DEC 25, 22 .. MERRY, SOBER HOLIDAY WISHES FOR ONE .. AND FOR ALL ..

It is no secret or surprise to those of us in recovery that the holidays, all of them but especially at Christmas, are a very stressful time.

Because of this, it is very important to stay close to the program and to our fellow partners in recovery.

Go to meetings. Get out of your head. Reach out to others. Where better to do this than to visit your friendly and comfortable local meetings.

In the greater Phoenix, Arizona, metropolitan area, there are many (read MANY) excellent meetings.

One of my favorite meeting locations is the North Scottsdale Fellowship Club (NSFC) located near the corner of North Scottsdale Road and East Shea Blvd in Scottsdale.

Just look at how nicely the NSFC is decorated this Christmas season.

A close up look below at the decorations on the table to the right of the Speaker's Podium above.

A closer look at the Speaker's Podium.

Decorations to the left of the Speaker's Podium.

Yes indeed ! The NSFC has a fully decorated Christmas Tree.

Too Feel Good .. Do Good ..

So get involved with your local fellowship especially during Christmas !

Merry and Sober Holiday Wishes !

NOV 27, 22 .. THE ELEVENTH STEP AND THE ELEVENTH TRADITION .. HEARD IN A MEETING ..

Here we are again, November, the 11th month of the year.

STEP 11  .. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of his will for us and the power to carry that out.

Let's keep it simple.

Doctor Bob's last words to Bill W. .. " Remember Bill, let's not louse this thing up, let's keep it simple ! "

Prayer .. Talking to God.

PUSH .. Pray Until Something Happens.

Meditation .. Listening.

MUSH .. Meditate Until Something Happens.

What's complicated about that?

What is God's will ?

Doctor Paul wrote on page 420 of the A.A. Big Book .. " I do whatever is in front of me to be done, and I leave the results up to Him; however it turns out, that's God's will for me.

Doctor Paul told me that IF he could rewrite the above he would add the word discernment.

" With discernment I do whatever is in front of me to be done, and I leave the results up to Him; however it turns out, that's God's will for me.

During life, many temptations and opportunities will come before all of us that are obviously NOT God's will ! 

TRADITION 11 .. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.

Why do .. We need always personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films?

Let's keep that simple too.

To protect A.A.

IF we reveal our A.A. membership publicly and we relapse and possibly make a fool of ourselves, the world will think .. "See ! A.A. doesn't work !"

HEARD IN A MEETING just the other day.

" Why is it that the suffering, miserable, alcoholic, who's very life is in the pits, practically has to be dragged, kicking and screaming all the way, into a new and better way of life ? "

Amazing huh ? 

Offer a sick and dying cancer patient a book to read and some meetings to attend with the promise that they will be free of cancer and they'd joyously snap up the opportunity.

If you have decided that you want what we have and are willing to go to any length -- then you are ready to take certain steps.