A Wellspring of Hope
Newsletter of The Recovery Group
October 2004
Volume 6, Issue 10
| ser*en*dip*i*ty ~ (noun) First appeared 1754: the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for. |
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Dear Serendipity Friends,
In the Northern Hemisphere the last rays of sunshine are
fading as we begin to make our way into the cool, crisp
fall days and long winter nights. Fall is traditionally
a time of harvest set aside for storing up resources and
preparing for the challenges of winter yet to come. This
is an excellent time to turn our focus inward, renew our
recovery and prepare to face the challenges the upcoming
holiday season will bring for us as compulsive overeaters.
The abundant resources in this issue will certainly help
you along the way. A new Working the Steps study begins
this month and you can read more about it in the 12 Steps
in 12 Weeks article.
Stop by the Founder’s Corner to brush up on the Tools of
Recovery. Drop by the One Day at a Time, or ODAT, loops
to pick up on hints and suggestions to keep your food and
exercise programs on track.
Or perhaps you are looking to add an act of service to
your program. Many of our divisions are offering
opportunities to serve as sponsors, telephone angels,
meeting leaders and other trusted servants. As autumn
approaches much preparation is going on behind the scenes
as our Trusted Servants are preparing new programs and
expanding existing ones.
Just as October was a time of feasting and celebration
marking the New Year in ancient Celtic society, this issue
marks a new phase of growth for Serendipity. We are
excited about the opportunity to provide service as
co-editors. Together, with a dedicated staff of talented
reporters and proofreaders, we will be working diligently
to continue to provide you with the same high quality
publication you have grown to count on as a resource for
your recovery. We hope that you enjoy this month’s
offering and we look forward to seeing you again in
November.
Love in recovery,
Kristine & Faith
Co-editors,
SERENDIPITY Newsletter
~ FOUNDER'S CORNER ~
~ THE TOOLS OF RECOVERY ~
Dear Friends in Recovery,
There are very few gardens that thrive if you just
sprinkle seeds in the ground. A building can't be built
by just "thinking about it." Even a writer would not be
able to convey his writings if there were no pencils,
paper or a computer. So to achieve in just about any area,
we must have tools. And we must use those tools
diligently.
In our Twelve-Step program of recovery, there are eight
important tools, and for the next eight months I'd like
to share with you examples of them. If you are
in a loop or attend a meeting or even want to write a
meditation or Serendipity about one of the tools, please
feel free to do so. In November I will share about the
first tool: A Plan of Eating.
The others are:
The Recovery Group is dedicated to providing you with
resources that will enable you to have these tools
available. I know you will use them wisely.
@-}-}-}------
Love in recovery,
Mari
SUBMITTING LETTERS
~ Letters to the Editor are encouraged and welcomed. ~
All letters to the Editor should be addressed to:
SerendipityNewsletter@yahoo.com,
with 'Letter to the Editor' in the subject line.
~ THE RECOVERY GROUP ~
ADMINISTRATIVE HIGHLIGHTS
October is an especially busy month because it is a time
we take an overview of the year realizing that soon we will
be recruiting and appointing the 2005 Trusted Servants,
volunteers for TRG. It is also the beginning of one of our
major services, the Working the Steps step study, which you
will read more about in this issue of Serendipity.
If you have any questions about any aspect of The Recovery
Group, or wish to offer service of any kind, we would like
to hear from you. We wish each of you a happy and abstinent
autumn and hope you are finding what you need and want for
your recovery in our community.
Submitted by:
Dodee, Administrator
Mary W and Cody, Apprentice Adminstrators
http://www.TheRecoveryGroup.org
About TRGAdm: TRGAdm is the administrative arm of The
Recovery Group. The TRG administrator works daily with two
apprentices, the Recovery Advisory Board, the Recovery
Intergroup and the coordinators of each division of TRG.
Contact:
TRGAdm@TheRecoveryGroup.org
~ FROM THE RECOVERY LOOP DIVISION ~
Some recovery loops provide general sharing for those who
are recovering for compulsive overeating. There are several
newcomers asking questions and learning about the program.
OA Friends is stable. Journey to Recovery has had more
sharing this month. Big Book is reading "To Wives." A new
step study starts Oct. 1 with Jodall leading the study.
