Thoughts on Daily Reflection

[PapawBrett]

August 6th; Humility is the answer. I learn to turn my will and over to the care of God. My sponsor tells me that service keeps me sober.
Amazing how after 19 years there is still so much to learn and live.....

 

[PapawBrett]

Aug 7th:But what, exactly, is this "design for living" that "really works"? For me, it is the practice of the Twelve Steps to the best of my ability, the continued awareness of a God who loves me unconditionally, and the hope that, in each new day, there is a purpose for my being.
And through that I have truly been given a design for living a much better life !
P.S. I will be going on a two-night run to Ohio, will not be able to continue this thread until Thurs Aug 9th at the earliest. Any and All are welcome to share, add to, or un any way contribute to this thread. I would ask we keep on topic, the Daily Reflection as approved by the General Service Conference. Keep Coming Back !

 

[r77r7r]

"MADE A LIST . . ."

Made a list of all persons we had harmed, . . .

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 77

When I approached the Eighth Step, I wondered how I could list all the things that I have done to other people since there were so many people, and some of them weren't alive anymore. Some of the hurts I inflicted weren't bad, but they really bothered me. The main thing to see in this Step was to become willing to do whatever I had to do to make these amends to the best of my ability at that particular time. Where there is a will, there's a way, so if I want to feel better, I need to unload the guilt feelings I have. A peaceful mind has no room for feelings of guilt. With the help of my Higher Power, if I am honest with myself, I can cleanse my mind of these feelings.

 

[PapawBrett]

Aug 10; .....What were seemingly impersonal acts, were really personal affronts, because it was people--people of worth--whom I had harmed. I need to do something about the people I have hurt so that I may enjoy a peaceful sobriety.

By 'cleaning my side of the street' I have found my place in this journey we call life better and more rewarding.

 

[PapawBrett]

Aug 11; .....In my recovery, I learned that the pain of my defects is the very substance God uses to cleanse my charachter and to sey me free.

By willing to recognize the wreckage of the past and being willing to go to any length to correct my defects of charachter AND make all and any neccessary amends, exept when to do so would injure others, I find I am removeing those resentments that shut out the light of the Lord. It is this light that guides my path towards a peaceful and useful way of life.

 

[PapawBrett]

Aug 12 ; "As a traveler on a fresh and exciting A.A. journey to recovery, I experienced a newfound peace of mind and the horizon appeared clear and bright, rather than obscure and dim. Reviewing my life to discoverwhere I had been at fault seemed to be such an arduous and dangerous task. It was painful to pause and look backward. I was afraid I might stumble ! Couldn't I put the past out of my mind and just live in my newfound present ? I realized that those in the past whom I had harmed stood between me and my desire to continue my movement toward serenity......"

And so it was and continues to be with my own recovery. I can not move foreward if the 'ghosts' of my past are allowed to still haunt me.

 

[PapawBrett]

Aug 13 ; ....having thus cleaned away the debris of the past, we consider how, with our newfound knowledge of ourselves, we may develop the best possible relations with every human we know.

My apologies if anyone found this posting a little late today. It's been another 14 hour day, but at least I didn't have to pick up a drink or take out frustration on anyone today ! Live and Let Live....

 

[PapawBrett]

Aug 14 ; .... For my recover to be thorough, I believed it was not important for those who had legitimatly harmed me to make ammends to me. What is important in my relationship with God is that i stand before Him, knowing I have done what I can to repair the damage I have done.

And in doing so make myself of use to my Lord and my fellow man.

Note- If anyone is still following this thread, I'll be out on a two-night run to Ohio and Kentucky on Aug 15th and 16th. Please feel free to continue this thread in my absence. And, as always, One Day at a Time !

 

[r77r7r]

I haven't been doing the DR in quite awhile, nice to see this. I've kinda switched to Our Daily Bread over the years. ODAT

 

[PapawBrett]

I haven't been doing the DR in quite awhile, nice to see this. I've kinda switched to Our Daily Bread over the years. ODAT

Thanks, but I've actually kinda copied the idea of a HG member who texts me the DR so I can have a reminder when I'm out on overnight runs. Sorry I've missed the last couple of days but Papaw still gotta pay the Mortgage ! Try to get back into the swing of things first thing in the morning.

