living serenity july

7/28/2019 Living Serenity July

1/13

Humbly asked Him

to remove our short-

comings.

Are we now willing to

share them with God? Wemust ask ourselves if weare willing to go to anylength to get rid of thesesame defects that causedour life to be unmanage-able. Do we want to getrid of them, even thosethat , were "fun"? Perhapsyou will have some hesi-tancy sharing all this with

another. I did. Not toworry, you haven't done

Every A.A. group

ought to be fully self-

supporting, declining

outside contribu-

tions.

The A.A. Groups them-selves ought to be fullysupported by the voluntarycontribution of their ownmembers. We think thateach group should soonachieve its ideal: that anypublic solicitation of fundsusing the name of Alco-holics Anonymous is

highly dangerous, whetherby groups, clubs,

Step Seven by AnonymousINSIDE THISINSIDE THISISSUE:ISSUE:

Step 7 1

Tradition 7 1

Fruits of our Labor 2

Meeting Schedule 3

24 Hours a Day 4

Closer Look at a

Member

5-6

Meditation 7-8

Black spotted love bug 9

12 Steps / 12 Tradi-10

The Promises 11

Prayer of St. Francis 12

I am Responsible 13

Tradition Seven by April

L I V I N G S E R E N I T Y

L I V I N G S E R E N I T Y

M O N T H L Y

N E W S L E T T E R

D E L I V E R E D T O

Y O U R I N B O X A T N O -

C H A R G E . S E N D Y O U R

E M A I L T O :

L I V I N G S E R E N -

I T Y 1 @ G M A I L . C O M

J U L Y 4 , 2 0 1 3

The Brown Bag

property, money, and au-

thority." (A.A. Grapevine,

June, 1948)

A.A. survives by members

giving what they can to

support their meetings anddistrict. A.A. has only

asked members to give

$1.00 as a contribution to

keep meetings open to Al-

coholics who wish to get

sober. The contribution

has not changed in years

and A.A. seems to strug-

gle along, but

Cont. pg. 4

P A G E 1

Cont. pg. 3

in one fashion or another.And you will hearsomeone in meetings tellyour story, maybe not allof it, but a great portionof it.

(The way it was put to

me, "Until someone in

AA knows everything

you know about yourself

you are nowhere. The

result is nil until you tell

it all and let go

absolutely."

Step 7 asks us to come

up with something wedon't have, never had,

Hospitals or other outside

agencies; that acceptance

of large gifts from any

source, or of contributions

carrying any obligation

whatever, is unwise. Then

too, we view with much

concern those A.A. treasur-

ies which continue, beyond

prudent reserves, to accu-

mulate funds for no stated

A.A. purpose. Experience

has often warned us that

nothing can so surely de-

stroy our spiritual heritage

as futile disputes over

anytime soon. But Step 7is the beginning of acquir-ing it ... True Humility ...With a simple prayer to ourHigher Power, as we askthat ALL our character de-

fects which stand in theway of our usefulness toHim and our fellows beremoved, we have com-pleted step 7.

(For myself, I have had to

repeat that prayer many,

many times, sometimes

moment by moment, as I

have found that God does

not remove a character de-fect if I am doing it... I


2/13

Email us at: [email protected] with comments or suggestions

J U L Y 4 , 2 0 1 3 P A G E 2L I V I N G S E R E N I T Y

Fruits of our LaborFruits of our Labor

ResolvingFear

Fear somehow touched about every aspect of our lives. It was an eviland corroding thread; the fabric of our existence was shot through

with it. It set in motion trains of circumstances which brought us

misfortune we felt we didn't deserve. But did not we often set the

ball rolling ourselves?

The problem of resolving fear has two aspects. We shall have to try

for all the freedom from fear that is possible for us to attain. Then

we shall need to find both the courage and the grace to deal

constructively with whatever fears remain.

1. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, PP. 67-68

2. GRAPEVINE, JANUARY 1962

As Bill Sees It pg 61

From the Eyes of the FounderFrom the Eyes of the Founder

ONLY MY

SPONSOR

S AND I

ARE

FULLY

AWARE

OF,

THANK

GOD!

AA Meet-

ings in

print, canbe a lifesav-

ing mo-

ment in

time. Copyright As Bill Sees It,Inc. Reprinted with permission).

At my Fathers Grave

Here I was, sober only six months, and I was standing over my biological fathers

grave. My adopted father and his younger brother were there beside me.