People are committing to abstinence and to attending 90
meetings in 90 days by joining those loops and sharing.
Anorexia and Bulimia continue to provide havens for those
disorders. HOTJ has wonderful topics and Relapse and
Recovery help many to get back from relapse.
For a more complete list of our
loops, please visit our web page:
www.TheRecoveryGroup.org/trg.html
Each of the Recovery Loops has an able coordinator to give of themselves
and make TRG a good place to be.
Submitted by:
Dodee, TRG Adm
http://www.theRecoveryGroup.org/trg.html
Contact: RecoveryLoopsAdm@lists.TheRecoveryGroup.org
~ FROM THE ODAT LOOP DIVISION ~
The sharing on many of the ODAT loops has increased
noticeably this last month. Shares have been both
informative and heartwarming as members discover their loop
is a safe place to talk to each other.
The addition of more new Trusted Servants has also added
much to the loops. We are still in need of Trusted
Servants for many positions in the ODAT Division; so if you
are interested in helping others while helping yourself,
please write to the
TrustedServantsPool@yahoogroups.com
Please check out our many special interest loops to see which one you
may want to be a part of. They are listed at:
www.theRecoveryGroup.org/odat/index.html.
Submitted by:
Nancy, ODAT Division Head
www.theRecoveryGroup.org/odat/
Please send to:
ODATAdm@lists.therecoverygroup.org
~ FROM THE DISCOVERY LOOP DIVISION ~
The loops of Discovery are continuing to thrive and grow as
Mary and Cody, the division leaders, continue to recruit
and find new Trusted Servants.
Mary W. is working hard as Discovery Kitchen now has 104
members. They are trying to use their experience, strength
and hope to get their members to share. They also have
been introducing topics from the meeting room as applied to
our food prep, and planning has helped.
Exercise & Discovery now has over 52 members and had over
100 shares in August. It is fully staffed with Trusted
Servants doing jobs such as greeting newcomers, saying
goodbye to someone who chooses to leave, getting the loop
out on the worldwide web and managing the whole loop to
make sure things run smoothly.
On the kids side of things, Cody is the coordinator for
both Co-kids and Kids & Discovery. Kids & Discovery, a loop
only for kids and trusted servants, has 12 members. There
have also been a few more kids joining since Cody began
submitting the URL to search engines.
Co-kids, a loop for parents, grandparents and others who
need help helping a child who eats compulsively has had a
few people subscribe this month and sharing volume has
increased to over 100 shares, which is way up. All-in-all,
it is great that we have these loops for people to discover
and find when they are in need!
Cody also submits a topic just about everyday to ensure
that when people or kids are looking for help, there is
always a positive message out their on the loop for them
to find!
Submitted By:
Cody (codygirl7318@yahoo.com)
Mary W. (pugrescuer@hotmail.com)
Discovery Loops Coordinators
http://www.theRecoveryGroup.org/discovery/
Contact:
DiscoveryAdm@lists.TheRecoveryGroup.org
~ FROM THE TRG OA MEETING DIVISION ~
ONLINE MEETING DIVISION
A great deal of work goes on behind the scenes in The
Recovery Group administration, and this month we are
delighted to welcome Melody (Nody) and Danielle into their
respective service positions.
Nody is now in charge of the weekly meeting topics and is
doing a wonderful, creative job. She has also been
appointed editor of the new TRG meeting newsletter, so
look out for the first edition! Danielle has been
appointed as an additional meeting co-coordinator and her
challenges include setting up a weekly Newcomers meeting
and overseeing the proposed Meeting Leader Mentor’s
Program. Welcome, Nody and Danielle, and thank you for
your willing service.
StarChat administration has been very helpful and
supportive over the last few weeks with the sudden influx
of unwanted guests during our meetings. It is very
encouraging to know that they are there to assist our
leaders at all times, and fortunately the disruptions to
the meetings are kept to a minimum.
Thank you to all our leaders who implemented our meeting
protocols under pressure and continued to provide
wonderful meetings for those of us who have come to rely
on them.
See you all at the meetings!