 

[r77r7r]

Your avatar- is that the old "U" model '69 Mack? Offset cab?

 

[PapawBrett]

No, not quite. I drive a 2010 Frieghtliner. The avatar is a picture of the TN Smokey Mtns at twilight, though the cellphone I have make everything look far away.

 

[PapawBrett]

Aug 17 ; .....If that person, and the wrong done to him,keeps coming to mind, time and again, casing an uneasy or perhaps guilty feeling, then I put that person's name at the top of my amends list, and become willing to make a sincere apology, knowing I will feel calm and relaxed about that person once this very important part of my recovery is accomplished.

Making amends isn't always about the other person. Sometimes it's about finding forgivness in my own actions.

 

[smitty727]

Hello Brett,
Good thread. Sittin here working on bookkeeping and vapin COV Vanilla Cream in a 306 DCA on the Ego Twist. On another I have COV Kona Cream in the Ody drip mode with a 3.5 ohm coil sittin on top of the Provari cranked to 5.7v. GGTS's are on holiday right now. I've been in the experimenting mood for the last week or so. For the past year or so about all I've vaped are the GG's and just felt like trying something different for a while. I've been pleasantly surprised with the Ego Twist. Gettin ready to hit the shower and head to a meeting in Pageland tonight. The group is cooking ribs & hotdogs @ Jefferson Drag Strip Sat night. All in recovery are invited. Hope to cya soon. Smitty

 

[PapawBrett]

Hello Brett,
Good thread. Sittin here working on bookkeeping and vapin COV Vanilla Cream in a 306 DCA on the Ego Twist. On another I have COV Kona Cream in the Ody drip mode with a 3.5 ohm coil sittin on top of the Provari cranked to 5.7v. GGTS's are on holiday right now. I've been in the experimenting mood for the last week or so. For the past year or so about all I've vaped are the GG's and just felt like trying something different for a while. I've been pleasantly surprised with the Ego Twist. Gettin ready to hit the shower and head to a meeting in Pageland tonight. The group is cooking ribs & hotdogs @ Jefferson Drag Strip Sat night. All in recovery are invited. Hope to cya soon. Smitty

Hi Smitty, how's it going ? Wish I'd checked back at this thread after reading your post. Sounds like y'all had a great time out at the drag strip. Who says we can't have fun in recovery !

 

[PapawBrett]

Aug 18 ; Only through positive action can I remove the remains of guilt and shame brought on by alcohol. Throughout my misadventures when I drank, my friends would say, "Why are you doing this ? You're only hurting yourself." Little did I know how true were those words. Although I harmed others, some of my behavior caused grave wounds to my soul.

And thus the need for Spiritual Growth, the kind of growth and healing I have only found by working the 12 Steps.

 

[PapawBrett]

Aug 19 ; There is a wonderful freedom in not needing constant approval from colleagues at work or from the people I love. I wish I had known about this step before, because once I developed a frame of reference, I felt able to do the next right thing, knowing that the action fit the situation and that it was the correct thing to do.

"My God don't make no junk!' I have a place and a purpose in this world, and I can best serve my Lord and Creator, and those around me, by humbly seeking the His will. Then the 'next right thing' presents itself to me, allowing me to stand, as I should be, in the light of the Lord and before my fellow man.

 

[PapawBrett]

Aug 20 ; Since defective relations with other human beings have nearly always been the immediate cause of our woes, including our alcoholism, no field of investigation could yeild more satisfying and valuable rewards than this one.

To finally clear away the ghosts of the past, in a a way that brings me peace rather than further resentment, really does move me 'Towards Emotional Freedom'.

 

[PapawBrett]

My Apologies. I found out late Monday I was scheduled for a 2-night run to Kentucky. I will try to resume this thread tomorrow.

 

[PapawBrett]

Aug 23 ; My family members suffer from the effects of my disease. Loving and accepting them as they are- just as I love and accept A.A. members- fosters a return of love, tolerance and harmony to my life. Using common courtesy and respecting others' boundaries are necessary practices for all areas of my life.

Show your loved ones the same courtesy you would show your customers. Trust me, it works.