Paramus Mens Retreat Group

Results

2012-02-14T04:49:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
We found that as soon as we were able to lay aside prejudice and express even a willingness to believe in a Power greater than ourselves, we commenced to get results, even though it was impossible for any of us to fully define or comprehend that Power, which is God.
-- Alcoholics Anonymous, Chapter 4, We Agnostics, page 46

Brain Power Alone?

2012-02-13T04:57:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
To the intellectually self-sufficient man or woman, many A.A.’s can say, “Yes, we were like you–far too smart for our own good…. Secretly, we felt we could float above the rest of the folks on our brain power alone.”
-- As Bill Sees It, page 60

Faith

2012-02-12T07:34:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
We had seen spiritual release, but liked to tell ourselves it wasn't true. Actually, we were fooling ourselves, for deep down in every man, woman, and child, is the fundamental idea of God. It may be obscured by calamity, by pomp, by worship of other things, but in some form or other it is there. For faith in a Power greater than ourselves, and miraculous demonstrations of that power in human lives, are facts as old as man himself.strong>
-- Alcoholics Anonymous, Chapter 4, We Agnostics, page 55

Miracles

2012-02-11T04:43:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
Since these things have happened among us, they can happen with you. Should you wish them above all else, and be willing to make use of our experience, we are sure they will come. The age of miracles is still with us. Our own recovery proves that!
-- Alcoholics Anonymous, Chapter 11, A Vision For You , page 153

Death Sentence

2012-02-10T03:57:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
At last experience taught us that to take away any alcoholic's full chance for sobriety in A.A. was sometimes to pronounce his death sentence, and often to condemn him to endless misery. Who dared to be judge, jury, and executioner of his own sick brother?
-- As Bill Sees It, page 42

Martyrdom

2012-02-09T03:57:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
Self-pity is one of the most unhappy and consuming defects that we know. It is a bar to all spiritual progress and can cut off all effective communication with our fellows because of its inordinate demands for attention and sympathy. It is a maudlin form of martyrdom; which we can ill afford.
-- As Bill Sees It, page 268

Recipe for Sobriety

2012-02-08T06:22:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
Regular attendance at meetings, service and helping others is the recipe that many have tried and found to be successful. Whenever I stray from these basic principles, my old habits resurface and my old self also comes back with all its fears and defects. The ultimate goal of each A.A. member is permanent sobriety, achieved One Day at a Time.
-- Daily Reflections, page 47

The Path of Spiritual Progress

2012-02-07T03:32:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
Both you and the new man must walk day by day in the path of spiritual progress. If you persist, remarkable things will happen.
-- Alcoholics Anonymous, Chapter 7, Working With Others, page 100

Being Restored to Sanity

2012-02-06T10:35:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
Step Two is the rallying point for all of us. Whether agnostic, atheist, or former believer, we can stand together on this Step. True humility and an open mind can lead us to faith, and every A.A, meeting is an assurance that God will restore us to sanity if we rightly relate ourselves to Him.
-- Twelve Steps and Twelve traditions, page 33

Stop Fightubg

2012-02-05T06:18:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
I can't say upon what occasion or upon what day I came to believe in a Power greater than myself, but I certainly have that belief now. To acquire it, I had only to stop fighting and practice the rest of A.A.'s program as enthusiastically as I could.
-- Twelve Steps and Twelve Tradititions, page 27

Choose How to Respond

2012-02-04T05:17:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
In working the Twelve Steps, my life and my old ways of thinking have changed. I have no control over some of the things that happen in my life, but with the help of God I can now choose how I will respond.
-- Alcoholics Anonymous, Part II, Chapter 12, Winner Takes All, page 381

Willing to Believe

2012-02-03T07:48:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
We needed to ask ourselves but one short question. “Do I now believe, or am I even willing to believe, that there is a Power greater than myself?” As soon as a man can say that he does believe, or is willing to believe, we emphatically assure him that he is on his way.
-- Alcoholics Anonymous, Chapter 4, We Agnostics, page 47

Peace and Serenity

2012-02-02T05:06:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
Today I am doing things that I never dreamed possible. More importantly, it is the peace and serenity I feel inside that keeps me coming back.
-- Alcoholics Anonymous, Part II, Chapter 12, Winner Takes All, page 381