Submitted By:
TRG On-Line Meeting Coordinators: Terri, Barry and Christine
http://www.theRecoveryGroup.org/meetings/
Contact:
TRG Online Meeting Leaders' Group: MeetingTS@yahoogroups.com
TRG Online Meeting Administration: MtgAdm@lists.TheRecoveryGroup.org
~ FROM TRG'S SPONSOR PROGRAM ~
Dear Members of The Recovery Group,
If you are looking for a way to keep your recovery alive
and growing, sharing your recovery through sponsoring might
be just what you need! We all know that we cannot keep it
unless we give it away. We sponsor at the level of recovery
that we have, and we learn and grow so much as we give to
others.
There is no greater service to and for compulsive overeaters
than that of being a sponsor. The Recovery Group has a
dedicated online sponsorship service. We invite you to
share what you have been blessed with and become a sponsor.
Please contact us today.
http://recovery.hiwaay.net/sponsors.html
To become a sponsor:
TRGSponsorsAdm@lists.TheRecoveryGroup.org
Submitted by:
Patt and Cate, TRG Sponsor Coordinators
The Recovery Group Sponsor Group Trusted Servants
Contact:
TRGSponsorsAdm@lists.TheRecoveryGroup.org
The Recovery Telephone Angel Program is up and running
again. I know in the past it has been a lifesaver on many
occasions for members of the Recovery Group.
What the Telephone Angels Program does is have available to
all members of The Recovery Group a private directory of
members who are willing to take telephone calls from TRG
members who may need help or just need to talk.
The directory is made available regularly. Cody is the new
coordinator for about 27 Telephone Angels from all over the
country and world, too! Once somebody expresses an interest
in becoming a Telephone Angel, they join a loop where they
can ask questions, make suggestions and be available for
updates from TRGAdm.
Service is a very rewarding thing and the phone is one of
the best tools we have in our program. So, please consider
being a Telephone Angel. It is such a wonderful way to give
back and serve at the same time.
To join our list of telephone angels - and share your
recovery with others through this service -- please contact
TRGAdm@TheRecoveryGroup.org.
.
In your email please include the following:
Love in service, Cody
Administrator Apprentice
If you would like to submit a share for publication in an
upcoming Issue of Serendipity please send your submission to:
SerendipityNewsletter@yahoo.com (
Subject: TRG Members Submission).
During this last quarter of the year, our monthly Writers’
Series turns to an intimate and inspirational thread of
letters from one Recovery Group member to his higher power.
As a member of the Recovery Group loop called 'Heavyweights
On The Journey', I’m already fortunate enough to receive
Danny's Letters to God by e-mail each day.
If you've never had a chance to read them, you can make up
for lost time by following the link below. If you’ve already
read them, treat yourself again. Danny’s natural wit and wisdom
are a gift that can benefit everyone.
This month’s selection begins in the middle of the series,
which can be read in any order, with “Not Stuffing It.”
To read the remaining letters, check out the entire
collection at:
http://recovery.hiwaay.net/danny/dannytogod.html
Love,
Kristine
Co-editor
Good morning and thanks for another day to seek and do Your will. It is of course as always brought to my attention that when my eyes first opened today I was abstinent, free of fear, all fear and given yet another chance to be of assistance to another human being. Thanks.
In less than one hour I'm to call the folks to come and install the kitchen countertop, which has been the big hold up, and then on Monday the water will be hooked up. My home is a filthy mess and will remain so until the last ass has done its work and disappeared from my life. Now You know how much my attitude suffers at the first appearance of change. I'm talking about things being changed just because "it is time to change this, I'm tired of looking at it" type of change. I can't find a damn thing in this place I used to call home.
So, where is the woman You sent to run my life, hiding out somewhere in New Jersey with her women's circle stuff. Who will feel sorry for me and or tell me what to do, how to do it, when to do it whatever it is? Is all this a cruel joke or some sort of dream from which I am not allowed to wake? I know by the time this is written at least I will have a better attitude for the rest of today. Thanks. I figure as dumb as my complaints are they are mine and to stuff them would cost me at least ten pounds, and I cannot afford them, so You have them.
So God of mine, here I am, waiting to see what or who You will send my way today for some sort of assistance. Please gift me with the wisdom and power to do so. Watch over my family, friends, fellow loopies, those who still pray to food plans and the folks I could do without.
And Why Not?
Danny