Daily ponderables.

A fairly usual idea in some Al-Anon groups is that we attend meetings only to hear other people’s tragic stories — blow-by-blow descriptions that we can perhaps identify with. This is one — but only one — of Al-Anon’s functions. But when the stories are a continual rehash of the alcoholic’s misdeeds, nobody learns anything except ...There we sat with our Fourth Step in front of us, thinking and thinking, finally deciding that we just didn’t have any resentments. Perhaps we talked ourselves into believing that we weren’t so sick after all. Such unwitting denial of our resentments stems from the conditioning of our addiction. Most of our feelings were buried, and buried ...Courage to Change: When I was a beginner in Al-Anon, it was suggested that I learn about the disease of alcoholism, and I became a voracious reader on the subject.The Daily Ponderables guy, Stephen Todd shares his story of recovery and hope. Stephen is a regular meeting attender that carries the message everywhere he goes. This Tennessee attorney tells it like it is, yet has a beautiful humility that shines through. To subscribe to the Daily Ponderables click here! (https://bit.ly/3TfrZLg)

Meditation for the Day: In the new year, I will live one day at a time. I will make each day one of preparation for better things ahead. I will not dwell on the past or the future, only on the present.Paying someone a compliment that comes from the heart, or thanking them sincerely for their kindness, may be the nicest thing I can do for myself today. “It is difficult to make a man miserable while he feels worthy of himself and claims kindred to the great God who made him.”. – Abraham Lincoln. From the book “Courage to Change”.

Only then can I gain the freedom to focus on my own spiritual growth. “A family member has no more right to state, ‘If you loved me you would not drink,’ than the right to say, ‘If you loved me you would not have diabetes.’. Excessive drinking is a symptom of the disease. It is a condition, not an act.”. From the book “Courage to ...

Self-pity or recovery—it’s our choice. “Self-pity is one of the most destructive of defects; it will drain us of all positive energy.”. – Basic Text, p. 80. In active addiction, many of us used self-pity as a survival mechanism. We didn’t believe there was an alternative to living in our disease — or perhaps we didn’t want to ...Courage to Change: “Yes, but…”. These two words have become a signal to me that I am refusing to accept something over which I am powerless. My world is rich with wonderful gifts: beauty, a loving fellowship, and challenges that strengthen and prepare me for a …AA Thought for the Day: When we come into AA looking for a way out of drinking, we really need a lot more than that. We need fellowship. We need to get the things that are troubling us out into the open. We need a new outlet for our energies and we need a new strength beyond ourselves that will help us face life instead of running away from it. When we work the steps and pray each time we discover we’re not living in the present, we’ll notice that those times aren’t occurring as often as they used to. Our faith will help us live just for today. We’ll have hours, even days, when our full attention is focused on the current moment in time, not the regrettable past or fearful future.

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If I want to become skillful at applying the Al-Anon program to my life, I need to do more than go to an occasional meeting. I must make a commitment and practice, practice, practice. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”. – Aristotle. From the book “Courage to Change”.

21 hours ago · Fear of the Fourth Step. “As we approach this step, most of us are afraid that there is a monster inside of us that, if released, will destroy us.”. – Basic Text, p. 27. Most of us are terrified to look at ourselves, to probe our insides. We’re afraid that if we examine our actions and motives, we’ll find a bottomless black pit of ... Charging through life like the house is on fire exhausts us and gets us nowhere. In the long run, no amount of manipulation on our part will change a situation. When we let go and allow ourselves access to a Higher Power, we will discover the best way to proceed. Rest assured, answers derived from a sound spiritual basis will be far superior to ...We achieve self-acceptance through the process of ongoing recovery. Working the Twelve Steps of Narcotics Anonymous teaches us to accept ourselves and our lives. Spiritual principles like surrender, honesty, faith, and humility help relieve us of the burden of our past mistakes. Our attitude changes with the application of these principles in ...Courage to Change. “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things l cannot change, the courage to change the things l can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”. – Serenity Prayer. Recovery involves change, and change means doing things differently. The problem is, many of us resist doing things differently; what we’re doing may not ...Muscular dystrophy is a group of inherited disorders that cause muscle weakness and loss of muscle tissue, which get worse over time. Muscular dystrophy is a group of inherited dis...Courage to Change: I came to Al-Anon confused about what was and was not my responsibility. Today, after lots of Step work, I believe I am responsible for the following: to be loyal to my values; to please myself first; to keep an open mind; to detach with love; to rid myself of anger and resentment; to express my ideas and feelings instead of ...Al-Anon is wonderful for those of us who want to know ourselves, who are brave enough to acknowledge our faults. It helps us to examine, with courage and honesty, our good and bad qualities. Al-Anon works for those who want to build on the good and whittle away at the bad, until, one by one, we get rid of the self-deceptions that have kept …