We were in the cemetery of my childhood home of Roanoke, VA., Which was alongway from where I lived and Wrightwood, CA. But thats following good, orderly

direction had led me.

My father died back in 1998, and on this cold November day in 2005, I was working

my AA Ninth Step with him. Hed led a less-than-exemplary life, having been

arrested for lack of child-support when my mother died and was buried on her 50th

birthday in 1970. But then, so had I led a less-than-exemplary life that, to that day,

only my sponsors and I are fully aware of, thank God! So how could I possibly make

amends to someone who had been dead nearly two decades?

Troy B., my first sponsor answered: Simple but not easy! He said I was to write

Copyright The AA Grapevine,

Inc. Reprinted with permission).To subscribe to the AA Grapevine.

go to www.aagrapevine.org

Cont. pg. 3


3/13

Brown BagGroup

Weekly Meetings

Sunrise Methodist Churc

150 S. 356th Street

Federal Way, Washingto

Monday 12:00 1:00p.m

Open Discussion Meeting

Tuesday 12:00 1:00p.m

12 x 12 Study

Wednesday 12:00 1:00p.m

Big Book Study

Thursday 12:00 1:00p.m


Friday 12:00 1:00p.m.


Saturday & Sunday

No Meetings

The Brown Bag group of Al

holics Anonymous

...holds its monthly busine

meeting the first Thursday ofmonth 1:05 p.m.

This is a great place to get i

volved in service work.

Unity - Service - Recovery



never fails. Some of the smaller meetings might not survive, but A.A. as a

whole survives. When District starts to struggle the word goes out and all of the

meetings which has the means contributes to keep A.A. alive. Many has tried to

donate money to A.A. however, we have turned it down in order to keep A.A. a

self-supporting group. A.A. is not owned by anyone only survives by its mem-

bers who wish to stay sober and live a healthy life. Investing into the program is

investing into peoples lives. Without member contributions A.A. would not be

there for those who need this program the most. We survive by our family who

is the unity of A.A. and, the unity is the people who support it. We dont answer

to anyone we get live because Bill and Bob trudged the way for us and created

this tradition to keep A.A. alive and well.

April

Living Serenity Newslet

Editor: Bruce H.

Funded by

Tradition Seven (Tradition Seven (continued from page 1)continued from page 1)

A three-part letter. In the first part, I would forgive my dad. The second part, I

would ask his forgiveness. And, in the third part, I was described how my life

would change as a result of all this forgiveness. I still dont understand this

present life or the afterlife well enough to know how the fir4st two parts

worked, although I did what I was asked to do, with simple faith. Its the third

part that I better understand, how having exercised it over the past few years.

After 30 years of hating the man who had seemingly caused my family and meso much harm, it came naturally for me to bad-mouth him to anyone who

would listen (and some who wouldnt). Thirty years of habitually thinking he

was the source of all my woes didnt disappear overnight. Thats the beauty of

the third part of the letter? For in that part, I wrote that I no longer have the

right to denigrate someone whom Ive forgiven? I can no longer dwell on my

fathers poor behavior, which Ive come to understand is, itself, poor behavior.

When my mind wanders back to that deep, dark cave Id excavated over those

30 years, I remind myself about the third part of that letter , and my living

mends. Im now able to turn away from that strangely inviting, dark

resentment, much like Victor E. habitually turns away from that yawning

black-hole of a barroom door that unerringly and unsuccessfully invites him in

time and time again for a drink.

Ed L.

Wrightwood, CA

Fruits of our Labor Cont.


4/13

Step Seven cont.Step Seven cont.

P A G E 4L I V I N G S E R E N I T YJ U L Y 4 , 2 0 1 3


have first had to stop from doing it, ask for His help to not do it, and then He removed the need for doing it.

Same like with the need to drink, I had to stop first.)

that God does not remove a character defect if I am doing it... I have first had to stop from doing it, ask for Hishelp to not do it, and then He removed the need for doing it. Same like with the need to drink, I had to stopfirst.)

These Principles by which one leads a truly Spiritual Life and completes the learning of the Lessons of Love.

Honesty, Hope, Faith, Courage, Integrity, Willingness, Humility, Brotherly Love, Justice, Perseverance,

Spirituality, and Service to One Another. (Those are the character assets we need to acquire. NONE of these

are possible without the development of TRUST! And that I learned from you!! .)

