.

But we can’t change all at once. If we ask our Higher Power to take charge of our lives, we’ll have the chance to change a little at a time. We’ll learn the right things when we need to know them.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me fix what needs fixing today.

Action for the Day:
I’ll make a list of what is broken. Which things on my list can I fix today?

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You genuinely want to be the best person you can be now, but you may idolize an ideal until it becomes untouchable. Theorizing about your future inspires you to grow, but discontent sets in when you believe you can’t possibly catch up with your vision. You could worry so much nothing gets done, thinking of all the things you can’t do yet. Simply introducing more organization and intention into your everyday routine stabilizes your life and enables you to proactively manage your schedule. Michael Altshuler wrote, “The bad news is time flies; the good news is you’re the pilot.”

Daily Recovery Readings
March 10, 2017

Daily Reflection

TODAY, IT’S MY CHOICE

. . . we invariably find that at some time in the past we have made decisions based on self which later placed us in a position to be hurt.
— ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 62

With the realization and acceptance that I had played a part in the way my life had turned out came a dramatic change in my outlook. It was at this point that the A.A. program began to work for me. In the past I had always blamed others, either God or other people, for my circumstances. I never felt that I had a choice in altering my life. My decisions had been based on fear, pride, or ego. As a result, those decisions led me down a path of self-destruction. Today I try to allow my God to guide me on the road to sanity. I am responsible for my action—or inaction—whatever the consequences may be.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“Next, we decided that hereafter in this drama of life, God was going to be our Director. He is the Principal; we are His agents. He is the Father, and we are His children. Most good ideas are simple, and this concept was the keystone of the new and triumphant arch through which we passed to freedom.”
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 62~

Keep It Simple

Little things affect little minds.—Benjamin Disraeli

Before recovery, we liked things our way. We thought every new thing we tired should go right the first time. Little problems could really upset us. We let little things spoil our day. We let little things affect big things—our entire lives. And our bad moods affected people around us. Funny how we have fewer of those problems now. The program is teaching us to let go. What a relief when we know we don’t have to control every little thing. How nice when things get done without our “expert advice”! We are starting to see what’s really important, and what’s not. One promise of the program is coming true: we know how to handle situations better.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me see what is really important for me today. Help me to stop worrying about what’s not.

Action for the Day:
When I’m upset, I’ll ask myself, Is this problem really so bad? If I can’t change it. I’ll let go.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Your restlessness may increase throughout the day, but there are proactive measures you can take to stop one small slip from turning into a full-blown negative spiral. Putting your ducks in a row as early as possible prevents overwhelm later when the Moon gets serious about organization in meticulous Virgo. Writing down errands and tasks helps you keep grounded in your efforts instead of drowning in details. H. Jackson Brown, Jr. wrote, “The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.”

Daily Recovery Readings
March 9, 2017

Daily Reflection

SURRENDERING SELF-WILL

Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 34

No matter how much one wishes to try, exactly how can one turn his own will and his own life over to the care of whatever God he thinks there is? In my search for the answer to this question, I became aware of the wisdom with which it was written: that this is a two-part Step.

I could see many times where I should have died, or at least been injured, during my previous style of living, and it never happened. Someone, or something, was looking after me. I choose to believe my life has always been in God’s care. He alone controls the number of days I will be granted until physical death.

The matter of will (self-will or God’s will) is the more difficult part of the Step for me. It is only when I have experienced enough emotional pain, through failed attempts to fix myself, that I become willing to surrender to God’s will for my life. Surrender is like the calm after the storm. When my will is in line with God’s will for me, there is peace within.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“When people presented us with spiritual approaches, how frequently did we all say, “I wish I had what that man has. I’m sure it would work if I could only believe as he believes. But I cannot accept as surely true the many articles of faith which are so plain  to him.” So it was comforting to learn that we could commence at a simpler level.”
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 47~

Keep It Simple

Keep It Simple

You’ve got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was.
—Irish Proverb

Each of us has been given recovery. Now it’s up to each of us what we do with it. At times, we’ll work hard to grow quickly. At other times, our growth will be slower. This is okay. We’re not in a race. Our pace is not important. What is important is that we’re always working on our recovery.

We’re all part of a fellowship, a caring group. We’re one of many. But we’re each important. Each of us will have a special way to work our programs through our readings, friends, meetings, and what we know of how life works. each of us puts together a miracle of recovery. We than take our miracle and share it with others, so they can build their miracle.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me work at growing. Help me be a person who is an important part of a group.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll work at seeing myself as very important. I’ll remind myself that other’s recovery also depends on my recovery. I am needed.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Family is important to you, whether it’s your blood relatives or the community of friends you choose. Sometimes when you think about your differences for too long, you find yourself rearranging your priorities to match theirs. Although it’s uncomfortable to disagree, you put your own destiny in danger if you adapt too much to what someone else thinks is best. Give yourself permission to blaze your own trail regardless of expectations. True friends will be proud of you even if they wouldn’t do the same thing themselves.

