Daily Recovery Readings
February 26, 2018

Daily Reflection

NO ORDINARY SUCCESS STORY

A.A. is no success story in the ordinary sense of the word. It is a story of suffering transmuted, under grace, into spiritual progress.

— AS BILL SEES IT, p. 35

Upon entering A.A. I listened to others talk about the reality of their drinking: loneliness, terror and pain. As I listened further, I soon heard a description of a very different kind—the reality of sobriety. It is a reality of freedom and happiness, of purpose and direction, and of serenity and peace with God, ourselves and others. By attending meetings I am reintroduced to that reality, over and over. I see it in the eyes and hear it in the voices of those around me. By working the program I find the direction and strength with which to make it mine. The joy of A.A. is that this new reality is available to me.

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

Big Book Quote

“On the other hand, and strange as this may seem to those who do not understand, once a psychic change has occurred, the very same person who seemed doomed, who had so many problems he despaired of ever solving them, suddenly finds himself easily able to control his desire for alcohol, the only effort necessary being that required to follow a few simple rules.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Doctors Opinion, pg. xxix~

Keep It Simple

Forewarned. forearmed: being prepared is half the victory.—Miguel de Cervantes

Ther will be hard times in our program. There will be hard times in our lives. That’s the way the life is. It helps if we accept this. Then we can prepare for tough times. We can prepare by getting a good set of habits and sticking to them. We can make it a habit to give time to our program each day. Sticking to good habits is like having a savings account: when hard times come, we can take the “investment” we’ve made and overcome our problems.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me accept that there will be hard times. Help me prepare for them. With Your help, I’ll stay close to You, my friends, and the program.

Action for the Day:
I’ll put something into my program “savings account” today. I’ll make that extra call. I’ll read a little longer or go to an extra meeting.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You may dance around the fine line between nurturing someone and smothering them with your worries. The Moon’s current visit to caring Cancer amplifies your desire to protect others as if they were your children. But taking people under your wing can turn manipulative if you exert too much control today, leading to unnecessary power struggles. Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh teaches, “Love in such a way that the person you love feels free.”

Daily Recovery Readings for February 25, 2018:

Daily Reflection

THE CHALLENGE OF FAILURE

In God’s economy, nothing is wasted. Through failure, we learn a lesson in humility which is probably needed, painful though it is.

— AS BILL SEES IT, p. 31

How thankful I am today, to know that all my past failures were necessary for me to be where I am now. Through much pain came experience and, in suffering, I became obedient. When I sought God, as I understand Him, He shared His treasured gifts. Through experience and obedience, growth started, followed by gratitude. Yes, then came peace of mind—living in and sharing sobriety.

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

Big Book Quote

“If you are as seriously alcoholic as we were, we believe there is no middle of the road solution. We were in a position where life was becoming impossible, and if we had passed into the region from which there is no return through human aid, we had but two alternatives. One was to go on to the bitter end, blotting out the consciousness of our intolerable situation as best we could and the other, to accept spiritual help. This we did because we honestly wanted to, and were willing to make the effort.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 25~

Keep It Simple

Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.-–Willaim James

Step Two speaks of believing. For many years, we had given up believing in ourselves, in a Higher Power, and in others. We believed in getting high. Now our program tells us to believe in love. We are lovable, and we can love others without hurting them. Of course, believing is an important part of recovery.

To believe means to put aside our doubts. To believe means to have hope. Believing makes the road a little smoother. So, believing lets the healing happen a little faster. All of this is how we get ready to let in the care of our Higher Power.

Prayer for the Day:
I pray for the courage to believe. I’ll not let doubt into my heart. I can recover. I can give myself totally to this simple program.

Action for the Day:
I’ll list four times doubt got in my way. And I’ll think of what I can do to not let that happen again.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

There are time-sensitive items on your to-do list, but you’re not very motivated to take your chores seriously today. You might prefer to daydream of future adventures or, perhaps, watch a movie about someone’s epic journey. But your imagination only takes you so far; you will soon start to grow bored and seek experiences that are real instead of just imagined. There’s no need to wait until your anxiety builds to an intolerable level. Start small by meeting your obligations first, and then you can cultivate your bigger ideas until you’re ready for that trip around the world.

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tags
#daily readings, #sober, #sobriety, #sober living, #recovery

Daily Recovery Readings for February 17, 2018:

Daily Reflection

THE LOVE IN THEIR EYES

Some of us won’t believe in God, others can’t, and still others who do believe that God exists have no faith whatever He will perform this miracle.

— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 25

It was the changes I saw in the new people who came into the Fellowship that helped me lose my fear, and change my negative attitude to a positive one. I could see the love in their eyes and I was impressed by how much their “One Day at a Time” sobriety meant to them. They had looked squarely at Step Two and came to believe that a power greater than themselves was restoring them to sanity. That gave me faith in the Fellowship, and hope that it could work for me too. I found that God was a loving God, not that punishing God I feared before coming to A.A. I also found that He had been with me during all those times I had been in trouble before I came to A.A. I know today that He was the one who led me to A.A. and that I am a miracle.

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

Big Book Quote

“My friend suggested what then seemed a novel idea. He said, ‘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. I saw that growth could start from that point.”

Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Bill’s Story, pg. 12~

Keep It Simple

. . . no one who learns to know himself remains just what he was before—Thomas Mann

Deep inside, we all know that we’re changing. It started when we took Step One. We learned and accepted something new about ourselves. That changed us, just a little. We no longer wanted to live as addicts. That meant we had to change and to learn to live sober. It’s been nonstop ever since: learn about ourselves, change a little, learn about ourselves, change a little more, and so on. All we know is that each step of learning and changing makes life better. How long can it keep getting better? As long as we keep learning to know ourselves.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, teach me about myself today. Teach me gently.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll think about what I’ve learned about myself by working the program. I’ll list five things.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You are soaking in every minute nuance of your current experiences, but it might appear as if your mind is lost in space. However, you’re so attentive today that you don’t miss a trick. Perhaps your uncharacteristic spontaneity leads people to believe that you already have made your plans for the day. Although your reactions could send the wrong message, your contemplative nature is still running the show. Don’t worry about anyone else’s judgements; just continue to observe your environment, along with the reactions of your heart. Following your bliss inspires others to do the same.

Daily Recovery Readings for February 16, 2018:

Daily Reflection

COMMITMENT

“Understanding is the key to right principles and attitudes, and right action is the key to good living.”

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 125

There came a time in my program of recovery when the third stanza of the Serenity Prayer — “The wisdom to know the difference” — became indelibly imprinted in my mind. From that time on, I had to
face the ever-present knowledge that my every action, word and thought was within, or outside, the principles of the program. I could no longer hide behind self-rationalization, nor behind the insanity of my disease. The only course open to me, if I was to attain a joyous life for myself (and subsequently for those I love), was one in which I imposed on myself an effort of commitment, discipline, and responsibility.

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

Big Book Quote

“we have ceased fighting anything or anyone— even alcohol.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 84~

Keep It Simple

Friendships, like marriages, are dependent on avoiding the unforgivable.
––John D. MacDonald

We need to remember that relationships are made up of people—people who are strong, but also fragile.

We don’t break easily, but we do break. We need to be aware of how fragile relationships are. Don’t say something that will hurt others even if it’s honest. It’s mean to be honest with someone, without showing that you care for the person’s feelings. We can learn to be honest without being cruel. The backbone of any relationship is this: we need to honor the rules and agreements we make. If we promise to be faithful to someone, we follow this rule. And we need to trust the other person to do the same. When we see that our agreements don’t work, we need to go to that person and talk about them.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me become a person who honors rules and agreements in my relationships.

Actions for the Day:
I’ll make no promises today that I will not keep.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Your daydreams are sweetened with magical adventures and romantic encounters today. Slipping in and out of your imaginative wanderings is enjoyable enough that people might question the source of your current happiness. However, you’re probably not inclined to share your fantasies because you’re afraid others will tell you how unrealistic they are. Nevertheless, you cling to the possibility of making them come true. Albert Einstein wrote, “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.”

Daily Recovery Readings for February 15, 2018:

Daily Reflection

TAKING ACTION

Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us–sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.

~ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 84

One of the most important things A.A. has given me, in addition to freedom from booze, is the ability to take “right action.” It says the promises will ALWAYS materialize if I WORK for them. Fantasizing about them, debating them, preaching about them and faking them just won’t work. I’ll remain a miserable, rationalizing dry drunk. By taking action and working the Twelve Steps in all my affairs, I’ll have a life beyond my wildest dreams.

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

Easy Does It.—Twelve Steps slogan

We are people who push ourselves to hard. We try to be perfect. Well, we need to lighten up. Easy Does It.

We need to slow down our pace. Why? Because our program teaches us to give up trying to be perfect.