Mar 5, 2024 · Most of us hate to have our covers pulled; we don’t like being laid naked in full view. The experience delivers a strong dose of humility. Our first reaction to such a disclosure is usually shock and anger, yet we recognize the truth when we hear it. What we are having is a rude awakening. Such awakenings often disclose barriers that block us ... Addicts often feel terminally unique. We’re sure that no one used drugs like we did or had to do the things that we did to get them. Feeling that no one really understands us can keep us from recovery for many years. But once we come to the rooms of Narcotics Anonymous, we begin to lose that feeling of being “the worst” or “the craziestCourage to Change: Today I seek to become a little more accepting of myself, a little more comfortable in my own skin. Although it is important to recognize and admit my limitations and flaws, only my Higher Power can remove them. Condemning my imperfections has never enhanced my appreciation of life or helped me to love myself more.Maybe we think that if a spouse or lover leaves us, we will have to get high. If we lose our job, surely, we think, we will use. Or maybe it’s the death of a loved one that we expect to be unbearable. In any case, the reservations we harbor give us permission to use when they come true — as they often do. We can prepare ourselves for ...Courage to Change: It is not necessary for me to map out a master plan for my recovery — my Higher Power has already done that. It is only necessary to humbly ask for God’s guidance and for the willingness to follow that guidance today. I know that I am not alone: I will receive all the help I need along the way. Courage to Change: I tried so hard to learn detachment. Living with active alcoholism was confusing, and the idea of detachment seemed vague. The alcoholic in my life was a restless sleeper who fell out of bed almost every night. Feeling it my duty, I would always help him back into bed. One night, after attending Al-Anon meetings for a while ...

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No matter what is going on around me, today I know that I am moving forward. I will trust the process of recovery. I’ll let time take time. “If I am under pressure and setting myself deadlines, I will stop for a few minutes and think of just this one day and what I can do with it.”. – One Day at a Time in Al-Anon.Daily Ponderables. 3 subscribers. Subscribed. 0. No views 1 minute ago. Father Martin was a Catholic priest, a recovered alcoholic, and a renowned speaker/educator on the issues of alcoholism...AA Thought for the Day: We can depend on those members of any AA group who have gone all out for the program. They come to meetings. They work with other alcoholics. We don’t have to worry about their slipping. They’re loyal members of the group. I’m trying to be a loyal member of the group. When I’m tempted to take a drink, I tell ...This day is a beautiful room that’s never been seen before. Let me cherish the seconds, minutes, and hours I spend here. Help me to think before I speak and pray before I act. “The program helps me gain the freedom to make wise choices that are good for me. I choose to put that freedom to work in my life today.”. – Alateen—a day at a ...Still, it is important to remember that the past is over. We are powerless over what has gone before. Although we can take steps to make amends, we cannot change the fact that we have harmed others. And we cannot change the fact that others have harmed us. We have only the power to change this present day. The best use we can make of the past ...Meditation for the Day: It is in the union of a soul with God that strength, new life, and spiritual power come. Bread sustains the body, but we cannot live by bread alone.4 days ago · Today’s Reminder: I am only a small cog in the machinery of the universe; my trying to run things my own way is doomed to failure. A bright and serene success is at hand once I learn to let go. Then I’ll have time to count my blessings, work on my own shortcomings, and enjoy each minute of every day. “What hurt could it do thee if thou ... Courage to Change: I came to Al-Anon confused about what was and was not my responsibility. Today, after lots of Step work, I believe I am responsible for the following: to be loyal to my values; to please myself first; to keep an open mind; to detach with love; to rid myself of anger and resentment; to express my ideas and feelings instead of ...True courage. “Those who make it through these times show a courage not their own.”. – Basic Text, p. 86. Before coming to NA, many of us thought we were brave simply because we had never experienced fear. We had drugged all our feelings, fear among them, until we had convinced ourselves that we were tough, courageous people …Ever wonder why some disciples appear so prominently in the Bible? Have you pondered why many of the disciples have two or more aliases? Keep the contemplation going with this quiz...

