Your Daily Reprieve 12.14.25

 

 

Your Daily Reprieve for Sunday  December 14, 2025

 

From Waynesville, NC

 

 

Healing isn't linear,

it's a quiet comeback every day. 
R.M. Drake

 

"Ego implies unawareness.

Awareness and ego cannot coexist."

~Eckhart Tolle

 

"I feel utterly powerless, and that feeling is my prison.

I entered of my own free will, I locked the door,

and I threw away the key."

~Haruki Murakami

 

“Today, as I look back over 27-plus years of sobriety,

I can simply thank Him

for being wherever I am going

before I even get there.”

~Monaco, Pennsylvania, April 2011

 

 

On the First Day of Christmas….

 

As we struggle with shopping lists and invitations,

compounded by December’s bad weather,

it is good to be reminded that there are people in our lives

who are worth this aggravation,

and people to whom we are worth the same.  
~Donald E. Westlake

 

 

Big Book Quote

 

When we saw others solve their problems by a simple reliance upon the Spirit of the Universe, we had to stop doubting the power of God. Our ideas did not work. But the God idea did.

 

P52

 

 

Daily Share!

 

 

AA Speaker of the Day

 

 

RICH B.

Ocean City, MD

Serenity Improvement Group

06.23.20

 

https://bit.ly/4oxbJEs

 

 

 

Celebrate Your Anniversary Here

SHOW NEWCOMERS HOW IT WORKS!!

 

DECEMBER 2025 Miracles

 

 