Here are some of Defects:

Resentment, Fear, Self pity, Self justification, Egotism, Guilt, Impatience, hate False

Pride, Jealousy, Envy, Laziness, Procrastination, Insincerity, Negative thinking, Immoral

Thinking, Perfectionism, Criticizing, Greed

If you believe that Gods grace has saved you, then you must believe that He is meaning to save you yet more

and to keep you in the way that you should go. Even human rescuers would not save you from drowning onlyto place you in other deep and dangerous waters. Rather, they would place you on dry land, there to restore

you. God, who is your rescuer, would certainly do this and even more. God will complete the task He sets out

tgo do. He will not throw you overboard, if you are depending on Him.

Twenty-Four Hours A Day July 12A.A. Thought of the Day

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may trust God to keep ;me in the way. I pray that I may rely on Him not to let me go.

Today is ours. Let us live today as we believe God wants us to live. Each day will have a new pattern which

we cannot foresee. But we can open each day with a quiet period in which we say a little prayer, asking God

to help us through the day. Personal contact with God, as we understand Him, will from day to day bring us

nearer to an understanding of His will for us. At the close of the day, we offer Him thanks for another day of

sobriety. A full, constructive day has been lived and we are grateful.Am I asking god each day for strength

and thanking Him each night?

Thought for the Day

Meditation for the Day


5/13

J U L Y 4 , 2 0 1 3 L I V I N G S E R E N I T Y P A G E 5

Spotlight On Alcoholics Anonymous

AA Celebrates Its 78th BirthdaySince Dr. Bob Smith's last drink on June 10, 1935, AA has grown from twomembers to more than 2 million.

Seventy-eight years ago, a newly sober New Yorker went to Akron, Ohio on business. Tempted by an urge to

drink, he instead went to a phone booth and called the local church directory. He was referred to a woman

who had been trying to help a hopeless alcoholic for the past two years. The New York businessman, Bill

Wilson, asked if he could speak to the alcoholic, Dr. Bob Smith. The two men met on May 12, and Wilson

laid out the foundation for what would become AA: he told his storywhat it was like being a drunk, what

happened to sober him up, and what his life was like on that day. They spoke for many hours and the two

agreed to help one another stay sober, with Wilson moving in to the Smith household in Akron. Smith then

relapsed and sobered up again. The date of that last drinkJune 10, 1935has since stood as the founding

date of AA.

The story has been told in many formsin Wilson and Smith's own stories in AA'sBig Book, inAA Comes ofAge, inDr. Bob and the Good Old Timers, and on the official timeline of AA. The first AA meeting beganshortly thereafter in Akron, before Wilson returned to New York and began the second AA meeting in hisBrooklyn home. Within four years, AA had 100 members. Today, AA has an estimated total of 2,133,842members in 114,070 AA groups worldwide. And at least 53 other 12-step fellowships have sprung up,modeled on the AA

NCADD President and CEO Robert J. Lindsey noted that "By taking the 12 steps and working the principlesof the steps into all parts of their lives, A.A. members find they can develop the tools and attitudes they need

to remain sober."

Mr. Lindsey added "we are thankful that A.A. because in its 78 years in existence, the organization has helpedmillions of men and women throughout the world, and in all walks of life, find a new and satisfying way oflife without alcohol."

NCADD is America's oldest national advocacy health organization dealing exclusively with alcoholism anddrug dependence. Founded in 1944 by Marty Mann, the first woman to achieve long-term sobriety inAlcoholics Anonymous, NCADD continues to be the national voice for those suffering from alcoholism and

drug dependence.Which is why we strongly believe that it is critical to remember that addiction is a chronic illness and recoveryis a lifelong process. The likelihood of sustained recovery is significantly improved after a year of continued

abstinence.

The chances of achieving this milestone are greater with the support of family and friends and a "recoverynetwork of peers" such as Alcoholics Anonymous.


Cont. pg. 7


6/13



Happy 78th Founders Day

Dr. Robert Smith and his wife Ann joined the Oxford Group where they talked about their prayer needs. Dr. Bob

confessed that he was a silent drinker and couldnt stop and asked for prayers.

Henrietta Seiberling was in that religious group as well and committed to pray for him.

A friend, Bill W, came into town for a business venture that fell through, wanted to get drunk, and asked Henri-

etta if there was another drunk that he could talk to. His theory was that only another drunk could understand

what he was going through and would help him maintain his sobriety.