Came to Believe

2012-02-01T06:55:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
Step Two gently and very gradually began to infiltrate my life. I can’t say upon what occasion or on what day I came to believe in a power greater than myself, but I certainly have that belief now.
-- Twelve Steps and Twelve Tradititions, page 27

Gratitude

2012-01-31T03:22:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things only hoped for.
-- Epicurus

Quiet Time

2012-01-30T05:16:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
I will sometimes go aside into a quiet place of retreat with God. In that place, I will find restoration and healing and power.
Twenty-Four Hour a Day

Ready to Do Anything

2012-01-29T05:10:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
Under the lash of alcoholism, we are driven to A.A., and there we discover the fatal nature of our situation. Then, and only then, do we become as open-minded to conviction and as willing to listen as the dying can be. We stand ready to do anything which will lift the merciless obsessions from us.
-- Twelve Steps and Twelve Tradititions, page 24

Self-Knowledge

2012-01-28T06:20:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
The actual or potential alcoholic, with hardly an exception, will be absolutely unable to stop drinking on the basis of self-knowledge. This is a point we wish to emphasize and re-emphasize, to smash home upon our alcoholic readers as it has been revealed to us out of bitter experience.
-- Alcoholics Anonymous, Chapter 3, More About Alcoholism, page 39

Expect a Miracle

2012-01-27T09:12:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
In working the steps, my life changed. I think differently today; I feel differently today. I am new. We have a sign at the A.A. meetings I go to that says “Expect a Miracle.” My sobriety is full of miracles.
-- Alcoholics Anonymous, Part II, Chapter 12, Winner Takes All, page 380

Three Pertinent Ideas

2012-01-26T05:34:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventures before and after make clear three pertinent ideas:
(a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives.
(b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism.
(c) That God could and would if He were sought.

-- Alcoholics Anonymous, Chapter 5, How It Works, page 60/strong>

Acceptance

2012-01-25T06:14:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
I needed to look no further than the Twelve Steps and the powerful wording of our Serenity Prayer, "to accept the things we cannot change." With the tools and guideposts of Alcoholics Anonymous, we can learn a little of this precious gift our gateway to human spirituality.
-- Came to Believe, page 120

Courage

2012-01-24T05:21:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
When fear persisted, we knew it for what it was, and we became able to handle it. We began to see each adversity as a God-given opportunity to develop the the kind of courgage that is born of humitlity, rather than of bravado.
-- As Bill Sees It, page 91

Involvement

2012-01-23T08:13:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
A complete change takes place in our approach to life. Where we used to run from responsibility, we find ourselves accepting it with gratitude that we can successfully shoulder it. Instead of wanting to escape some perplexing problem, we experience the thrill of challenge in the opportunity it affords for another application of A.A. techniques, and we find ourselves tackling it with surprising vigor.

-- Alcoholics Anonymous, Part I, Chapter 9, Keys to the Kingdom, pages 275-276

Changed Outlook on Life

2012-01-22T08:20:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
In the beginning, you want to get sober, but you're helpless, so you turn to a Power greater than yourself and by trusting in that Power, you get the strength to stop drinking. From then on, you want to keep sober, and that's a matter of reeducating your mind. After a while, you get so that you really enjoy simple, healthy, normal living. You really get a kick out of life without the artificial stimulus of alcohol. All you have to do is to look around at the members of any A.A. group and you will see how their outlook has changed
-- Twenty-Four Hours a Day

We Need Each Other

2012-01-21T08:15:00.000-08:00

Thought for Today
For years, whenever I reflected on Tradition Three ('The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking'), I thought it valuable only to newcomers. It was their guarantee that no one could bar them from A.A. Today I feel enduring gratitude for the spiritual development the Tradition has brought me. Charlotte, the atheist, showed me higher standards of ethics and honor; Clay, of another race, taught me patience; Winslow, who is gay, led me by example into true compassion; Young Megan says that seeing me at meetings, sober thirty years, keeps her coming back. Tradition Three insured that we would get what we need each other."
-- Daily Reflections, page 33