12/1 Beth S. (Conway, NH)…..30

12/1 Arsenia R. (Coral Gables, FL)…..23

12/1 Nina S. (Bradenton, FL)…..18

12/3 Brooks F. …..1

12/3 Walter S. (Jacksonville, FL)…..32

12/3 Cindy S. (Leesburg, FL)…..12

12/4 Lisa B. (Trenton, MI)…..30

12/4 John Q. (Rochester, NY)…..44

12/5 David E. (Costa Rica)…..18

12/5 Sophie G. (Punta Gorda, FL)…..13

12/5 Barry L. (Wimauma, FL)…..37

12/6 Wylie H. (Stony Brook, NY) …..10

12/6 Sissy V. (Kingsland, GA)…..14

12/6 Bill M. (Gilboa, NY)…..23

12/6 Jimmie C. (River Falls, WI)…..41

12/7 Tom L. (Moorestown, NJ)…..12

12/7 Chris K. (Davidson, NC)…..2

12/7 Mike B. …..40

12/7 Nan G. (Decent 7th Los Altos/Nantucket)…..29

12/7 Michelle S. (Bluffton, SC)…..5

12/7 Stephen S. (Chang Mai, Thailand)…..36

12/8 Kelli E. (Waynesville, NC)…..2

12/9 Heidi H. (Nantucket, MA)…..4

12/10 Mary J. (Port St. Lucie, FL)…..25

12/10 Kathy R. (Basking Ridge, NJ)…..15

12/10 Paul K. (Nantucket/Anguilla)…..19

12/10 Amanda T. (Vancouver, BC)…..6

12/10 Kim B. (Patrick Space Force Base)…..1

12/10 Peter D. (Dallas, TX)…..5

12/12 Shannon K. (Marshall, NC)…..27

12/12 Rich H. (Hanover, PA)…..42

12/13 Wendell M. (Bothell, WA)…..12

12/13 Tom O’. (Milwaukee, WI)…..19

12/13 Lou H. (Clermont, FL)…..2

12/14 Bob P. (Carolina, RI/Cullman, AL)…..35

12/15 Carrie F. (Selinsgrove, PA)…..21

12/15 John M. (Paros, Greece)…..23

12/15 Steve S. (Garnerville, NY)…..42

12/16 Jim J. (NYC)…..52

12/16 Susie U. (Starkville, MS)…..6

12/16 George B. (Houston, TX)…..5

12/16 Susan G. (Stamford, CT)…..15

12/17 Peter W. …..1

12/18 Chris V. (Royal Oak, MI)…..18

12/18 Jay A. …..21

12/18 Mike H. (Freemont, NH)…..8

12/19 Autumn M. (Jacksonville, FL)…..9

12/20 Lory W. (Winchester, UK)…..25

12/21 Deb S. (North Hampton, NH)…..35

12/21 Oakie O. (Ocean Gate, NJ)…..46

12/21 Scott G. (Waterford, CT)…..9

12/21 Bridget C. (Albany, NY)…..23

12/22 Dick M. (New York City)…..48

12/22 Bob O. (Stuart, FL)…..31

12/23 Ms. Lee H. (San Francisco, CA)…..35

12/23 Pete G. (Punta Gorda, FL)…..45

12/25 Joe D. (Salem, NH)…..14

12/25 Sharon G. (Palos Heights, IL)…..25

12/25 Eric F. (Kansas City)…..13

12/26 Koko S. (Anderson SC)…..1

12/26 Chick R. (Oak Forest, IL)…..28

12/26 Rick J. (Waynesville, NC)…..8

12/26 Donna V. (Clinton, NJ)…..6

12/27 Neil R. (Queens, NY)…..11

12/28 Julie V. …..12

12/29 Diana S. …..39

12/30 Rufus W. (Coppell, TX)…..52

12/31 Larry S. (Marietta, GA)…..38

 

1407 Total Years of Sobriety

 

 

 

Drop a Buck in the Basket?

PayPal paypal.me/TomMurphy

Venmo @Tom-Murphy-160

 

12&12

 

Tradition One - "Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. Unity."

"Does this mean," some will anxiously ask, "that in A.A. the individual doesn't count for much? Is he to be dominated by his group and swallowed up in it?"
We may certainly answer this question with a loud "No!" We believe there isn't a fellowship on earth which lavishes more devoted care upon its individual members; surely there is none which more jealously guards the individual's right to think, talk, and act as he wishes. No A.A. can compel another to do anything; nobody can be punished or expelled. Our Twelve Steps to recovery are suggestions; the Twelve Traditions which guarantee A.A.'s unity contain not a single "Don't." They repeatedly say "We ought . . ." but never "You must!"

p. 129

 

 

 

Twenty-Four Hours

                                           

A.A. Thought For The Day

The way of A.A. is the way of service. Without that, it would
not work. We have been "on the wagon" and hated it. We have
taken the pledge and waited for the time to be up with
impatience. We have tried in all manner of ways to help
ourselves. But not until we begin to help other people do we
get full relief. It is an axiom that the A.A. program has
to be given away in order to be kept. A river flows into the
Dead Sea and stops. A river flows into a clear pool and flows
out again. We get and then we give. If we do not give, we do
not keep. Have I given up all ideas of holding A.A. for myself
alone?

Meditation For The Day

Try to see the life of the spirit as a calm place, shut away
from the turmoil of the world. Think of your spiritual home
as a place full of peace, serenity, and contentment. Go to
this quiet, meditative place for the strength to carry you
through today's duties and problems. Keep coming back here
for refreshment when you are weary of the hubbub of the
outside world. From this quietness and communion comes our
strength.

Prayer For The Day

I pray that I may keep this resting place where I can commune
with God. I pray that I may find refreshment in meditation on
the Eternal.



Daily Thought

^*^*^*^*^
(\    ~~    /)
(     \(
AA)/     )
(_ /
AA\ _)
/
AA\
^*^*^*^*^

Helpfulness

"Your job now is to be at the place where you may be of maximum helpfulness to others, so never hesitate to go anywhere if you can be helpful. You should not hesitate to visit the most sordid spot on earth on such an errand. Keep on the firing line of life with these motives and God will keep you unharmed."
Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 102

Thought to Consider . . .

W
e in A.A. don't carry the alcoholic; we carry the message.


*~*AACRONYMS*~*

A. A.
Attitude Adjustment





DAILY REFLECTIONS

 

REACHING OUT

Never talk down to an alcoholic from any moral or

spiritual hilltop; simply lay out the kit of spiritual looks for

his inspection. Show him how they worked with you.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 95

 

When I come into contact with a newcomer, do I have a

tendency to look at him from my perceived ingle of

success in A.A.? Do I compare him with the large number

of acquaintances I have made in the Fellowship? Do I

point out to him in a magisterial way the voice of A.A.?

What is my real attitude toward him? I must examine

myself whenever I meet a newcomer to make sure that I

am carrying the message with simplicity, humility and

generosity. The one who still suffers from the terrible disease

of alcoholism must find in me a friend who will allow

him to get to know the A.A. way, because I had such a

friend when I arrived in A.A. Today it is my turn to hold

out my hand, with love, to my sister or brother alcoholic,

and to show her or him the way to happiness.

 

 

 

POT LUCK

 

Drop the Rock: Recovery Aerobics

 

Some of the Twelve Steps are taken in sequence and must be completed before moving on to the next ones. But the last three steps are "ongoing and timeless." Those of us who've been in recovery for a little while might wonder if we could use a check-up for our recovery.

