Page 16 "There is however a vast amount of fun about it all. I suppose some would be shocked at our seeming worldliness and levity. But just underneath there is a deadly earnestness. Faith has to work twenty-four hours a day in and through us or we perish."
The past few days have brought horrible tragedy as well as joyful fellowship. As a friend of mine who just celebrated his 10 years last night puts it..."That's just life"
I still have the tendency to want to make it all about me in my mind. But at least today that is as far as it usually gets. My actions for the most part are not ruled by my emotions. My actions are ruled more by principles. My God makes that happen not me.
Another good friend always says "just keep steppin". That is my only choice, because my will, my emotions, my arrangements lead only to chaos.
I love Alcoholics Anonymous. I love the Fellowship, and I love the Program, without you people showing me the way to the steps and helping me through them I would have died without being given the Power to recover and help others. And that is where real peace, joy and freedom exist.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
The Solution
I hear it time after time, pg 417 "Acceptance is the answer to all my problems" We quote that around the tables in AA like it is part of the program of AA. Sorry, acceptance is not the answer to all of my problems today, GOD is the answer to all of my problems. Having a spiritual awakening as the result of the 12 steps is how I access that answer. Period.
I cannot gain acceptance. I cannot remove my character character defects. I cannot use my will power to stop drinking and using. I cannot relieve my obsession with self.
Acceptance is a gift from God, the removal of the character defects that stand in the way of my usefulness is a gift from God, relief from my obsession with self is a gift from God. These things are God's business to give me.
My business is to take action. My business is to help others. My business is to carry this message and practice these principles in all my affairs.
The mistake we make is that we read the stories in the back of the book in meetings and start to quote them as if they were part of the solution. The solution is outlined in the first 164 pages of the Big Book. The rest is just opinion. The stories are meant to help us identify with the authors. They are there to show us that this solution works. THEY ARE NOT THE SOLUTION.
I have heard people say that there is so much more to this than the Steps. I don't know if that is true or not. The Steps seem to be working just fine for this alcoholic right now. When I get them down perfectly I might try to move on. But my nightly inventory tells me I am not there yet.
It it real simple, if I follow the Program of Alcoholics Anonymous, if I take the actions suggested, I will not only stop drinking, I will be rocketed into a fourth dimension. If not I will die.
I guess Nike sums it up real well for me. JUST DO IT...
I cannot gain acceptance. I cannot remove my character character defects. I cannot use my will power to stop drinking and using. I cannot relieve my obsession with self.
Acceptance is a gift from God, the removal of the character defects that stand in the way of my usefulness is a gift from God, relief from my obsession with self is a gift from God. These things are God's business to give me.
My business is to take action. My business is to help others. My business is to carry this message and practice these principles in all my affairs.
The mistake we make is that we read the stories in the back of the book in meetings and start to quote them as if they were part of the solution. The solution is outlined in the first 164 pages of the Big Book. The rest is just opinion. The stories are meant to help us identify with the authors. They are there to show us that this solution works. THEY ARE NOT THE SOLUTION.
I have heard people say that there is so much more to this than the Steps. I don't know if that is true or not. The Steps seem to be working just fine for this alcoholic right now. When I get them down perfectly I might try to move on. But my nightly inventory tells me I am not there yet.
It it real simple, if I follow the Program of Alcoholics Anonymous, if I take the actions suggested, I will not only stop drinking, I will be rocketed into a fourth dimension. If not I will die.
I guess Nike sums it up real well for me. JUST DO IT...
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