MARCH 1
IT WORKS
It works—it really does.ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 88
When I got sober I initially had faith only in the program of Alcoholics Anonymous. Desperation and fear kept me sober (and maybe a caring and/or tough sponsor helped!). Faith in a Higher Power came much later. This faith came slowly at first, after I began listening to others share at meetings about their experiences—experiences that I had never faced sober, but that they were facing with strength from a Higher Power. Out of their sharing came hope that I too would—and could—”get” a Higher Power. In time, I learned that a Higher Power—a faith that works under all conditions—is possible. Today this faith, plus the honesty, open-mindedness and willingness to work the Steps of the program, gives me the serenity that I seek. It works—it really does.March Birthdays… IF They Make It!
March 10th… Brad W. celebrates 4 years
March 13th… Dave A. celebrates 2 years
March 14th… Paul T. celebrates 8 years
March 17th… Tim C. celebrates 16 years
March 18th… Sean L. celebrates 21 years
March 28th… Larry G. celebrates 3 years
March 29th… Mark C. celebrates 5 years
If your birthday has been missed…. fill out the birthday form.
We really want to celebrate your AA anniversary because your birthday made ours possible!
Thanks everybody and apologies to you if you were missed or incorrectly noted.
First Wednesday… March 6th
Come join a review of Step 3 on March 6th (First Wednesday). “Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.”
John reviews the step corresponding to the number of that month on each first Wednesday. It’s a rewarding meeting with John outlining the step of the month, how he was challenged by it and how we tackle it ourselves, with and without success! Look for his monthly contribution in this edition!
The GSR Says!
Central California Fellowship of AA Delegates Meeting
- Attending delegates totaled 58 and a quorum was reached
- February birthdays totaled 68 years. Happy Birthday to all!!
- New group – Life Skills and Recovery Fellowship was accepted by the CCFAA. This new group houses homeless and those escaping abusive partnerships. This is a private organization and is looking to start an AA group at their place of residence.
- Several open positions at CCFAA were filled by volunteers.
These items were the main topics of discussion. More to come next month!
Thank you for allowing me to be of service.
Mark Q.
Tradition 03
Short Form
“The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.”
Long Form
“Our membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism. Hence we may refuse none who wish to recover. Nor ought A.A. membership ever depend upon money or conformity. Any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an A.A. group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation.”
Tradition Summary
DESIRE IS ALL YOU NEED
Simplicity and perspective are the words that describe the third tradition. I work the third tradition in a personal way by eliminating all my desires in life other than pursuing sobriety.
There is nothing wrong in wanting emotional and financial security. However, when I make obsessions of these goals rather than seeing them as the by-products of giving service in working a program whose goal is to pursue sobriety – I’m screwed.
Whenever I complicate my life by having any goal other than pursuing sobriety, I notice that I become ungrateful and take it for granted. Thus, the beauty of the third tradition is that it restores perspective through an attitude of gratefulness for the miracle of my sobriety. The third tradition suggests to me that that I surrender all of the requirements and expectations I have in life beyond sobriety. Emotional and financial successes are the result of being of service. But when these are things that I demand in my relationships with God and others, then I have lost the simplicity and perspective envisioned in the third tradition.
Step-Tradition Parallel
The relationship of the third tradition to the third step is a profound one. The third step poses the question: What do I need to do in order to turn my will and my life over to the loving care of God as we understand him? The tradition answers the problem posed in the third step. The only requirement I need to fulfill in order to turn my will and my life over to God’s loving care is a desire to stop drinking. It is unbelievable that all the power of the universe is available to care for me if I only have one desire: to stay sober.
From an idea by George T.
Detailing
The other day, I was doing a little market research. I went to another meeting outside of Step Two Men’s group to see how another group ran their meetings. It was longer but not everyone shared. Unfortunate that group did not have the erudite individuals we are so grateful to have at our meetings, where everyone shares.
So, this one guy decided to share. He stands up. We don’t do that.
He proclaims to one and all, that he has decided to turn his life over to God. The process was very slow because he didn’t believe in God. He could not believe there was a God considering that He allowed wars, poverty and Republicans. This share was not that quick. He was taking his full three minutes plus extra time.
My mind began to wander.
Somewhere, in this gentleman’s share, he spoke about smashing his turned out Mustang into a wall at his old school. The car was totaled and he went off to jail after blowing a point one four. That was three weeks ago and please, my card needs to be signed.