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Just as the disease of addiction affects every area of our lives, so does the NA program. We attend our first meeting with all the symptoms present: the spiritual void, the emotional agony, the powerlessness, the unmanageability. Treating our illness involves much more than mere abstinence. We use the Twelve Steps, and though they don’t ...

Something valuable to share. “A simple, honest message of recovery from addiction rings true.”. – Basic Text, p. 5I. You’re in a meeting. The sharing has been going on for some time. One or two members have described their spiritual experiences in an especially meaningful way. Another has had us all rolling in the aisles with ...One Day at a Time in Al-Anon: Perhaps the first thing we expect to learn in Al-Anon is how to get the alcoholic to stop drinking. This is a difficult idea to pry ourselves loose from, but our “making it” in Al-Anon depends entirely on realizing that our spouse’s sobriety is not our business, however much it may seem to affect our lives ...Courage to Change: After working Al-Anon’s Twelve Steps zealously for over a year, I was despondent over my continuing lapses into self-pity and resentment over the alcoholic’s inability to give me the emotional support I wanted. One evening during a meditation on the Sixth and Seventh Steps, three words seemed to flash in my mind: We …Learning how to live again “We learn new ways to live. We are no longer limited to our old ideas.” – Basic Text, p. 56. We may or may not have been taught right from wrong and other basics of life as children.Love and addiction. “Some of us first saw the effects of addiction on the people closest to us. We were very dependent on them to carry us through life. We felt angry, disappointed, and hurt when they found other interests, friends, and loved ones.”. – Basic Text, p. 7. Addiction affected every area of our lives.Philosophers around the world have long pondered the question of whether human morality is exceptional. My dog Mu is very, very good. Obviously. Except of course, when she is a bit...Meditation for the Day: I know that my new life will not be immune from difficulties, but I will have peace even in difficulties. I know that serenity is the result of faithful, trusting acceptance of God’s will, even in the midst of difficulties.The restoration of self-esteem is one of Al-Anon’s prime functions. It doesn’t encourage a big-ego view of ourselves, but in helping us to see ourselves as we really are, we learn to sort out our good qualities, and on that foundation to build stronger, better personalities. “I am grateful for what Al-Anon is doing for me.AA Thought for the Day: Have I got over most of my sensitiveness, my feelings that are too easily hurt, and my just plain laziness and self-satisfaction? Am I willing to go all out for AA at no matter what cost to my precious self? Is my own comfort more important to me than doing the things that need to be done?Love is like an elixir for some of us. The excitement of a new lover, the intrigue of exploring intimacy, the sense of release we get from allowing ourselves to become vulnerable — these are all powerful emotions. But we can’t forget that we have only a daily reprieve from our addiction. Holding onto this daily reprieve must be the top ...

