AA Thoughts For Today - August

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AA Thought for the Day

August 20

Without Defense

The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure,
have lost the power of choice in drink.
Our so-called will power becomes practically nonexistent.
We are unable, at certain times, to bring into our consciousness
with sufficient force the memory of the suffering and humiliation
of even a week or a month ago.
We are without defense against the first drink.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, (There Is A Solution) p. 24

Thought to Ponder
The first drink has the last say.

AA-related 'Alconym'
I S M = Incredibly Short Memory.

~*~A.A. Thoughts For The Day~*~

Newcomers
"Abandon yourself to God as you understand God.
Admit your faults to Him and your fellows.
Clear away the wreckage of your past.
Give freely of what you find and join us.
We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit,
and you will surely meet some of us
as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny.
May God bless you and keep you - until then."
1976AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 164

Thought to Consider . . .
Newcomers are the lifeblood of the program.
But our oldtimers are the arteries.

*~*~*AACRONYMS*~*~*
A B C = Acceptance, Belief, Change

*~*~*~*~*^Just For Today!^*~*~*~*~*

Impatient
From: "Gutter Bravado"
Still very impatient, I wanted the whole deal right away. That's why I related so well to the story about a wide-eyed new
person and an oldtimer. When the newcomer approached the oldtimer, envying his accomplishments and many years
of sobriety, the oldtimer slapped down his hand like a gavel and said, "I'll trade you even! My thirty years for your thirty
days - right now!" He knew what the newcomer had yet to find out: that true happiness is found in the journey, not the destination.
2001, AAWS, Inc., Alcoholics Anonymous, pages 510-511

*~*~*~*~*^ Grapevine Quote ^*~*~*~*~*

"For thousands of alcoholics yet to come, AA does have an answer. But there is one condition. We must, at all costs,
preserve our essential unity; it must be made unbreakably secure. Without permanent unity there can be little lasting
recovery for anyone. Hence our future depends upon the creation and observance of a sound group Tradition. First
things will always need to be first: humility before success, and unity before fame."
AA Co-Founder, Bill W., October 1947
"Traditions Stressed in Memphis Talk"
The Language of the Heart

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book & Twelve N' Twelve Quotes of the Day ^*~*~*~*~*

"Once more: The alcoholic at certain times has no effective mental
defense against the first drink. Except in a few rare cases, neither
he nor any other human being can provide such a defense. His defense
must come from a Higher Power."
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 43

"Most alcoholics owe money. We do not dodge our creditors. Telling
them what we are trying to do, we make no bones about our drinking;
they usually know it anyway, whether we think so or not. Nor are we
afraid of disclosing our alcoholism on the theory it may cause
financial harm. Approached in this way, the most ruthless creditor
will sometimes surprise us. Arranging the best deal we can we let
these people know we are sorry. Our drinking has made us slow to
pay.
We must lose our fear of creditors no matter how far we have to go,
for we are liable to drink if we are afraid to face them."
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 78~

“What is this power that A.A. possesses? This curative power? I don’t know what it is. I suppose the doctor might
say, ‘This is psychosomatic medicine.’ I suppose the psychiatrist might say, ‘This is benevolent interpersonal
relations.’ I suppose others would say, ‘This is group psychotherapy.’ To me it is God.”
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 352

“As psychiatrists have often observed, defiance is the outstanding characteristic of many an alcoholic. So it’s not
strange that lots of us have had our day at defying God Himself. Sometimes it’s because God has not delivered us the
good things of life which we specified, as a greedy child makes an impossible list for Santa Claus. More often, though,
we had met up with some major calamity, and to our way of thinking lost out because God deserted us.”
-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 31

Misc. AA Literature - Quote

Many newcomers, having experienced little but constant deflation, feel a growing conviction that human will is of no
value whatever. They have become persuaded, sometimes rightly so, that many problems besides alcohol will not
yield to a headlong assault powered only by the individual's will.
However, there are certain things which the individual alone can do. All by himself, and in the light of his own
circumstances, he needs to develop the quality of willingness. When he acquires willingness, he is the only one who
can then make the decision to exert himself along spiritual lines. Trying to do this is actually an act of his own will. It is
a right use of this faculty.
Indeed, all of A.A.'s Twelve Steps require our sustained and personal exertion to conform to their principles and so, we
trust, to God's will.

Prayer for the Day: God help me to become willing to sweep away the debris of self will and self reliant living. Thy will be done. Amen