Your Daily Reprieve 12.16.25

 

Your Daily Reprieve for Tuesday  December 16, 2025   From Waynesville, NC

We are so vain that we care even for the opinion of those we don't care for.        -Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach     Vanity is the result of a delusion that someone is paying attention.       -Paul E. Sweeney   Caring passionately about something isn't against nature, and it isn't against human nature.   It's what we're here to do. ~Annie Dillard     In quarreling, the truth is always lost.     -Publilius Syrus     On the Third Day of Christmas….   At Christmas play and make good cheer, for Christmas comes but once a year. Thomas Tusser   God never gives someone a gift they are not capable of receiving. If he gives us the gift of Christmas, it is because we all have the ability to understand and receive it. Pope Francis

Big Book Quote   There will be alluring shortcuts and by-paths down which they may wander and lose their way.   P123

Daily Share!     AA Speaker of the Day     HENRY M Serenity Improvement Group 09.12.20   https://bit.ly/4pnkfat

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 Jorge 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." Those who look closely soon have the key to this strange paradox. The A.A. member has to conform to the principles of recovery. His life actually depends upon obedience to spiritual principles. If he deviates too far, the penalty is sure and swift; he sickens and dies. At first he goes along because he must, but later he discovers a way of life he really wants to live. Moreover, he finds he cannot keep this priceless gift unless he gives it away. Neither he nor anybody else can survive unless he carries the A.A. message. The moment this Twelfth Step work forms a group, another discovery is made - that most individuals cannot recover unless there is a group. Realization dawns that he is but a small part of a great whole; that no personal sacrifice is too great for preservation of the Fellowship. He learns that the clamor of desires and ambitions within him must be silenced whenever these could damage the group. It becomes plain that the group must survive or the individual will not. p. 130

Twenty-Four Hours                                              A.A. Thought For The Day The way of A.A. is the way of faith. We don't get the full benefit of the program until we surrender our lives to some Power greater than ourselves and trust that Power to give us the strength we need. There is no better way for us. We can get sober without it. We can stay sober for some time without it. But if we are going to truly live, we must take the way of faith in God. That is the path for us. We must follow it. Have I taken the way of faith? Meditation For The Day Life is not a search for happiness. Happiness is a by-product of living the right kind of a life, of doing the right thing. Do not search for happiness, search for right living and happiness will be your reward. Life is sometimes a march of duty during dull, dark days. But happiness will come again, as God's smile of recognition of your faithfulness. True happiness is always the by-product of a life well lived. Prayer For The Day I pray that I may not seek happiness but seek to do right. I pray that I may not seek pleasure so much as the things that bring true happiness.

Daily Thought  ^*^*^*^*^ (\    ~~    /) (     \(AA)/     ) (_ /AA\ _) /AA\ ^*^*^*^*^ Foundation "Taking this book down from our shelf we turn to the page which contains the twelve steps. Carefully reading the first five proposals we ask if we have omitted anything, for we are building an arch through which we shall walk free at last. Is our work solid so far? Are the stones properly in place? Have we skimped on the cement put into the foundation? Have we tried to make mortar without sand?" c.1976 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 75 Thought to Consider . . . This day I choose to spend in perfect peace. *~*AACRONYMS*~* G R A C E Gently Releasing All Conscious Expectations

DAILY REFLECTIONS   PARTNERS IN RECOVERY . . nothing will so much insure immunity from finking as intensive work with other alcoholics. . . Both you and the new man must walk day by ay in the path of spiritual progress. . . . Follow the dictates of a Higher Power and you will presently live in a new and wonderful world, no matter what your resent circumstances! ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, pp. 89, 100   Doing the right things for the right reasons—this is my way of controlling my selfishness and self-centeredness. I realize that my dependency on a higher Power clears the way for peace of mind, happiness and sobriety. I pray each day that I will avoid my previous actions, so that I will be helpful o others.

POT LUCK   Boredom   Is not life a hundred times too short for us to bore ourselves? ~Friedrich Nietzsche   Boredom is a form of conceit. When we are bored we are saying, "Okay, life, you are not doing your job of keeping me entertained." To think that life or those around us or the world itself is here primarily to keep us amused and entertained is "Stinking thinking."   This thinking can screw up our attitude and take us back to the point where our addiction seems like the only way out of that boredom. We may be miserable, but at least we aren't bored, we think.   Those who learn to work the program find that life is far from boring. Each day brings many quiet moments of joy, compassion, and insight. Rich serenity replaces the empty landscape of boredom.     I am not in recovery just to be abstinent; I am living to learn, to help others, and to keep busy through positive action.

**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