Meditation for the Day: My spiritual life depends on an inner consciousness of God. I must be led in all things by my consciousness of God, and I must trust Him in all things.Courage to Change: After working Al-Anon’s Twelve Steps zealously for over a year, I was despondent over my continuing lapses into self-pity and resentment over the alcoholic’s inability to give me the emotional support I wanted. One evening during a meditation on the Sixth and Seventh Steps, three words seemed to flash in my mind: We were ... When we work the steps and pray each time we discover we’re not living in the present, we’ll notice that those times aren’t occurring as often as they used to. Our faith will help us live just for today. We’ll have hours, even days, when our full attention is focused on the current moment in time, not the regrettable past or fearful future. Instagram:https://instagram. bandidos motorcycle Courage to Change: One beautiful day, a man sat down under a tree, not noticing it was full of pigeons. Shortly, the pigeons did what pigeons do best. The man shouted at the pigeons as he stormed away, resenting the pigeons as well as the offending material. But then he realized that the pigeons were merely doing what pigeons do, just because ... nothing bundt cakes gainesville fl 1 day ago · Meditation for the Day: The Kingdom of Heaven is within you. God sees, as no one can see, what is within you. He sees you growing more and more like Himself. That is your reason for existence, to grow more and more like God, to develop more and more the spirit of God within you. You can often see in others those qualities and aspirations that ... supercuts eastgate Let's dig into Substack's growth model, ponder over its financial health and compare its upcoming capital raise to its potential cash needs. I got excited — very excited — when I f... herpes female pictures There we sat with our Fourth Step in front of us, thinking and thinking, finally deciding that we just didn’t have any resentments. Perhaps we talked ourselves into believing that we weren’t so sick after all. Such unwitting denial of our resentments stems from the conditioning of our addiction. Most of our feelings were buried, and buried ...Courage to Change: I am so grateful to belong to a fellowship where everyone speaks for himself or herself. Al-Anon has no spokesperson, no authority who tells what “our” experience has been. how to get rid of the sulfur burps Meditation for the Day: I believe that life is a school in which I must learn spiritual things. I must trust in God and He will teach me. I must listen to God and He will speak through my mind. I must commune with Him in spite of all opposition and every obstacle. There will be days when I will hear no voice in my mind and when there will come ... water bottle recall 2023 A good chuckle or an engrossing activity can lift my spirits and cleanse my mind. I will refresh myself by adding some lightness to this day. “Now I look for humor in every situation, and my Higher Power is a laughing God who reminds me not to take myself too seriously.”. – As We Understood…. From the book “Courage to Change”. city of austin hr DAILY PONDERABLES Together WE Trudge The Road OF Happy Destiny Daily Reflections LOOKING OUTWARD We ask especially for freedom from self-will and are careful to make no request for ourselves only. We may ask for ourselves, however, if others will be helped. We are careful never to pray for our own selfish ends. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS p. 87Love and addiction. “Some of us first saw the effects of addiction on the people closest to us. We were very dependent on them to carry us through life. We felt angry, disappointed, and hurt when they found other interests, friends, and loved ones.”. – Basic Text, p. 7. Addiction affected every area of our lives. is endless shrimp still going on at red lobster Even when I feel ashamed, someone in the fellowship can help me see my situation in a different light. With their help, if I’m willing to permit it, the truth will set me free. “You get to the point where your demons, which are terrifying, get smaller and smaller and you get bigger and bigger.”. – August Wilson. From the book “Courage ...Just for Today. “When we stop living in the here and now, our problems become magnified unreasonably.”. – Basic Text, p. 99. “Just for today” — it’s a comforting thought. If we try to live in the past, we may find ourselves torn by painful, disquieting memories. The lessons of our using are not the teachers we seek for recovery. anti da menace instagram Nov 27, 2023 · AA Thought for the Day: The way of AA is the way of sobriety, fellowship, service, and faith. Let us take up each one of these things and see if our feet are truly on the way. The first and greatest to us is sobriety. The others are built on sobriety as a foundation. The Al-Anon program works when I keep the focus on myself, attend lots of Al-Anon meetings, and make recovery my top priority. As I become more fully myself, I am better able to treat others with love and respect. “We are best able to help others when we ourselves have learned the way to achieve serenity.”. From the book “Courage to ... pasadena gun show pasadena tx It’s the small things, the constant day-to-day challenges of living life without the use of drugs, that seem to affect most addicts most strongly in recovery. When the little things get to us, the Serenity Prayer can help us regain our perspective. We can all remember that “turning over” these small matters to the care of our Higher Power ...DAILY PONDERABLES. DAILY PONDERABLES Together WE Trudge The Road OF Happy Destiny Daily Reflections. AT THE TURNING POINT. Half measures availed us nothing, We stood at the turning point. We asked His protection and care with complete abandon. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 59. Everyday I stand at turning points. hills hover AA Thought for the Day: Have I got over most of my sensitiveness, my feelings that are too easily hurt, and my just plain laziness and self-satisfaction? Am I willing to go all out for AA at no matter what cost to my precious self? Is my own comfort more important to me than doing the things that need to be done?Before coming to Narcotics Anonymous, many of us lived lives of utter hopelessness. We believed we were destined to die from our disease. Many members speak of being on a “pink cloud” their first months in the program. We’ve stopped using, made some friends, and life looks promising. Things are going great.3 days ago · Courage to Change: There are many times when I doubt the existence of anything that cares about what goes on in this world, let alone in my life. Being agnostic, doubt comes easily to me; belief is difficult. But then I think of how someone guided me to Al-Anon when my life was at its darkest. I reflect on times when the words and music of ...