Some how from all of that………
I got to thinking about Step 3.
I went to college and I studied Philosophy. I knew the Professor wanted the term paper to denounce the Pope and question God’s existence. Hell, fifty percent of the class was trying to rework the words of the April 8, 1966 Time Magazine Cover Article, Is God Dead? I didn’t really care. My attention then was on what neighborhood markets would sell beer to minors. Could I get the clothes off the blonde in the seat next to me. If I could, yeah, there must be a God.
Fast forward thirty years later, and I am reading about Step 3 with a general consensus that all this God stuff was pablum for the masses. Of course, I was above all that. Then again, look where I was.
Step 3 was like having a tricked out Mustang like that kid. It still ran, but it was filthy dirty inside and out. Trash littered the footwells front and back. The trunk was full of crap I knew was there but never used. The alignment was messed up. The engine ran rough. The tires were bald. I should have just given it to Mark C and be done with it. I had this premonition, though, that the right thing to do was for me, Me, to clean it, get it repaired, fix it up and sell it.
That is a semi metaphor of my approach to Step 3. I didn’t drive the car anymore, it wasn’t safe. Yeah, I decided to clean it up and sell it. So, the beginning of Step 3 was deciding to clean it up. Took a couple of years to actually do it. It was like I looked at that car all a mess, and couldn’t figure out where to even start.
I had to retrain myself, starting with just doing the right thing. Doing the right thing in my daily living, that was where I started. I did have a mantra of “Look God, if you are out there, I pray, do not let me screw things up more” but I did not address turning over to God or Higher Power for a few more years.
Now, I find that I do relinquish some things to God or a Higher Power, with a we’ll see attitude. It’s still experimental. I don’t have the confidence yet to close my eyes while driving and let God take over. Maybe it will come.
Contributed by John M.
“Mouse’s Corner”
A.A. member Dave Mc. curates a few selected readings from a variety of A.A. related publications each month.
We can measure our lives not in years or by the things we gain or lose, but by the degree to which we make peace with our own lives and the world around us.
—Living Clean, Pg. 3
Contributed by Dave Mc.
Funny Pages
Our Trusted Servants Continue to Be:
The current Step 2 Men’s Group meeting schedule is Monday, Wednesday & Friday at Tim’s (3809 J St), Tuesday & Thursday online, Saturday in the park is “Daily Reflections” and Sunday is our Rogue meeting in the park. Each gathering is one hour. Great job men!
- Monday: Tim C.
- Tuesday: A Mark
- Wednesday: John M.
- Thursday: Sean F.
- Friday: Jon B.
- Saturday: Dave M.
- Sunday: Mark C.
Want to add your name to the “Back-up-Help-Substitute Secretary List”? Just contact Group GS, John M., Treasurer Mark W. or any of our other Secretaries and let them know!
My First Meeting
Please be “of service.” If you’ve never contributed a “My First Meeting”, please help to keep this column going…we need you! What do you remember most of your first meeting? It can be one sentence; it can be up to two paragraphs. Could be funny, poignant or strictly “clinical”. Write what you want…you might have enjoy writing it!
Step 2 Men’s Group Believes…
“Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.”
We’d never presume that the 12 Steps are not clear. Nor would we imply that they need ‘improvement’. However…for purposes of assisting to keep the meeting pointed in an important direction each day, the “Step 2 Men’s Group Statement” is read as follows:
Step 2 Men’s Group is founded on the belief that spirituality is essential to our sobriety.
Our group is non-religious, but we do not oppose anyone’s religious beliefs. We believe that respect for others and their beliefs is essential to our spiritual development.
Accordingly we ask that avoid criticism of others or of their religion or lack of religion, their race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, physical appearance, trade or profession, length of sobriety, or personal beliefs.
Our goal is to further our spirituality, our sobriety and our personal development, not to confront or belittle others. Always remember to be kind to others.
Extra Special Thanks Dept:
Thanks to our General Secretary John M. for “Detailing”, Mark Q. for his GSR reports, Dave Mc. for “Mouse’s Corner”, Tom W. & George T for comics, and our Treasurer Mark W. for all your contributions. We’re still waiting for YOU gentle reader…Why don’t YOU contribute a short “something?” Any length, most any AA related topic. Reply now and it will get included next month!
Men’s Gazette – February 2024
Men’s Gazette – April 2024