Daily Reflections
December 10
CARRYING THE MESSAGE
To renounce the alcoholic world is not to abandon it, but to act upon principles I have come to love and cherish, and to restore in others who still suffer the serenity I have come to know. When I am truly committed to this purpose, it matters little what clothes I wear or how I make a living. My task is to carry the message, and to lead by example, not design.
Twenty-Four Hours A Day
December 10
A.A. Thought For The Day
Our drinking fellowship was a substitute one, for lack of something better. At the time, we did not realize what real fellowship could be. Drinking fellowship has a fatal fault. It is not based on a firm foundation. Most of it is on the surface. It is based mostly on the desire to use your companions for your own pleasure and using others is a false foundation. Drinking fellowship has been praised in song and story. The “cup that cheers” has become famous as a means of companionship. But we realize that the higher centers of our brains are dulled by alcohol and such fellowship cannot be on the highest plane. It is at best only a substitute. Do I see my drinking fellowship in its proper light?
Meditation For The Day
Set for yourself the task of growing daily more and more into the consciousness of a Higher Power. We must keep trying to improve our conscious contact with God. This is done by prayer, quiet times, and communion. Often all you need to do is sit silent before God and let Him speak to you through your thought. Try to think God’s thoughts after Him. When the guidance comes, you must not hesitate, but go out and follow that guidance in your daily work, doing what you believe to be the right thing.
Prayer For The Day
I pray that I may be still and know God is with me. I pray that I may open my mind to the leading of Divine Mind.
Walk In Dry Places
December 10
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT?
Good judgment.
All of our lives, many of us had to deal with “tempests in a teapot.” These were minor problems that we somehow magnified until they became disasters.
Some of us also took refuge in the bottle when faced with problems. Remembering this with some guilt, we may feel a responsibility today to deal with every problem efficiently and promptly. This feeling might also create unnecessary anxiety. We can easily get to the heart of such matters by asking ourselves, “How Important is it?” We might be making something far more important than it really is.
The importance of problems is revealed by our inability to remember what was upsetting us a week ago. Asking, “How important is it?” can be a useful test to avoid excessive worrying about any problem.
I’ll take a responsibility attitude today, but I’ll watch myself for a tendency to go to pieces over things that really aren’t important in the long run.
Keep It Simple
December 10
“Kindness in giving creates love.”
—Lao-tzu
In our illness, we are takers. Now, we’ve changed this around. We are now givers. Giving is a big part of recovery. Our word for it is service. Our program is based on care, respect, and service. Our program tells us to “practice these principles in all our affairs.” No matter if it’s getting to our meeting early to put on the coffee, or going on a Twelfth Step call, we are giving of ourselves. We give so that we know we can make a difference. We give so that we can know how to love better. The healing power of recovery is love. As we give love and kindness to others, we heal. Why? Because people grow by giving kindness and love to others.
Prayer for the Day: Higher Power with Your help I’ll be a kind and loving giver. I’ll look for way to share Your kindness.
Action for the Day: Today, I’ll list five ways I can be of service to others. I’ll put at least one of these ways into action today.
“If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours”.
—SHASEC“God, help me remember that when I admit and accept the truth, I’ll be given the power and guidance to change.”
—Melody Beattie“Today, I will focus on what’s right about me. I will give myself some of the caring I’ve extended to the world.”
—Melody Beattie“Learn to Let Go. That is the key to happiness.”
—Buddha“Worry is like a rocking chair—it gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere.”
—Unknown
Father Leo’s Daily Meditation
December 10
SERVICE
“There is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the greatest creed.”
—Albert Schweitzer
I enjoy doing things for other people. I enjoy seeing other people happy, seeing gratitude in their eyes and experiencing their hug of thankfulness.
Some people need to restrict how much they do for others and begin doing more for themselves but I am happy and pleased with my service towards others. Why? Because I used to be a “taker”. For years I would walk away with all that you could give me and only thank you because I wanted to return for more!
In sobriety I am beginning to change this. Now I am giving and I am enjoying it.
Lord, the gift of service is a precious gift.
Daily Inspiration
December 10
A blessing is an explosion of joy from God that ripples through your heart and fills your mind with God’s light and hope. Lord, help me speak the words of blessing when they are needed by someone who is lonely, or who is dying or who is depressed.
As you draw closer and closer to God, you won’t have to tell anyone because it will show in your face. Lord, teach me Your ways as I am ready and let Your love and peace flow through me even in my difficult moments.
Elder’s Meditation of the Day
December 10
“Come forward and join hands with us in this great work for the Creator.”
—Traditional Circle of Elders, NORTHERN CHEYENNE
The Elders have spent years learning to pray and communicate with the Great Spirit. Their job is to pass this knowledge onto the young people. The Elders have told us we are now in a great time of healing. The Creator is guiding them to help the young people figure this out. We must get involved and participate. We should pray and see what it is the Great Spirit wants us to do. We need to sacrifice our time to help the people and to be of maximum use to the Creator. Every person is needed to accomplish this great healing.
Creator, whisper what You want me to do.
Today’s Gift
December 10
“She must learn to speak starting with ‘I.’ Starting with ‘We,’ starting as the infant does with her own true hunger and pleasure and rage.”
—Marge Piercy
Once there was a writer who was writing a book for children. He decided to ask his son for ideas. “What would you like to tell other children?” he asked. He thought the boy would say something like, “Everybody love everybody.” But instead the boy said, “Number one, ignore what your parents say about nutritious food. Number two, don’t go to school.”
The father laughed and thanked the boy for his ideas, even though they weren’t what he expected. He loved his son for being able to feel and express his desires so strongly.
We all have a child within us, no matter how old we are. When we honor that child, we also honor who we have become, and we free ourselves to express our truest feelings.
What does the child within me want to do today?
Touchstones Meditations For Men
December 10
“If you can just observe what you are and move with it, then you will find that it is possible to go infinitely far.”
—J. Krishnamurti
“Boys don’t cry” is bad training for males. Worse than that were ideas like, “Don’t pass up a dare,” “Nice guys finish last,” “Be a good provider,” “Be aggressive.” Some of these ideas have some value, but problems came from adopting them as the only way to be. We thought we had to work at being the strongest, the best, the least vulnerable. Now we are learning how weak and fragile such thinking actually makes men. It sets us up to go to the extremes we found in our addictions and codependency.
Weakness isn’t the alternative to this thinking. Developing our spiritual side, we see that we don’t have to work at being what we already are. A man can be strong enough to show his vulnerability. He can choose the opportunity to advance a relationship with his child over the opportunity to advance his career. He can choose to pass by a challenge without shame because he doesn’t wish to spend his energy there.
I will be stronger today by simply allowing myself to be true to my feelings.
Daily TAO
December 10
UNINHIBITED
The drunk falls from the cart but is not hurt.
You throw hesitation aside but look stupid.
To be truly uninhibited is a rare grace.
Don’t be inhibited. If you hold back from achieving your heart’s desires, you will become bitter and frustrated. If you hold back from expressing yourself, your creativity will stagnate. If you hold back from taking action, you will become impotent with timidity. Don’t stop anything. Let your uniqueness flow freely.