 

 

Fred H. looks to Step Ten to give us these spot checks--these recovery aerobics--in Drop the Rock: The Ripple Effect. Here, he offers an array of practices and activities that can help as you work Step Ten day by day and moment after moment. Like aerobics, they strengthen our emotional and spiritual muscles, and their regular practice tends to bring continued, positive results.

 

 

This excerpt is from Drop the Rock: The Ripple Effect by Fred H. and has been edited for brevity.

 

 

These Spot Checks will help you better handle the things that pop up suddenly during the day--impulses, emotions, conflicts, misunderstandings, and so on.

 

 

                    You can Observe your own actions. If you realize you've just done

something unwise, stop yourself immediately. If necessary, work Step Ten on the spot--apologize; make amends; retrace your steps; begin again.

 

 

                           You can Observe your thoughts. If you have a potentially harmful thought, catch it before it turns into a decision to act. If a thought is about the future, ask yourself if it's practical and helpful. If a thought is about the past, ask yourself if it's compassionate. As the old-timers say, "If you've got one foot in tomorrow and one foot in yesterday, you're pissing all over today."

 

 

                           You can Observe your impulses. Recognize that they're not internal

mandates that need to be followed. They're just momentary urges that may involve money, sex, food, or safety--or, in some cases, power, praise, status, or acceptance. Evaluate each impulse carefully. Then consciously choose how--and whether--to act on it.

 

 

                           You can Observe your emotions. Often these will be generated by your

thoughts, actions, or impulses. In particular, watch for resentment, fear, anger, and shame. These are the emotions most commonly associated with unsustainable behavior. Remember that you always have a choice: you can act on the emotion in a sustainable way; you can act on it in an unsustainable way; or you can simply feel the emotion without acting on it at all. You can simply let it go, and observe it as it moves through you and blows away like clouds after a storm.

 

                           You can Observe any hopes for the future as they arise. Is the hope

associated with sustainable thoughts, feelings, or actions? If so, feel free to make the hope a goal. If not, consider amending it or letting go of it.

 

 

                           Watch for shoulds and shouldn'ts. Any time you tell yourself I should

_______ or I must not ________ or I have to _________, examine that thought carefully. Most shoulds and shouldn'ts create shame, disappointment, and failure rather than better results. Try reframing them as likes, preferences, goals, or more positive outcomes. For example, I shouldn't procrastinate can become I'll be happier and more productive if (or It would be better if) I didn't put things off.

 

 

                           Try to Notice your discomfort. Your discomfort is a sign that something significant is happening--or about to happen. Don't reflexively try to end the discomfort ASAP. Instead, investigate its source. Then ask yourself what you can learn from that discomfort. Is there something you need to do differently? If so, do it. Or would it be best to simply accept the discomfort for now, and let yourself feel it fully and relax into it?

 

 

                           Try to Notice if you're too comfortable. Let yourself briefly enjoy the

good feelings that come with compliments and accolades. Then let go of those feelings. If you cling to them, they can lead to arrogance or laziness--or otherwise get you into trouble.

 

                           Try to Notice any spiritual lapses. These lapses are normal and can take many forms. Essentially, they're periods when you have lost your connection with your design for living, either by what you're doing (such as acting out of self-will) or not doing (such as neglecting practice of Steps Ten through Twelve). If you're honest with yourself, when a lapse occurs--or threatens to occur--you'll quickly notice it and catch yourself. You can then return your focus to the Steps, and to the here and now.

 

 

                           Finally, Give your full attention to what you're doing. Are you unfocused or scattered? Are you holding something back for no good reason? Bring all of yourself back to this moment.

 

You can find more recovery aerobics like these in Drop the Rock: The Ripple Effect by Fred H.

 

About the Author:

Fred H. has worked in the field of addiction and recovery for thirty-seven years and is the director of the retreat center for a leading addiction treatment program. He is a popular international speaker on the Big Book and the principles of the Twelve Steps

 

 

 

 

**NEW**

Excellent Resource

Blogs, Audio and Video Articles

 

https://takethe12.org/

 

*****

 

"AA Recovery Interviews" Podcast

https://aarecoveryinterviews.com

 

Blog

http://todaysreprieve.blogspot.com/

 

 

Wee Willie’s

Sobriety First Media

AA CD’s Literature and tapes

https://www.mediafire.com/sobrietyfirst

 

 

AA Membership Survey 2022

Alcoholics Anonymous 2022 Membership Survey | Alcoholics Anonymous

 

 

Committee Consideration

from the 73rd General Service Conference

In response to a Committee Consideration from the 73rd General Service Conference

regarding any possible future changes to literature written by A.A.’s founders,

 that committee agreed it would be beneficial to gather shared experience

from the Fellowship regarding this topic.