Ms. Seiberling got Dr. Bob and Bill together for a six hour meeting at the gatehouse of Stan Hywet Hall, where the

problems that they went through as a drunk. That meeting in 1935 led to Alcoholics Anonymous.

Alcoholics Anonymous is a program that allows men and women to share their experiences, strengths, and hopes

in order to help each other recover from alcoholism. The same philosophy that Dr. Bob and Bill W. used to help th

beginning still works today. Their goal is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety.

Today marks the 78th Anniversary of Alcoholics Anonymous. June 10th was the day Dr. Bob put down his last al

symbolically used as the moment of birth for this wonderful organization, which helped millions over the years to l

ful lives. Congratulations!!


7/13

Meditation for Beginners: 20 Practical Tips forQuieting the Mind

Meditation is the art of focusing 100% of your attention in one area. The practice comes with a myriad of well-publicized health benefits including increased concentration, decreased anxiety, and a general feeling ofhappiness. Although a great number of people try meditation at some point in their lives, a small percentageactually stick with it for the long-term. This is unfortunate, and a possible reason is that many beginners do notbegin with a mindset needed to make the practice sustainable. The purpose of this article is to provide 20practical recommendations to help beginners get past the initial hurdles and integrate meditation over the longterm:

1) Make it a formal practice. You will only get to the next level in meditation by setting aside specific time(preferably two times a day) to be still.

2) Start with the breath. Breathing deep slows the heart rate, relaxes the muscles, focuses the mind and is anideal way to begin practice.

3) Stretch first. Stretching loosens the muscles and tendons allowing you to sit (or lie) more comfortably.Additionally, stretching starts the process of going inward and brings added attention to the body.

4) Meditate with Purpose. Beginners must understand that meditation is an ACTIVE process. The art offocusing your attention to a single point is hard work, and you have to be purposefully engaged!

5) Notice frustration creep up on you. This is very common for beginners as we think hey, what am I doinghere or why cant I just quiet my damn mind already. When this happens, really focus in on your breath andlet the frustrated feelings go.

6) Experiment. Although many of us think of effective meditation as a Yogi sitting cross-legged beneath aBonzi tree, beginners should be more experimental and try different types of meditation. Try sitting, lying,eyes open, eyes closed, etc.

7) Feel your body parts. A great practice for beginning mediators' is to take notice of the body when ameditative state starts to take hold. Once the mind quiets, put all your attention to the feet and then slowlymove your way up the body (include your internal organs). This is very healthy and an indicator that you areon the right path.

8) Pick a specific room in your home to meditate. Make sure it is not the same room where you do work,

exercise, or sleep. Place candles and other spiritual paraphernalia in the room to help you feel at ease.

9) Read a book (or two) on meditation. Preferably an instructional guide AND one that describes the benefitsof deep meditative states. This will get you motivated. John Kabat-Zinns Wherever You Go, There YouAre is terrific for beginners.

10) Commit for the long haul. Meditation is a life-long practice, and you will benefi t most by NOT

examining the results of your daily practice. Just do the best you can every day, and then let it go!




8/13

Meditation Cont.

11) Listen to instructional tapes and CDs.

12) Generate moments of awareness during the day. Finding your breath and beingpresent while not in formal practice is a wonderful way to evolve your meditation habits.

13) Make sure you will not be disturbed. One of the biggest mistakes beginners makeis not insuring peaceful practice conditions. If you have it in the back of your mind that thephone might ring, your kids might wake, or your coffee pot might whistle than you will not

be able to attain a state of deep relaxation.

14) Notice small adjustments. For beginning meditators, the slightest physicalmovements can transform a meditative practice from one of frustration to one of renewal.These adjustments may be barely noticeable to an observer, but they can mean everythingfor your practice.

15) Use a candle. Meditating with eyes closed can be challenging for a beginner. Lighting acandle and using it as your point of focus allows you to strengthen your attention with a

visual cue. This can be very powerful.

16) Do NOT Stress. This may be the most important tip for beginners, and the hardest toimplement. No matter what happens during your meditation practice, do not stress about it.This includes being nervous before meditating and angry afterwards. Meditation is what it is,and just do the best you can at the time.

17) Do it together. Meditating with a partner or loved one can have many wonderfulbenefits, and can improve your practice. However, it is necessary to make sure that you setagreed-upon ground rules before you begin!