We begin to love ourselves for who we are. We are enough. Over and over we hear this as we live the Steps. It’s the message of God’s love. Our Higher Power want us to live at a pace that’s not fast and hard, so we always know we’re loved. Remember, we’ve turned our life over to the care of God. And our life is a wonderful gift. As recovering people, we may know better than others.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, teach me to live at Your pace, not mine. Help me keep in mind that life isn’t a race. It’s a spiritual journey. Walk with me.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll take two hours just to relax and do loving things for myself. I’ll take time to count my blessings.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Your relationship to a significant person or organization may be the source of trouble now. An imbalance in power creates unsustainable emotional dynamics as you struggle for dominance or seek an escape route. But complicated energetic entanglements make a clean victory unlikely as the Aquarius Solar Eclipse destabilizes your 8th House of Shared Resources. Fortunately, there is a solution in sight, but you must be willing to discuss anything and give up everything before a fair compromise can be reached. Dr. Chester Karrass wrote, “You don’t get what you deserve; you get what you negotiate.”

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tags
#daily readings, #sober, #sobriety, #sober living, #recovery

Daily Recovery Readings for February 14, 2018:

Daily Reflection

EXPECTATIONS vs. DEMANDS

Burn the idea into the consciousness of every man that he can get well regardless of anyone. The only condition is that he trust in God and clean house.

~ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 98

Dealing with expectations is a frequent topic at meetings. It isn’t wrong to expect progress of myself, good things from life, or decent treatment from others. Where I get into trouble is when my expectations become demands. I will fall short of what I wish to be and situations will go in ways I do not like, because people will let me down sometimes. The only question is: “What am I going to about it?” Wallow in self-pity or anger; retaliate and make a bad situation worse; or will I trust in God’s power to bring blessings on the messes in which I find myself? Will I ask Him what I should be learning; do I keep on doing the right things I know how to do, no matter what; do I take the time to share my faith and blessings with others?

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

Big Book Quote

“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~

Keep It Simple

Some things have to be believed to be seen. –Ralph Hodgson

In recovery, we learn to trust. We trust that our Higher Power is on our side. Maybe we can’t see our Higher Power , but once we start trusting things change. Step Two says, “Came to believe. . . ” Once we come to believe, we start to see our Higher Power working in many ways. We make new program friends. We find new peace. Our family and friends trust us again. Life won’t always be fair. We won’t get all we want. But we’ll find the love and care we need. If we’re open to believing in love, the easy times will be easier and the harder times a bit softer. Do I believe in love?

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me believe, especially when times are hard. Help me not blame You for the hard times.

Action for the Day:
I will write what I believe the program and my Higher Power want for me.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Your internal guidance system appears to be malfunctioning today and you’re at a loss without your intuitive connection. Logical analysis may work for others, but it never gives you emotional Crabs the most satisfying answers. However, the wisdom you seek is usually found in your body and, fortunately, you know when you can trust your gut. Rumi wrote, “We rarely hear the inward music, but we’re all dancing to it nevertheless.”

Daily Recovery Readings for February 11, 2018:

Daily Reflection

THE LIMITS OF SELF-RELIANCE

We asked ourselves why we had them [fears]. Wasn’t it because self-reliance failed us?

~ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p.68

All of my character defects separate me from God’s will. When I ignore my association with Him I face the world and my alcoholism alone and must depend on self-reliance. I have never found security and happiness through self-will and the only result is a life of fear and discontent. God provides the path back to Him and to His gift of security and comfort. First, however, I must be willing to acknowledge my fears and understand their source and power over me. I frequently ask God to help me understand how I separate myself from Him.

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

Big Book Quote

“Thus we grow. And so can you, though you be but one man with this book in your hand. We believe and hope it contains all you will need to begin.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, pg. 162

Keep It Simple

Sanity is madness put to good use.—George Santayana

In Step Two we come to believe a Power greater than ourselves can restore us to sanity. In a way, as we work Step Two, we’re praying that our madness can be put to good use. This is just what happens. Addiction was wrecking our life. But it’s also our addiction that forced us into a new way of life.

As long as we remember what our madness was like, we can put it to good use. When we feel like giving up, let’s remember our madness. It will help us go on. When we see someone suffering from the illness of addiction, let’s remember our days of madness. It will help us be there for that person. It’s also good to remember that our madness is only a pill or a drink away.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, I believe You can put my madness to good use. I give up my madness; do with it what You want.

Action for the Day:
I’ll list a couple ways my Higher Power and I have changed my madness into sanity.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Conforming your emotions to match someone else’s expectations is like pounding a round peg into a square hole. Your intentions may be good, but nothing you do makes for a smooth fit. Although you cherish the notion of pleasing someone you love or respect, it’s healthier in the long run to be true to your own heart. You must confront your own fear of rejection before you can speak your truth. Psychologist Brené Brown wrote, “Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”