A Dozen Steps

June 12th, 2008

From Which You May Get To Practice Three And Eleven

I think today’s Daily Reflections is one of those that has the capacity to enlarge your expectations…
Forming True Partnerships
“But it is from our twisted relations with family, friends, and society at large that many of us have suffered the most. We have been especially stupid and stubborn about them. The primary fact that we fail […]

By Mark -- 2 comments

April 25th, 2008

My Basic Flaw Has Always Been Dependence

And I’ll waver in and out of it, dammit, because I have basic human instincts…
As I do so often - from “The Language of the Heart” page 237-238 (I ought to set up a cot on these pages)
“My basic flaw had always been dependence - almost absolute dependence - on people or circumstances to supply […]

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March 27th, 2008

The Tablemate - Discussion No. 2 The Spiritual Phase Part III

As a reminder;
The Tablemate was an early A.A. set of beginners lessons entitled ‘Alcoholics Anonymous: An Interpretation of the Twelve Steps,’ put out in the form of a little pamphlet. It was (and still is) the most successful set of A.A. beginners lessons ever devised.
And I’m drawing content from the Hindsfoot site, laboriously prepared by […]

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November 24th, 2007

Grateful, With A Condition?

Yes, I am grateful. My personal world is filled with wonder and joy. I’ve never had it so good!
I see many of you who post gratitude lists often, some every day, and I have yet to do that. I ought to be able to post one a mile long for all the good my God […]

By Mark -- 2 comments

November 19th, 2007

Getting Ahead

This will be from our literature and pgs. 113-114 in the book “Came To Believe.”
Getting Ahead
See if you can identify with this (I can);
“Most alcoholics I have known, including myself, wanted to get ahead. If we didn’t, well, there was nothing so rosy as the dreams of success and glory which subsequently came out of […]

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November 16th, 2007

My HP Loves Me Anyway!

To grow I must admit my challenges. Prayer is one.
From page 96 in the 12&12;
“We well remember how something deep inside us kept rebelling against the idea of bowing before any God.”
Of course there is something else that continues to remind me of the nature of my dilemma - page 39 in the Big Book;
“But […]

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November 9th, 2007

So You Say You’re Tired Eh?

And you’re “in recovery.” Working a Twelve Step program…

From pages 87-88 (for those who “complain” of being tired);
“As we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action. We constantly remind ourselves we are no longer running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many times each […]

By Mark -- 2 comments

November 2nd, 2007

Potential and Practice

Optimism?
From today’s Daily Reflection;
“But Step Eleven can keep us growing…”
“A sober alcoholic finds it much easier to be optimistic about life.” (as opposed to pessimistic)
“Optimism is the natural result of my finding myself gradually able to make the best, rather than the worst, of each situation.”
Damn gradually :)
“As my physical sobriety continues, I come out […]

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November 2nd, 2007

The Principle That Works Most Often For Me

To bring me peace of mind which I lose on many occasions.
It’s on pages 104-5 in our 12&12. I first made this a part of my life when the divorce was happening. Now it often brings me back to the God I understand.
“We discover that we do receive guidance for our lives to just about […]

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November 1st, 2007

Scoffer?

Are you a scoffer? Does your attitude towards a power greater than you match this?
“Derisive or mocking expression of scorn, contempt, or reproach.”
Mine did. For a very long time. God had abandoned me as a child to a drunk abuser. The rest is now history. Contempt.
There came a day when I had a choice. Work […]

By Mark -- 2 comments