18) Meditate early in the morning. Without a doubt, early morning is an idealtime to practice: it is quieter, your mind is not filled with the usual clutter, and there is lesschance you will be disturbed. Make it a habit to get up half an hour earlier to meditate.

19) Be Grateful at the end. Once your practice is through, spend 2-3 minutes feelingappreciative of the opportunity to practice and your minds ability to focus.

20) Notice when your interest in meditation begins to wane. Meditation is

hard work, and you will inevitably come to a point where it seemingly does not fit into thepicture anymore. THIS is when you need your practice the most and I recommend you go

back to the books or the CDs you listened to and become re-invigorated with the practice.Chances are that losing the ability to focus on meditation is parallel with your inability tofocus in other areas of your life!

Meditation is an absolutely wonderful practice, but can be very difficult in the beginning.Use the tips described in this article to get your practice to the next level!

J U L Y 4 , 2 0 1 3 L I V I N G S E R E N I T Y P A G E 9



9/13

SAVED BY A BLACK SPOTTED LOVE BUG

Who would have thought that one of the most single most buzz-busters during my days of merriment would come in the form of asmall, comma, hyper ridiculously smart dog? A Jack Russell to be precise and my first dog at that.Life was so much easier growing up with Siamese cats. Not that theyre dumb by any means, they just couldnt read my mind. Or seem to

care what my breath smelled like, or if I stumbled around a bit. Hiding under the bed certainly wasnt unusual and they could have cared

less if I was gone for long periods of time. Sure, they acted too cool for school when I finally did stroll in until there was a need for, of

all things, food or water. Then they very much made their presence known. How could I have forgotten that again? Gee. Thats a no

brainer.

The opposite extreme would describe my normally overly exuberant canine. When sober, she greeted me as if I was gone for months,

even after a trip all the way to the mailbox. Bouncing up and down, as if on an invisible trampoline, she would proceed to smother me

with kisses. Followed by the ritual of dragging her blanket or favorite toy, placing them before me and it was on. No ignoring the little

freak of nature. Way too cute and full of overwhelming unconditional love. The feeling was mutual.

When inebriated, all bets were off. She didnt like me so much. Lets be honest. You know what Im talking about here. For those fortu-

nate ones who happen to be around me Im sure I was incredibly entertaining. In a sickening, slobbery, apologetic, goofy and sometimes

sarcastic way. Although this was acceptable by those in the same frame of mind, how annoying for those who werent. As for my furry

BFF, her reaction to my bad behavior manifested in several ways.

She was repelled. No loving greetings or desire to play. After hours of being alone you could forget the kisses. She actually seemed to

abhor the smell of beer and cigarettes (imposed on my clothes by others), and especially hated my gushing. I swear she was thinking

really, have you looked in the mirror?

She stayed clear of me, found a spot anywhere away from me, and became a lump. Not moving, she watched me. Which I hated. No

amount of coaxing or bribing with tasty treats would change her opinion of me. She simply waited.

Occasionally she would wait by my side, concerned and disgusted when I was sick in the bathroom, a rare occurrence when not sloshed.

Another time at a devastatingly low point in my life I was reaching for a gun under by bed. Absolutely convinced I would be better off

not around and would be 30 seconds from peace. Down on my knees, I looked up and there she was. Again waiting, and staring. I

grabbed and decided to wait. Maybe things would be better tomorrow.

I can say during periods of sunshine and calm she would slowly allow herself to trust me again. It just didnt last very long. As we all did, I

drank to not deal or feel. Crumbling relationships, ongoing loathing (due to really great decision making), and the stress of daily living

were made considerably easier when avoiding them. Big fat lie alert. Drinking didnt change a thing. Simply postponed the inevitable, and

there was no evolving happening. Not a single area of my life was made better. As the depression worsened I sabotaged everything good

or positive, contributed solely to my demise, and took prisoners.

My last hurrah lasted four years. Complete hell full of panic attacks, divorce, fear, and the loss of five family members. One being my

father who had disowned me due to my lifestyle, the other my best friend of forty years. I had mostly earned the right to continue to self-

destruct by hanging out at sleazy, dirty, dark bars with all my friends. Of course I really only went there to play pool. Sure.