Questionaire

 

How Should We Treat A.A. Founders' Writings?

 https://bit.ly/3uhEPBK

 

 

 

DR. PAUL O.
There is More to Quitting Drinking Than Quitting Drinking
(Audio Book)

Introduction
http://bit.ly/1IlFBbp

Part I
http://bit.ly/1MPV5Za

Part II
http://bit.ly/1Ksd9eA

Part III
http://bit.ly/1GQCGGE

Part IV
http://bit.ly/1Ip0hn8

AA CDs Literature and tapes
https://www.mediafire.com/sobrietyfirst

 

 

 

ZOOM MEETINGS

 

Loose Garment Group

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/238977518

Saturday & Sunday….Pot Luck…0900

ID: 238 977 518

PW: 004 394

 

 

 

ARCHIVES

 

 

AA World Service Board Meeting Highlights

October 2023

 https://bit.ly/3GlcOvE

 

 

 

A New Pair of Glasses in PDF (download) is available at:

https://bit.ly/4bUr0Js

 

 

Bill Schaberg

Writing The Big Book

Video Readings

https://www.youtube.com/@billschaberg8911/videos

 

BIG BOOK for DUMMIES

https://bigbookfordummies.com/

 

 

 

*Angel Force USA

www.AngelForceUSA.com

 

Angel Force USA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

OUR MISSION

STOP SUISILENCE

The avoidance of discussion about suicide

Our goal is to raise awareness of the military suicide epidemic.

 

 

 

RICHMOND WALKER & THE TWENTY-FOUR HOUR BOOK
Glenn C. (South Bend, Indiana)
Talk given at the 8th Annual National A.A. Archives Workshop, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Sept. 27, 2003

https://www.prestongroup.org/aa_docs/24_hours_a_day.txt

 

 

 

MEDITATIONS

http://www.11thstepmeditation.org/

 

Loving Kindness Meditations

 

With Music

 

http://www.excelatlife.com/mp3/direct_download.php?file=lovingkindnessmusic.mp3

 

 

Voice only

http://www.excelatlife.com/mp3/direct_download.php?file=lovingkindness.mp3

 

*****

Free Guided Meditations

http://marc.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=22

Resources

 

Great Minds Quotes

https://twitter.com/GreatestQuotes

 

 

 

MOOJI GUIDED Meditation

http://bit.ly/2Ogwe9v

 

 

**Podcasts**

https://boiledowlaa.org/

https://www.aagrapevine.org/podcast

 

 

12 Step Meditations

 www.stepmeditation.com

 

These are 12 meditations,

each about 12 minutes long and the content

(other than the meditation instructions)

are straight from the text of the big book and 12 & 12

(created by Matt H.)

 

 

Speaker Recordings

 

Wee Willie’s

Sobriety First Media

AA CD’s Literature and tapes

https://www.mediafire.com/sobrietyfirst

*****

 

The Lights are On

http://xa-speakers.org/

 

 

Recovery Speakers

http://recoveryspeakers.com/

 

Miscellaneous Sources

Living Life Fully

http://www.livinglifefully.com/

 

 

Twenty Four Hours a Day

Since 1954, Twenty-Four Hours a Day has become a stable force in the recovery of many alcoholics

throughout the world. With over nine million copies in print (the original text has been revised),

this "little black book" offers daily thoughts, meditations, and prayers for living a clean and sober life.

A spiritual resource with practical applications to fit our daily lives.

Copyright 1975 Hazeleden Foundation

 

Tammy’s recovery links

http://www.bluidkiti.com/forums/

 

AA Photo Archives

http://www.rewritables.net/cybriety/aa_photos.htm

 

Heard at A Meeting

https://twitter.com/heardinameeting

 

Breast Cancer Site

Take a minute and click to provide free mammograms

https://thebreastcancersite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/bcs/home

 

MEN FIGHTING CANCER TOGETHER

America’s largest volunteer men’s cancer support group

and advocacy national nonprofit organization.

http://malecare.org/

 

 

Prayables

http://prayables.org/

 

 

Daily Thought

http://groups.google.com/group/TransitionsDaily

 

Speaker Recordings

Stories of Recovery - A 12-Step Collection

https://storiesofrecovery.org/index.html

 

 


 

 

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