Daily Recovery Readings
March 8, 2017

Daily Reflection

TURNING IT OVER

Every man and woman who has joined A.A. and intends to stick has, without realizing it, made a beginning on Step Three. Isn’t it true that in all matters touching upon alcohol, each of them has decided to turn his or her life over to the care, protection, and guidance of Alcoholics Anonymous? . . . Any willing newcomer feels sure A.A. is the only safe harbor for the foundering vessel he has become. Now if this is not turning one’s will and life over to a newfound Providence, then what is it?
— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 35

Submission to God was the first step to my recovery. I believe our Fellowship seeks a spirituality open to a new kinship with God. As I exert myself to follow the path of the Steps, I sense a freedom that gives me the ability to think for myself. My addiction confined me without any release and hindered my ability to be released from my self-confinement, but A.A. assures me of a way to go forward. Mutual sharing, concern and caring for others is our natural gift to each other and mine is strengthened as my attitude toward God changes. I learn to submit to God’s will in my life, to have self-respect, and to keep both of these attitudes by giving away what I receive.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“We meet frequently so that newcomers may find the fellowship they seek.”
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Bill’s Story, pg. 15~

Keep It Simple

We lose the fear of making decisions, great and small, as we realize that should our choice prove wrong we can, if we will, learn from experience.—Bill W.

As our disease grew, we often felt like any decision we made was wrong. We felt like wrong people. We lost self-respect, because deep inside we knew that, for us alcohol and other drugs was wrong. We went against our spirit. Now we go with our spirit. We follow what we think our Higher Power want for us. Now we learn from our mistakes. Another wonderful gift has been given back to us: the gift of learning. From that gift, we stop playing God. How free it feels!

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, You have taken away my illness and replaced it with many wonderful gifts. I thank You for everything, even my mistakes.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll share with a friend my mistakes of the past week.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

It’s as if someone has tinkered with the contrast settings, throwing your world into greater relief. Though comparing yourself to others isn’t the best daily practice, occasionally it can show you just how far you’ve come. A partner or friend may remind you to think about a previous version of yourself and how many proverbial miles you’ve traversed. Seeing the gaps you’ve bridged leaves you feeling inspired to keep moving toward bigger and better things, leaving outdated paradigms behind you.

Daily Recovery Readings
March 7, 2017

Daily Reflection

THE KEY IS WILLINGNESS

Once we have placed the key of willingness in the lock and have the door ever so slightly open, we find that we can always open it some more.
— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 35

The willingness to give up my pride and self-will to a Power greater than myself has proved to be the only ingredient absolutely necessary to solve all of my problems today. Even the smallest amount of willingness, if sincere, is sufficient to allow God to enter and take control over any problem, pain, or obsession. My level of comfort is in direct relation to the degree of willingness I possess at any given moment to give up my self-will, and allow God’s will to be manifested in my life. With the key of willingness, my worries and fears are powerfully transformed into serenity.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“We alcoholics are men and women who have lost the ability to control our drinking. We know that no real alcoholic ever recovers control. All of us felt at times that we were regaining control, but such intervals—usually brief—were inevitably followed by still less control, which led in time to pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization. We are convinced to a man that alcoholics of our type are in the grip of a progressive illness. Over any considerable period we get worse, never better.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 30~

Keep It Simple

To make the world a friendly place One must show it a friendly face.
—James Whitcomb Riley

We are beginning to learn that we get what we expect. Why? If we believe that people are out to get us, we’ll not treat them well. We will think it’s okay to “get them” before they “get us.” Then, they’ll be angry and want to get even. And on it goes. It’s great when we can meet the world with a balance. We are honest people. We can expect others to be fair with us. We get the faith, strength, and courage to do this because of our trust in our Higher Power.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, I put my life in Your care. Use me to spread Your love to others.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll spread friendliness. I will greet people with a smile.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You’re wearing your heart on your sleeve even if you could swear that you left it in your pocket where it was safer. Your family and closest friends are especially apt to see what’s going on in your head because it’s written all over your face. Even your body language quickly responds to every nuance in your mood as the retentive Cancer Moon stimulates your 1st House of Self. Fortunately, there’s no reason to be anything but yourself today and no one expects anything more.