The end of my beginning came when what may have been my last breaking point, once again feeling the need to check out. This time I

had a plan. I would take out my dog; eliminate myself, thus assuring she wouldnt be alone. I loved her that much and after all, no one

could take better care of her than me.

Miraculously a real live knight in shining armor intervened on my behalf. He took charge and got me the help I needed. After six years of

an off and on relationship, through trauma and joy, we have both been sober for three years. Coolest of all, I am proud to announce we

got ourselves married eight months ago. And girls, hes hot. So dont give up.

AA is hugely responsible. Therapy for a buck a meeting and I am beginning to feel safe for the first time in my life.

Most definitely divinely inspired. My god never left me, I turned by back on him and owe everything to him. After a year in the program

I found a sponsor and did my steps. And I am also relating to womenfolk. Other than a few elite in my life, men were more my prefer-

ence. These women are like-minded, trustworthy, and ex-bad girls like me. I now have the immense honor of being a sponsor.

I have my spark back. Im willing and eager to grow up and work on my life-long issues. And Im in love. With my husband, AA, and my

dog of course. She loves to hike, go to the ocean, chase unfortunate small creatures, frolic in the snow and sunbathe. No more lump. She

still sleeps by my side, under the covers, as she has since she was a puppy. Now ten going on two, she is exhausting. And I thank God

for her every day. Good things do come in small, black, spotted packages.

Julz

J U L Y 4 , 2 0 1 3 L I V I N G S E R E N I T Y P A G E 1 0



10/13

The Twelve Steps of

Alcoholics Anonymous

1) We admitted we were powerless

over alcohol-that our lives had

become unmanageable.

2) Came to believe that a Power

greater than ourselves could re-

store us to sanity.

3) Made a decision to turn our will

and our lives over to the care of

God as we understood Him.

4) Made a searching and fearless

moral inventory of ourselves.

5) Admitted to God, to ourselves, and

to another human being the exact

nature of our wrongs.

6) Were entirely ready to have God

remove all these defects of charac-

ter.

7) Humbly asked Him to remove our

shortcomings.

8) Made a list of all persons we had

harmed, and became willing to

make amends to them all.

9) Made direct amends to such people

wherever possible, except when to

do so would injure them or others

10) Continued to take personal inven-

tory and when we were wrong

promptly admitted it.

11) Sought through prayer and medi-

tation 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.

12) Having had a spiritual awakening

as a result of these steps, we tried

to carry this message to alcoholics,

and practice these principles in all

our affairs.

The Twelve Traditions of

Alcoholics Anonymous

1) Our common welfare shouldcome first; personal recovery depends on A.A. unity.

2) For our group purpose there isbut one ultimate authority a loing God as He may express Him

self in our group conscience. Ouleaders are but trusted servantsthey do not govern.

3) The only requirement for A.A.membership is a desire to stopdrinking.

4) Each group should be autono-mous except in matters affectingother groups or A.A. as a whole

5) Each group has but one primapurposeto carry its message tthe alcoholic who still suffers.

6) An A.A. group ought never en-dorse, finance, or lend the A.A.name to any related facility or oside enterprise, lest problems ofmoney, property, and prestige dvert us from our primary pur-pose.

7) Every A.A. group ought to befully self-supporting, decliningoutside contributions.

8) Alcoholics Anonymous shouldremain forever non-professionabut our service centers may em-ploy special workers.

9) A.A. as such, ought never be or

ganized; but we may create specservice boards or committees directly responsible to those theyserve.

10) Alcoholics Anonymous has noopinion on outside issues; hencethe A.A. name ought never bedrawn into public controversy.

11) Our public relations policy isbased on attraction rather thanpromotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at thelevel of press, radio, and films.

12) Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, everremind us to place principles before personalities.

Set Aside Prayer

Dear god please set aside everything

we think we know about ourselves, the

Big Book, Alcoholism, the Steps, and

in Spiritual Terms especially you

God. Father, we ask that we may have

a truly open mind, so we might have anew experience with these things;

pleas help us see the truth. AMEN

That my Soul May Sour

I seek strength not to be greaterthan my brother but to fight my

greatest enemy Myself!

THE BROW N BAG

M ONTHLY BUSINESS M EETING IS ON THE

FIRST THURSDAY OF THE M ONTH AT 1 : 15 P .M .

W E ENCOURAGE ANYONE INTERESTED IN

SERVICE POSITION TO ATTEND THIS M EET-

ING.

