Aug. 26, 2018 - Readings in Recovery: Today's Gift from Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018

Today’s thought from the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is:

Clarity

I know better than to not trust God. But sometimes, I forget that.

When we are in the midst of an experience, it is easy to forget that there is a Plan. Sometimes, all we can see is today.

If we were to watch a weaver sewing a tapestry for only a few moments, and focused on only a small piece of the work, it would not look beautiful. It would look like a few peculiar threads randomly placed. How often we use that same, limited perspective to look at our life – especially when we are going through a difficult time.

We can learn to have perspective when we are going through those confusing, difficult learning times. When we are being pelted by events that make us feel, think, and question, we are in the midst of learning something important.

We can trust that something valuable is being worked out in us – even when things are difficult, even when we cannot get our bearings. Insight and clarity do not come until we have mastered our lesson.

Faith is like a muscle. It must be exercised to grow strong. Repeated experiences of having to trust what we can’t see and repeated experiences of learning to trust that things will work out, are what makes our faith muscles grow strong.

Today, I will trust that the events in my life are not random. My experiences are not a mistake. The Universe, my Higher Power, and life are not picking on me. I am going through what I need to go through to learn something valuable, something that will prepare me for the joy and love I am seeking.

You are reading from the book:

The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie

The Language of Letting Go © 1990 by Hazelden Foundation

Aug. 26, 2018 - Readings in Recovery: Step by Step

Step by Step

Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018

" ...(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 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. And our common journey continues. Step by step. - Chris M., 2018

Aug. 26, 2018 - Readings in Recovery: Twenty-Four Hours a Day

Twenty-Four Hours a Day

Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018

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, 2018 - Readings in Recovery: A Day at a Time

A Day at a Time
Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018

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, 2018 - Readings in Recovery: The Eye Opener

The Eye Opener
Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018

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. 26, 2018 - Rise 'n shine for a calm and relaxing Sunday with renewed determination and confidence

Aug. 25, 2018 - Readings in Recovery: Today's Gift from Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018

Today’s thought from the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is:

Suffering is a journey which has an end.

 — Matthew Fox

Pain is part of life. To live a spiritual life, we need a way to understand the suffering we sometimes endure. Looking back at other difficult times can give us a better perspective of the pain we feel today. All of us can recall a loss or a sudden difficult change that we never would have chosen for ourselves. Perhaps it brought us face to face with insecurities or doubts about our survival. Now, after the suffering has ended, we see how much we grew. We changed; we were strengthened and, perhaps, were liberated by what happened to us.

Thoughts about today’s suffering may not be clear as to what good it holds for us. But we are on a journey, and it can only happen one step at a time. We know that journeys teach us great lessons and they do have endings. Our pain today affirms that we are vital and alive people. We know others suffer as we do, and we can turn to each other to give and receive comfort while we are on the journey.

My pain will teach me something I need to know, and it will have an end. I will pay attention to its lessons.

You are reading from the book:

Touchstones by Anonymous

Touchstones ©1986, 1991 by Hazelden Foundation

Aug. 25, 2018 - Readings in Recovery: Step by Step

Step by Step
Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018

"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, accept as a requirement of my recovery that I am absolutely powerless over alcohol and I can never drink again, accept the consequences of my drinking and that I alone am responsible to them, and accept 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., 2018

Aug. 25, 2018 - Readings in Recovery: Twenty-Four Hours a Day

Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018

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, 2018 - Readings in Recovery: A Day at a Time

A Day at a Time
Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018

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, 2018 - Readings in Recovery: The Eye Opener

The Eye Opener
Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018

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