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Post Info TOPIC: First things first...
Stepchild


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First things first...
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You see the sign hanging up in many AA rooms...I went to a meeting last night and a guy brought this up as a topic. What does that mean to you?? And there was some really interesting takes on this. I kind of took it as getting busy on the recovery part of the program...Make that my priority and take care of the rest when I had finished taking the steps. I also thought about the importance of step one...The one that we really have to get 100% right and follow to the "T" or else the whole thing falls apart.

A guy shared that someone asked Bill Wilson what the meaning of that sign was and he said it related to this.....

Matthew 6:33

King James Version (KJV)

 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

So I guess there is a lot more to that simple sign than I ever really thought about....Just curious as to what your take on that sign was....And if you are ever stuck in a meeting for a topic...Try throwing that one out there.



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Bob K


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To me it means don't jump to step 12 expecting to have a spiritual awakening without first doing the other 11. First things first means start with the first 3 steps and the rest will fall in place in the order they were meant to be done and with much more ease.



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Stepchild


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I've actually watched people do that...Two Steppers....1 and 12..



-- Edited by Stepchild on Thursday 1st of December 2011 12:45:19 PM

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pinkchip


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I think it means stay spiritually connected first....don't leap to conclusions. Don't project into the future. It overlaps with other concepts and tools in AA.

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Stepchild


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I guess Bill W. was right.....

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SoberSteve


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Bill W. was a smart man, by no means perfect but highly intelligent like most of us alcoholics~

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Stepchild


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I'll tell you what Steve....Alkies are not stupid people...A lot of them are pretty damn smart....We're just sick...There is a difference.

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Pythonpappy


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Yep, I agree with Bill W


Pappy



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Stepchild


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Yeah...I don't like to argue with drunks....Especially the one that wrote the book.

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Aquaman


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I heed "first things first" in order to live in the moment, where my HP is. "First things first" helps me remember to prioritize what the next right thing is.


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Stepchild


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That works...

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turninggrey


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I am with Matthew on this one.

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angelov8


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When I "came to" and realized I had a drinking issue and wanted to do something about it, "First Things First" immediately meant that sobriety was the priority.  For me it meant that I considered sobriety first and didn't make that hinged on anything else in my life.  That I could consider sobriety paramount above worry that I was bartending for my living, that I married my drinking partner, etc.  Shortly after that moment, in the first weeks it meant that for this day, really like it says in "Living Sober" that I don't take a drink for this hour or even till I finish reading the page.

Future tripping is a big hole so first things first is prioritizing for me.  Around here a lot of people say it's good to concentrate on "the next right thing", like Aquaman mentioned.  I always know the thing is not to drink.  That's first.  Then if I get overwhelm with my day I can focus solely on what is good in this moment.  It might be stopping negative thoughts to just breathe, say a prayer, or do the dishes, if I am unsure of what to do next.  I focus on what is good to do right now and trust in HP that over time a trail of good acts will add up to right living and a way of live that connects me to love and joy.



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StPeteDean


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Positive message from Bill W. for sure, however US demographics have changed dramatically since the '30's. I'd venture to guess that at that time better than 75% of the population were Christians and a good majority of them attended church regularly. Today I'd guess Christians number less than 33%, and the number of active Christians, coming into the rooms would be far less. Imho, pushing new comers away by advocating specific religious beliefs is an unfortunate reality. It also doesn't do much in the way of disproving the notion that AA is religious or a religious cult.

To me "First things first" resonates much in the same way as "Do the next right thing" or "Just for today" in that I need to stay focused on today's priorities and strive for a balanced life centered in sobriety.

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Stepchild


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What do they say jj?? If God pushes them out....Booze will push them back in....

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StPeteDean


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JJ I hadn't even read your post before posting and certainly wasn't commenting on it, rather the posting of a Christian bible verse in OP.

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Pythonpappy


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I think we'd be better off clarifing up front to newcomers that there is no religion taught in AA, just spirituality ... and that comes from reading the Bible ... same place the Big Book came from ...

Religions, all of them are man made ... Jesus didn't teach religion, He taught us the spiritual connection to God our Father ... yes, I suppose you could attach to AA that we have christian roots and that would be true ... in fact they almost called the AA movement, the James Club, rather than Alcoholics Anonymous, after the book of James in the Bible ...

And I don't think God ever, pushes a newcomer out of AA, but I do think the newcomer sometimes just can't believe he must work our step to gain his freedom from alcohol ... and some just can't go to any length ... and yes, I think that the booze will push some of them back in ...


Take Care and God Bless,
Pappy



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StPeteDean


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So, Pappy, if these newcomers aren't ready to accept Christian dialog, in order to get sober, it's ok for some of them to die. got it.

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Pythonpappy


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Well Dean, ...


We do offer a solution in AA, not just how to NOT drink, but how to live a good and rewarding life ... and the BB does mention God's name over and over ... and Bill W did, in fact, pattern the principles of AA after the principles found in the Bible ... and Dr. Bob's Bible was read from, at every meeting(in the beginning) ... and yes, the AA 'way of life' is that of the Christian way ... We NEVER say that YOU MUST think as we do about spirituality, only that this is the way we succeeded in getting and staying sober, if you're interested ... A new person has a choice, and unfornunately, for some of them, it is in fact, a choice to die rather than be healed ... There ARE some things we cannot change! ...

My hopes and prayers are such that I hope the newcomer will at least stick around long enough to see the miracles happening right before their very eyes, ... and I pray that they indeed will sense the very presence of God ... "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." ... Big Book pg. 55

Today, I will not apologize for my faith in God to anyone ... and this program is part of that faith ... You can accept that in your life or deny it if you think that pleases your god ... your choice not mine ... Don't kill the messenger ... if you don't want the truth then simply walk away ...

I never present AA as you must believe this way or else, that's crazy, you simply present the facts without any pressure, and allow the newcomer to decide if it's for them or not ... it really is that simple ... Besides, you can't force a person to believe something they can't understand ... I've seen some try, and your right, it only drives them farther away ...



Good subject, thanks Dean, love Ya man and God Bless,
Pappy



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