Living Serenity is not affiliated with

Alcoholics Anonymous World

Services, Inc. or with the General

Service Office of Alcoholics

Anonymous. The distribution of this

Newsletter has not been authorized or

endorsed by, and does not imply

affiliation with Alcoholics Anonymous

World Services, Inc. or the General

Service Office of Alcoholics

Anonymous. The intent of this

Newsletter is to communicate ideas

for recovery and events for fellowship

to recovering alcoholics in the Area

and beyond!

P A G E 1 2L I V I N G S E R E N I T YJ U L Y 4 , 2 0 1 3



11/13

7th Step Prayer

My Creator, I am now willing you should have all

of me, good and bad. I pray that you now remove

from me every single defect of character which

stands in the way of my usefulness to you and my

fellows. Grant me strength, as I go out from here,

to do your bidding. Amen

5th Step Promises

Once we have taken this step, withholding

nothing, we are delighted. We can look the world

in the eye. We can be alone at perfect peace and

ease. Our fears fall from us. We begin to feel the

nearness of our Creator. We may have had certain

spiritual beliefs, but now we begin to have a

spiritual experience. The feeling that the drink

problem has disappeared will often come strongly.

We feel we are on the Broad Highway, walking

hand in hand with the Spirit of the Universe.

3rd Step Prayer

God, I offer myself to thee- To build with me and

do with me as thou wilt. Relieve me of the

bondage of self that I may better do thy will. Take

away my difficulties that victory over them would

help of thy love, thy power and thy way of life. May

I do thy will always.

9th Step Promises

If we are painstaking about this phase of

our development, we will be amazed before we are

halfway through. We are going to know a new

freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret

the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will

comprehend the word Serenity and we will know

peace. No matter how far down the scale we have

gone, we will see how our experience can benefit

others. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity

will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish

things and gain interest in our fellows. Self seeking

will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook

upon life will change. Fear of people and economic

insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know

how to handle situations that use to baffle us. We

will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what

we could not do for ourselves. Are these

extravagant promises? We think not. They are

being fulfilled among ussometimes quickly,

sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if

we work for them.

P A G E 1 3L I V I N G S E R E N I T YJ U L Y 4 , 2 0 1 3



12/13

Prayer of St. FrancisPrayer of St. Francis

AA Version in the 12 x 12AA Version in the 12 x 12

Lord, make me a channel of thy peacethat where there is hatred, I bring love

that where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness that where there is

discord, I may bring harmony that where there is error, I may bring truth that where

there is doubt, I may bring faith that where there is despair, I may bring hope that

where are shadows, I may bring light that where there is sadness, I may bring joy.

Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort that to be comforted to understand, than

to be understood to love, than to be loved. For it is by self-forgetting that one finds. It

is by forgiving that one is forgiven. It is by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life.


J U L Y 4 , 2 0 1 3 P A G E 1 2L I V I N G S E R E N I T Y

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;


13/13

I am Responsible

When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always

be there, and for that: I am responsible.

Declaration of 30th Anniversary International Convention, 1965

Dear Friends:

Since 1938, the greatest part of my A.A. life has been spent in helping to create, design,

manage, and insure the solvency and effectiveness of A. A. s world servicesthe office of which

has enabled our Fellowship to function all over the globe, and as a unified whole.

It is no exaggeration to say that, under their trustees, these all important services have

counted for much of our present size and over-all effectiveness.

The A.A. General Service Office is by far the largest single carrier of the A.A. message. It has

well related A.A. to the troubled world in which we live. It has fostered the spread of our

Fellowship everywhere. A.A. World Services, Inc., stands ready to serve the special needs of any

group or isolated individual, no matter the distance or language. Its many years of accumulated

experience are available to us all.

The members of our trusteeshipthe General Service Board of A.A.will, in the future,

be ourprimary leaders in all of our world affairs. This high responsibility has long since been delegated

to them; they are the successors in world service to Dr. Bob and to me, and they are directly

accountable to A.A. as a whole.

This is the legacy of the world-service responsibility that we vanishing old-timers are

leaving to you, the A.A.s of today and tomorrow. We know that you will guard , support, and

cherish this world legacy as the greatest collective responsibility that A.A. has ever can have.

Yours in trust, and in Affection,

Bill W.

J U L Y 4 , 2 0 1 3 L I V I N G S E R E N I T Y P A G E 1 5


living serenity july

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